In a previous blog post, I introduced you to AIHA’s new strategic plan, which covers the years 2022–24. For the first time, we’ll be broadly communicating the plan throughout the association. Our intent is for everyone in AIHA to become familiar with our organization’s overarching vision, values, and objectives. You can find the new plan on AIHA’s website (PDF).

Like the current plan, our new plan incorporates AIHA’s associated business entities: the AIHA Laboratory Accreditation Programs LLC, AIHA Registry Programs LLC, AIHA Proficiency Analytical Testing Programs LLC, the American Industrial Hygiene Foundation, the AIHA Guideline Foundation, and the Product Stewardship Society. Both plans identify strategic goals within each domain and the strategies AIHA will employ to meet those goals. And both plans are built around five “domains,” or areas of focus. These domains are community, awareness, advancement and dissemination of knowledge, integrity of professional practice, and advocacy.

Last fall, I wrote about the first two domains—community and awareness. The focus of this blog is to highlight the third domain: advancement and dissemination of knowledge.

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

For each domain, the new plan notes what we refer to as a “success statement,” which embodies what we aspire to achieve in this area of practice. The success statement for advancement of knowledge is “AIHA will explore, develop, and disseminate cutting-edge educational, technical, and career enrichment resources to advance the OEHS profession and professionals.” In short, this domain focuses on the breadth of education and technical resources offered to OEHS professionals at every career stage, as well as to allied professionals—such as EHS generalists or safety professionals—who may not be traditional industrial hygienists but require or are interested in some aspect of occupational health.

Next, the plan lays out three strategic objectives, which define what we intend to focus on over the next three-year cycle. The objectives are:

1. Identify the needs associated with critical issues in OEHS, create a research agenda, and facilitate information sharing, partnerships, dissemination, and implementation of evidence-based practices.
2. Develop educational, technical, and career resources for targeted audiences.
3. Disseminate educational, technical, and career resources to targeted audiences in developed and emerging economies through multiple delivery options.

ADVANCEMENT OF THE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE

One important addition to this domain from the former plan is a reference to our new Defining the Science (DTS) initiative. This collaborative venture with ACGIH is intended to establish a new national OEHS research agenda. This initiative will also help us identify barriers to improving OEHS practice. Working through our Content Portfolio Advisory Group, we will create new knowledge products to translate existing research into practical guidance for the practitioner. We anticipate this initiative will create ample opportunities for our volunteer groups to help propel our profession forward through the new R&D Officer position, a critical link between a volunteer group and the DTS Advisory Group. This individual is tasked with leading efforts on behalf of their committee to review and clarify already submitted research ideas and galvanize interest in new research ideas for consideration.

In a forthcoming blog, I’ll focus on our fourth domain: integrity of professional practice.