The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) announced this week the results of its biennial membership survey of the top public policy issues concerning AIHA members and the occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) profession over the next two years.

According to an AIHA press release, the survey has identified the following as the top public policy issues for 2009-2010:

Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) Updating: OSHA’s PELs are one of the most basic tools needed to protect workers, according to AIHA. But many PELs have not been updated since the 1960s and 1970s. AIHA has been working with various safety and health groups and OSHA to try to figure a way to update the PELs.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)/Globally Harmonized System (GHS): AIHA says it supports efforts to improve the accuracy of MSDS and supports efforts to improve hazard communication for employers and employees. A major part of improving hazard communication is adoption of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. AIHA supports adoption of the GHS.

Nanotechnology: Increased use of nanotechnology raises new potential occupational health and safety concerns, accord to AIHA. AIHA supports research into the possible hazards involved with nanotechnology, but suggests a go-slow approach in enacting new legislation and/or regulation.