The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is using Workers’ Memorial Day to renew its efforts to eliminate workplace hazards and maintain safe and healthy working environments, says AIHA President Barbara J. Dawson, CIH, CSP.

“Since Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act more than four decades ago, we’ve made great strides in making workplaces safer and healthier. Over the past year, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has moved forward with much-needed safeguards against occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica; released annotated tables of its permissible exposure limits (PELs) to encourage employers to adopt alternative occupational exposure limits that may better protect workers; and developed educational resources on safe patient handling and other workplace hazards,” notes Dawson.

She adds, “However, our efforts to improve occupational health and safety will not be complete until all workers are able to return home safe and healthy at the end of each day.”

Dawson said her organization will continue working with Congress, OSHA, and others to deliver the standards and legislation necessary to protect the safety and health of workers and communities.