NIOSH, AIHA Renew Partnership to Improve Occupational Health, Safety

Contact: Fred Blosser (202) 245-0645
September 13, 2007

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently renewed their partnership to improve occupational health and safety conditions at workplaces throughout the United States.

AIHA and NIOSH formed the partnership last year to use collaborative efforts and expertise to advance the protection of workers, promote best practices, and encourage employers to develop and utilize occupational health and safety management systems and effective prevention strategies and technologies. The renewal reaffirms this commitment.

"AIHA is a valued partner in our mutual effort to prevent work-related illnesses, injuries, and deaths," said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. "We are particularly pleased that, through collaboration with AIHA and its members who are often the key health and safety leaders or coordinators at work sites, we have greater opportunities for having positive impacts in reducing the risks of work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths."

"We value this opportunity to continue our partnership with NIOSH to support and encourage research, training, and other initiatives," said AIHA President Donald J. Hart, PhD, CIH. "We look forward to sustaining this collaboration to raise awareness of the importance of occupational health and safety at workplaces throughout the United States."

Together, both organizations agreed to continue to work cooperatively and provide outreach, communication, and professional development opportunities regarding occupational health and safety, and facilitate the transfer and implementation of effective workplace illness and injury prevention measures by

• Developing and disseminating information on worker health and safety at appropriate conferences and through print and electronic media, including the AIHA and NIOSH websites
• Participating at conferences, meetings, and other key events where occupational and environmental health and safety issues are proactively addressed
• Advancing the effectiveness of occupational health and safety research and promoting and facilitating the transfer of research results to practice in preventing occupational illnesses and injuries
• Strengthening recruiting efforts for students to enter occupational and environmental health and safety graduate and undergraduate training programs

The renewed partnership will continue until December 31, 2008.

To view a copy of the MOU, visit http://www.aiha.org/1documents/AIHANIOSHPartnership.pdf.