AIHA Outlines Concerns about OSHA’s COVID-19 Standard In comments submitted to OSHA on July 21, AIHA recommended changes to the agency’s emergency temporary standard on occupational exposure to COVID-19, which focuses on the protection of healthcare workers most likely to have contact with someone who is infected with the virus SARS-CoV-2. While AIHA welcomed the publication of the ETS in June, the association expressed concerns related to several aspects of the standard as it is written. AIHA’s comments were submitted as part of the public comment period for the ETS, during which OSHA invited partners and collaborators to provide written feedback on the standard.

According to AIHA’s official comments (PDF), particular areas of the standard that require closer examination and immediate revision include those dealing with ventilation, physical barriers, transmission by inhalation of SARS-CoV-2, and OSHA’s use of the hierarchy of controls. AIHA also recommends that OSHA revisit the portions of the ETS related to patient screening and management, employee screening, recordkeeping, best practices and behaviors, cleaning and disinfecting, hand hygiene, COVID-19 plans, and the agency's proposed mini respiratory protection program.

In a media alert published on July 27, AIHA offered to connect journalists with industrial hygiene and occupational and environmental health and safety experts to discuss the elements of the ETS that AIHA urges OSHA to revise. The experts who authored AIHA’s recommendations to OSHA and are available for interviews are Lisa Brosseau, ScD, CIH; Stephanie Caler, MPH, CIH, CSP, REHS; Brandi Kissel, CIH; Dana Hollins, MPH, CIH; Jim McGlothlin, MPH, PhD, CPE, FAIHA; and Justine Parker, CIH, CSP, CPH, CHMM.

For more information about AIHA’s response to the ETS, please email Mark Ames, AIHA’s director of government relations.

AIHA, dBase Media Premiere New OEHS Docuseries On July 15, AIHA premiered its new docuseries about the roles played by occupational and environmental health and safety professionals in protecting workers and communities. Healthier Workplaces, A Healthier World draws awareness to the many aspects of creating healthy and safe workplaces and the innovations taking place within the field. The 15-episode series features influential figures from the OEHS field discussing new standards in safety equipment, the impact of technology, and why training and education are crucial for protecting a diverse workforce.

The docuseries is presented by AIHA and was produced by dBase Media, also called DBM, a video production company based in the Washington, D.C. area. AIHA and DBM collaborated with 13 leading institutions that influence industrial hygiene, sharing how these institutions apply science to protect workers from occupational hazards. The featured institutions include both academic and commercial organizations, and the full list can be found in the July 2021 AIHA press release that announced the premiere.

Individuals appearing in the docuseries include Lawrence Sloan, CEO of AIHA; Lucinette Alvarado, CIH, and Courtney Tinner, CIH, CSP, both of the AIHA Board of Directors; Tim Paz, CIH, the vice president of the National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives; and Sue Marchese, AIHA’s managing director of marketing and communications. AIHA members Vishal Nathu, vice chair of the Student Local Sections Council, and Felix Boachie, MS, CIH, CSP, also participated to discuss professional opportunities in OEHS.

Healthier Workplaces, A Healthier World can be viewed on AIHA’s website.

AIHA Buyer's Guide Is Now Vendor Directory The former AIHA Buyer’s Guide, a listing of companies that provide industrial hygiene and OEHS products and services, has been relaunched as the AIHA Vendor Directory. In addition, the Vendor Directory has a new digital home. Built on the Webvent platform, the new digital Vendor Directory allows companies to regularly update their information. Check the digital Vendor Directory often to discover new products and services.

The print version of the Vendor Directory will be mailed together with the November issue of The Synergist and will present an alphabetical list of companies with their mailing addresses, website addresses, and phone numbers. The Vendor Directory also includes a listing of companies that offer products or services in specific categories and an index of articles that have appeared in this year’s volume of The Synergist. AIHA Hires Michele Twilley as Staff Industrial Hygienist On Aug. 3, AIHA announced the hiring of Michele Twilley, Dr.PH, CIH, to serve as the certified industrial hygienist on staff. She will be AIHA’s primary staff technical lead for various advisory groups and technical committees and act as AIHA’s primary technical liaison with outside entities. She will also oversee the operations of the AIHA Guideline Foundation, which includes the association’s standards advisory and Emergency Response Planning Guidelines programs. Twilley, a longtime AIHA member, is an industry veteran of 33 years and served on the AIHA Board of Directors from 2017 to 2020. She was previously president of Aria Environmental Inc., the IH/OEHS consulting company she co-founded 18 years ago. She is a Doctor of Public Health (Dr.PH) with a concentration in environmental health, and her alma mater is the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. For more information, refer to the press release announcing Twilley’s on-boarding on AIHA's website. AIHA Offers Resources for Addressing Disaster Response Hazards With the onset of the 2021 hurricane season and record-breaking heat waves across the U.S., AIHA is offering resources for members of the association and the public to use when navigating hazardous exposures during hurricane and wildfire recovery efforts. The Disaster Response Resource Center provides information on addressing damage due to flooding, mold, and other hazards associated with hurricanes, as well as a separate section on protecting the health and safety of residents affected by fire, wildfire preparedness, and hazards affecting wildfire recovery workers. AIHA also offers recommendations for protecting natural disaster response volunteers from COVID-19 (PDF). For assistance beyond the guidelines published on AIHA’s website, the association’s Consultants Listing contains contact information for OEHS professionals qualified to support disaster recovery efforts. For more information on the guidelines themselves, refer to AIHA’s press releases announcing the hurricane and wildfire resources. Create Content with AIHA Members who wish to contribute to the industrial hygiene and occupational and environmental health and safety professions by writing a book or guideline, delivering an AIHA University webinar, or presenting a professional development course can submit proposals for their ideas through AIHA’s “content channels” webpage. Content channels are delivery formats for members’ work. The content channels webpage explains which delivery formats are available for members, how to develop and submit proposals, and how those proposals are reviewed and approved. Included on the webpage are questions that will help members focus their topic for the intended audience. Once a proposal is received, AIHA staff will review it and may reach out for more information. Additional steps may be necessary depending on the intended delivery format. For more information, visit AIHA's website. 2022 Board of Directors Nominations AIHA seeks nominations for four Board of Directors positions that will be vacated in May 2022: vice president, secretary-elect, and two at-large director positions. The deadline for nominations is Friday, Oct. 15, 2021. Visit AIHA's website to find more information about submitting Board nominations. Please email Thursa Pecoraro with questions. Join the AIHA Board Nominating Committee AIHA seeks to fill four at-large positions on its Board Nominating Committee with active, full members who are committed to helping AIHA find the best nominees for Board officer and director positions. The deadline for applications is Oct. 1. Visit AIHA's website to learn more about this volunteer opportunity. AIHA Recognizes Outstanding Volunteers, Professionals Recipients of AIHA awards, volunteer group awards, star awards, and publication awards were honored during the virtual Mark of Excellence Awards on Aug. 31, along with outstanding volunteer groups and project teams, student poster award winners, and recipients of local section awards. View a list of award recipients on AIHA’s website. PPE Use for Underserved User Populations On July 16, AIHA submitted comments in response to a NIOSH request for information regarding the needs and challenges related to the use of personal protective equipment among U.S. worker populations who are underserved when it comes to PPE use, availability, accessibility, acceptability, or knowledge. Read AIHA’s comments (PDF).

Sept. 11–15 IOHA 2021: The 12th IOHA International Scientific Conference.

Sept. 20-23 AIHA’s “Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene” course in Westerville, Ohio.

Sept. 28–30 PSX 2021 (formerly the Product Stewardship Conference) in Anaheim, California.

Oct. 1 Deadline to apply to join AIHA’s Board Nominating Committee.

Oct. 15 Deadline to submit 2022 AIHA Board of Directors nominations.

Dec. 6–8 California Industrial Hygiene Council: 30th Annual CIHC Professional Development Seminar in Long Beach, California, and online.

For a complete list of events, visit AIHA's website.