Why Be a Part of the AAB?

Your service on the AIHA Analytical Accreditation Board is critically important to the Laboratory Quality Assurance Programs. The Board is the “face” of the LQAP to its customers. At its very core, the AAB reviews and deliberates on accreditation applications, directs “what” should be done, and association staff recommends and implements “how” something should be done. 

Leaders who are members of the following groups may be interested in learning about board participation:

• AIHA LQAP and laboratory data producers 
• Laboratory data users
• Regulators of the laboratory industry

What are the requirements?

• Graduate of an accredited institution of higher education holding a bachelors degree in industrial hygiene, chemistry, physics, engineering, biology or other scientific discipline who has been engaged a majority of his/her time in analytical laboratory activities (analysis or interpretation of data) for at least three years.  
• AAB participants should be members in good standing of AIHA at the time of application and if elected, they should remain members in good standing throughout their tenure on the board. 

What is the time commitment?

• Board members are required to attend meetings at least three (3) times annually: once in conjunction with AIHA’s annual meeting (AIHce – May/June), once in conjunction with AIHA’s fall meeting (PCIH – September or October) and once in January or February each year. AIHA will cover reasonable and customary travel expenses to each of these meetings.
• Being a member of the AAB is important and at times can be a time-consuming obligation. On average, the duties of chair, vice chair, and past chair take approximately 40 hours per month; duties of members take approximately 20 hours per month. In between meetings, members of the AAB are expected to: approve/deny applications for accreditation, re-accreditation and additional Fields of Testing that laboratories submit to AIHA; participate in and contribute to ad hoc task forces (e.g., Policy, Field Operations and Proficiency Testing) when appointed by the AAB or its chair; and vote on policy and technical matters related to LQAP; and participate in conference calls as requested.

In all, participation on the AAB carries with it a significant amount of responsibility and effort. In return for your efforts, you will have the opportunity to participate in an important process, contribute to your profession, and network with some outstanding industry leaders. 

What other opportunities (paid and unpaid) exist in LQAP? 

• Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) participants are also needed. Panelists will be appointed to provide technical expertise for each of AIHA’s Laboratory Quality Assurance Programs (IHLAP, ELLAP, EMLAP and AAR) as well as to provide expertise on proficiency testing (PT) and round robin (RR) programs.
• Site assessors using their knowledge of ISO 17025:2005 and LQAP policies.

How can I learn more?

Applications for the AAB and TAP as well as the governance documents for these can be found on the LQAP pages.

Contact the LQAP Director, Cheryl O. Morton at cmorton@aiha.org or(703) 846-0789.