Established in 1980		October 2000

2001 Board President: CIHC Representative: Ed Klinenberg, CIH, PhD Past Pres: Bill Collier, CIH Secretary: vacant Treasurer: Mark Cameron, CIH Director: Alternate CIHC Representative: Dirk Yamamto, PE Director: Morie Oberg, CIH, PE ASSE LIAISON: Carol Barake, CIH CIHC Representative: Steve Smith, CIH

Message from the President With deep regret, I will be resigning my position as President at the end of March due to a job transfer to the St Louis area. I have enjoyed serving as your President and getting to know the talented and friendly members of this section. I would especially like to thank my board (Bill, Mark, Dirk, Julie, Morie, Carol, and Steve). They worked hard organizing events, generating new ideas and keeping the section moving along the right track. I would also like to thank Ed for keeping our website updated and Rocky for maintaining our electronic database. In addition to my depature, Dirk will be relocating to Salt Lake City this summer to begin graduate studies. These departures, coupled with the currently vacant Secretary position, offer members multiple opportunities to become actively involved in this section. Hopefully, we have some energetic individuals ready in the wings to follow in my footsteps and become part of the board. It is well worth the effort! In March, we have a half-day plant tour and lunch scheduled for Hewlett Packard. Check this newsletter for more details. Finally, please take a look at the latest AIHA Strategic Plan (also in this newsletter). After reviewing it, ask yourself: What, if anything, is not covered in the Plan and should be added? What, if anything, should receive more emphasis? What, if anything, should be removed from the Plan? What should be AIHA's absolute top 5 priorities? E-mail your responses to me by Feb 27. I'll consolidate and forward them to AIHA National. Ed

Please send any address and e-mail updates to: rockyone@pacbell.net NOTE: We are looking to go to an all electronic newsletter distribution. Please provide us with your current e-mail address so we can keep you informed.

From Our Last Board Meeting.... The Board met on February 2, 2000. The following items were discussed: Bylaw Changes: The following changes to the bylaws were proposed: Allowing the President to serve 3 full terms in any six year period. This allows for continuity in section leadership. The President would still need to be elected every year. Changing the Annual Meeting to February. This will allow the new board members to attend the AIHA National Leadership Conference in March along with having transition time prior to the June 1 assumption of duties Create a formal student affiliate membership category

Mark This Date!

2001 Meeting Planner
March 14	Hewlett Packard Tour Time: 9:30 - 12:00 noon (Note: start time change.) Location: Roseville facility (see link above for directions) Cost: $5.00 + Lunch RSVP by March 7 to Dirk Yamamoto, 916-643-8438

AIHA Legislative News

• New Legislation: President Bush has not proposed any legislation directed toward occupational health and safety. However, there are several issues the administration has weighed in on. One is the issue of telecommuters and the right of OSHA to inspect home offices. The administration has hinted that despite OSHA's directive that OSHA has no intention of inspecting home offices, legislation may be introduced to make this directive law. President Bush has signaled that this issue may be added to legislation on a disability initiative.

• Blacklisting Rule: One final rule that has already been delayed is the one commonly referred to as the "blacklisting" rule. The final rule would have government officials consider past violations of labor, environmental and consumer laws and regulations in awarding new contracts. The rule was put into effect shortly before the end of the Clinton administration. Now, the General Services Administration and other civilian agencies have suspended the rule for at least six months.

• Ergonomics: While the Bush administration is likely unhappy with this rule, don't look for the administration itself to become embroiled in the debate over this rule. President Bush will attempt to stay clear of this issue and allow the courts and Congress to take the lead. On the legal front, the number of lawsuits challenging the standard continues to grow. At last count there were 31 suits filed. In addition to these suits, 14 petitions were filed challenging the final rule. This is likely to take a very long time before this is settled. However, Congress may not wait for the courts to decide. There is movement in Congress to impose a new law called the "Congressional Review Act". This law, which has never been used, would allow Congress to review any new rule within 60 legislative days of its enactment. Because the new Congress has met for only a few days, Congress still has time to use this law to review and stop the ergonomics rule. Several members of Congress are attempting to do just that, but it will be very difficult to have enough votes to overturn the ergonomics rule. (Note: I'm currently reviewing a letter to Congress drafted by the AIHA Ergonomics Committee which opposes Congressional intervention)

Additional information about AIHA Government Affairs and other AIHA initiatives is available at their website: www.aiha.org.

CIHC News

If you are interested in seeing any of the bills CIHC is reviewing, please visit the CIHC website at:
www.sacadvocacy.com/cihc/cihc.html

This list may grow significantly after the next CIHC board meeting on March 9, 2001. At that meeting, CIHC board members will be reviewing all the new bills introduced this year into the California legislature.

Updated ABIH CM Points

• Calibration Symposium
  April 14, 2000
  .5 IH CM Points
  Approval #14883

• LLNL Tour
  August 22, 2000
  .5 IH CM Points
  Approval #14882

2001-2006 AIHA Strategic Plan

Note: The strategic planning process pursued by the Association began on July 29 and 30, 2000, with a facilitated planning session. The plan went through five drafts, one of which consisted of recommended changes provided by the chairs of AIHA's technical and administrative committees, chairs of the local sections and special interest groups, and participants in the Future Leaders Program. The AIHA's 2001 - 2006 Strategic Plan reflects much more member influence than any plan that has preceded it. The AIHA Board of Directors is pleased both with the process pursued and the product evolved. We hope that the AIHA membership will be equally pleased.

CORE IDEOLOGY

CORE PURPOSE

CORE VALUES

• Prevention of occupational disease and injury is the foundation of our profession.
• The right of workers and the community to a healthy and safe environment
• The ethical practice of industrial hygiene through the anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of hazards arising from the workplace
• A sound scientific basis for action
• Good business and good occupational and environmental health and safety are closely linked
• Respect for diversity of opinion and open communication
• Valuing the time and commitment of our members
• Active collaboration among allied OHSE professionals is essential to achieving a safe and healthy workplace.

ENVISIONED FUTURE, 10 - 30 YEARS

BHAGs AND VIVID DESCRIPTIONS

1. A recognized worldwide leader in promoting excellence in occupational and environmental health and safety.
   • Universally accepted as an essential source for the achievement of quality occupational health and safety in the workplace and the community.
   • International provider of occupational and environmental health lab policies and programs to assure quality.
   • Recognized as a leading public policy advocate for IH and other OHSE professions.

2. A global membership with immediate or local access to all products and services.
   • All educational products available on a global basis, including the annual conference.
   • Internationally recognized as a premier IH and other OHSE research and information resource.
   • A must-join OHSE organization.

3. A national and international consensus builder advancing IH and other OHSE professions in the workplace and the community
   • Ability to convene major stakeholders regarding IH and OHSE concerns and issues in order to advance resolution and prevention of disease and injuries in matters such as national and international standards, and international symposia.
   • Achieve/facilitate an organizational structure to unify IH and other OHSE professional communities.

4. To be so successful in eliminating workplace and community illnesses and injuries such that we have accomplished the ultimate - elimination of the need for AIHA
   • Reducing the global burden (1) of occupational/environmental disease and injury.

Goal 1. PROMOTING EXCELLENCE

Milestones/Measures of Success
1.1. Through AIHA assistance, the occurrence of an increased number of national industrial hygiene and other OHSE organizations, particularly in the Americas and Eastern Europe.
1.2. Increase in the number of requests of AIHA from funding agencies to help establish research priorities.
1.3. The existence of:

• An increase in the number of partnerships with national and international associations
• Publications, courses, and a home page offered in several languages
• Increase in number of healthy international chapters and national organizations

1.4. Increased tools for professionals delivering IH and OHSE services on the basis of consensus among employees, employers, and regulators.
1.5. Member surveys reflect acknowledgement by local sections that their relations with the AIHA have improved.

Strategies

1. Foster and support development of national occupational hygiene organizations, particularly in the Americas and Eastern Europe.
2. Develop benefits (e.g., programs, services, publications, and knowledge) that will attract occupational health, safety, and environmental professionals on a worldwide basis to join AIHA.
3. Build alliances with allied trade and professional associations, businesses and governmental agencies (nationally and internationally) and develop strategic relationships, partnerships, and alliances to accomplish joint regional conferences, wider distribution of AIHA publications, electronic dissemination of data, and development of standards, guidelines, and good practices.
4. Develop a marketing and communications plan that will achieve recognition as a premier society.
5. Develop worldwide web-friendly tools to identify risks to small business owners and family business (cottage industry) personnel who do not believe occupational risks exist.
6. Proactively represent IH & OHSE in favorable light to the U.S. media.
7. Increased awareness and recognition of AIHA technical committees as a source for sound science judgments.
8. Establish AIHA and aiha.org as the portal for IH and other OHSE information and networking.
9. Develop mechanisms for improved dialogue with local sections.
10. Foster and support development of special interest groups.

Goal 2. PRIMARY MEMBER RESOURCE.

Milestones/Measures of Success
2.1. Increasingly, members look to AIHA as a primary resource for electronic information knowledge products.
2.2. Members have access to expanded crossover products and services (products and services across the full spectrum of OHSE).
2.3. Increase in IH and other OHSE practitioner membership globally.
2.4. AIHA customer service perceived by members as second-to-none.
2.5. Increased attendance by members at conferences and educational programs.
2.6. Increase in percentage of local section members who are national members.

Strategies

1. Establish an "allied" or "electronic" membership for members outside of North America at reduced cost, providing them with Association materials in electronic form.
2. Make programs and products available worldwide through a wide variety of delivery options.
3. Develop effective partnerships with local sections for the purposes of knowledge dissemination and membership recruitment.
4. Strengthen two-way communication with members, to include establishing electronic or virtual communities that allow interactive communications, idea exchange, and consensus building.
5. Develop distance learning programs that are accessible to all members.
6. Develop an online library with fee-for-service access that provides comprehensive health, safety and environment information.
7. Develop business plans for consultants showing how one can profit by providing professional services to small and family businesses.
8. Increase submissions for publications and for articles for the AIHA Journal.
9. Identify and resolve barriers limiting the number of local section members who join AIHA.
10. Regular usage of member surveys to measure access and satisfaction.

Goal 3. CONSENSUS BUILDER.

Milestones/Measures of Success
3.1. A viable and functioning mechanism to bring harmony and recognition of professional competencies among IH and other OHSE professionals.
3.2. A ongoing dialogue/process among stakeholders to address scientific issues in IH and other areas of OHSE.
3.3. Recognition and use of AIHA practice standards, guidelines, and consensus standards as the preferred basis of professional practice.

Strategies

1. Sponsor forums that attract the premier scientists in IH and other areas of OHSE to present papers on cutting edge technology and topical issues, and/or develop cutting edge publications on industrial hygiene and other OHSE topics.
2. Establish and maintain alliances and interactions necessary to create effective voluntary consensus standards of professional practice.
3. Promote and increase the use of AIHA-developed practice standards, guidelines, and consensus standards in the professional practice of IH and in other areas of OHSE.
4. Establish and maintain a review process that includes technical committees, local sections and special interest groups.

Goal 4. PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY.

Milestones/Measures of Success
4.1. Expanded public policy advocacy efforts to include EPA issues.
4.2. Options are presented, on an ongoing basis, to the Board concerning AIHA's responses to state and international public policy issues, and acted on accordingly.
4.3. Increased requests from federal, state, and international policymakers for AIHA assistance.
4.4. Increased member, special interest group, local section, and/or technical committee input regarding public policy issues.

Strategies

1. Continue to determine the extent of public policy advocacy efforts that will be required by AIHA on state issues.
2. Continue to determine the extent of public policy advocacy efforts that will be required by AIHA on international issues.
3. Develop electronic mechanisms (or other means) for two-way communications with members and policymakers regarding public policy issues.
4. Identify and selectively pursue opportunities for partnerships, liaisons, and coalitions with regulatory agencies, public groups, and other interested parties on public policy issues of mutual interest.

Goal 5. SOUND DATA FOR SOUND DECISIONS.

Milestones/Measures of Success
5.1. Signed agreements with overseas partners and increased number of U.S. and overseas-accredited labs.
5.2. Established new lab accreditation programs.
5.3. Certification Programs for OHSE professionals.
5.4. IH and other OHSE Certification and/or lab accreditation widely appear in specifications, regulations, and/or contracts.

Strategies

1. Extend the scope of lab accreditation programs to additional types of laboratories.
2. Expand the international presence of AIHA's Lab Accreditation Program.
3. Work with other professional organizations to harmonize and/or establish a credentialing process for other OHSE professionals.
4. Promote/market CIH and other certifications for OHSE professionals as relevant credentials for AIHA members.
5. Assist in establishing a worldwide certification of professionals in OHSE.
6. Establish the feasibility of win-win mergers with associations of members holding recognized OHSE credentials.
7. AIHA technical committees working with the Practice Standards and Guidelines Committee will identify and prioritize practice standards and guidelines each year that need clarification or development for the national and international OHSE community.
8. AIHA will achieve the status of Accredited ANSI Standards Developer, and maintain an active position of leadership and participation in the development of consensus standards appropriate to our professional practice.
9. Promote and support university education in industrial hygiene.

(1) Morbidity-mortality; premature death, lost work pay, economic factors

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It was first posted on February 23, 2001.