REGISTER NOW for our next event on Thursday, May 21, 2026, when we will visit the Butler County Community College Public Safety Training Facility.   

• Location: Butler County Community College (BC3) Public Safety Training Facility, 107 College Drive, Butler, PA.
• Date: Thursday, May 21, 2026
• Time: 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM (Lunch included).

Register online by May 17, 2026 - details are on the meeting page HERE:  ​2026-05-21 Fire Academy Visit

Thank you to all who attended our February 18, 2026 virtual technical session featuring Dr. George Gruetzmacher, a highly respected industrial hygienist with more than 40 years of experience in exposure assessment, engineering controls, and risk communication. The session provided members with a clear, practical walkthrough of AIHA’s exposure assessment strategy and the statistical tools that support more accurate decision‑making in the field. 

Dr. Gruetzmacher began by outlining the challenges industrial hygienists face when evaluating exposure data—particularly the tendency to underestimate exposures when relying solely on professional judgment. He emphasized how heuristics, structured strategies, and statistical methods help reduce bias and improve the reliability of exposure assessments.
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Participants were introduced to AIHA’s iterative exposure assessment strategy, which begins with qualitative evaluations and progresses to quantitative sampling and analysis as needed. Dr. Gruetzmacher highlighted how qualitative tools can be applied through observation, while quantitative tools become essential once sampling data is available.

The session also included an overview of AIHA’s free online analytical tools and training resources, which support statistical evaluation of sampling data. Attendees learned how to locate, select, and apply these tools to determine exposure categories, identify elevated risks, and guide appropriate control measures.

By the end of the presentation, participants gained a clearer understanding of how a structured, statistically informed approach leads to more accurate exposure assessments, better targeting of controls, and ultimately a reduction in occupational illness and disease.

About the Speaker: Dr. George Gruetzmacher is a Certified Industrial Hygienist, Certified Safety Professional, and AIHA Fellow with more than four decades of experience in occupational health and safety. He works in the OSHA On‑Site Consultation Program, teaches at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, and serves as a research scientist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His extensive background in industrial hygiene, safety management systems, and emergency management made him an exceptional resource for this session.

Special thanks to both Zane Frund, MSA Safety (Pittsburgh AIHA President-Elect / Program Committee Chair), and Joseph Hill (Member Networks Coordinator & LS Liaison, AIHA) for organizing this event!   We would also like to acknowledge the following members / guests who participated in the event:

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.