The Pittsburgh AIHA is pleased to welcome new 2023 Corporate Sponsor, Atlas Technical Consultants!  Atlas provides professional testing, inspection, engineering, environmental and consulting services from more than 100 locations nationwide. We deliver solutions to both public and private sector clients in the transportation, commercial, water, government, education and industrial markets. With over 500 industrial hygienists, 22 Certified Industrial Hygienists and 12 Certified Safety Professionals, we are able to provide EHS solutions throughout the United States.

Welcome to the following employees of Atlas - also NEW members to the Pittsburgh AIHA:

Jarred Chase, CIH, CSP attended Gannon University in Erie, PA where he graduated with a BS in General Science in 2014 and a MS in Environmental Health and Engineering in 2016. After switching his major multiple times, he took an Environmental Toxicology class during his junior year that peaked his interest and helped propel him towards a career in EHS.  He has attained both the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) designations and hopes to continue to grow his knowledge in the field of Industrial Hygiene & Safety.
 
Chuck Kisamore, CSP attended Slippery Rock University where he graduated in 2015 with a BS in Safety Management.  Since graduation Chuck has worked in different remediation, demolition, and manufacturing settings giving him a wide range of experience and knowledge in the fields of safety and industrial hygiene.  Currently he holds the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation and is working towards his Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH). 

Registration is now open for the first joint Pittsburgh AIHA and Slippery Rock University (SRU) Student Chapter Event.  This is an in-person event at Slippery Rock University offering professionals a chance to network with the future professionals of our chapter:
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• Topic: Interview & Resume Skills - Marketing Yourself & Abilities Seminar with Tour of SRU Strain Safety Building
• Speaker: Thomas L. Blank, CIH, CSP, FAIHA - Senior Principal Technical Specialist Part-time - BWXT, LLC
• Date:  Tuesday, February 21, 2023, 11:45 AM Registration, 12:00-1:30 PM seminar, 1:30-2:00 PM Tour
• ​Register ONLINE:  2023-02-21 SRU-Pgh. AIHA Joint Mtg.

We are excited to announce that our Annual President's Luncheon is scheduled for March 9, 2023!  You won't want to miss this event that has always been a favorite of our members!!  

We welcome National AIHA President Donna Heidel, MS, CIH, FAIHA ((Global Principal Industrial Hygienist - Amazon) to speak at this event.  Donna will provide an update of National AIHA priorities and major initiatives.  

As in the past -- we are looking for members to sponsor student attendance at this event.  If you are interested, please note that when registering.  You can also email ckirsch@pittsburghaiha.org for more information.

A special THANK YOU to U.S. Micro-Solutions, Inc / Deanna Kiska, Ph.D, President for being the drink sponsor again this year!  We appreciate their continued support!  Also, thanks to Matt Zock, CIH, Past President of Pgh. AIHA and Amazon Worldwide Sr. Industrial Hygienist, Program Manager for coordinating this event!

See the details on the meeting page:  2023-03-09 President's Lunch

Our local section depends on its members to volunteer for positions on the executive committee.  Serving on the committee is a great way to become more involved in the local section, and you can claim certification maintenance (CM) credit toward your CIH.  We are currently asking for nominations for next year’s committee (serving July 2023 -June 2025):
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• President-elect, 2-year term followed by President (must also be a member of National AIHA)
• Secretary, 2-year term (must also be a member of National AIHA)
• Director, 2-year term (need not be a member of National AIHA)

NOTE:  The American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH) allows you to claim certification maintenance (CM) credit annually for local section office:  local section President – 1 point; local section Officer or Director – 0.5 points.

If you would like to volunteer for elections or nominate someone, please contact Laura Allen or Christy Kirsch​ ASAP.  A short bio and statement of intent along with a photo are due by February 24, 2023.

The Pittsburgh AIHA is proud to once again sponsor student awards at the 84th Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair (PRSEF) which will celebrate another year of open competition of research projects in the fields of science, mathematics, and engineering in March. This competition is open to all students in grades 6-12 from the 21 counties within Western Pennsylvania and Garrett County, Maryland.

The Fair will be held at the Carnegie Science Center this year.  The Fair will be held over two days this year to allow for all student participation.  

Each year, the Pgh. AIHA sponsors two $500 awards - we need members to participate as judges.  As a judge, you will help to choose the recipients of our LS Awards.  To register to be a SPONSOR JUDGE, please go to www.STEMisphere.org/PRSEF.

The Science Fair has been a Pittsburgh tradition since 1940. It is also the third oldest science fair in the United States under the affiliation of Society for Science, which runs the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and the Broadcom MASTERS middle school competition.

For more information, please visit pittsburghsciencefair.org or email PRSEF@CarnegieScienceCenter.org.
Christie Orlosky, M.S.Ed.
Carnegie Science Center
STEM Competitions Coordinator
(412) 237-1534
PRSEF@CarnegieScienceCenter.org

During the 2022 Pittsburgh AIHA Election, Kate Crott was selected as Director for a 2-year term.  Due to a job change and relocation, Kate was unable to fulfill her duties, leaving a vacant Director position.  The Executive Committee is happy to announce that Darrick Bertig, CIH, CSP, CUSA, MS, Industrial Hygiene Representative for FirstEnergy, will fill the vacant Director position on the Executive Committee through June 30, 2024.  Darrick has been a long-standing member of the Pittsburgh AHA and currently serving on the Program Committee.     

Eighteen members of the AIHA Pittsburgh Local Section attended the “Performance of APR Cartridge/Canisters Against Airborne Contaminants” Presentation with a tour of MSA.  The technical presentation was given by Zane N. Frund, Ph.D., CIH, MBA who is the Executive Director & Global Leader of Materials/Chemical Research & Sensor Development at MSA.  Dr. Frund provided the attendees with insight only he could give.  His knowledge of the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard, NIOSH Respirator Approval Process, and Respirators in general was on display for everyone to witness.  Whether you were a seasoned CIH or a current student, you walked away from Dr. Frund’s presentation with something you did not know before it.
 
Following the presentation, Marc Stempka who is the Public Relations Manager for MSA Americas gave a tour of the gas detection manufacturing area.  Attendees got to see the entire manufacturing process for these instruments as well as the different types of product lines currently being made by MSA.  These product lines ranged from fixed gas detection systems to handheld direct-reading instruments and everything in between.  The tour concluded in a museum area where current safety products and historical ones were being displayed.
 
Overall, the AIHA Pittsburgh Local Section would like to thank Dr. Frund, Mr. Stempka, and the entire MSA Team for hosting such a phenomenal event.  We would also like to thank the following members for attending:

• Timothy Beck (NIOSH/CDC)
• John Bell (Watco Companies, LLC)
• Darrick Bertig (FirstEnergy Corporation)
• Thomas Blank (BWXT)
• Barbara Cummings (AM Health and Safety, Inc.)
• Raj Dharmarajan (AM Health and Safety, Inc.)
• Robert Haushalter (Duquesne University)
• Warren Houseman (ENTACT, LLC)
• Courtney Malloy (Kennametal / PSU Grad Student)
• Rick Mason (RL Mason EHS Consulting, LLC)
• Dane Mitcheson (FedEx Ground)
• Barry Momyer (AM Health and Safety, Inc.)
• Jan Oleszewski (U.S. Department of Labor – OSHA)
• Frank Pokrywka (KTA-Tator, Inc.)
• Bailey Reggetz (WVU Student)

Membership dues for 2023 WAS due January 1, 2023.   If you are a National AIHA member, remember to check the box for Pittsburgh Local Section to include your LS dues of $25 for your Pittsburgh AIHA membership.  All NON-National AIHA members should pay dues directly to the Pittsburgh AIHA.  See the highlighted sidebar link on this homepage to process payment through PayPal -- Note you do not need a PayPal account to pay this way.  Any questions, please contact Christy at ckirsch@pittsburghiaha.org.   

The December newsletter includes a President's Letter from Lt. Tim Beck - please see snippit below, click the image for entire newsletter or click HERE to download a PDF:

The Executive Committee of the Pittsburgh AIHA will hold the winter local section business meeting via Teams.  All members are welcome and encouraged to join the meeting!
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2022 --- 10:00 AM to ~12:00 PM.

Register online:  Dec. 21 Registration - Business Meeting 

by Frank Pokrywka, Ed.D, CIH - Pgh. AIHA Treasurer / Historical Committee

Many Safety and Health professionals are natural born story tellers. Still after almost 50 years in this business one of my favorite things to do at conferences or during training classes is listening to or telling stories about events that happened on the job or in life. To me nothing makes more a lasting impression than hearing or remembering a good story. It may even trigger a response action that helps someone to have a safer day at work. 

With this in mind, our AIHA local section catalyst page, our new Historical Archive or the Pgh. AIHA quarterly newsletter would like to present some of these stories to our members. Perhaps an unexpected IH or safety discovery, a funny happening or a tragic event could be just the story someone need to read to if you are willing to share. 

As we all reflect on the events of this past year or from a working lifetime, please consider sharing one of your “stories” that means a lot to you or is something that you just can’t forget. Just in writing this piece, dozens of my stories have come to mind as I am sure will happen to you. As you write your stories, please keep them “relatively” short and avoid naming names or places that might prove hurtful unless essential to the telling.   My example is below (click the "read more" link).

Mark your calendar for our first event of the New Year 2023!  On Friday, January 13, 2023 MSA will host the Pittsburgh AIHA for a 1/2 day event.  Details are still being finalized, but the day will include:

• Location-MSA Corporate Center in Cranberry Woods, PA
• Presentation titled:  Filtration Performance of Air-Purifying Respirators against Airborne Contaminants -Some Fundamental Principles  by Zane N. Frund, Ph.D., CIH, MBA - Executive Director & Global Leader, Materials/ Chemical Research & Sensor Development
• MSA Facility Tour

Registration will open in the coming weeks.  

​Thanks to the following companies / members who have renewed their corporate sponsorship or advertising for 2023:

• Amazon (Matt Zock)
• AM Health and Safety, Inc. (Barry Momyer and Barb Cummings)
• Colden Corporation (Chris Wesley and Chrisy Walsh)
• FirstEnergy (Darrick Bertig and Michelle Baber)
• Intertek/PSI (Mike Kopar and David Christner)
• MSA (Zane Frund and Jillian Tilko)
• US Micro-Solutions, Inc. (Deanna Kiska and Becky Moran)

Support the Pittsburgh AIHA as a Corporate Sponsor!  The benefits of a Corporate Sponsorship contribution of $200 include:
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• 2 free individual Pittsburgh AIHA annual memberships,
• Pittsburgh AIHA Homepage sidebar logo link.
• 1-year listing on the Pittsburgh AIHA Corporate Sponsors page,
• 1-year listing on the Pittsburgh AIHA Consultants List page,
• Recognition in Pittsburgh AIHA local section newsletter. 

Corporate Sponsorship is renewable on an annual basis.  Visit the Corporate Sponsors Page for current sponsors and application information - You can sign up online, or print the form to complete and mail.

Ryan Titus
Welcome to Ryan who is from Virginia, but moved to Morgantown WV to study Public Health at WVU in 2018.  About a year into his program, he discovered Industrial Hygiene and knew that it was a field he wanted to study further. Ryan graduated with his undergraduate degree in May and began graduate school for Industrial Hygiene in August. So far, he has really enjoyed the program, especially the exposure sampling field trips. Ryan is looking forward to meeting members of the Pittsburgh AIHA at upcoming events!   
 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryantitus/​)​

Sam Huggins
Welcome to Sam who works as an Industrial Hygienist for CSC, Inc. in Pittsburgh.  Sam is a  2021 graduate from Slippery Rock University with a Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree in Safety Management.  Sam began building his industrial hygiene and safety experience through a summer internship at AGX Environmental Consultants in 2021. In 2022, Sam accepted an industrial hygienist position at CSC Inc. and currently plans to continue his path in that industry.
(https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-huggins-67a5b9200/)

The 2022 Rivers of Steel Tour was a great success -- Thank you to Frank Pokrywka for coordinating this fun event.  Check out photos from the event as well as a meeting summary.  Thank you to all who attended, members, guests and students!

See the review here:  Review-2022 Rivers of Steel Tour.

Visit the Rivers of Steel website here: ​https://riversofsteel.com/