New! Advocate for Key NIOSH Programs with Our Second Campaign Letter

We’ve launched a second grassroots awareness campaign focused on restoring several mission-critical program areas within NIOSH—and your voice is urgently needed. This newly updated letter builds on our original campaign and provides a more specific call to action that highlights the importance of core NIOSH functions that directly support the OEHS community and protect worker health and safety. Individuals have two easy options to contact their representatives:

Automatically contact correct individuals via our VoterVoice system. No sign up is required. Click Here to Submit Your Letter
Download a template letter and personally send to your appropriate representative. Visit congress.org/members and enter your address to find your legislator's contact information. Download the Template Letter

For more information on the importance of NIOSH to the OEHS industry, read our NIOSH background document and 50 Years of NIOSH timeline.

Join the AIHA Campaign to Restore NIOSH

NIOSH has been instrumental in advancing the OEHS field and in the development of critical guidelines that protect workers nationwide. AIHA is asking OEHS professionals to take a stand for the restoration of NIOSH. Individuals have two easy options to contact their representatives:

Automatically contact correct individuals via our VoterVoice system. No sign up is required. Click Here to Submit Your Letter
Download a template letter and personally send to your appropriate representative. Visit congress.org/members and enter your address to find your legislator's contact information. Download the Template Letter

For more information on the importance of NIOSH to the OEHS industry, read our NIOSH background document and 50 Years of NIOSH timeline.

Consider Donating to the AIHA Connect Federal Worker Fundraiser

The American Industrial Hygiene Foundation (AIHF) is leading an initiative to raise funds for current and recently terminated Federal OEHS workers to attend and participate in AIHA Connect 2025. Federal OEHS employees play a vital role in safeguarding the health and well-being of our nation's workforce. Attending AIHA Connect 2025 allows them to stay current, network, and gain valuable knowledge and skills. Many recently terminated employees would also benefit from the career advantage job fair.

Donate Today

ISF: Core Principles Report

As national policies shift quickly in 2025, members of The Intersociety Forum (ISF), a group of two-dozen OEHS associations—including AIHA, joined together to complete a core principles report, Driving Business Growth and Profitability Through Modern Occupational Environmental, Health and Safety Practices. The report acts as a unified statement of how business and policy should remain committed to safeguarding workers in all industries to drive business success. The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), another ISF member, issued the report and corresponding press release on March 5, 2025. We encourage you to view the report and read the press release on their site.

2025 AIHA Public Policy Priorities

At its February 2025 meeting, the AIHA Board approved the following ten (10) public policy priorities based on a survey conducted of the membership in the fall of 2024. They are listed in order of importance as scored by some 440 members.

Our focus will be on the top (5) priorities.

Preventing heat-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths

Thermal stress can cause serious problems, including illness, injury, or death. In addition, thermal stress reduces worker productivity, creating significant economic burdens if left unaddressed. Heat hazards in the United States result in the loss of “approximately $100 billion per year in lost worker productivity in comparison to productivity levels prior to 1985.” The need for action is clear, significant, and pressing.

Disaster preparedness, response, and recovery

From hurricanes to wildfires, every community depends on volunteers for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. While many natural disaster clean-up risks are obvious, others are not—especially to volunteers. Some trained responders to Hurricane Katrina experienced symptoms derived from mold exposure and carbon monoxide exposure, including sinus infections, confusion, lack of sleep, slips, trips, and falls, and depression.

Workforce development

There is a shortage of new professionals entering the field of occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS). AIHA is taking action to address this issue through outreach to students of all ages. With more OEHS professionals, we can protect more workers, businesses, and communities.

Noise/occupational hearing protection

Millions of individuals are exposed to hazardous noise annually, contributing to permanent hearing loss. Adding to this challenge, hearing loss is generally slow to manifest, exposure to certain chemicals (ototoxicants) may exacerbate the condition, and hearing protection may not always be practical.

Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)

EPA must more closely align with the manner in which OEHS professionals conduct occupational exposure assessments. AIHA's subject matter expertise makes us the right partner to support EPA in their efforts to protect workers and surrounding communities.

Indoor environmental quality

Indoor air quality (IAQ) can profoundly affect the health and productivity of its occupants. AIHA supports healthy IAQ through practical resources and training in ventilation, comfort factors, odor management, and more.

Vulnerable, contingent, and temporary workers

AIHA is working to identify ways to protect vulnerable populations, who lack standard employer protections.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation in OEHS

AIHA is developing new guidance to help its members leverage the benefits to worker health and well-being.

Child labor protections

In the US, NIOSH estimates 160,000 work related injuries occur among children under the age of 18. On average, 40-50 child workers die annually. AIHA provides guidance to employers to help teens enter the workforce safely.

Professional title protection

AIHA strives to promote and protect professional certifications like the CIH credential, which recognizes best-in-class competency.

Federal Agency Appropriations and Other STEM Society Issues

As we are all aware, the impacts of the current US Presidential Administration and its flood of multiple Executive Orders (EOs) requires an extra level of scrutiny and analysis in the months ahead. The situation is fluid and changing rapidly, with many EOs tied up in the courts.

AIHA is providing the following two (2) “EO Tracking Services” for your convenience. AIHA bears no responsibility for the accuracy of the contents, as these are being managed by third parties.

For those more macro issues impacting the OEHS profession, such as federal agency funding (e.g., OSHA, MSHA, NIOSH), AIHA will continue to work with its allied associations, including ASSP and National Safety Council (NSC), and others who comprise the Intersociety Forum (ISF). A new communications piece is now available for your use when talking to your elected officials about the importance of occupational health and safety to your communities from a business-forward perspective. Click here to access.

For those issues that are broader-based and impacting STEM societies like AIHA and the overall nonprofit sector, please note that AIHA is a member of multiple coalitions who are tracking and responding to various issues. These matters include NIH/NSF research grant indirect cost allowance reductions, the deletion of critical government research data web pages, and an idea being floated in Washington to levy on nonprofits to help pay for an extension of Trump’s income tax cuts package.

AIHA is a member of Friends of NIOSH, Friends of NIEHS, a Science Societies group, and ASAE’s Community Impact Coalition among others. Updates on these various issues will be regularly communicated to our membership in a timely manner via multiple channels of communication.

2025 Letters to Policy Makers

Past Letters to Policy Makers

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

Make a difference by joining AIHA’s Government Relations Email List

Interested in taking an active role with policymakers to apply scientific knowledge to help create a world where all workers are healthy and safe? Join AIHA’s Government Relations Email List!

Core functions include:

Working on and proposing new projects to implement AIHA's Public Policy Agenda.
Developing model language for legislation and regulations at the Federal, State, and local levels.
Organizing and mobilizing AIHA's members to help achieve the Association's government relations goals.
Advising AIHA's Board of Directors on government relations matters.

Government relations is fast-paced, exciting, and vital to our society. Your voice and expertise are needed. We truly do depend upon you to realize our common goals. Together, we achieve amazing things.

If you'd like to join the Government Relations Email List or receive additional information about our advocacy efforts, please contact AIHA’s Government Relations Dept via email or (703) 849-8888.

Topics Controls Emergency Preparedness & Response Exposure Assessment Hazard Communication IH Profession IH Program Management Regulation & Public Policy

Government Relations

Turning knowledge into action to protect more workers and their communities.