John Adamson (1947-2010)

Alastair Reid remembers John Adamson, the University’s Occupational Hygienist.

John Adamson, who died on 5 February 2010, joined the University in 1980.

His first University role was a Dental Instructor in the Department of Preventative Dentistry.

Expert guidance

He joined the Health and Safety department in 1993, retraining to become the University’s first professional Occupational Hygienist.

He brought rigor and cohesion to our arrangements for the measurement of physical parameters in the workplace.

He also provided expert and consistent guidance on both engineering and personal protection against such hazards.

Dedicated professionalism

His workplace visits could vary from a request to conduct a technical noise survey within a biological resource facility, to an invitation to inspect the bathwater in a student flat.

Whatever task came his way John could be relied upon to bear the same combination of dedicated professionalism, attention to detail, and commitment to the wellbeing of our staff and students.

These qualities helped John to become a valued member of the British Occupational Hygiene Society, for whom he was latterly Scottish Coordinator.

A missed colleague

On a personal level, I’ll sorely miss the comfort of knowing that any task I asked John to perform would be carried out entirely professionally with the utmost competence.

We’ll all miss the great friend and sterling colleague who was John.

Notes

Alastair Reid is the University’s Director of Health and Safety.

An extended version of this obituary will be published in the summer edition of Bulletin.