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ABOUT US

COHLABS-TEM
Asia Pacific's First NATA-Accredited TEM Laboratory for Asbestos Analysis

Established in early 2020 and accredited by NATA in 2021, COHLABS-TEM is a pioneering collaboration among three leading companies. Our cutting-edge Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) facility specialises in asbestos identification and quantitative analysis. Leading the way in asbestos regulation, our mission is to enhance scientific standards across Australia and beyond, ensuring accuracy and reliability in the asbestos industry through collective expertise and innovation.

COHLABS

Established in 2014, COHLABS consists of a group of like-minded Brisbane-based professionals who are committed to protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of people at work. We aim to provide objective, science-based solutions to our clients’ problems, whilst ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of the workers remains paramount. We offer our clients a complete suite of quality yet affordable services that are attainable by employers of all sizes. From air and water quality testing, hazardous substances risk management, to noise monitoring, right the way through to OH&S training, we know how to keep your employees safe. Supremely safe.

PPS

PPS is a leading manufacturer of Decontamination Equipment as well as Personal Protective Equipment. We specialise in providing complete solution packages to a wide variety of hazardous industries. Since PPS’s inception 67 years ago, our over-riding ethos has been to provide the greatest possible protection to employees and to maintain a safe workplace in any hazardous situation. PPS developed unique technology which made it the leader in protective suits and equipment for various industry including the asbestos, pharmaceutical and petrochemical industry’s. The company has refined its research and development capabilities while expanding its investments and technologies in Europe and the rest of the World. PPS ensures it collaborates with industries, organisations and Governments to guarantee the latest technologically advanced products for the protection of your staff and customers.

PPS

Since 1994, ITGA has developed a unique network of building and trade expertise focused on public and occupational health and also the environment. Founded on a multidisciplinary approach, a complementary services offer and a network of diverse skills, ITGA benefits from a global vision that supports all professionals with the optimal resolution of their regulatory issues related to buildings and health & safety. ITGA continually strives to monitor changing regulations in buildings and health & safety. The Group’s skills and expertise are devoted to a single objective: providing comprehensive and workable solutions perfectly attuned to each customer’s projects. ITGA relies on the collaboration of skills, knowledge, innovation and people, while listening attentively to its customers’ needs. A commitment that is deeply rooted in the company’s identity, its values and its future.

The Team

Michael Shepherd

Managing Director and Principal Occupational Hygienist

Michael Shepherd, Grad. Dip. (OHS); BSc. (Chem), is a Chartered Chemist, a Certified Occupational Hygienist and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists. Michael has over twenty years’ experience in multidisciplinary occupational health and safety assessments, and advises government on health and safety policy and legislation. Michael is former President of the Asbestos Industry Association Queensland, an advisor to the Asbestos Related Disease Support Society QLD (ARDSSQ) and is a NATA technical assessor for asbestos identification and counting. An AIOH Council member from 2010-2012, Michael currently chairs its Membership and Qualifications Committee and is one of the institute’s certified Occupational Hygiene Examiners. Michael’s specialties are recognition, evaluation and control of workplace hazards. Main expertise includes, water quality, indoor air quality, asbestos, dust, mould, and hazardous chemicals

Jordan Ogor

TEM Sample Preparator and analyst

Jordan has a master of engineering in electrochemistry and chemical processes. During his master, Jordan did a 5 months internship at RioTinto on aluminum electrolysis and another 6 months internship at Naval Group on proton exchange membrane electrolysis. He has been a TEM analyst at ITGA for 4 years, preparing and analysing bulk samples like vinyl tiles, paints, adhesives or more exotic Natural Occuring Asbestos samples. He arrived in Brisbane in March 2020 to help setting the electron microscopy activity up. Now the team is providing COHLABSTEM the ability to analyse bulk and air samples following different standards.

Laurent Fenouil

Business Engineer

Laurent Fenouil is a professional with a scientific background, holding an M.Eng. in Electronics and a dual MBA in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship. He played a pivotal role in establishing the first NATA-accredited Transmission Electron Microscopy asbestos laboratory in the Asia-Pacific region. Through his contributions to advancing the use of TEM over conventional techniques in asbestos testing and his involvement in FAMANZ and ASSEA committees and asbestos working groups, he was recognized with a FAMANZ award in 2023. On the international stage, Laurent contributes to European working groups focused on harmonising asbestos analytical techniques in response to European regulatory changes for air exposure assessment. His career includes three years as a Test Engineer in nuclear energy production in France, one year as a Business Analyst, and one year as an Innovation Analyst in Europe, the US, and China.

James Herbert

Senior PM and Marketing Director

James Herbert, BSc Hons (Bldg. Surveying), is a qualified building surveyor with over 20 years’ experience in both building surveying and hazardous materials management. James has worked as a consultant in the UK and Australia, specialising in project management and has considerable experience managing major projects involving the identification and remediation of hazardous materials for the Department of Defence, State Government departments, utility companies and various other clients. James’ areas of expertise include project management, staff training, occupational health and safety compliance audits, hazardous materials surveys, asbestos auditing and asbestos and particulate air monitoring. James is also a Licensed Asbestos Assessor (LAA).

Dr Ronan Tartivel

National Technical Manager

Dr Ronan Tartivel is ITGA’s National Technical Manager in HAZMAT analysis, specialising in fibres detection by Transmission and Scanning Electron Microscopy, as well as the R&D Team Leader in asbestos and nanoparticles analysis. After his Master and PhD in Material Science in 2007 with a thesis focused on Atomic Force Microscopy, TEM & SEM, Dr Tartivel joined the CNRS (National Centre for Scientific Research) as a Research Engineer in microscopy and imaging platform using TEM and SEM, until 2012 when he joined ITGA. Dr Tartivel is a member of the French Association for Standardization (AFNOR) in the ambient air workgroup. He is also assessor for the French Committee for Accreditation (Cofrac) for the ISO/IEC 17025, asbestos detection and identification.

Chris Done

Managing Director

Chris is a qualified building and asbestos surveyor with a wealth of experience owning, managing and running asbestos surveying and analysis businesses for the past 15 years. Chris is a member of the Royal society for public health. Specialising in hazardous materials within the built environment as well as occupational safety and health, Chris has been and continues to be involved with safety organisations and businesses in the UK, East Africa, Australia and New Zealand bringing a diverse and varied breadth of knowledge to the team having run analytical laboratories in the UK, New Zealand and Australia.