American Industrial Hygiene Association Asks Are You Safe at Work?
FAIRFAX, Va. -- When Americans go back to work after Labor Day approximately 50 American workers will be injured on the job every minute of the day and almost 17 will die, according to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration. Each worker assumes that they will return home at the end of their shift as healthy as they were at the beginning. For some, that will not be the case. The good news is that due to changes in the workplace and the diligence of Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS) professionals, that number has dropped by half since 1970.
Keeping workers safe is a number one priority for industrial hygiene (IH) professionals. Also referred to as occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) professionals, their job is to preserve the health and well being of workers, the community and the environment.
"Taking care of workers, and the surrounding community, is the main objective of OEHS professionals," said Gayla McCluskey, CIH, CSP, ROH, QEP, president of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). "Our job is to protect working mothers, fathers, sons and daughters; making sure they live and work in a safe environment."
Industrial Hygienists deal with the health and safety challenges facing people everywhere. Some of the issues they face include: indoor air quality, mold, asbestos, radiation and hazardous waste materials. They are often one of the first people on the scene of a potentially dangerous work or environmental accident. IHs play a vital part in ensuring that federal, state, and local laws and regulations are followed in a work environment.
"Industrial hygienists work on the frontlines in day-to-day and disaster situations," explained McCluskey. "They take air, water and surface samples and test for the presence of harmful chemicals, particles or bacteria. They evaluate dangers from machinery in factories, advise on fall protection in construction sites and many other hazards most people don't think about. Industrial hygiene is a blend of science, good judgment, creativity and human interaction."
If you have questions about safety in your workplace, find out if your workplace has an OEHS professional on staff or contact a local OEHS association. For further information on industrial hygiene, visit http://www.aiha.org/ . AIHA offers free online brochures on workplace safety and many consumer topics. You can find more information about worker safety at http://www.osha.gov/ .
Founded in 1939, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is the premier association of occupational and environmental health and safety professionals. AIHA's 12,000 members play a crucial role on the front line of worker health and safety every day. Members represent a cross-section of industry, private business, labor, government and academia.
Source: PRNewswire
A Helping Hand: Innovative Approaches to Expanding Hand Hygiene Programs in Acute Care Settings
July 9th 2025Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.
How Contaminated Is Your Stretcher? The Hidden Risks on Hospital Wheels
July 3rd 2025Despite routine disinfection, hospital surfaces, such as stretchers, remain reservoirs for harmful microbes, according to several recent studies. From high-touch areas to damaged mattresses and the effectiveness of antimicrobial coatings, researchers continue to uncover persistent risks in environmental hygiene, highlighting the critical need for innovative, continuous disinfection strategies in health care settings.
Streamlined IFU Access Boosts Infection Control and Staff Efficiency
June 17th 2025A hospital-wide quality improvement project has transformed how staff access critical manufacturer instructions for use (IFUs), improving infection prevention compliance and saving time through a standardized, user-friendly digital system supported by unit-based training and interdepartmental collaboration.
Spring Into Safety: How Seasonal Deep Cleaning Strengthens Hospital Infection Control
June 13th 2025Rooted in ancient rituals of renewal, spring-cleaning has evolved from cultural tradition to a vital infection prevention strategy in modern hospitals—one that blends seasonal deep cleaning with advanced disinfection to reduce pathogens, improve air quality, and protect patients.
