The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), Fairfax, Va., has announced the results of its biannual membership survey that projects the top public policy issues of concern to AIHA members and the occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) profession over the next two years.

“This list of policy issues allows AIHA to focus our efforts on the priorities of our members,” said AIHA President Frank M. Renshaw, PhD, CIH, CSP. “Industrial hygienists and other OEHS professionals are on the front line of worker safety and public health, and these regulatory and legislative issues have a key impact on the work that they perform.”

AIHA identified the following as the top public policy issues for 2007-2008:

OSHA Issues

• Permissible exposure limits (PELs) updating
• Material safety data sheets (MSDS)/globally harmonized system (GHS)
• Nanotechnology
• Safety and health programs/injury and illness prevention programs
• Generic exposure assessment

Other OSHA issues AIHA members found most important were hazard communication issues, and pandemic preparation and response.

Legislative Issues

• PEL Updating
• OSHA, NIOSH and EPA appropriations
• Professional recognition/title protection
• Laboratory accreditation

Association Issues

• The legislative, regulatory and legal concerns regarding the TLVs
• Standards, from ANSI or other standard-setting bodies
• Professional ethics
• Collaboration with other OEHS organizations
• The GHS