Policymakers throughout the nation are recognizing something we’ve known for a long time—AIHA’s members are some of the most knowledgeable and influential experts in the world. This growing recognition is thanks to you and your volunteerism.

This year, volunteer engagement in government relations skyrocketed by more than 260 percent compared to 2021. Our members have been featured at a White House summit on indoor air quality, spoken at the first-ever national meeting of the National Integrated Heat Health Information System, presented to more than 3,000 attendees at an OSHA stakeholder meeting on heat-related hazards, testified on COVID-19 regulations, and commented on more than 50 legislative and agency actions, voicing their technical expertise to policymakers to help improve the health and safety of workers and their communities.

With your guidance, and in response to a government relations survey, we developed new public policy priorities for noise, thermal stress, improving the learning and working conditions of schools, and encouraging more students to pursue careers in occupational and environmental health and safety. These public policy priorities reflect feedback from volunteers on more than a dozen volunteer groups and will soon be published on AIHA’s website.

Of late, schools have been a particular focus for us, and we have learned that many of our members have been active in schools for years, serving on school boards, conducting indoor environmental quality and related assessments, and continuing to speak with students, teachers, school leaders, parents, and businesses about exciting careers in OEHS.

Rather than daunting, the challenges that lie before us are exhilarating. We are recognized leaders in workplace and community health and safety. As a scientific professional association dedicated to the pursuit of excellence, understanding, and service, AIHA is a treasured refuge in a world that often seems deeply divided. Working with many others, we unify and repeatedly demonstrate what is possible when we come together and focus on caring for ourselves and each other.

Thank you for a wonderful 2022. Thank you for your volunteerism. And, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your dedication to protecting workers and their communities.

2023 awaits—I’ll see you there!

In the meantime, please email me if you’d like to get more involved in government relations – or if you have juicy intel to share!