SAIOH honours Prof Eloff

Prof Fritz Eloff, a renowned lecturer at the North-West University (NWU), was recently awarded the title of Fellow by the South African Institute for Occupational Hygiene (SAIOH).

This award is the highest and most prestigious award made by the SAIOH in recognition of a lifetime of exceptional professional conduct and significant contributions in the field of occupational hygiene. It is awarded to registered occupational hygienists who have been with the SAIOH for a minimum of 20 years and who have made a distinct contribution to the advancement of the profession.

Prof Eloff has been a lecturer at the NWU for 41 years and has always been involved in physiology and occupational hygiene. He is currently the Occupational Hygiene programme leader at the School of Physiology, Nutrition and Consumer Sciences.

"I had my first master's student in 1982 and since then I have supervised 46 master's and doctoral occupational hygiene students," says Prof Eloff.

"All glory goes to my Heavenly Father for giving me the health and blessings to train and educate young students."

The first group of students registered for the Bachelor of Health Sciences in the Occupational Hygiene programme and they are set to graduate at the end of 2019.

"It is a great honour to receive such a prestigious award and it is the cherry on top after 41 years of dedication to the education of students and the promotion of occupational hygiene in South Africa," adds Prof Eloff.

"I will always be grateful to my late parents for supporting and believing in me. I also would like to thank my wife, children and all my colleagues who have worked for decades to establish the occupational hygiene group and the Occupational Hygiene and Health Research Initiative.

Prof Eloff is only the sixth person to be awarded the title of SAIOH Fellow since the inception of the SAIOH.

He will be presented with the Fellow Award during the gala evening of the SAIOH Annual Conference that will take place from 15 to 18 October 2019. He will also be making a presentation, titled: "The need for formal tertiary education in occupational hygiene in South Africa".