Close this window

December 2000

We've received a few comments following the publication of the first ABIH News in September. More would be better!

Each ABIH News will report on the issues raised during the most recent Board meeting, CM activities, exam sites and results, ABIH interactions with related associations and certification boards and other matters we think will be of interest to those certified by ABIH.

If you have comments on the articles we do print or suggestions for subjects you'd like to see covered in future issues, we want to hear from you. Please help us provide information you find useful.

Lynn C. O'Donnell, CIH

Executive Director

ABIH

6015 W. St. Joseph, Suite 102, Lansing, MI 48917

(517) 321-2638: (517) 321-4624 Fax: abih@abih.org E-mail

www.abih@abih.org Web Site    

During the October 28-29, 2000 meeting, the following major issues were finalized and voted on by the Directors:

Board Elections

Six Directors were elected who will take office at the conclusion of the next Board meeting in April 2001. The newly elected Directors are:

Also, from the current Directors,the following officers have been elected to take office at the conclusion of the April 2001 meeting:

Board Appointments

AIH Councilor: During the Nashville Academy Conference Rosemary Patnode concluded her three year term as the Board's representative to the Academy Council. Norm Henry was appointed to replace her.

ABIH/BCSP Joint Committee: Dave Gioiello will replace Ed Bartosh on January 1, 2001 as the Board's representative to the Joint Committee. Ed has served on the Joint Committee since 1995, including acting as Chair this year.

Continuing to serve as ABIH representatives are:

Harry Beaulieu - Joint Industrial Hygiene Ethics Education Committee

Don Harvey - Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB)

Will Poppendorf - Joint Council for Health, Safety and Environmental Education of Professionals

ABIH/BCSP Joint Committee ( www.CCHEST.org)

The Joint Committee operates certification programs for health and safety practitioners at the technician/technologist levels. It is a joint venture of ABIH and BCSP. Current programs include the Occupational Health & Safety Technologist (since 1986), the Construction Health & Safety Technician (since 1994) and the Safety Trained Supervisor in Construction (since 1995). The original agreement between the two Boards was updated to reflect the maturity of the Joint Committee's operations and to propose a new name - Council on Certification of Health Environmental and Safety Technologists (CCHEST). All three Boards, ABIH, BCSP and the Joint Committee have approved the updated agreement. As of the first of the year, the Joint Committee will officially be known as CCHEST.

Certification Maintenance

Fee for CM Educational Approval

The Board has observed a significant increase in the volume of submissions presented for review prior to the publication of any promotional materials by the activity provider. In most cases, the provider is seeking the Board's approval with respect to CM criteria in order to include such references when marketing the activity to Diplomats. Requests received by staff at the Board office in Lansing averages twenty on a weekly basis. Given the time and effort required to validate the CM activity content, this service has become a major cost item within the Board's administrative expenses.

At the Board's most recent meeting in Nashville, the CM Committee presented a motion to establish a fee structure for the review of such CM activities. The purpose of this fee structure is to ensure that adequate funding is available in order to provide the resources needed to implement the requisite quality control. Furthermore, funding the resources through a fee structure improves the Board's budgetary planning and does not tie up revenues needed for other activities.

The proposed for-fee review process would entail the following steps:

• The CM activity provider submits a completed CM Point Inquiry Form along with a $100 non-refundable fee.
• If it meets CM criteria, an approval number is issued which is valid for three years. This allows the activity provider to quote ABIH CM points eligibility on promotional materials pertaining to this activity for a three year period from the date of issue. Repeat deliveries of the same CM activity will not be subject to additional fees during this three year period.
• The approval letter will clearly state what the provider may quote on their advertising materials and the expiration date.
• Approved activities will be listed on the ABIH web site.

It is important to note that the proposed fee structure only concerns those queries received by the Board from CM activity providers PRIOR to the activity's scheduled delivery date and for the express purpose of including an ABIH CM points eligibility on promotional materials. All queries received from Diplomats with respect to their personal CM activities will NOT be subject to any fees.

Please note that this proposal is being communicated in advance of a tentative implementation during calendar year 2002. All affected parties are invited to provide comments and suggestions to the attention of the CM Committee Chair at the ABIH office in Lansing (regular mail or e-mail) no later than February 28, 2001.

Michel Crépeau, CIH, ROH
Chair, CM Committee

1994-1999 CM Cycle

The following CIHs did not submit a CM Worksheet at the end of their cycle. The Board voted that their certifications have expired.

Jay R. Alexander   5872 CP

Gary J. Anderson   2076 CP

Garry M. Annibal   3700 CP

Charles M. Baldeck   1239 CP

Sterley B. Cole   2018 C

Freddie M. Craft   3558 CP

Kevin P. Downes   3732 CP

Archie D. Dworaczyk   3735 CP

Victor J. Elia   2024 C

George M. Evans   6145   CP

George H. Flores   933CP

Patricia Ann Fraser   5933 CP

Donato A. Galli   5934 CP

Bruce T.Glisson   3576   CP

William D. Grisham   6163 CP

Nancy S. Gunn   6165   CP

Maryellen C. Johns   6187 CP

Margaret I. Kelley   5961 CP

Martin G. Kemplin   2119 CP

Irving M. Kipnis   2121 C

Peter A. Leitch   6204 CP

Michael T. Luster   2132 CP

Edmund S. Martin   5976 CP

Brian E. McDonald   6218 CP

Brick B. Mesman   1317 C

Leonard H. Nelms   3628 C

Steven R. O'Donnell   6235 CP

David M. Peters   3637 CP

Dorothy A. Peterschmidt   6247 CP

Greg R. Peterson   3638 CP

Jack M. Peterson   3639 CP

Richard E. Predmore   3643 CP

Leon Price   3806 CP

Geoffrey L. Rabone   6254 CP

Carl D. Richardson   1389CP

Joel T. Root   6264 CP

Eric E. Rothwell   6030 CP

Barry F. Scott   2159 CP

James R. Scott   2160 CP

Stephen F. Selinger   6038 CP

Kevin P. Sheehan   6278 CP

Dorothy Stansel   2097 CP

Richard L. Supples   3670 CP

Hans K. Thunem   3834 CP

Jurij A. Tkaczuk   6303 CP

Christine M. Verdi   6258 CP

James G. Vizzini   3840 CP

Scott Vincent   6313 CP

Thomas W. Westbrook   6320 CP

Russell W. Wiener   6073 CP

Spring 2001 Board Meeting

The next Board and Committee meetings will be held April 20-22, 2001. Anyone with issues that need to be addressed by the Board should contact the Executive Director, Lynn C. O'Donnell, CIH at (517) 321-2638 or abih@abih.org.

Anthony M. Indorato of Lehigh County, PA doing business as Environmental Health & Safety Associates and E.H.S.A. - claimed he was a state certified radon gas tester and was hired by the Easton Area School District to conduct radon testing. Indorato was asked to present his credentials to the Easton school superintendent after she became suspicious of his aggressive sales tactics and the high price quote to perform radon mitigation at an elementary school. The superintendent contacted the Department of Environmental Protection which confirmed that Indorato's state radon testing certificate was forged. Indorato used a home computer and scanner to produce bogus documents and letters that claimed he was a Certified Industrial Hygienist as well as certified by the Commonwealth to perform radon testing. He was arraigned in March 2000 on five felony counts of forgery; two felony counts of deceptive business practices, and three misdemeanor charges of violating Pennsylvania's Radon Certification Act. On July 17, 2000 Indorato pleaded guilty to those charges and was sentenced in September to six months house arrest and ordered to pay a $5,600 fine and $24,856 in restitution. During this process, ABIH worked with a Special Agent from the Attorney General's Environmental Crimes Section to provide information and documentation regarding the forged CIH documents.

Sources of information: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General News Releases.

¤ Malaysia -

In addition to the dozen exam sites this Fall in the US and Canada, the exams were also offered in Malaysia. Jas Singh, PhD, CIH, a former ABIH Director, acted as Chief Proctor in Kuala Lumpur. Fifteen examinees from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan participated.

¤ Spring 2001 -

The CIH and CAIH exams will both be offered in two locations next June. The exams will be given June 3 in New Orleans at the AIHCE as well as June 10 in Anaheim at the ASSE Professional Development Conference. The application deadline is February 1, 2001.

¤ Fall 2001 Examination Locations

Atlanta, GA (NSCC & E)*	September 23, 2001
Austin, TX	September 23, 2001
Boston (Area)	September 23, 2001
Chicago, IL	September 23, 2001
Cincinnati, OH	September 23, 2001
Kansas City, KS	September 23, 2001
Northern California	September 23, 2001
Salt Lake City, UT	September 23, 2001
Seaside, OR (NOHC)**	October 9, 2001
Secaucus, NJ	September 23, 2001
St. Petersburg, FL (PCIH)	October 7, 2001
Toronto, ON CANADA	September 23, 2001
Washington, DC(Area)	September 23, 2001
The application deadline is June 1, 2001.
* National Safety Council Congress & Expo ** Northwest Occupational Health Conference

¤ Thailand

Earlier this year, the Occupational Safety and Health at Work Association (OSHWA) of Thailand contacted ABIH through the Kenan Institute Asia (KIAsia) for assistance in providing a professional certification program for industrial hygiene practitioners in Thailand. Board Chair, Dan Agopsowicz, CIH was able to rearrange his business travel in Singapore/Australia to attend a meeting in July in Bangkok. In addition to OSHWA and KIAsia, representatives from Mahidol University, the Thailand Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Health and the National Institute for the Improvement of Working Conditions and Environment were present. ABIH's Strategic Plan and certification process and the proposed International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) model certification program (see article page 6) were discussed.

The plan is to offer the ABIH exams in July 2001 at the annual OSHWA technical conference. This hopefully will create a core group of certified practitioners who can then work towards developing a Thai program which will meet the requirements of the IOHA certification model.

The Academy now has a promotional brochure available which describes the certification process and expertise of CIHs. The brochure is intended to be provided to prospective employers and clients.

The fee for the AIH Brochure is:

$12.00 for 50 brochures plus
$ 2.95 for shipping in the US or
$ 4.00 for shipping Internationally

You can view the brochure at from their home page at: www.aiha.org/aih/aihindex.html

If you would like to order brochures please contact Rashedah Davis at (703) 849-8888.

BCPE, which marked its tenth anniversary earlier this year, is incorporated as an independent, non-profit organization providing voluntary certification to ergonomics/human factors professionals. ABIH and BCPE have formalized a reciprocal relationship by passing comparable resolutions. The ABIH Resolution is as follows:

After a somewhat lengthy process, the Board was successful in registering both "CIH" and "Certified Industrial Hygienist" with the US Patent and Trademark Office. These certification designations are now legally protected and can only be used by those certified through ABIH.

IOHA hosted an International Workshop on Occupational Hygiene Certification in November 1999. At their July 2000 meeting, the IOHA Board accepted the Workshop's Report and Recommendations to establish an IOHA Certification Committee. The Committee will initially consist of the existing Industrial Hygiene certifying bodies (Canada, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom and the United States). The purpose of the committee will be to evaluate Industrial Hygiene certification programs against the Model Certification Program developed by the Workshop. If a program meets the Model Certification Program criteria, it will become an IOHA Recognized Certification Board. The Model Certification Program is patterned after recognized third party accrediting standards/guidelines. ABIH has been invited to join the IOHA Certification Committee and plans to participate. A copy of the Workshop Report will be available at www.bohs.org/ioha/.

For those of you who haven't seen it lately, the ABIH web site (at www.abih.org) has a new look to it. It's undergoing some changes in appearance and organization, and we would welcome any comments or suggestions. If you get a chance, please take a look and let us know what you think of the appearance, ease of moving around the site, ease of finding things, etc. Please feel free to suggest any additional information that you would like to see available on the site as well. You can send us a note either by clicking on one of the links or sending it directly to abih@abih.org. Thanks!

Fall 2000 examination results are found on another page on the web site.

Close this window

This was posted on January 11, 2001.