AIHA announced that the annual American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce EXP) will occur May 24-26, 2021, in Dallas, Texas, as a hybrid onsite and virtual event. Those willing and able to travel can attend events in person at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center under heightened safety protocols and supplemented by a substantial virtual program. Those unable to travel can attend an entirely virtual conference held concurrently. Full registration to either onsite and virtual or wholly virtual experience includes access to session recordings on AIHce OnDemand six to eight weeks after the conference.

“Throughout 2020, AIHA successfully delivered a series of virtual education events, including a completely online AIHce EXP, which received glowing feedback from participants,” said Bethany Chirico, CMP, CAE, AIHA’s managing director of Global Meetings and Business Development. “Nonetheless, our members are keen to return in person if appropriate safety precautions in place. For AIHce EXP 2021, we created a hybrid conference that will be suitable for those who can participate onsite in Dallas, following proper safety guidelines, as well as those who will join their peers from the comfort of their homes or offices.”

AIHce EXP is a must-attend experience for OEHS professionals of all levels, specialties, and expertise. The three-day event will consist of keynote sessions, education sessions, networking opportunities, with an additional three days of professional development courses occurring before and after the conference proper.

AIHA is taking substantial safety precautions to offer a healthy and safe AIHce EXP experience for onsite attendees, exhibitors, and staff, some of which include:

• Physical distancing within event rooms.
• Strict room capacity limits to ensure physical distancing—for rooms that reach capacity, additional attendees may attend that session online.
• One-way entrances and exits from session rooms and the Expo Hall Increased distance between Expo booths.
• Digital services to reduce high touchpoints, including ticketless registration, downloadable program guides, and web previews of AIHA books and resources for sale at the AIHA booth.
• Symptom and temperature screening on entry to the convention center building.
• Sanitization of session rooms and audiovisual equipment before and after each session.
• Multiple hand-sanitizing stations located throughout the facility.

“Organizing a successful onsite conference in the wake of COVID-19 is possible but requires careful and transparent planning, clear and active communication, and collaboration with facilities, attendees, exhibitors, and supplier partners,” said Chirico. “We are fully committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our members and partners.”

AIHce EXP 2021 will also introduce a dynamic new event offered for the first time: an Expo fashion show highlighting personal protective equipment and clothing (PPEC) designed by exhibitors and industry partners for a diverse workforce of varying sizes and proportions. The PPEC fashion show aims to show how companies are creating gear that fits and protects all workers regardless of their gender or size. If you are a supplier interested in applying for this new opportunity or would like more information, please contact Laura Garcia at sponsorship@aiha.org.