FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release No. SPR-08-221-01
Stacey Talbot, AIHA Education
(703) 846-0747; stalbot@aiha.org
Melissa Hurley, AIHA Communications
(703) 846-0740; mhurley@aiha.org
AIHA Hosts Anthropometrics TeleWeb
Presenters discuss how to improve and apply respirator fit testing
FAIRFAX, VA (February 21, 2008) — The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) will host “The Value of Anthropometrics,” an intermediate TeleWeb Virtual Seminar on March 20, 2008, from 2–4:30 p.m. ET. This course will provide an overview of fit testing, including the application of fit testing methodology to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) certification program. It will also provide insight into the development of the new respiratory fit test panel, as well as providing an overview of fit testing results using the new panel.
Recent trends in the field of personal protective equipment (PPE) testing have focused on the need to effectively evaluate PPE systems performance for total inward leakage (TIL) under laboratory conditions. Advances in the number of effective, validated TIL test procedures have made TIL practical as a requirement for respirator certification. It is anticipated the TIL performance requirement will be based on state-of-the-art respirator performance and will account for differences between laboratory test conditions and workplace conditions.
The performance requirements will be respirator class specific, and while the requirements may be used by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to establish assigned protection factors (APFs), the requirements will not be the same as present or proposed APF values. The revised panel will cover more of the diversity that is found in today’s U.S. work force.
Featured speakers include Ziqing Zhuang, PhD, and Bill Newcomb. Zhuang is a senior scientist at NIOSH. Zhuang. He is the editor in chief for the Journal of the International Society of Respiratory Protection. He is also an advisor for the National Research Counsel post-doctoral research associates and has more than 15 years of research experience in respiratory protection. Zhuang has authored more than 40 publications and is an adjunct professor for the department of industrial and management systems engineering at West Virginia University.
Newcomb is a physical scientist for NIOSH in the policy and standards development branch of the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory. He worked for North Safety Products for more than 40 years. There, he was instrumental in the development of all types of respirators, self-contained breathing apparatus, eye and face protection products, hard hats, hearing protectors, medical devices, and instruments. He is the administrator for the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to ISO TC 94/SC15 Respiratory Protective Devices. Newcomb has also published several articles on the use and limitations of PPE.
Presentations will include the following:
• Overview of fit testing
• NIOSH respirator certification
• New respirator fit test panel
• Results of testing using the new panel
Attendees will be provided with tools to enable them to:
• Understand the value of fit testing
• Categorize facial characteristics which effect respirator users
• Identify applicable fit testing methodologies that can be applied within their own organizations
TeleWeb Virtual Seminars deliver cutting-edge educational content live via the Internet and telephone from the convenience of an attendee’s home or office; multiple attendees can participate for the cost of a single registration. Since TeleWebs debuted in 2000, almost 14,000 individuals have used this convenient and cost-effective format to further their education and careers. An archive copy of the TeleWeb will be available on CD for purchase.
To register for “The Value of Anthropometrics,” please call toll free at (800) 651-7916, or register online at http://www.aiha.org/Content/CE/DL/ValueofAnthropometrics.htm. AIHA members who register by March 7, 2008, can attend the TeleWeb for $295, nonmembers for $325. After March 7, tuition will be an additional $100 for both members and nonmembers. Every site registered will receive materials that may be duplicated for each participant.
Please contact Stacey Talbot, AIHA’s education manager, at (703) 846-0747 or stalbot@aiha.org, with questions regarding TeleWeb Virtual Seminars or AIHA’s Distance Learning Program. For more information, including system requirements, please visit http://www.aiha.org/TeleWeb.htm.
***
Founded in 1939, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is the premier association of 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, go to www.aiha.org.