COMMUNITY
2868_img_201601-communitypeople

AIHA NEWS AND NOTES
Contribute to the Future of IH  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 is to provide scholarships to the best and the brightest to ensure this critical need is being met. Since 1982, AIHF has distributed more than $2 million in scholarship funds to students studying industrial hygiene and occupational and environmental health and safety.  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 can be found on the AIHF website. Learn more about AIHF on AIHA's website. Strategic Partnership Focuses on IAQ and IEQ AIHA and six other nonprofit organizations, including the Indoor Air Quality Association, recently signed a memorandum of understanding for indoor air and environmental quality. Donald Weekes, CIH, FAIHA, a member of AIHA’s Indoor Environmental Quality Committee, signed the agreement on behalf of AIHA. The purpose of the MoU, known as the “Allied Industry Partners,” is to identify and recognize current standards and credentials developed and administered by its partner organizations and related industry groups. These include AIHA’s Indoor Air Quality/Indoor Environmental Quality Framework for practitioners, which provides a compendium of knowledge and practicum as recommended by a joint panel of AIHA and IAQA experts. “[This] MoU will enable all of the [partner] organizations to further their commitment to creating safer and healthier environments for people potentially exposed to adverse health conditions,” said Weekes. “The cooperation between AIHA and our allied industry partners will help establish common standards and credentials for better indoor air quality.” The Allied Industry Partners comprise AIHA, the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, IAQA, the American Bio Recovery Association, the Environmental Information Association, ACGIH, and the Basement Health Association. These organizations have agreed to cooperate and coordinate at a level that ensures maximum efficiency in exchanging information, uses all available resources to provide better health for workers, and is consistent with the principles of all the Allied Industry Partners. The partners will encourage their members to work cooperatively on the mutual review and revision of industry standards and will serve as a unified voice on regulation and legislative issues when appropriate. “The strategic partnership with these six organizations is a clear example of AIHA’s approach to improving worker health and safety by strengthening our cooperation and partnerships with like-minded organizations,” said AIHA President Kathleen S. Murphy, CIH. More information is available in AIHA’s press release. AIHA Joins OSHA’s Ambassador Program In February, AIHA joined the Ambassador Program of the U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA. The Ambassador Program builds upon OSHA's Alliance Program and is intended to improve workplace health and safety by sharing information and guidance and providing access to vital training resources. Under the agreement, AIHA and OSHA will strengthen relationships between AIHA’s Local Sections and OSHA’s national, regional, and area offices to address workplace health and safety issues. “AIHA has always been a proud partner of OSHA,” said AIHA President Kathleen S. Murphy, CIH. “Joining the Ambassador Program shows our members’ commitment to worker health and safety, as well as to collectively moving forward together to ensure the standards, best practices, and methods are applied.” Photographs from the signing ceremony are available from AIHA’s press release. More information about AIHA’s collaborative relationship with OSHA can be found on OSHA’s website. Notice of Annual Business Meeting  AIHA’s annual business meeting will be held at AIHce EXP 2020 in Atlanta, Ga., at 4:45 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 3, to introduce incoming officers and directors and address other association business. In order to establish a quorum for this meeting, a call for proxy votes will be made electronically. Changes Coming to AIHce EXP  In her February Synergist column, AIHA President Kathleen S. Murphy wrote about some of the changes that AIHce EXP attendees can expect at the upcoming conference in Atlanta, Ga. Bethany Chirico, AIHA's managing director of Global Meetings and Business Development, recently discussed the process that led to these changes on SynergistNOW. Learn more about or register for AIHce EXP 2020 on the conference website. Have You Heard of Safety MattersSafety Matters, a program presented by NIOSH and AIHA, is designed to raise awareness among young people about workplace safety and health and to provide an understanding of the skills they need to become active participants in creating safe and healthy work environments. Learn how to help make information regarding workplace safety training available in your school districts and contact your legislators about incorporating this vital curriculum today.  Visit AIHA's Safety Matters Center for more information and additional resources on teen safety in the workplace. Dates and Deadlines
April 16

April 21

April 23 AIHA webinar: “Heat Stress: Assessment and Control.” April 30 AIHA webinar: “The Ear Poisons: An Introduction to Ototoxicants.” June 1–3 AIHce EXP 2020 in Atlanta, Ga.
Sept. 15–17 PSX 2020 (formerly the Product Stewardship Conference) in Houston, Texas. Sept. 21–24 AIHA’s “Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene” course in Westerville, Ohio. Oct. 19–21 AIHA’s “Exposure and Chemical Monitoring - Beyond IH Fundamentals” course in Westerville, Ohio. For a complete list of events, visit AIHA's website.