Scope of Work
Identifies and pursues numerous projects with specific goals to achieve our vision. These goals drive our projects to ensure successful completion.
Goals and Objectives
- Membership Diversity: Achieve and maintain an active membership encompassing a broad range of industries, education, certifications, and experience reflective of environmental protection and compliance.
- Outreach: Establish and maintain relationships with like-minded professionals, committees, and organizations.
- Advocacy and Influence: Initiate and sustain activities to encourage new and existing environmental, health, and safety professionals to develop skills, expertise, and interest at the nexus of environmental issues and public health.
- Operational Excellence: Achieve and maintain excellence in committee operations through judicious use of volunteer resources, active engagement with all related AIHA volunteer groups and staff, and formalized mentoring and development of members.
Current Projects
EIC/USDA research in South Dakota found that wildfire smoke contained a fibrous asbestos-like material in the surrounding communities, containing Eriomite, similar to research in a Turkish village. He stated that he is working on a USDA presentation on this subject.
Products Produced by the Group
- Virtual AIHce, presenting on June 2 at 2:20 pm, so EIC members attending can support his presentation.
- Outside collaboration; IICRC voting membership.
- Building coalitions, an indoor environment coalition with ASHRAE and IAQEA; working on a new case development guide for practitioners.
- Working on a theory whereby wildfire smoke is now being recognized as ambient smoke, thus, providing a body of evidence going from acute occupational exposure (i.e., firefighters) to a chronic community issue (public health).
- Research with USDA in South Dakota found that wildfire smoke contained a fibrous asbestos-like material in the surrounding communities, containing Eriomite, similar to research in a Turkish village.
Achievements/Honors/Awards
- Awarded the Shining Star Award (2020)
Rachel Carson Award
The AIHA Environmental Issues Committee awards this honor in recognition of their environmental advocacy in the spirit of Rachel Carson. This award is bestowed upon an environmental health and safety (EH&S) professional who has attained outstanding success and distinction in their environmental and industrial health and safety business, profession, or life's work. This year's recipient is Timothy Paz, CIH.
Past Winners of the Rachel Carson Award
- 2018: Gerald Markowitz, PhD and David Rosner, PhD, MSPH
- 2017: Michael Yost
- 2016: Joan Plisko, PhD
- 2015: Environmental Health Coalition
- 2013: Ecojustice Canada
- 2012: J. Thomas Pierce, PhD, CIH, DABT
- 2011: No award
- 2010: Garrett Brown, CIH, and the Maquiladora Health and Safety Support Network (MHSSN)
- 2009: Alliance for Chemical Safety
- 2008: Roy Deitchman, CIH, MS
- 2007: James L. Unmack, CIH, CSP, PE
- 2006: Anthony B. Diaz, ANCDF Employees TEACH Team, and Westinghouse Anniston
- 2005: Gildardo Acosta Ruiz, MS
- 2004: S. Katherine Hammond, PhD, CIH
- 2003: Cathy Walker and the Canadian Auto Workers Union Health Safety and Environmental Department
- 2002: Jonathan Crawford and Joseph Golden
EIC Rachel Carson Award Nomination Form
Collaboration Efforts
- Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) authorized the Consensus Body for IICRC S760 Standard for Professional Restoration of Structures and Items Damaged by Wildfire Smoke;
- An indoor environment coalition with ASHRAE and IAQEA; working on a new case development guide for practitioners;
- Working with USDA to study wildfire smoke and its effects on surrounding communities.
Qualifications to Join
Members must be an AIHA member in good standing. If you are interested in learning more about membership, please visit https://www.aiha.org/membership.
