AIHA Publication, Video, App, and eTool
Content Channels

Description: Framework documents consist of complete sets of concepts, terms, and activities that make up a specific professional domain as defined by an academic or professional body. This format is useful for sharing knowledge in a particular area and how an individual is expected to master it to be considered or certified as a practitioner.

Target Audience: OEHS audience

Right for Me? Choose this format if you are looking to create content that outlines the knowledge, skills, and abilities an individual should possess and demonstrate to work successfully in a particular field or industry.

Format Outline:

• Lists the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to work in a particular field or industry
• Serves as the first step in the development of a registry, certificate, or training program
• Includes references in APA style to support content

Description: AIHA publishes technical, educational materials (e.g., textbooks, guidelines, manuals) and does not allocate resources for the publications or marketing of books in narrative formats, such as memoirs or autobiographies. Overall, the non-technical books do not fit the content priorities or business objectives of AIHA University.*

*AIHA reserves the right to reevaluate business needs at any time and make determinations of which products to publish on a case-by-case basis. Criteria are included to streamline the submission and review process. Adherence to said criteria does not guarantee acceptance, nor does deviation from these guidelines automatically result in rejection.

Target Audience: OEHS audience

Right for Me? Choose this format if you are looking to create content in greater depth than what is possible through a fact sheet, guidance document, or white paper, including specific knowledge and methodologies.

Format Outline:

• Page count depends on content and format—will your book be used as a guideline, field manual, college textbook, or some other specific purpose?
• Can be released as a downloadable PDF or as a physical, hardcover copy
• Includes references in APA style to support content

Description: Fact sheets present data in a format that emphasizes key points concisely, usually using bullet points, headings, or tables. Fact sheets often contain technical data, lists, statistics, educational material, or how-to advice. On occasion, they may summarize a longer document. Fact sheets can also be presented visually as infographics.

Target Audience: OEHS or public audience

Right for Me? Choose this format if you are writing on a particular topic to inform a specific audience with high-level knowledge of that topic.

Format Outline:

• Three pages or less
• Should be visually appealing, comprised of tables, charts, graphs, and bullet lists of supporting facts
• Summary of most important information; should be brief and concise
• Cite sources or attributions in APA style and include links to further information

Description: Guidance documents suggest best practices and provide non-binding advice that follows a prescribed procedure or process. Guidance documents should be viewed only as recommendations unless specific regulatory requirements are cited.

Target Audience: OEHS or public audience

Right for Me? Guidance documents represent the current thinking of AIHA and its members on a particular subject. Choose this format if you want to document the way activities should be performed to facilitate consistent conformance.

Format Outline:

• Provides broad advice for following a procedure or process
• Includes a brief statement of purpose to clarify the reason for the document's creation, which also refers to any directly related document such as a policy or regulation the document supports
• Includes no mandatory statements—these belong in a policy, procedure, or standard document
• Sometimes may be best structured as FAQs or bulleted lists
• May provide more extensive guidance or advice for best practices
• Includes references in APA style to support content
• May include infographics

Description: Position statements are short statements that reflect the association's stand on a particular viewpoint or issue related to occupational and environmental health and safety. A position statement may be included in the executive summary of a white paper.

Target Audience: OEHS or public audience

Right for Me? Choose this format if you feel the association should take an official position on an issue related to a mission-critical topic.

Format Outline:

• Two pages or less
• States the official position of AIHA
• Includes a rationale in support of the position
• Requires the approval of the AIHA Board of Directors

Description: White papers are persuasive, in-depth reports or essays that include executive summaries, are supported by scientific research, and are written to educate the target audience on an issue or explain and promote a particular methodology. White papers are meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision.

Target Audience: OEHS or public audience

Right for Me? A white paper is a research report or guide that helps solve a problem. Choose this format if you intend to educate readers by bringing to light a new or different perspective.

Format Outline:

• Includes an executive summary that outlines the white paper's main points, including any recommendations and crucial data that supports them
• Should be visually appealing, with features like diagrams, charts, graphs, examples, case studies, infographics, and tables
• Includes reference list in APA style to support content

Description: AIHA accepts videos that provide OEHS information through a visual medium, either live-action or animation.

Target Audience: OEHS audience.

Right for Me? Choose this format if you want your topic, idea, or other content to have high exposure on various social media channels. Explainer videos are extremely effective ways to share important information on topics, processes, ideas, research, analysis, or other content and can take various forms.

Format Outline:

• Animated videos can involve animated infographics, cartoon characters, stock images, and other tools to visualize data. This format effectively provides complex information in a simplified manner to reach a wider public audience whose knowledge base may be low on OEHS topics. Animated video lengths can range from 15–60 seconds, which is ideal for social media channels, to upwards of 3 minutes, which is appropriate for evergreen content tailored to display on a webpage. Costs vary depending on the level of animation desired but are, on average, less than those of producing a live-action video.
• Live-action videos feature real people and locations and are best used to communicate important content via visual storytelling. Live-action videos create a sense of intimacy between the viewer and the subject due to the subject's familiarity and relatability. This content is accessible to most people, especially if captioned but requires the creator to understand their primary audience. Live-action videos range in length from 30–60 seconds, which is ideal for social media channels, to over 15 minutes, which appropriate for evergreen content embedded on a specific webpage. Costs depend on the shoot variables and the editing and post-production process. These videos require a longer production lead time from start to finish.
• Casual videos specific to social media usage typically involve someone recording themselves sharing a piece of information via their phone's front-facing camera. Costs are minimal as most users can record and edit their own content for posting. This content is considered extremely volatile because it rarely has evergreen usage, is of variable quality, and not easy to control once it is released on social media. Video lengths are, typically, between 10 seconds and 2 minutes. These videos are intended for personal social media channels where AIHA can be tagged.

Description: Technologically astute AIHA members are invited to create user interfacing applications that reflect a scientific method and provide practicing OEHS professionals with quick and easy access to information that helps them to evaluate and control hazards in the workplace.

Target Audience: OEHS audience.

Right for Me? Choose this format if you are looking to develop electronic tools to assist OEHS professionals in collecting, evaluating, and controlling hazards in the workplace. Consider whether funding will be necessary to develop and maintain this product.

Format Outline:

• Electronic tool formats include, but are not limited to, decision logic spreadsheets and apps