ACGIH Board Member Jack Caravanos Contributes to the Safety of Ventilation Systems

At least two solutions are being used to make ventilation systems safer. Current member of the ACGIH Board of Directors, Jack Caravanos, DrPH, CIH, is recognized in an article titled “Theatrical fog formula approved as antimicrobial air treatment“. Dr. Caravanos is also a member of the Grignard Pure’s science advisory team, as the article quotes:

Last February, Jordan and Jack Caravanos, Clinical Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at New York University’s School of Global Public Health, posted a
75-page paper that provides a detailed assessment of Grignard Pure’s safety.

Click here to read full article.

The ACGIH 2021–2024 Strategic Plan

The ACGIH Board of Directors is proud to present the 2021–2024 ACGIH Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan is the result of over 500 volunteer and staff hours, input from members and non-members through a survey sent in the Summer of 2020, and facilitation by a non-profit consultation organization. The five goals outlined in the strategic plan will serve as the foundation for ACGIH activities, initiatives, and programs.

Through the implementation of the strategic plan, ACGIH plans to achieve sustained growth while maintaining the integrity of science and the vision of the organization: To advance occupational and environmental health globally by providing education programs, scientific data, and technical knowledge of Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS) professionals in the interest of workers and the public health. 

ACGIH TLV-PA Committee Chair, Rick Neitzel Participates in Apple Hearing Study

The Apple Hearing Study is conducted alongside the University of Michigan School of Public Health and Rick Neitzel, PhD, CIH, FAIHA, Associate Professor and also Chair of the ACGIH TLV-PA Committee. This Study is sharing new data from thousands of participants across the US in an effort to help people better understand their hearing health. Hearing loss is an issue the company has looked to tackle, due in no small part to its large — and growing — involvement in the headphone category.

ACGIH Comments: IH in the Workplace

In the latest issue of Industrial Hygiene in the Workplace, ACGIH Board and staff members weighed in on budget cuts under the Trump administration that affect EHS standards, in the article “Forward Focus: The Future of Industrial Hygiene, Part 1 – Shift in Power, Shift in Focus”. All ACGIH members receive a printed copy of Industrial Hygiene in the Workplace, so be sure to keep your eye out for this and upcoming issues in your mailbox.

Click here to read full article in the online issue.

ACGIH Announces 2021 Election Results

Cincinnati, Ohio – October 1, 2020 – ACGIH^® is pleased to announce new members for its 2021 Board of Directors and its 2021 Nominating Committee.

ACGIH^®’s membership elected three (3) members to serve as Directors on the Board of Directors. They are:

Tom Peters, PhD, CIH. Dr. Peters is a Professor at The University of Iowa, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health. He directs the Industrial Hygiene Program and teaches Control of Occupational Contaminants and Aerosol Technology. Dr. Peters holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in environmental engineering from the University of Florida and a PhD from the University of North Carolina. Dr. Peters develops novel sampling methods that he then applies to understand and control aerosols in the workplace and the environment. He developed a nanoparticle respiratory deposition sampler that collects nanoparticles with efficiency similar to that in the respiratory tract and a personal diffusion battery to assess exposures to submicrometer aerosols. He applies hazard mapping with direct-reading instruments, networks of passive samplers to assess inter-urban spatial variability of particulate matter, and low-cost sensors to assess noise, particles, ozone, and carbon monoxide in large manufacturing facilities. He developed methods to assess airborne engineered nanomaterials apart from background aerosols through activity monitoring with direct-read instruments and computer-controlled single-particle electron microscopy of collected particles. He also developed passive sampling techniques to investigate the variability in composition of coarse particles in the atmosphere and contributed to the development of EPA’s standard for PM2.5. Dr. Peters served as an expert participant in the US-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission Work Group on Science and Technology (Nanotechnology Sub-group). Dr. Peters will serve a three-year term.

Pam Susi, MSPH, CIH. Ms. Susi has over 25 years of experience as an industrial hygienist. She currently works for Pennsylvania OSHA Consultation at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). Prior to that she served as the Exposure Assessment Program Director for CPWR – the Center for Construction Research and Training for 23 years. She has also served as a consultant for the New Jersey Work Environment Council providing support to the New Jersey Education Association since 2016. Prior to working as an industrial hygienist, she completed a four-year apprenticeship and worked as a journeyman carpenter. Ms. Susi is a Board-certified Industrial Hygienist with a Master of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research has had practical applications beginning with her master’s project which led to restricted use of methanol-based duplicator fluids in NC schools until more recent efforts that contributed to the development of dust control regulations for construction in Philadelphia. While at CPWR, she worked with the Philadelphia Building Trades Council and Drexel University towards the development of a safety and health certificate program for construction programs and served as an adjunct professor between 2003 and 2005. Ms. Susi served as a member of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Mixed Exposures Team between 1997 and 2006 and as a co-author of a white paper on mixed exposure research priorities. While at CPWR she co-chaired, with NIOSH, an Engineering and Work Practice Controls Work Group for construction for twenty-two years. She conducted research on exposure and control of silica and hexavalent chromium in construction and participated in the preparation of comments submitted to OSHA on behalf of North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) during OSHA rulemaking for the Silica and Hexavalent Chromium Standards. She has co-authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications. Ms. Susi will serve a three-year term.

Ted T. Zellers, PhD. Dr. Zellers is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences (EHS), School of Public Health, at the University of Michigan. He is also a Professor of Chemistry and a Faculty Affiliate in Applied Physics at Michigan. He earned a BA in chemistry from Rutgers University, and an MS and PhD in EHS from The University of California, Berkeley. From 1978–1981 he worked as a synthetic chemist at Bell Telephone Laboratories. Dr. Zellers has worked at the intersection of industrial hygiene (IH), chemistry, and electrical engineering for his 33-year academic career. He is an internationally recognized expert in micro-analytical systems for complex organic vapor mixtures. His work in this area has brought significant technological advances to bear directly on problems related to worker exposure monitoring, indoor air quality assessments, breath analysis, ambient-air monitoring, explosives detection, etc. He has co-authored over 150 peer-reviewed articles and other scholarly publications, and is a co-inventor of several patented technologies. As the IH Program Director at Michigan for the last 21 years, Dr. Zellers has led that program through three ABET accreditation cycles, four competitive NIOSH training grant renewals, and maintaining it as one of leading such programs in the country. He has taught numerous IH lecture and laboratory courses, primarily on the evaluation of workplace chemical hazards, and has mentored a substantial number of graduate students in research. Dr. Zellers is an active member of Workplace Health Without Borders (WHWB) and the Developing World Outreach Initiative (DWOI). In 2016, he launched a global occupational health (GOH) initiative at Michigan that included new courses in GOH, a community outreach effort called the Michigan Health Nail Salon Cooperative (MHNSC), and several other opportunities for students. In 2018, he was part of a team that delivered a week-long OHTA course to occupational health professionals in Hanoi, Vietnam. He is a long-standing member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Hygiene, and served as the ACGIH^® representative to the JOEH Board of Directors from 2013–2015. He has also served on numerous AIHA technical committees in the past. Dr. Zellers will serve a second three-year term.

The 2021 ACGIH^® Nominating Committee includes three elected members who will serve a one-year term. They are:

Martin A. Cohen, ScD, CIH, CSP. Dr. Cohen is an industrial hygienist and Principal Lecturer in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) at the University of Washington. Prior to that he worked with the State of Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries, Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program for a number of years where he conducted applied occupational health and safety research and surveillance projects. He then went on to direct the Exposure Assessment Center for a large air pollution epidemiology study based at the University of Washington called, MESA Air Pollution. In 2008, Dr. Cohen joined the Field Research and Consultation Group in DEOHS, where he was an industrial hygienist and conducted occupational health and safety research and service projects throughout the state. He currently directs the group and in addition, teaches and is the Department’s Assistant Chair for Stakeholder Engagement. Dr. Cohen earned his Doctorate of Science in exposure assessment from the Harvard School of Public Health, his Master of Science in air pollution control from the Harvard School of Public Health, and Bachelor of Science in environmental health from Purdue University. As a faculty member at the University of Washington, Dr. Cohen often encourages a wide range of students to enter the field. Over the years, he has seen a change in the students entering the field, toward a group that better reflects the diversity of our population. One of his primary goals as a member of the ACGIH^®’s Nominating Committee would be to find potential members to serve in leadership roles that reflect these changes in the field.

John S. Morawetz, ScM. Mr. Morawetz served on the ACGIH^® Board of Directors from 2013–2016 and was Treasurer from 2015–2016. He is the Director of the International Chemical Workers Union Council (ICWUC) Center for Worker Health and Safety Education in Cincinnati, Ohio. From 1988, Mr. Morawetz has built the Center into a nationally recognized worker training Center that operates through five federal grants and a Consortium of 10 trade union organizations with the University of Cincinnati and the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics. The ICWUC Center trains participants in Industrial, Hospital and School Chemical Emergency Response, Infectious Disease, COVID and Disaster Preparedness. The Center uses adult education techniques with an extensive worker trainer program to develop rank and file workers as trainers in both classroom and web classes. Mr. Morawetz received his ScM degree from the Harvard School of Public Health in 1983 and then worked at NIOSH and the International Molders Union. At NIOSH, he assisted in constructing a retrospective exposure matrix for an ethylene oxide mortality study that earned the Alice Hamilton Award. From 1996–2006, Mr. Morawetz served on an EPA Risk Assessment Committee setting Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs), with a focus on the evaluation and use of human studies.

Michael A. Valigosky, PhD, CIH, CSP. Dr. Valigosky is an Assistant Professor at The University of Toledo (UT), performing research, teaching and advising in the MSOH and MPH programs. He earned his PhD from UT in Health Education and a Master of Science degree in Occupational Health from the Medical College of Ohio. Prior to joining the faculty at UT he worked for over 25 years as an industrial hygienist and Director of UT’s Environmental Health and Radiation Safety Department. Dr. Valigosky remains active in his local section of AIHA most recently serving as president for the second time. His research interests include the environmental and occupational effects of harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie, evaluation of healthcare associated injuries/illnesses and emergency response and preparedness. He holds certification as an industrial hygienist and safety professional and has been a member of ACGIH^® since 1992.

These three elected members will be joined by the three Board Members whose terms expire in 2020 – Sheryl A. Milz, PhD, MOD, CIH, FAIHA, J. Torey Nalbone, PhD, CIH, FAIHA, and Donald M. Weekes, CIH, CSP – to make up the six member 2021 Nominating Committee.

Note to Reporters:  Photos are available upon request.

ACGIH^® is a 501(c)(3) charitable scientific organization that advances occupational and environmental health. ACGIH^® is one of the industry’s leading publications resources, with approximately 400 titles relative to occupational and environmental health and safety, including the renowned TLVs^® and BEIs^®. For more information, visit the ACGIH^® website at www.acgih.org or call our Customer Service Representatives at 513-742-2020.

ACGIH Board Ratifies 2021 TLVs and BEIs

Cincinnati, Ohio — January 7, 2021 — ACGIH announced that its Board of Directors ratified the 2021 Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents and Biological Exposure Indices (BEIs). The Board also approved recommendations for additions to the Notice of Intended Changes (NIC).

Click here for the listing of the substances that were acted upon. The Annual Reports of the ratifications of the ACGIH Board can be found online at acgih.org/forms/store/ProductFormPublic/annual-reports-on-tlvs-beis-2020. ACGIH members can download the electronic version of the Annual Reports at no cost. Nonmembers may also acquire the Reports through the ACGIH website for $24.95.

Draft Documentation for the substances on the Notice of Intended Changes (NIC) are currently available for purchase at acgih.org/store. Documentation for the adopted substances and agents are also available for purchase. All Documentation are in PDF format and priced at $60 each. ACGIH members are entitled to (10) Complimentary Documentation downloads per year.

The 2021 TLVs^® and BEIs^® book is now available in digital format. The print version will be available soon. Both print and digital versions of the 2021 Guide to Occupational Exposure Values will be available soon. Those interested in ordering the 2021 TLVs and BEIs book and the 2021 Guide to Occupational Exposure Values can do so online at acgih.org/store, by phone at 513-742-2020, or by fax at 513-742-3355. Please visit the ACGIH website at acgih.org for updates on availability.

TLVs and BEIs are guidelines to be used by professionals trained in the practice of industrial hygiene. The TLVs and BEIs are not designed to be used as standards. The TLVs and BEIs are health-based values established by committees that review existing published and peer-reviewed literature in various scientific disciplines. Based on the available information, ACGIH formulates a conclusion on what level of exposure the typical worker can experience without adverse health effects. There is no consideration given to economic or technical feasibility.

The Notice of Intended Changes (NIC) is comprised of those substances and physical agents for which a TLV/BEI is proposed for the first time, for which a change in the Adopted value/index is proposed, for which retention as an NIC is proposed, or for which withdrawal of the Documentation and adopted TLV/BEI is proposed. In each case, the proposals should be considered trial values during the period they are on the NIC. These proposals were ratified by the ACGIH Board of Directors and will remain on the NIC for approximately one year following this ratification. If during the year, the Committee neither finds nor receives any substantive data that change its scientific opinion regarding an NIC TLV/BEI, the Committee may then approve its recommendation to the ACGIH Board of Directors for adoption.  If the Committee finds or receives substantive data that change its scientific opinion regarding an NIC TLV/BEI, the Committee may change its recommendation to the ACGIH Board of Directors for the matter to be either retained on or withdrawn from the NIC.

Documentation is available for each of the substances on the NIC and their proposed values.

This notice provides not only an opportunity for comment on these proposals, but it also solicits suggestions for substances to be considered for TLVs and/or BEIs, such as those found on the current Under Study List. Comments or suggestions should be accompanied by substantiating evidence in the form of peer-reviewed literature and forwarded in electronic format to the  ACGIH Science Group (science@acgih.org). Please refer to the ACGIH TLV/BEI Development Process on the ACGIH website (acgih.org/tlv-bei-guidelines/policies-procedures-presentations/tlv-bei-development-process) for a detailed discussion covering this procedure and methods for input to ACGIH.

ACGIH recommends that all TLV and BEI users read the Statement of Position Regarding the TLVs and BEIs, which outlines the proper usage of TLVs and BEIs. The Statement of Position can be found in the TLV/BEI Guidelines section of the ACGIH website (acgih.org/tlv-bei-guidelines). In addition to the Statement of Position, visitors to this site will find other useful information on TLVs and BEIs, including the following:

• Conflict of Interest Policy
• Notice of Intended Changes (NIC)
• TLV/BEI Policy Statement
• TLV/BEI Position Statement
• TLV/BEI Development Process
• Committee Operations Manuals
• Under Study List

ACGIH is a 501(c)(3) charitable scientific organization that advances occupational and environmental health. ACGIH is one of the industry’s leading publications resources, with approximately 400 titles relative to occupational and environmental health and safety, including the renowned TLVs and BEIs. For more information, visit the ACGIH website at acgih.org or call our Customer Service Representatives at 513-742-2020.

Members – Calls for Nominations for 2022 Board of Directors and Nominating Committee

The ACGIH Nominating Committee is seeking suggestions from the membership for candidates for the 2022 ACGIH Election Ballot. Vacant positions for 2022 are: Three (3) Directors for the Board of Directors, and three members for the 2022 Nominating Committee. The 2021 Nominating Committee and ACGIH depend on your contributions and ask that you nominate individuals that you think would be a good representative of the membership. Suggestions can submitted online by clicking here. When making a nomination you will be asked to include a current copy of the Curriculum Vitae of the individual you are suggesting, as well as a statement indicating why this person should be nominated.

Click here to Elections Nominations form. Deadline for submissions is April 16, 2021.