2007–2008 Highlights

Throughout the past year, AIHA has represented the OEHS community on multiple fronts, many of which are noted here:

• Introduced exciting new research findings including an approach that enables industrial hygienists to demonstrate that by protecting the health of workers and the community, they simultaneously safeguard an organization’s license to operate and provide competitive business advantage (Strategy to Demonstrate the Value of Industrial Hygiene). The findings, the strategy, and other resources can be viewed on the newly launched “value” website at www.ihvalue.org. These materials can be used by industrial hygienists to make the value proposition for IH in their own workplaces.
• Continued to provide a wealth of knowledge, information, resources, and research to members, including OEHS Library Central, and debuted 12 new publications, including Recognition, Evaluation, and Control of Indoor Mold and Toxicology Principles for the Industrial Hygienist.
• Doubled scholarship awards to students. The American Industrial Hygiene Foundation awarded $112,000 in scholarships to deserving students.
• Continued emphasis on student activities by offering a student/early career professional track at AIHce, hosting 24 student local section leaders at Leadership Workshop, forming a Student Local Sections Council to help strengthen our student local sections, and continuing to promote and distribute a CD on the industrial hygiene profession.
• Partnered with the China Occupational Safety and Health Association and the National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention to present our first training effort in China: The 2007 Sino-U.S. Occupational Health Workshop in Beijing, a two-day workshop was a tremendous success and attracted nearly 200 attendees. 
• Presented the largest, most comprehensive technical program in AIHce history this past year in Minneapolis with about 40 content tracks, including an expanded one for Student/Early Career Professionals and a new Value of the Profession Track.  In addition, 12 new, free podcasts were offered on the post-AIHce website of selected AIHce 2008 presentations.
• Implemented an expanded initiative to “Go Green” at AIHce 2008 that included more than half the PDC instructors providing electronic handouts instead of paper, and a tree dedication ceremony led by AIHA President Don Hart. 
• Introduced new Distance Learning formats including a “virtual view” that included both audio and PowerPoint presentations of AIHce sessions.
• Conducted media training workshops for more than 75 members at Leadership Workshop and AIHce in an effort to gain media attention for the profession and improve business leaders’ appreciation for the contribution IH and EHS professionals make to workplaces and communities.
• Provided input on several introduced legislative measures. Among these were measures to encourage OSHA to enact a diacetyl standard, enact a combustible dust standard, and to finalize the PPE standard. Provided comments on several legislative issues including the proposed rule on confined spaces in construction.
• Championed the effort to see Dr. John Howard reappointed to head the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Dr. Howard’s term expired in early July 2008, and he was not reappointed.
• Reviewed more than 3,000 state legislative issues the past year and provided comments on numerous bills, including those pertaining to mold, meth lab cleanup, title protection, expansion of OSHA coverage, and other issues of importance.
• Created a Standards Council to ensure that AIHA maintains an appropriate and coordinated level of involvement in national and international standard development activities.
• AIHA once again displayed a mock clandestine drug lab at AIHce. The lab displayed the household implements and chemicals commonly used to manufacture methamphetamine. IHs who test meth lab sites for contamination and recommend cleanup procedures were on hand to educate other IHs on how to properly assess health and safety risks from these labs.
• Published five new and revised ANSI standards on health and safety in ventilation systems and continued work to maintain and update other existing standards, establish new standards, and resolve issues concerning the standards.
• Completed the first joint laboratory assessment with the Canadian Association for Environmental Analytical Laboratories, which allows laboratories to save time and limit disruption to their daily routine.
• Pursued Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) recognition for a more cost-effective approach for AIHA’s Laboratory Quality Assurance Program (LQAP) to becoming recognized under a mutual recognition arrangement.
• Conducted LQAP web survey for customer feedback on existing programs, competitive programs, laboratory services, and the value placed on international recognition. Met the needs of laboratories to schedule timely assessments by introducing six new LQAP site assessors.