FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

Release No. SPR-08-107-01    
Carol Tobin, AIHA Meetings and Education        
(703) 846-0745; ctobin@aiha.org

Melissa Hurley, AIHA Communications
(703) 846-0740; mhurley@aiha.org

AIHce 2008: Start Planning Now

AIHce 2008 adds a host of new programming for its Minneapolis-bound conference

FAIRFAX, VA (January 7, 2008) — Industrial hygienists and environmental health and safety (EHS) professionals from around the globe will meet at the Minneapolis Convention Center, May 31–June 5, 2008, to take part in the 2008 American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo (AIHce). Three small words that have significant meaning for occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) professionals today and in the future mark the theme for AIHce 2008: Vision. Value. Impact.

AIHce is co-sponsored by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). AIHce has added a host of new, innovative programming to the 2008 conference schedule. Highlights planned for the conference include:

• Weekend symposium on how to make a business case for ergonomics (and other safety programs).
• Weekday science symposium about linking exposure assessment to risk, the interdependence of industrial hygiene and epidemiology.
• Cutting-edge, general session keynote speakers including Jeremy Rifkin, president, Foundation for Economic Trends, on “The Future of Work;” Jeffrey Pino, president, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, on “The IH Value Proposition;” and Robin Herbert, MD, director, World Trade Center Medical Monitoring Program at the Mount Sinai-Irving J. Selikoff Center, on the “Occupational Health Impact of the World Trade Center Disaster: Lessons Learned.”
• “Ask the Expert” following the Tuesday general session, which provides an informal platform that encourages participant interaction.
• Education programming, including 62 roundtable discussions. Topics will include control banding, Bayesian statistics, fatigue management during disaster recovery operations, consulting management, mold remediation, reducing injuries and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) proactively, and more.
• There are 84 professional development courses. Courses will cover topics such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) basics and the industrial hygienists’ role, fundamentals of environmental management, solving water damage, investigative photography for safety and health professionals, conquering the chaos of information overload, practical preparedness for 2008, and others.
• Back by popular demand, a “mock” methamphetamine laboratory set up in the expo hall to demonstrate the health and safety issues faced by first responders, law enforcement personnel, and OEHS professionals who deal with illegal drug labs and meth-contaminated properties; the “Unsolved IH Mysteries Workshop;” lunchtime talks; an student and early career professionals track; an essentials of hazardous materials management course; and a certified safety professional (CSP) course.
• Technical sessions dealing with international industrial hygiene issues like HazMat, Homeland Security, and international requirements; implementation of sustainability; and developing industrial hygiene expertise globally.
• Technical and student poster sessions.
• Value of the Profession study track.
• In addition to the more than 300 exhibitors, there will be a new photographic exhibit documenting the world of child labor captured by noted photographer David L. Parker, a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Health Hazard Evaluation Emergency Response Trailer, and an ergonomic patient-lifting demonstration.

These top-notch programs are being offered against the backdrop of Minneapolis, the land of 10,000 things to do. Minneapolis will be alive in June 2008 with outdoor festivals on the streets and a backdrop of spectacular natural surroundings along the Mississippi River. Frommer’s named Minneapolis to its list of “Top Travel Destinations for 2007.” With the beautiful layout of the city, its new buildings designed by celebrity architects, and a profusion of urban energy, the city made the list alongside top-tier international cities. Many hotels, restaurants, and attractions are within short walking distance to the Minneapolis Convention Center, making it easy for attendees to experience and enjoy the city while at AIHce 2008.

For more information, including a schedule of planned professional development courses and education sessions and registration information, visit www.aihce2008.org. The site now lets you easily search sessions by day, type, and topic. If you have not heard the buzz about AIHce 2008, you soon will. Don’t miss the best education program of 2008!

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Founded in 1939, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is the premier association of industrial hygiene and occupational and environmental health and safety professionals. AIHA’s 10,600 members play a crucial role on the front line of worker health and safety every day. Members represent a cross-section of industry, private business, labor, government, and academia. For more information on AIHA, visit www.aiha.org.