The American Industrial Hygiene Association, in partnership with dBase Media, is producing a unique online video program that will shine a light on the occupational and environmental health and safety industry.

At a time when the term ‘Back to Work Safely’ was born and ‘PPE’ became a household acronym, the importance of occupational and environmental health and safety has never been better recognized. Yet miss conceptions about the role of OEHS professionals still exist. As such, this series will capture the pride of a profession that not just keeps workers safe but also strives to actively improve their wellbeing and those of the communities they serve.

From disaster planning, response, and recovery, to the protection of workers in all settings in every corner of the world (and sometimes even beyond it!). This video series will highlight the invaluable role OEHS professionals play in creating healthier workplaces and a healthier world.

‘Healthier Workplaces, Healthier World’ (the current working title) will showcase how each day is different, an “office” could be a manufacturing plant, a pharmaceutical lab, an oil rig, a construction site, a railway, a potential natural disaster site, or even a film set. We will include stories from leading organizations spanning multiple industries, capturing the diverse nature of the workforce, the challenges, the innovations, the career paths, and the people who choose to spend their lives protecting and improving the lives of others.

The project launches January 2021, with a members' preview at AIHce EXP 2021, taking place in May both virtually and in Dallas, Texas. The program will be hosted on the AIHA website, as well as distributed and promoted through an omnichannel distribution campaign managed by dBase Media.
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For further information and an opportunity to be included, please contact Max Smith at dBase Media.

Press Release - aiha.org - December 24, 2020

How three-layer surgical masks affect airflow and protection effectiveness.

Question: Is it better to wear a mask than not wearing one at all?
 Answer:  That depends on the mask.
When researchers at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and California Baptist University examined the effect of wearing a three-layer surgical mask on inspiratory airflows--and the mask’s effects on inhalation and deposition of ambient particles in the upper respiratory airways--the results were noteworthy. An examination of the deposition of ambient particles of air in the upper respiratory airways showed that the effectiveness in reducing viral loads in the respiratory tract is unclear.
The objective of the study was to numerically characterize the difference in the deposition distribution of ambient aerosols in the upper airway with and without a mask.

“It is natural to think that wearing a mask, no matter new or old, should always be better than nothing. Our results show that this belief is only true for particles larger than 5 micrometers, but not for fine particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers,” said author Jinxiang Xi.
The study, published in Physics of Fluids (AIP Publishing), found that wearing a mask significantly distorts the airflow and aerodynamics near the face, which alters the inhalability of ambient particles in comparison to not wearing a mask. Moreover, they reported that wearing a mask with low (less than 30%) filtration efficiency can be worse than without.

Read the entire article found here: https://www.machinedesign.com/medical-design/article/21150885/do-surgical-masks-provide-full-or-false-protection.  

MachineDesign.com
Rehana Begg
DEC 21, 2020

AIHA announced today that the annual American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce EXP) will occur May 24-26, 2021, in Dallas, Texas, as a hybrid onsite and virtual event. Those willing and able to travel can attend events in person at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center under heightened safety protocols and supplemented by a substantial virtual program. Those unable to travel can attend an entirely virtual conference held concurrently. Full registration to either onsite and virtual or wholly virtual experience includes access to session recordings on AIHce OnDemand six to eight weeks after the conference.

“Throughout 2020, AIHA successfully delivered a series of virtual education events, including a completely online AIHce EXP, which received glowing feedback from participants,” said Bethany Chirico, CMP, CAE, AIHA’s managing director of Global Meetings and Business Development. “Nonetheless, our members are keen to return in person if appropriate safety precautions in place. For AIHce EXP 2021, we created a hybrid conference that will be suitable for those who can participate onsite in Dallas, following proper safety guidelines, as well as those who will join their peers from the comfort of their homes or offices.”

AIHce EXP is a must-attend experience for OEHS professionals of all levels, specialties, and expertise. The three-day event will consist of keynote sessions, education sessions, networking opportunities, with an additional three days of professional development courses occurring before and after the conference proper.
AIHA is taking substantial safety precautions to offer a healthy and safe AIHce EXP experience for onsite attendees, exhibitors, and staff, some of which include:

• Physical distancing within event rooms.
• Strict room capacity limits to ensure physical distancing—for rooms that reach capacity, additional attendees may attend that session online.
• One-way entrances and exits from session rooms and the Expo Hall Increased distance between Expo booths.
• Digital services to reduce high touchpoints, including ticketless registration, downloadable program guides, and web previews of AIHA books and resources for sale at the AIHA booth.
• Symptom and temperature screening on entry to the convention center building.
• Sanitization of session rooms and audiovisual equipment before and after each session.
• Multiple hand-sanitizing stations located throughout the facility.

“Organizing a successful onsite conference in the wake of COVID-19 is possible but requires careful and transparent planning, clear and active communication, and collaboration with facilities, attendees, exhibitors, and supplier partners,” said Chirico. “We are fully committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our members and partners.”

AIHce EXP 2021 will also introduce a dynamic new event offered for the first time: an Expo fashion show highlighting personal protective equipment and clothing (PPEC) designed by exhibitors and industry partners for a diverse workforce of varying sizes and proportions. The PPEC fashion show aims to show how companies are creating gear that fits and protects all workers regardless of their gender or size. If you are a supplier interested in applying for this new opportunity or would like more information, please contact Laura Garcia at sponsorship@aiha.org.

CONTACT:
Susan Marchese, Managing Director,
Communications & Marketing, AIHA
(202) 256-8986

Press Release - aiha.org - December 21, 2020