COMMUNITY

AIHA NEWS AND NOTES

Apply for the AIHA Distinguished Lecturer Program AIHA invites new applications for its Distinguished Lecturer Program, which focuses on providing lectures to the industrial hygiene community and to AIHA's outreach partners on national and international occupational and environmental health issues that affect the practice of industrial hygiene.  The program is hosted by the AIHA Fellows SIG and features prominent experts in industrial hygiene who are prepared to lecture on recent research, new developments, and topics of interest that affect workplace safety and the environment.  The review process for the Distinguished Lecturer Program occurs throughout the year. Applicants will be notified by the end of each quarter regarding the status of their applications. For more information or to access the online application form, visit the program web page. A complete list of individuals participating in AIHA’s Distinguished Lecturer Program is also available online. Lecturers are listed together with the topics on which they’re prepared to present. These experts are located throughout the U.S. and Canada, and the Distinguished Lecturer Program enables AIHA local sections and other interested groups to connect with and learn from experts in the field of industrial hygiene by scheduling presentations at local, regional, or international meetings. Please visit AIHA's website to learn more about the program. Technical Frameworks Available on AIHA.org  AIHA’s Technical Frameworks define the core knowledge and skills required from an individual for effective performance in specific practices or areas of expertise. These frameworks are widely used by professionals seeking to expand or refresh their knowledge or skills. Technical Frameworks may also be used to develop new training programs within an organization. AIHA has published Technical Frameworks in the following areas: indoor air quality and indoor environmental quality; emergency preparedness and response for the industrial hygienist; respiratory protection programs; business value presentation; exposure risk assessment/management; and occupational exposure banding process.  AIHA’s Technical Frameworks are available for free via AIHA.org. For more information on AIHA’s Frameworks, or to download these resources, visit AIHA's website. CEC Accepting Membership Applications AIHA is now accepting applications for positions on the Continuing Education Committee. The CEC comprises 12 members who serve four one-year terms. The CEC’s mission is to ensure quality educational opportunities that broaden knowledge, enhance technical competencies, and provide industrial hygienists with practical tools and skills. The CEC provides one of the levels of technical peer review of AIHA’s professional development courses, or PDCs. In addition to providing review of the PDCs offered at AIHce EXP, CEC members are also asked to audit new educational offerings, which provides an opportunity for them to earn CM hours at no cost.  Selection of new CEC members will be completed in the spring, and terms will begin with AIHce EXP 2020 in Atlanta, Ga. Applications are due by March 18, 2020. Prospective volunteers are asked to provide a current resume or CV and fill out an application listing their experience, knowledge, and primary areas of interest. The application is available online. For more information, email Erin Breece, CEC staff liaison, or visit the committee web page. Vote in the 2020 AIHA Board Election From Feb. 18 to March 6, AIHA members will vote in the 2020 AIHA Board of Directors election. (Please note that the start date of the election has shifted to accommodate the Presidents Day holiday.) AIHA has partnered with eBallot to provide a safe, secure web-based voting system during this year’s election cycle. Instructions on how to vote in the election will be emailed to members this month. Members had until Jan. 22 to submit a request for a paper ballot. The paper ballot will be mailed by early February and must be returned postmarked no later than Friday, Feb. 21, to be counted in the election. More information about the candidates for the 2020 election is available elsewhere in this issue.  Please email questions to AIHA staff. New Credential for Product Stewardship Announced In November, the Board for Global EHS Credentialing (BGC) and the Product Stewardship Society announced the collaborative development of a new product stewardship credential: the Certified Professional Product Steward. CPPS will allow product stewardship professionals to distinguish their expertise and build professional credibility within their organizations.  The pathway to the CPPS credential consists of rigorous education and experience requirements, along with passing an exam. The first CPPS exam window will take place in mid-2020. The CPPS application will be free of charge for the first year’s applicants.  “As president of AIHA and a product steward myself, I believe this credential is game-changing,” said Kathleen S. Murphy, CIH. “Product stewards will have a distinct metric against which to assess their professional abilities and expertise in this fast-growing field.”  For more information, see the Product Stewardship Society’s press release or visit BGC’s website. AIHA Accolades Congratulations to Lauralynn Taylor McKernan, ScD, CIH, who was recently appointed the new director of the NIOSH Division of Field Studies and Engineering. According to the agency’s e-newsletter, McKernan has held numerous leadership positions in the former NIOSH Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluation, and Field Studies and the former Education and Information Division. McKernan has written for The Synergist on multiple occasions. Most recently, she coauthored the article “The ‘Bandits’ Speak,” which discussed NIOSH’s proposed occupational exposure banding process. In Memoriam  William H. Weems, Sr., DrPH, CIH, CSP, FAIHA, passed away on Dec. 10, 2019, at the age of 77. Weems was director emeritus of UA SafeState at the University of Alabama. In 2005, he became the first recipient of OSHA’s William J. Higgins Award, the agency’s first national award for safety excellence in the small business community. He became an AIHA Fellow in 2008. Further highlights of Weems’ career in occupational health and safety can be found on ACGIH’s website. His obituary was published in Tuscaloosa News and is available online. Volunteer Opportunities Are you interested in serving as a leader within AIHA? AIHA posts volunteer opportunities for members to serve in various leadership capacities throughout the year. Please email questions about getting involved with AIHA to AIHA's Member and Customer Relations team.

Dates and Deadlines Feb. 18–March 6 Vote in the 2020 AIHA Board of Directors election. Feb. 27 AIHA webinar: “Asbestos and Nanoparticles: Using Benchmark Dose Methodology for Risk Assessment.” March 9–13 Comprehensive Industrial Hygiene Review course in Ann Arbor, Mich. Co-sponsored by the Michigan Industrial Hygiene Society. March 18 Deadline to apply for a position on AIHA’s Continuing Education Committee. April 9 AIHA webinar: “The Ear Poisons: An Introduction to Ototoxicants.” June 1–3 AIHce EXP 2020 in Atlanta, Ga. For a complete list of events, visit AIHA's website.