1939
AIHA® is founded by non-physician members of the American Association of Industrial Physicians and Surgeons (now ACOEM).
1940
William P. Yant was elected AIHA's first president along with President-elect Warren A. Cook in 1940.
First publication of the Journal of Industrial Medicine's Industrial Hygiene section, the forerunner of the JOEH.
1942
The Board established a committee to design a logo, which was approved in November 1942.
1943
Alice Hamilton's book On the Dangerous Trades is published.
AIHA's Board establishes the first AIHA award, the Donald E. Cummings Award.
1944
In AIHA's first attempt to affect legislation, the Association advised the U.S. government to label solvents as hazardous materials.
1945
AIHA® member Warren Cook, the editor of the Industrial Hygiene section of the Journal of Industrial Medicine, publishes exposure limits. OSHA's Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) are still based on Cook's work.
1946
The Industrial Hygiene section of the Journal of Industrial Medicine becomes a separate publication, the AIHA Quarterly, edited by Association members.
1948
John Wiley and Sons publish the first volume of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology, edited by Frank A. Patty, a founder and past president of AIHA®.
An air inversion pall of toxic smog kills 20 people and sickens 7,000 in Donora, Pennsylvania.
1955
AIHA® establishes its first office in Detroit, Michigan. The first AIHA® technical committees (air pollution, analytical chemistry, noise, and radiation) are formed.
1956
AIHA® creates an ad hoc Committee on Certification.
1959
The Certification Committee recommends establishing a separate Board for certification of industrial hygienists, which becomes the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH) (later called the Board for Global EHS Credentialing in 2019).
1961
For the first time, AIHA® (with ACGIH®) conducts its own annual meeting.
1963
The first CIH examinations are held in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Marshall LaNeir is the first African-American to present a technical paper in industrial hygiene, "An Evaluation of Chemical Detector Tubes," at the Pittsburgh Conference on Industrial Hygiene.
1964
AIHA's first Canadian local sections are formed in Ottawa and Toronto.
1966
Del Flowers became the first African-American to be board-certified in industrial hygiene, earning the CIH credential.
1967
Marshall LaNier takes charge of the employment center at AIHce and held the position until 1982. At the employment center, employers could post job openings and prospective employees could post their resumes.
1968
Ted Felton becomes the first African-American president of AIHA Northern California Section.
Frank Reid is the first Black to be the lead author of an article published in the American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal. The article was on the development and use of a simple charcoal tube sampling device.
1970
The Occupational Safety and Health Act creates OSHA and NIOSH.
1971
OSHA adopts its first Permissible Exposure Limits, which are based on the ACGIH® TLVs®.
Toronto becomes the first non-U.S. city to host the American Industrial Hygiene Conference.
AIHA® begins monthly publication of its journal.
1972
Fred Toca receives a PhD in Industrial Hygiene from the University of Iowa, the first African-American to do so. He studied under Dr. Clyde Berry.
1973
AIHA® headquarters move to Akron, Ohio. The first AIHA continuing education courses are offered.
Frank Reid is the first Black to be named session arranger for technical papers on chemistry at the annual industrial hygiene conference.
1974
AIHA® establishes its laboratory accreditation program.
1975
Morton Corn becomes the first industrial hygienist to lead OSHA.
Marshall LaNier becomes chairman of ACGIH, the first Black to head any of the professional industrial hygiene organizations.
Ted Felton is elected to a Member position of AIHA's Board of Directors. He is the first African-American to be elected to any industrial hygiene board.
1976
The Toxic Substances Control Act is passed.
1977
AIHA® establishes the American Industrial Hygiene Foundation (AIHF).
1978
AIHA® publishes the first Workplace Environmental Exposure Level (WEEL) Guides.
1980
The U.S. Supreme Court establishes limits on OSHA's standard-setting authority by overturning the agency's attempt to lower the benzene PEL.
Fred Toca is elected Secretary of AIHA, the first Black to hold the position.
1981
Ted Felton is elected President of the American Academy of Industrial Hygiene (AAIH), the first African-American to do so.
1982
The Ontario Local Section changes its name to the Occupational Health Association of Ontario (OHAO).
1984
The OHAO withdraws from AIHA and incorporates it as a not-for-profit association in Ontario.
1986
OSHA passes its Hazard Communication Standard.
1987
The International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) was founded during the American Industrial Hygiene Conference in Montreal.
AIHA® publishes Occupational Exposure Limits—Worldwide by Warren Cook.
1989
AIHA® begins publication of The Synergist as a quarterly newsletter.
In a single rulemaking, OSHA updates more than 200 existing PELs and establishes new PELs for 160 additional substances.
Dr. Fred Toca is elected President of AIHA, the first Black to hold the position.
1991
A ballot initiative to change AIHA's name to the American Industrial and Environmental Health Association fails to achieve the necessary two-thirds approval of eligible voting members by a mere handful of votes.
1992
U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals reverses the 1989 OSHA rulemaking, returning PELs to their 1971 levels.
AIHA® headquarters moves to Fairfax, Virginia.
1993
Frank Reid is named Chairman of the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH), the first African-American to do so.
1994
AIHA®, ACGIH®, and ABIH adopt a joint code of ethics for industrial hygienists.
1996
The first issue of The Synergist as a magazine.
1999
A second bylaws amendment that would change AIHA's name fails to achieve approval from two-thirds of eligible voters.
2000
The AIHA Board approves the establishment of the AIHA Minority Special Interest Group (MSIG) of Directors.
2003
The United Nations Economic and Social Council endorses the Globally Harmonized System for the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).
2004
AIHA® and ACGIH® begin joint publication of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.
2006
The European Union passes the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation.
2007
AIHA creates the International Affiliate category of membership.
2008
AIHA's Laboratory Quality Assurance Program is reorganized as the AIHA Laboratory Accreditation Programs, LLC.
2009
AIHA® and ACGIH® announce plans to develop a strategic alliance.
AIHA® and OHAO sign a memorandum of understanding.
OSHA publishes a proposal to align its Hazard Communication Standard with GHS.
2017
Women in IH Working Group formed.
2019
First Women in IH Leadership Summit held at AIHce EXP in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
2020
AIHA partners with several organizations to provide guidelines and resources to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, including launching the Back to Work Safely initiative.
Source: The American Industrial Hygiene Association, 1939-1990: Its History and Personalities. George and Florence Clayton, eds. AIHA: Fairfax, Va. (1994).