Biosafety and Environmental Microbiology Committee
The mission of the committee is:
To provide a forum for disseminating and exchanging ideas and information about hazardous microbiological agents and their byproducts to health professionals and to the community.
Goals and Objectives
Goal: Assemble, evaluate, and disseminate to occupational and environmental health professionals information on biohazardous agents in industry and the built environment to facilitate the recognition, evaluation, and control of their risks. A biohazardous agent is one of biological origin that has the capacity to produce deleterious effects upon humans, and includes organisms, toxins, and allergens.
Objective #1: Discuss and act upon biosafety and environmentally linked microbiological issues.
Strategies:
- Designate specific members to track and report on identified issues.
- Respond to AIHA Board requests to address specific issues.
- Meet at the AIHce and at other times as appropriate.
- Solicit papers; organize sessions; and provide session arrangers, chairs, and monitors for the AIHce.
- Communicate plans and activities to other AIHA committees that may be affected or concerned. Provide liaison support and technical assistance to other professional committees.
Objective #2: Provide education and training on Biosafety and Environmental Microbiology issues.
Strategies:
- Develop new PDCs and keep existing PDCs up to date.
- Prepare timely, relevant information for publication.
Goal: Actively participate in identifying and responding to biosafety and environmental microbiology issues.
Objective #3:
- Identify and report on hazardous microbiological agents and the occupations and environments in which they occur.
- Identify and provide guidance in evaluation and control techniques used for biological agents.
- Prepare publications concerning approaches for risk assessment, evaluation and control of biological agents.
- Identify, evaluate, and comment on proposed legislation, regulations, and standards affecting biological agents.
Strategies:
- Participate in the development of standards by organizations such as OSHA and NIOSH.
- Develop and recommend positions to the AIHA Board.
Staff Liaison: Angela Oler