FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release No. SPR-08-414-01
Carol Tobin, AIHA Meetings and Education
(703) 846-0745; ctobin@aiha.org
Melissa Hurley, AIHA Communications
(703) 846-0740; mhurley@aiha.org
Find Vision, Value, and Impact at AIHce 2008
FAIRFAX, VA (April 14, 2008) — Thousands of 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).
AIHce 2008 has the largest and most comprehensive education program in its history. Among the hundreds of hands-on educational opportunities offered, participants can earn up to 6.5 CM points by choosing from 84 weekend professional development courses (PDCs); 40 educational tracks, including an early career and student track and a Value of the Profession track; 149 technical sessions; podium sessions; roundtables; EHS crossover programs; technical tours; and poster sessions.
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) cosponsor AIHce.
Saturday and Sunday, prior to the start of the main conference programs, attendees can take advantage of two days of great learning experiences featuring in-depth PDCs. These half-day, full-day, and two-day courses showcase up-to-the-minute topics ranging from exposure assessment strategies and statistics to biosafety to nanotechnology. The exam review courses for the certified safety professional and certified hazardous materials manager credentials will be offered, while laboratory leaders can attend a two-day overview of the AIHA laboratory quality assurance program, the laboratory accreditation process, and ISO/IEC 17025:2005, the international standard that dictates the quality assurance requirements of AIHA’s accreditation programs.
Two-day management courses on action tools for successful occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) management and leadership and the fundamentals of finance and accounting for nonfinancial managers also will take place. Sunday, June 1, a full-day Ergonomics Symposium, “Making a Business Case for Ergonomics (and Other Health and Safety Programs),” will demonstrate the development of the business case for ergonomics using economic criteria.
Monday, June 2, the main conference program will begin with an opening keynote presentation on “The Future of Work.” The Tuesday general session will address the value industrial hygienists add to an organization’s bottom line and the important role IH professionals have in communicating this value throughout the organization. The closing general session will update attendees on efforts to provide medical and mental health assessments, clinical referrals, benefits counseling, and occupational general health education to patients involved in the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero.
Beyond the general sessions, AIHce provides a week packed with options. Platform sessions, roundtable discussions, and crossover sessions will cover control banding, Bayesian statistics, fatigue management during disaster recovery operations, consulting management, mold remediation, reducing injuries and musculoskeletal disorders proactively and more.
The popular “Unsolved IH Mysteries” workshop is back, along with a new workshop that takes an inside look at industrial hygienists’ involvement in litigation as consultants and expert witnesses. This year’s student program includes both networking and social events and learning opportunities, such as the Student and Early Career Track education sessions.
Technical tours explore IH issues in realistic learning situations led by practicing IHs or safety experts. There will be tours of St. Jude Medical, Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC), Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant, Marathon Petroleum Company, Black Dog Power Plant, 3M Cottage Grove Corporate Incinerator, the New Twins Stadium, Monticello Nuclear Power Plant, Gopher Resource Corporation, Ford Motor Company, and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.
Minneapolis is a city known for its quality of life, its arts and culture, and its 22 lakes. For more information about AIHce 2008, including a schedule of PDCs, education sessions, and registration, visit the completely revamped AIHce website at www.aihce2008.org. To avoid on-site lines and higher on-site registration fees, register online by April 28. On-site registration begins Friday, May 30, at 4 p.m.
Do not miss AIHce 2008. Be there for the unveiling of the results of the landmark Value of the Profession Study.
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NOTE: Qualified editorial representatives are invited to attend AIHce free of charge. Members of the press can contact Melissa Hurley at (703) 846-0740 or mhurley@aiha.org for further information.
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.