AIHA Announces Panel Discussion on the Role of OEHS Professionals in Post-Pandemic School Reopenings

AIHA, the association for scientists and professionals committed to preserving and ensuring occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS), will host a panel discussion at the virtual AIHce EXP 2021 on the role of OEHS in the education system. Titled “The Role of the Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety Professional in Improving the Health of Our Schools,” the panel discussion will take place on Monday, May 24, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. Central time.

As recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic begin, safely reopening schools will take priority. OEHS professionals have a part in helping families, teachers, school administrators and districts and states officials take measures necessary for schools to remain safe for in-person learning. The AIHce EXP panel discussion will examine OEHS professionals’ role in assessing and integrating effective infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, outline the COVID Collaborative’s “Roadmap to Healthy Schools,” and emphasize collaboration for long-lasting improvements. Topics addressed will include recommendations for integrating the CDC’s guidance on IPC measures into operations; replication of practices described in case studies; an outline for using authorized funds to implement IPC programs in K-12 school systems; and use of the Hierarchy of Controls in the short and long terms.

The discussion will be moderated by Tracy Enger, Program Manager at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The presenters will be Devin Jopp, EdD, of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology; Alex LeBeau, PhD, MPH, CIH, of Exposure Assessment Consulting LLC; and J. David Krause, PhD, CIH, of the Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center. Jopp also represents the COVID Collaborative, an initiative comprised of experts in health, education, and economics committed to supporting the United States’ recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. LeBeau is the current secretary of AIHA’s Indoor Environmental Quality Committee, of which Krause is also a former chair.

Press registration is required for the panel discussion. To register for “The Role of the Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety Professional in Improving the Health of Our Schools,” please contact Ina Xhani, AIHA’s communication specialist, by May 24, 2021, 12 p.m. Central time.

About AIHA
AIHA is the association for scientists and professionals committed to preserving and ensuring occupational and environmental health and safety in the workplace and community. Founded in 1939, we support our members with our expertise, networks, comprehensive education programs, and other products and services that help them maintain the highest professional and competency standards. More than half of AIHA’s nearly 8,500 members are Certified Industrial Hygienists and many hold other professional designations. AIHA serves as a resource for those employed across the public and private sectors as well as to the communities in which they work. For more information, please visit www.aiha.org.

AIHA’s Back to Work Safely guidelines, designed for small to mid-size businesses in 27 sectors, provide recommendations on PPE; engineering controls such as ventilation, enhanced filtration, and physical barriers; enhanced cleaning and disinfection; worker personal hygiene; and physical distancing. These guidelines are available for free in both English and Spanish. In addition to the BTWS guidelines, AIHA has free, detailed resources on engineering controls:

Guide for Recovering from COVID-19 Building Closures

Reducing the Risk of COVID-19 Using Engineering Controls

Employers Guide to COVID-19 Cleaning and Disinfection in Non-Healthcare Workplaces

Effective and Safe Practices, Guidance for Custodians, Cleaning and Maintenance Staff

Occupational Safety and Health Guide for Surface Disinfection Practices Using Germicidal Ultraviolet Radiation

These and other resources are all available on the AIHA Public Resources web page.