Members of the Pittsburgh AIHA enjoyed a great day connecting with safety professionals, students, and industry leaders at the 16th Annual MASHA Safety & Health Conference, held Thursday, October 30, 2025, at the RLA Learning and Conference Center in Cranberry Township, PA. With over 140 attendees, there was steady traffic at our exhibitor table from those eager to learn more about our local section, upcoming events, and how we support industrial hygiene and occupational health across the region.

Special thanks to Frank Pokrywka and Darrick Bertig for setting up the exhibit — complete with AIHA swag — and representing our section throughout the day!

Pittsburgh AIHA Local Section members had the opportunity to obtain an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour and interact with scientists at a local AIHA-accredited laboratory on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. The event was coordinated by AIHA and Pittsburgh Local Section Member Keith Rickabaugh, CIH, MBA, who is a Technical Director at RJ Lee Group, and his peer Manager & Forensic Scientist Allison Laneve.  Before the start of the tours, multiple presentations and lunch were provided at the Presque Isle Headquarters.
 
The Director of Operations, George Lincoln, gave the first presentation on laboratory operations and current certifications held by the laboratory.  He was followed by Mr. Rickabaugh, who covered a few unique case studies. Ms. Laneve then covered her top ten list of most common mistakes by clients, which she acknowledged was very rare for the group in attendance.  During lunch, an interactive IH trivia contest was conducted.  Our Past-President Barry J. Momyer, CIH of AM Health & Safety, Inc., won the game.
 
Following the game, the tour of the Presque Isle Headquarters began.  The attendees were broken into three groups led by Mr. Rickabaugh, Ms. Laneve, and Mr. Steve Schlaegle.  The groups toured the Concrete/Met Lab and Environmental Chambers, the PCM/PLM Lab, Forensics, SEM & TEM Wing, and IH/Field Services Areas.  Discussions in these areas were led by Mike Baker, Jimmy Marquis, Alex Cvejkus, Jon Swope, Tracy Lersch, Roger West, and Brandon Wiggins.
 
After touring the headquarters, the attendees drove to the nearby Hochberg Laboratory to continue their tour.  Mr. Rickabaugh, Ms. Laneve, and Dr. Lykourgos Iordanidis led the groups as they entered the XRD/XRF/Prep Wing, Thermal & Dissolution Area, Upstairs Wet Lab, Sample Login Area, and Hi-Bay/PFAS/ICPMS Labs.  Mr. Wiggins and Jacquelyn Runco further supported the tour by providing breakout discussions at the Hochberg Facility.
 
Overall, the presentations and tours were enjoyed by all the attendees, as many are clients of RJ Lee Group.  The Pittsburgh AIHA would like to extend a big thank you to Mr. Rickabaugh, Ms. Laneve, Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Schlaegle, Mr. Wiggins, Dr. Iordanidis, and their coworkers for hosting and coordinating the event.

Pictured below are the members/guests who attended the event.  Thank you to everyone who participated!

The Pittsburgh AIHA Local Section was invited to tour the MSA Murrysville Manufacturing Facility on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, from 1:30 p.m. until 3:15 p.m. The tour was given by Dominic Stokes and organized by Local Section President-Elect Zane Frund, PhD, MPH, CIH, MBA, the Executive Director & Global Leader of Product Research & Development at MSA.
 
Mr. Stokes covered the illustrious history of MSA and its local impacts on the Greater Pittsburgh Region.  He also focused the tour on the various respiratory protection devices manufactured and assembled at the facility, including their industry-leading self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBAs).  The other manufacturing process that the tour focused on was the various areas where hard hats are made, quality tested, and logoed.
 
The tour was enjoyed by all attendees as they were very familiar with these products and often trained end users on their use, maintenance, and service life.  Not only was the manufacturing process of iconic hard hats and respiratory protection of interest to the group, but all attendees had a great appreciation for the workmanship of these products to ensure they are meeting the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) established quality parameters.  

The Pittsburgh AIHA would like to extend a big thanks to Mr. Stokes for being their tour guide.  We would also like to thank Dr. Frund for hosting and coordinating the event. 

Finally, we would like to thank the following members/guests who attended the event:

MSA Safety, a global leader in Personal Protective Technology (PPT) and gas detection solutions, proudly traces its 100+ year legacy to Southwestern Pennsylvania. With manufacturing operations around the world, MSA’s Murrysville facility serves as the hub for the manufacture of industrial head protection and cutting-edge respiratory devices.

A big thanks to National AIHA President, Nicole M.H Greeson, MS, CIH, who spoke at the annual Pittsburgh AIHA President's Luncheon held at LeMont Restaurant on Mt. Washington in Pittsburgh. We enjoyed a fantastic turnout of members and guests on a beautiful, sunny day—perfect for taking in the stunning city view! Special appreciation goes to our event sponsors, U.S. Micro-Solutions, Inc. and AM Health & Safety, for their support.

Nicole's talk was a two-part presentation: 

1. AIHA National Update (download file)
2. Life of an OEHS Professional at an Academic Medical Center (download file)

​Thank you to the following attendees for participating this year!

The Central PA Safety Association, Central PA Chapter of the ASSP, and Keystone Local Section of the AIHA will hold their annual Central PA Safety Conference April 2-3, 2025. Visit www.centralpasafety.org/2020-pdc for more information.

The Executive Committee of the Pittsburgh AIHA held the winter local section business meeting at Smokey Bones in Robinson PA on December 12, 2024.  

The meeting minutes are now posted and can be found HERE:
​https://www.pittsburghaiha.org/uploads/2/6/7/0/26700671/business_meeting_minutes_2024-12-12.pdf

The Executive Committee of the Pittsburgh AIHA will hold the winter local section business meeting at Smokey Bones in Robinson PA.  All members are welcome and encouraged to attend!  Register online: 2024-12-12 Business Meeting

Topics typically discussed during this meeting include:
 - Welcome / Approve Minutes / Agenda
 - New items (Agenda to follow)
 - Treasurer and Secretary reports
 - Local section committee updates
 - Meeting topics / speakers / venues, etc.   
 - Student sections 
 - Corporate Sponsors/Advertisers 

Please consider joining the meeting to offer suggestions or provide input. Your participation is key to our success!

Thanks to Dane Mitcheson, Matt Zock, Frank Pokrywka, and Tim Beck who represented the Pittsburgh AIHA at our booth and greeted MASHA attendees.  2024 marked the 15th annual conference held at the Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry Twp., PA with a line-up of great speakers, exhibitors, and networking opportunities for professionals and students.  Thanks to all the Pittsburgh AIHA members that participated in the event this year!  visit mashasafetyconference.org for more information. 

The 28 attendees of the April 24, 2024 event were treated to two presentations, a fantastic lunch catered by Yoli's and a tour of the U.S. Steel Mon Valley Works - Irvin Plant!   

Speakers for the event were Marc Turina of ErgoSmart (https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-turina-mpt-cpe-a0b07511/) and Dave Lewis, German Bionic (https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlewisny/).  Thanks to both Marc and Dave for their presentations and participation to make this a great event! 

Special thank you to everyone who helped coordinate this event including: 

• Glen Hilliard, Safety & Security Manager, Mon Valley Works, 
• Bridget McElhinney, Assistant to VP Kurt Barshick, Mon Valley Works, 
• Dan Davis, Skelly & Loy (Pgh. AIHA), and 
• Barry Momyer, AM Health & Safety (Pgh. AIHA)

Dave Lewis/German Bionic shared a product brochure - Smart Wearable Tools / Exoskeleton & Safety Analytic Tech linked HERE:   smartwearabletoolsbrochure2023__3_.pdf and a YouTube Video Demonstration HERE:  ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV4ihlhRNyc

The Pittsburgh AIHA President's Luncheon was held on Thursday, March 21, 2024 at the LeMont Restaurant on Mt. Washington in Pittsburgh.  Thank you to National AIHA President, Dina M. Siegel, CIH, CSP, CBSP, FAIHA, who provided an update on National AIHA activities as well as a technical presentation on time sensitive chemicals.  Thank you to all who attended!

See Dina's National AIHA State of the Association presentation HERE:
​    pittsburgh_local_section_-_aiha_update_march_2024.pdf

Please join us for our 1st event of the New Year 2024!   
SPACE IS LIMITED TO 25, so register early!

Title:  The Shocking, Sordid, and Sometimes Tawdry History of
​Exposure Sampling Strategies"

Speaker: Paul Hewett Ph.D. CIH FIOH - Exposure Assessment Solutions, Inc. 

Date / Time:  Thursday - January 11, 2024, 9:00 - 11:30 AM

Location:  AM Health & Safety, Inc., 5177 Campbells Run Road, Pittsburgh, PA  15205 (412) 429-0560

Register online before January 8, 2024 - details are found HERE: 2024-01-11 Paul Hewett    

Thank you to MaryAnn Hoff (PPG) and Andy Maier (Stantec) for their presentations at the event "The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in the Workplace" held on August 31, 2023 at PPG Industries located in Monroeville, PA. 

Pittsburgh AIHA President-Elect, Barry Momyer (AM Health and Safety, Inc.) did the introductions and local section announcements for the group of 23 attendees (both in person and remote).

Thank you to Carol Delfino, CIH, CSP (Pgh. AIHA Secretary/Delfino Health & Safety) who provided the presentation summary below.

​Reviewing New Chemicals Under the Toxic Substances Control Act:
The EPA reviews new chemicals under TSCA to ensure their safety and to protect human health and the environment. TSCA was updated in 2016 to provide the EPA with more comprehensive authority to evaluate and regulate chemicals. Their process for evaluating is summarized below (click the read more​ link):

​This year marks the 75th anniversary of the worst air pollution disaster in U.S. history.  In an effort to learn more about this significant event, the Pittsburgh Local Section headed to the Donora Historical Society and Smog Museum in Donora, Pennsylvania.  During the presentation, the chapter members learned how the town of Donora was founded, what life was like in Donora and Webster when over eight thousand people worked at the massive American Steel and Wire Company Donora Works, and most importantly what transpired around Halloween in 1948.  The 1948 Donora Smog Disaster and its aftermath had a wide-reaching effect on public health and the environment.  Its story even ties in early pioneers of industrial hygiene including Industrial Hygienist Dr. Philip Drinker and Toxicologist Dr. Mary Ochsenhirt Amdur.
 
The Pittsburgh Local Section would like to thank Mr. Brian Charlton and Dr. Dave Lonich for teaching us about the history of the 1948 Donora Smog Disaster.  We would also like to thank Mr. Mark Pawelec for coordinating the event as well as the luncheon at the Early Bird Diner that followed the tour.  Finally, we would like to thank Natalie Gaydos, CIH for suggesting this exciting event!
 
If you would like to see the Donora Historical Society and Smog Museum summary of the June 14th event, please click on this link.  As part of the 75th anniversary remembrance of the event, the society has a symposium planned for October.  If you are interested in volunteering to participate in this symposium, please reach out to Mr. Mark Pawelec at [email protected]. 
  
We would like to say a special thank you to all the following members for attending this event:

Here are just a few photos from inside the museum where the presentation was held -- there is so much to see! It would be easy to spend half a day (or more!) just looking through all the memorabilia and artifacts!  

Mark your calendar for our next event!!  On June 14, 2023, the Pittsburgh AIHA will head to the Donora Smog Museum for a presentation and tour.  This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the infamous Smog of 1948, which will be the focus of the presentation.  REGISTER ONLINE ---2023-06-14 Donora Smog Museum

The schedule is as follows:
Seminar – 9:15 – 11:15 a.m., Break – 11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Tour – 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.  Lunch following the tour is optional and will be held at a local favorite, The Early Bird Diner.  The diner is less than a block away and has a private side room four our group to meet.  Lunch will be paid for by the attendee the day of the event and is not included in the registration fee.  

The Donora Historical Society was established in 1946 and incorporated in 1996 and is recognized as the oldest community historical society in Washington County of Pennsylvania. They are a non-profit that operates on a volunteer basis. Their parent historical societies are the Washington Country Historical Society and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The original charter members did yeomen's work with laying the foundation for preserving Donora's history. The members that followed would continue that work for the next 70 years. As a testament to all of their hard work and dedication, they have a plethora of artifacts and documents that they use for research and presentation purposes. In 2008, they opened their present facility to showcase the artifacts and call it the Smog Museum, thus their formal title is the Donora Historical Society and Smog Museum. 

With summer around the corner, the Pittsburgh Local Section headed to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) to learn about cutting-edge research being led by Dr. W. Jon Williams on heat stress.  Dr. Williams is a Senior Research Physiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who currently serves as the Vice Chair of the AIHA Thermal Stress Working Group.  Even more impressive than Dr. Williams’ resume is his research.  During the seminar with our local section, he discussed the team of scientists that he leads to study the physiological responses of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and the means to mitigate these responses.  The physiological responses that they study include cardiovascular strain, heat stress, cooling technologies, and pharmacological interventions to improve PPE and reduce the physiological strain from wearing PPE.  They also focus on the ergonomic impacts of PPE.  The research that was presented to the section is truly innovative and will improve the lives of workers and first responders in the future.
 
The Pittsburgh Local Section would like to thank Jon Williams, PhD., Research Physiologist, National Personal Protective Technology Lab for inviting us to NIOSH, sharing his research with us, and showing us one of his labs.  We would also like to thank Matt Zock, CIH for coordinating the event at NIOSH on April 18, 2023.
 
Finally, we would like to thank all the following members for attending this event:

The Pittsburgh Local Section would like to thank the National AIHA President Donna Heidel, MS, CIH, FAIHA (Global Principal Industrial Hygienist - Amazon) for addressing our local section on the current and future direction of the AIHA.  All the local section members in attendance had an opportunity to chat with Ms. Heidel about the AIHA and/or the profession in general.  During the presentation, Ms. Heidel highlighted some of the great work being done by members of our local section on a national level.  She also emphasized the excellent job being done by our local section including the development of the student chapters at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), Slippery Rock University (SRU), and West Virginia University (WVU).  Immediately following her presentation, she held a question-and-answer session and some of our local chapter members had a chance to highlight some of the incredible projects that they are actively leading.  Donna was kind enough to share her presentation with the Pittsburgh AIHA -- you can view it HERE:  Pittsburgh LS Update March 2023
 
The Pittsburgh Local Section would also like to thank Matt Zock, CIH and Christy Kirsch for coordinating the event at the LeMont Restaurant on March 9, 2023.  In addition, we would like to say a special thank you to Dr. Deanna Kiska and U.S. Micro-Solutions, Inc. for being the event’s drink sponsor.  Finally, we would like to thank everyone who sponsored or volunteered to sponsor a student to attend the event.
 
Thank you to all the following members for attending this event:

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:
​​

• 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
• LUNCH - A light lunch buffet sponsored by SRU Safety Department will be provided. 
• ​Register ONLINE by Feb. 16:  2023-02-21 SRU-Pgh. AIHA Joint Mtg.