• One important step has been expanding relationships with many allied associations, such as the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) and the National Safety Council. There was a need to leverage the expertise of partners, and over ten years that has happened. In particulate I’d point to the shared advocacy work to restore NIOSH.
• AIHA has also expanded its global footprint, strengthening industrial hygiene’s worldwide reach by working with the International Occupational Hygiene Association and the Occupational Hygiene Training Association, contributing to the development of international occupational and environment health and safety standards, and having AIHA ambassadors establish presence and influence in multiple markets.
• At the grassroots level local sections of ASSP and AIHA are collaborating, as are special interest groups such as AIHA’s Women in IH committee and ASSP’s Women in Safety Excellence (WISE) interest group.
• With allied association partnerships, resources such as training materials have been developed for non-IH personnel, such as the safety practitioner expanding into industrial hygiene work.
• With much talk about serious injuries and fatalities (SIF), a meeting at OSHA on the subject is coming in July, and the allied associations will participate in setting guidance for SIFs.

NIOSH

• AIHA was the leader in focusing on NIOSH last year, getting the agency back in business. The group worked heavily with Congress educating staff on what NIOSH is and what it does. All the conversations on Hill helped. Along with more than 10,000 advocacy messages sent in response to the 2025 Restore NIOSH campaign.
• This year the theme is Preserve NIOSH. There is less heavy lifting to be done due to last year’s all-out effort. The result for fiscal year 2027 will likely be level funding.
• NIOSH is down 24-25% in staffing due to retirements and personnel getting new jobs. It could have been worse. The die-hards stuck it out. Institutional memory loss is a significant issue. But core programs are still intact and attitudes are very upbeat, very confident. NOSH Director Dr. John Howard says the outlook is positive for the agency to sustain its work.

Artificial intelligence

• There are so many AI tools and software programs, with many in the safety space. AI tools can help anticipate, recognize and evaluate field data (exposures, for example) and propose controls strategy.
• How professionals sensibly use AI tools, leverage AI without losing the value that IHs provide is key. IHs must make sure they stay involved, communicate risk assessment findings, and provide services for senior management that go beyond AI’s capabilities.

The profession’s pipeline

• There is a real need to strengthen the pipeline for future professionals. This includes educating STEM undergrads and high school students, targeting emerging economy practitioners, and having resources to appeal to safety and EHS generalists.
• Local sections speak to students in elementary, middle and high school. Awareness of the profession needs to increase before students reach college.
• A concerted effort is needed to increase member participation in ensuring the growth of the profession. Replenishing the pipeline was interrupted by the pandemic and revitalized efforts are ongoing.

Psychosocial risks

• Psychosocial hazards — including excessive workload, conflicting demands, lack of role clarity, lack of autonomy, poorly managed organizational change, job insecurity — are part of Total Work Health®. TWH addresses the total person, their total experience, and psychosocial stress has a place in that. The psychosocial stress issue must be embraced from top down, embraced by HR and senior management. It can’t be just an EHS issue.

Total Worker Health®

• Larger companies are more amenable to TWH. This isn’t something for most mom and pop shops.
• AIHA is messaging TWH to larger companies, to senior management and HR. It’s important to know how to phrase TWH terminology and explain its many elements. Messaging must start at the top. TWH requires top line management support.

Unfinished business

• There is much more work to do, putting aside TWH. Fundamental hazards still exist on the job. Pros are still dealing with a lack of protection for heat stress, for example. What is being done to mitigate all hazards, how are workers being protected?  You have to walk the talk for all hazards.