COMMUNITY
AIHA NEWS AND NOTES
Ken Dillon Award Recipient Honored at AIHce EXP
AIHA’s Biosafety and Environmental Microbiology Committee honored Corey L. Boles, a PhD candidate in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Iowa, with this year’s Ken Dillon Award at AIHce EXP 2019. The committee presents this award annually to honor the memory of Dr. Ken Dillon, a former committee member and AIHA Fellow, and to recognize the best student poster at AIHce EXP based on a topic germane to the areas of biosafety and environmental microbiology. Boles, the 2019 award recipient, received a ribbon and an honorarium for his poster, “Determination of Murine Norovirus Aerosol Concentration During Toilet Flushing.” This poster was selected based on its quality and on Boles’ knowledge and presentation during an in-person poster review by a panel of judges from the committee.
Visit AIHA's website for more information on the Biosafety and Environmental Microbiology Committee.
JOEH Presents “Virtual Issue” on Heat Stress
A “virtual issue” of articles on the topic of heat stress is now available online from the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. Editor-in-Chief T. Renee Anthony assembled the collection of 11 articles, which includes a new article in which NIOSH researchers examine whether different combinations of ambient temperature and relative humidity for the effective wet bulb globe temperature elicit a similar level of heat strain. Another 2019 paper uses actual and simulated weather data to evaluate wet bulb globe temperature and the Heat Index as alerts for occupational heat-related illness. Additional articles in the virtual issue include “A Method to Reduce Heat Strain While Clad in Encapsulating Outerwear,” “An Evaluation of the Physiological Strain Experienced by Electrical Utility Workers in North America,” “The Influence of Arc-Flash and Fire-Resistant Clothing on Thermoregulation during Exercise in the Heat,” and “Increased Air Velocity Reduces Thermal and Cardiovascular Strain in Young and Older Males during Humid Exertional Heat Stress.”
The heat stress article collection will be freely available through the remainder of 2019 on the JOEH publisher’s website. Individuals are encouraged to download and share this research with friends and colleagues.
AIHA to Launch New Website
AIHA is launching a newly redesigned website this month. The new AIHA.org is designed to be a definitive experience for everyone involved in protecting worker health around the world. When the new site launches, members and other users will notice several improvements, including more intuitive navigation, enhanced search capabilities, an efficient and responsive design for mobile devices, a dedicated public resources section, and streamlined access to the member portal.
“Over the years, our members have told us what they wanted to see on AIHA.org, and we listened,” says Susan Marchese, AIHA’s managing director of Marketing and Communications. “We've redesigned our web experience with the user in mind. Whether you are a member or a nonmember seeking resources, we believe it will be much more intuitive and organized.”
Members should keep an eye on their email inboxes for updates related to the website redesign. Please email questions to AIHA.
AIHA Kicks Off “Conversation Commitment” Challenge
As part of its new “Conversation Commitment” Challenge, AIHA is encouraging members to have conversations with people who may not understand the importance of industrial hygiene in their daily lives. The challenge is intended to inspire others to pursue a career in industrial hygiene and take actions to protect their communities. To support the challenge, AIHA has developed conversation starters, talking points, and resources to help members lead conversations about industrial hygiene. The new document (PDF) provides talking points and resources related to careers in industrial hygiene, hearing protection, young worker health and safety, disasters, and the opioid epidemic.
AIHA wants to hear from you. How are your conversations going? What stories are you telling? As you have conversations about IH, what lessons and tips are you learning that may be able to help others in the profession? Please send feedback to Mark Ames, AIHA’s director of Government Relations.
ABIH Creates Board for Global EHS Credentialing
The American Board of Industrial Hygiene has created a new organizational umbrella called the Board for Global EHS Credentialing, or BGC. BGC is intended to more accurately reflect the credential offerings of ABIH and the Institute of Professional Environmental Practice, including the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) and the Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP). According to the BGC website, ABIH and IPEP have begun using the name BGC, but the names ABIH and IPEP will continue to be used to identify credentialing divisions and activities under BGC’s organizational umbrella. The missions of ABIH and IPEP have not changed and no credentials will be affected. The content of ABIH’s and IPEP’s exams, including the CIH exam, will also remain the same.
For more information, see the list of frequently asked questions on the BGC website.
In Memoriam
George J. Cvejanovich, PhD, CIH (Ret), FAIHA, passed away on June 29, 2019. Cvejanovich was an active member of AIHA and previously served on the Publications, International Affairs, and Legal Issues Committees. He spent most of his career as an industrial hygienist at Lago Oil & Transport Company on the island of Aruba. After retiring from Lago, Cvejanovich taught courses in industrial hygiene at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Read his full obituary online.
Present at AIHce EXP 2020
AIHA is now accepting proposals for presentations at AIHce EXP 2020 in Atlanta, Ga. Professional development courses will be held on Saturday and Sunday, May 30 and 31, and on Thursday, June 4. AIHce EXP educational sessions will take place Monday through Wednesday, June 1–3. The submission deadline for proposals for PDCs, case studies, scientific research, education sessions, SPARKtalks, and professional posters is Sept. 18, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Student poster and presentation submissions will be due on March 16, 2020. Learn more on AIHA's website.
Outstanding Volunteers, Professionals Recognized at AIHce EXP
Recipients of AIHA awards, volunteer group awards, volunteer star awards, and volunteer service awards were honored at AIHce EXP 2019 in Minneapolis, Minn., along with outstanding volunteer group project teams, student poster award winners, and recipients of local section awards. View a list of award recipients on AIHA’s website.
Dates and Deadlines
September 16–19
Chicagoland Safety, Health & Environmental Conference in Naperville, Ill., cosponsored by the Chicago Local Section of AIHA.
September 17–18
AIHA Rocky Mountain Section/ASSP Colorado Chapter Fall Technical Conference in Arvada, Colo.
September 18
Deadline to submit proposals for AIHce EXP 2020.
September 23–27
Comprehensive Industrial Hygiene Review course in Ann Arbor, Mich., co-sponsored by the Michigan Industrial Hygiene Society.
For a complete list of events, visit AIHA's website.
