AIHA has begun revamping its government relations resources. Through the new “Government Relations Central” e-newsletter and updated website, the association is working to provide AIHA members with the resources needed to take action on the worker health and safety issues they care about the most. The first newsletter, which was emailed to all members in March, included articles on AIHA’s recent congressional briefing on the OSHA silica rule, new developments related to federal regulations, and more.

AIHA plans to roll out further improvements over the course of the year. Members can access government relations content, including newsletter articles, on the AIHA .

Please send feedback regarding these efforts to AIHA’s new Director of Government Relations, Mark Ames. He can be reached via email at . AIHA’s annual conferences are fast approaching, and AIHA staff are looking forward to seeing our members on the road in Seattle, Wash., in June, and in Tampa, Fla., in late October. Below are some reminders for preparing for AIHce EXP 2017 and AIHA’s Fall Conference on Leadership and Management.

AIHA’s annual meeting will be held at AIHce EXP 2017 in Seattle, Wash., at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7, to introduce incoming officers and directors, report on the results of ballot and bylaw changes, and address other business. In order to establish a quorum for this meeting, a call for proxy votes will be made electronically.

AIHce EXP. The dates for AIHce EXP 2017 in Seattle, Wash., are June 4–7. Pre-conference education will be held on Saturday and Sunday, June 3 and 4, and the main conference will take place June 5–7. Professional development courses will also be held on Thursday, June 8. The advance program was mailed in February and can be downloaded as a from the AIHce website. The advance program features a list of educational opportunities, descriptions of this year’s keynote sessions, and information on registration and hotel accommodations. To learn more about the conference, read "" elsewhere in this issue. To register for AIHce EXP 2017, visit the conference .

The 2017 AIHA Fall Conference on Leadership and Management will be held in Tampa, Fla. Pre-conference professional development courses (PDCs) will take place Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 28 and 29, and the main conference will take place on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 30 and 31. Post-conference PDCs will be offered on Wednesday, Nov. 1. The call for speakers for this conference will open this spring, and registration is scheduled to open in July. Please check the Fall Conference for more details and to sign up for email updates. This month, the new AIHA webinar "OSHA Compliance: Emerging Issues and Inspection Preparedness" will cover aspects of OSHA's new stance on penalties, highlight the compliance requirements of targeted OSHA programs, and discuss the new rules established for recordkeeping and silica. The webinar will also showcase successful OSHA compliance practices of two organizations to help prepare participants for these changes. Presenters will also address what's on the horizon in 2017 and 2018 regarding potential OSHA rule changes that pertain to occupational health and safety exposures.

Individuals who attend this webinar will learn to describe the new style of OSHA as it pertains to terms of inspection protocol, rapid response investigations, and increased penalties. Attendees will also be able to explain OSHA’s new rules and requirements related to the silica, recordkeeping, and the targeted inspection items related to ergonomics, chemical hazards, and workplace violence.

"OSHA Compliance: Emerging Issues and Inspection Preparedness" will be held on Tuesday, April 25, 
from 2 to 3 p.m. ET. For further details or to register, visit the . In February, , MS, CIH, FAIHA, AIC Fellow, was appointed by 
Govenor Jerry Brown to the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board. The Standards Board is the standards-setting agency within the Cal/OSHA program that aims to adopt and maintain reasonable and enforceable standards to ensure the health and safety of workers in the state.

Laszcz-Davis was also recently appointed to the NIOSH Board of Scientific Counselors, which provides advice and guidance to the director of NIOSH. She has been founder and principal at the Environmental Quality Organization LLC since 2002. AIHA sends many essential 
e-communications, including 
, s, and , from the email address . To ensure that you receive all 
email communications from AIHA, please be sure to add 
to your “safe senders” list. Any AIHA member in good standing can sponsor an International Affiliate member by paying membership dues for that individual. Annual dues are $54. To sponsor an International Affiliate member, forward the candidate’s 
completed application with dues 
payment to AIHA. AIHA is unable to accept sponsored members’ 
applications online. For more 
information, please contact Member Services at . The industrial hygiene profession needs a pipeline of highly trained and skilled professionals if it is to continue to meet the needs of a global economy. The purpose of the American Industrial Hygiene Foundation (AIHF) is to provide scholarships to the best and the brightest to ensure this critical need is being met.

Contributions to AIHF are tax-deductible, as provided by law. Donating to AIHF will help ensure that deserving students preparing for careers in industrial hygiene will receive scholarships. Detailed information about making a donation or a pledge can be found on the AIHF . Learn more about .

. OSHA’s .

in Seattle, Wash. OSHA's inaugural , co-sponsored by AIHA. AIHA Fall Conference on Leadership and Management in Tampa, Fla. For a complete list of events, visit .