
November 2003
September 2003 Board Report |
During the September 13, 2003 meeting, the following major issues were discussed, finalized and/or voted on by the Directors.
Question Bank - Effective January 1, 2004, writing items for the examination question bank will be capped at 5 points/year. A Diplomate receives 1 CM point/5 questions.
Other Certifications - To receive CM credit for certifications awarded by other national certifying boards/organizations, the following criteria must be met.
Since there are hundreds of EHS certifications available, requiring accreditation is the only practical method ABIH has for assuring that the certification program is credible and is meeting accepted standards for certifying personnel.
1997-2002 and 1998-2002 CM Cycles
The following CIHs did not successfully complete the Certification Maintenance process. The Board voted that their certifications have expired.
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Karl D. Agee, 5240 CP Charles H. Anderson, 5243 CP C. David Barrett, 1123 CP Robert N. Beard, 4828 CP Barry L. Becker, 7020 CP Russell L. Bobkoskie, 1446 CP James E. Bohne, 7147 CP Douglas M. Bonacum, 7026 CP Leonard J. Borzynski, 5253 CP Douglas F. Briggs, 4598 CP Bill Carrothers, 5102 CP Rebecca R. Cheek, 4615 CP Phillip L. Clancy, 7039 C Jerry W. Clark, 4855 C Marlene S. Cox, 3079 CP Critz E. Cullen, 1542 CP John R. Dean, 4871 CP Margaret B. Donnan, 2952 CP Janet Duffie, 4743 CP George R. Faeustle, 7174 CP Jean P. Farant, 2628 CP, 2860 C Jerry W. Frazee, 2988 C Vincent J. Fredrick, 4637 CP John R. Geissler, 7053 C Kenneth W. Gerecke, 888 CP Igor Grahovac, 7057 CP Walter H. Graze, 4901 CP Anne C. Harrington, 3123 CP Ruth A. Hartcorn, 5137 CP David S. Hayes, 7475 CP Joseph E. Henry, 2769 C Tim S. Hersberger, 4915 CP Kimberly S. Higby, 4917 CP Allen H. Howard, 5145 CP John D. Howard, 7348 CP Randall E. Hyman, 5148 CP |
Hannah K. Johnson, 7281 C Irene F. Kan, 5343 CP Iris N. Kanter, 3138 CP David F. Kennedy, 4941 CP Richard L. Kraus, 7084 C David J. Krey, 4948 CP Bobbie R. Lanch, 5146 CP James B. Larson, 7361 CP Jon H. Lauterbach, 7213 CP Voytek W. Le Vitzki, 4953 C, 4090 CP Wayne C. Loomis, 4703 CP Marjorie A. Lundquist, 1704 CP Gerald L. Majury, 3154 CP Ralph W. Makinen, 4961 CP David C. Markie, 5172 CP Roberto Martinez-Perez, 4711 CP Wilburn L. McCullough, 7527 C Donald E. Metcalfe, 7530 CP John P. Meulenbroeks, 7225 CP Burton B. Milburn, 4729 CP Edward R. Miroslaw, 2789 CP James C. Moore, 2905 CP Patrick L. Murphy, 1182 CP George S. Nagle, 1284 CP George J. Niedermeyer, 4982 CP Lawrence H. Nishikawa, 4739 CP David H. Null, 1380 CP Jack Oudiz, 3176 CP Bradley A. Parfitt, 2914 CP Normand Pellerin, 3044 CP Judith E. Petersen, 2919 CP John J. Pewitt, 3180 CP William E. Pfanenstiel, 2802 CP Chin Mun Poon, 5002 CP Everett B. Poore, 5003 CP |
Gisele M. Proulx, 5007 CP Robert A. Rae, 1720 CP Edward B. Reczek, 2924 CP Roderick G. Repke, 7567 CP Betsy C. Risendal, 5197 CP Mary T. Roy, 3193 CP Mahendra Roychowdhury, 3194 CP Leo J. Ryan, 7114 CP Heinz-Peter Schafer, 7575 CP Kent D. Schmidt, 4775 CP Robert A. Segura, 5419 CP Lynn D. Sherman, 4780 C L. Alan Shookman, 5210 CP Donald E. Snyder, 5215 CP Clifford H. St. John, 5038 CP John G. Stevens, 2823 CP Teresa Stimpfel, 3208 CP Marie Stoeckel, 2934 CP Glenn M. Strong, 3211 CP Linda A. Surveski, 5048 CP Bruce W. Taylor, 4790 CP Rhonda M. Terrell, 4791 CP Stephen Victor Tsu, 7599 CP Barbara J.M. Tuse, 5064 CP Bart J. Vanden Plas, 5448 C J. Devon Vickers, 5071 CP Jan L. Villaire, 1512 CP Robert J. Wahl, 732 CP Charleston C.K. Wang, 3224 CP Flint C. Watt, 2946 CP Bessie M. Williams, 7131 CP Keith E. Williams, 5232 CP Sylvia A. Wittenberg, 4810 CP Ignacio D. Zamorano, 5236 CP John G. Zvetan, 5237 CP |
During the Rancho Mirage PCIH, Norman Henry concluded his 3 year term as the Board’s representative to the Academy Council. Buck Cameron was appointed to replace him.
2004 PCIH - October 4-5 |
Planning for next year’s Professional Conference on Industrial Hygiene has already started. The conference will be held in Montreal, Canada. PDCs will be held over the weekend of October 2-3, followed by two days of general sessions, current topic workshops and exhibits. An AIHA sponsored Global Risk Assessment Symposium will immediately precede the PCIH Thursday and Friday, September 30-October 1. (For more information, see the PCIH information page on the AIHA web site.)
Not Certified |
Not CertifiedIn response to inquiries, the American Board of Industrial Hygiene reports that the following individuals have never been certified by the Board and are not authorized to use the designations Certified Industrial Hygienist/CIH, Certified Associate Industrial Hygienist/CAIH or Industrial Hygienist In Training/IHIT. Kate Levensohn Formerly of Philders Group International, Inc. Winter Park, FL Stephen R. Martin Raymond D.Modglin Modglin Property Group Indianapolis, IN Harmon P. "Yogi" Yates Phillips Industrial Services Mt. Pleasant, SC |
Distance Learning Opportunities/CM Points |
Check out the ABIH web site for distance learning courses that have been approved for CM points. Go to www.abih.org and click on Forms and Publications. Scroll down to the CM section and click on Approved Home Study Courses (Acrobat PDF format or MS Word format)
Arrest Warrant |
As reported in the November 2002 Newsletter, Eric Rothwell of Rothwell Consulting, Inc., Emeryville, California was certified by the Board in 1993 as a CIH. He failed to maintain his certification and was notified in November 2000 that his certification had expired. His continued use of the Certified Industrial Hygienist and CIH designations as well as other illegal business practices led to a warrant being issued for his arrest. The warrant includes 48 counts, at least 12 of which are for felonies. Mr. Rothwell fled from California to relatives in Ohio.
Following an attempt to arrest him there, he again fled and is considered a fugitive. We have received a request that anyone knowing of Eric Rothwell’s whereabouts contact Mr. Hansen Pang of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, Consumer and Environmental Protection Division, at (510) 569-6853 or hpang -at- co.alameda.ca.us or contact the nearest police department. The warrant is valid in all 50 states.
IOHA-Recognizes Board Certification |
The International Occupational Hygiene Association set up a Certification Committee to evaluate Occupational/Industrial Hygiene certification programs against IOHA developed program criteria. Their model certification program is patterned after recognized third party accrediting standards. ABIH was the first certification program to submit an application. We were notified in July 2003 that ABIH has been designated as an IOHA Recognized Certification Board.
ABET Update |
The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology accredits both masters and bachelors programs in industrial hygiene. At the masters level, there are currently 27 schools with accredited MPH and/or MS programs in industrial hygiene. There are also 5 schools with accredited bachelors industrial hygiene programs.
| ABET Accredited Masters Programs In Industrial Hygiene | ||
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Central Missouri State University Colorado State University Harvard University Hunter College of the City University of NY Johns Hopkins University Medical College of Ohio Montana Tech of the University of Montana Purdue University San Diego State University |
Tulane University University of Alabama at Birmingham University of California at Los Angeles University of Cincinnati University of Illinois at Chicago University of Iowa University of Massachusetts at Lowell University of Michigan University of Minnesota |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Oklahoma University of South Carolina University of South Florida University of Texas at Houston University of Utah University of Washington Wayne State University West Virginia University |
| Bachelors Programs Accredited By ABET | ||
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California State University at Northridge Ohio University |
Purdue University University of North Alabama |
Utah State University |
ABIH to Begin Computer Delivery of Certification Exams |
Beginning in the Spring of 2004, ABIH Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) and Certified Associate Industrial Hygienist (CAIH) exams will be given on computers at Prometric testing centers. Prometric has over 300 test centers in North America, many of them located in Sylvan Learning Centers.
There will be two testing windows each year, each two months long. The spring exam period will be April and May and will have a February 1 application deadline. The fall examination period will be October and November and will have an August 1 application deadline. This will greatly increase scheduling flexibility for the examinees, as they will have two months of dates from which to choose instead of two or three dates.
The added flexibility of having so many locations available will also be a plus. Reportedly, 95% of the population of the United States lives within 50 miles of a test center. Travel expenses and time lost to traveling will be greatly reduced for many examinees within the U.S. and Canada.
To help offset the increased costs of delivering the exams through a third-party vendor, the examination fees for both exams will be increasing by $100. It is anticipated that, for the majority of examinees, this increase will be much more than offset by the savings in time and travel costs previously associated with taking the exams either at one of the safety or IH meetings or at one of the regional exams. For those who live in cities where regional exams were previously given, it is hoped that the increased flexibility in scheduling and second opportunity to take the exam locally each year will be seen as beneficial.
"Lost" Sheep |
"Lost" CIHsThe following individual was due to report for certification maintenance by February 1, 2004, but we have been unable to locate him. We have listed last known employer and state. Ronald M. Nordlund If you know where this CIH is, please write, call, fax or e-mail us with his current location. |
"Toxic Mold" - The Future of Industrial HygieneBuilding Dynamics, LLC, Ashton, Maryland, ELight -at- building-dynamics.com |
Question - What is the IEQ "Flavor of the Month"?
Evaluation and control of the indoor environment presents the industrial hygienist with unique challenges. First of all, many contaminants routinely present at background levels have no accepted standards to distinguish normal from harmful concentrations. Second, potential health effects tend to be nonspecific, with many unrelated to air quality. Failing to recognize these complexities, IEQ assessments are often based on sampling strategies which assume that complaints are caused by exposure to a stable air contaminant with well established toxicology. Such narrowly conceived IEQ investigations are likely to result in either false positives (e.g., problem is incorrectly attributed to a pollutant measured in the normal background range) or false negatives (e.g., complaint is actually associated with a factor that was not evaluated).
Bona fide IEQ health effects may be relatively rare. However, the perception that symptoms are building-related can occur when unrelated medical problems coincide with time spent in a facility or conditions promoting psycho-social symptoms exist. Although building exposures have tended to remain constant in recent years, the media has periodically sensationalized an indoor pollutant as the cause of "Sick Building Syndrome." With the advent of the Internet, such news spreads rapidly and may even create a "virtual disease outbreak." This presentation will briefly review the history of this phenomenon and its relation to the current perception of "toxic mold".
Formaldehyde
One of the most visible IEQ issues of the early 1980s involved formaldehyde emissions from pressed wood products (e.g., urea formaldehyde resin in paneling). Like most indoor air pollutants, formaldehyde is commonly found at trace levels as a component in many consumer and building products. However, increased use of unstable formaldehyde resins in pressed wood (most notably in mobile and modular homes) produced levels irritating for the general population. Documentation of complaints, particularly in mobile and modular homes led to a resolution of this issue by about 1990 when pressed wood resins were modified to reduce their free formaldehyde.
Since that time, formaldehyde has generally assumed the role of a minor component of the VOC mixture with little or no health significance. However, its earlier notoriety still prompts many investigators to test for formaldehyde in IEQ surveys, without a specific basis. Taken to extremes, simply finding ubiquitous pollutants such as formaldehyde in indoor air can lead to an erroneous association with symptoms and unnecessary alarm.
"Sick Building Syndrome"
By 1990, a vaguely defined term, "Sick Building Syndrome," became increasingly applied to facilities where occupants attributed nonspecific symptoms to poor IEQ. Both research and practical diagnostic efforts to characterize complaints were based primarily on the use of questionnaires in which occupants described their health concerns. Lacking the patients' history and medical evaluation, their actual diagnosis and relationship to IEQ is not known. Misclassification of building-related symptoms can easily occur due to unrelated medical conditions or misperceptions (e.g., prompted by an uncomfortable or unpopular building). Although many epidemiological studies have been conducted to identify the contaminants or conditions responsible for Sick Building Syndrome, findings to date have been inconclusive. The author's experience suggests that IEQ impacts are site-specific and that to expect uniform conclusions based on self-reported symptoms is not realistic. However, the general public continues to be made aware of the Sick Building phenomenon through the media. In reality, only a relatively small proportion of schools, homes and office buildings perceived as "sick" show an actual association between building conditions and occupant health status.
Volatile Organic Compounds
Hundreds of VOCs are normally present in indoor air, many in the parts per billion range. Use of more sensitive analytical technology such as mass spectrophotometry now allows for the routine detection of many of these compounds. With no generally accepted guidelines and little basis for judging the risk presented by these pollutants, assessment may focus only on the presence of VOCs and their worst-case effects, ignoring dose-response principles. For example, most of us are routinely exposed to benzene in indoor air at about one part per billion, orders of magnitude below levels associated with health risks. Yet, trace benzene could be detected in any IEQ survey and considered to be the cause of occupant complaints. Following this logic, some products routinely emitting trace VOCs have been considered hazardous in the indoor environment.
While the range of indoor environmental conditions has changed little in recent years, specific complaints are often clustered around issues being publicized and sensationalized by the media. Investigators tended to respond with limited sampling strategies based on these perceived concerns. Often not asked in such investigations are basic questions such as:
Limited IEQ investigations are typically based on testing only, comparing data with unvalidated guidelines. Pass/Fail conclusions from such studies fail to consider:
Emergence of "Toxic Mold"
Mold growth in the indoor environment has always been recognized as a potential nuisance and/or minor health factor. Although the extent and risk of indoor mold growth has essentially remained the same, the perception of mold as a hazard became increasingly publicized in the late 1990s, eventually establishing it as the new IEQ "Flavor of the Month."
Mold's rise in status from a relatively minor IEQ issue to a major societal concern involves the role of mycotoxins. Until recently, mycotoxins were recognized by researchers as a component of many common molds known for potential inhalation impacts only in agricultural situations. Approximately 15 years ago, two published papers hypothesized that Stachybotrys could be toxic to building occupants. These were followed by a study associating bleeding lungs in infants to Stachybotrys. Although conclusions from this latter study were reversed by CDC, the media continued to promote the "toxic mold" theory supported by many field investigators and environmental laboratories.
By the late 1990s, "toxic mold" publicity led to the birth of new businesses (e.g., mold remediators) and new professional categories (e.g., attorneys specializing in mold litigation). Mold investigation was transformed from a minor industrial hygiene sub-specialty to a major practice area for many CIHs. In addition, tens of thousands of less qualified practitioners became "mold experts" based on overnight certification programs. "Toxic mold" is now the undisputed IEQ "Flavor of the Month", already serving a longer reign than any of its predecessors. Implications can be considered from the perspectives of public health, diagnostic effectiveness, societal cost and professional credibility:
In closing, there are three possible outcomes to the "toxic mold" saga:
Industrial hygienists are in a position to promote the success of any of these three outcomes. Points which practitioners should consider when determining where they stand on this controversial issue include:
Concerns related to mold are generating an increasing number of phone calls/emails to ABIH from home owners, insurance companies and consultants. Regardless of whether you agree with every point or outcome, we hope the preceding article was thought provoking.
Governance |
As reported in the May 2003 Newsletter, ABIH has been exploring various governance models. The Board voted to adopt the Carver Policy Governance® model at a special meeting in August. The model helps to delineate the Board's job which involves prescribing what benefits will occur for which people at what cost (Ends) and that of the staff which concentrates on providing those benefits (means). The Board is less involved in administrative work/details and more involved with strategic issues and gathering information from groups affected by Board actions. The Carver process requires development of written policies that describe Board Ends, the Board Governance process, Executive (staff) Limitations and Board-Staff Linkage (delegation and accountability). ABIH will begin the transition to Policy Governance at the February 21-22, 2004 Board meeting.
Bylaws |
With the switch to Policy Governance, ABIH is taking the opportunity to review its Bylaws. A Board Task Force is looking primarily at the size of Board, length of term of office, how Directors are elected and the role of officers. Since ABIH is incorporated in Pennsylvania, any changes to the Bylaws must comply with Pennsylvania laws pertaining to nonprofit corporations. Proposed Bylaw changes will also be checked for compliance with certification accreditation standards. The current Bylaws can be accessed at the ABIH web site. Anyone who would like to comment on what they believe would be appropriate Bylaw changes, please respond to Lynn C. O'Donnell, CIH, Executive Director by January 15, 2004.
E-mail Addresses |
ABIH would like to increase its communication options with Diplomates. It would be more efficient and faster if we could email potential changes the Board is considering, annual renewal/CM reminders and other issues that would benefit from Diplomate feedback. To help us initiate this option, please update your web roster entry by entering your email address.
From the ABIH Home Page (www.abih.org), click on "Diplomate Services," then log in. This requires your last name and your ABIH I.D. number, which is NOT the same as your certification number. Your ABIH I.D. number is printed on your annual renewal notice (under the bar code) and also on your renewal receipt.
When you have logged in, you will see the "Diplomate Services Menu." The "Update Your Contact Information" choice brings up a form for entering changes. If your mailing address is in the U.S.A., please leave the "country" field blank. You only need to list a country if you are outside the U.S.. Please also note that there is a button beneath the last box to indicate whether or not you want to be listed as a consultant. If you check "yes," your address, phone numbers, and e-mail address will appear in both the "Public Roster" and the "Diplomate Roster." If you are not listed as a consultant, your contact information appears only in the "Diplomate Roster."
The roster, of course, contains only those CIHs, CAIHs, and IHITs who are in good dues standing.
Once you have entered your changes and clicked on "Submit Update to ABIH," the changes will NOT appear in the online roster immediately. The changes are imported into our database in the office and the online roster is updated from that database. This is done about once a week, so expect it to be a couple of days before you see the changes.
2003 ABIH Examination Results |
| ABIH Examination Results Based on the outcome of the 2003 fall examinations, the American Board of Industrial Hygiene announces the names of the new certificate holders. (The Spring 2003 results were posted after the Spring newsletter went out and were not published here. They have been published and are available on this web site.) | ||
| Certified Industrial Hygienist Comprehensive Practice (138) | ||
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Zachary R. Adams, CIH Robert J. Agnew, CIH Kwangesog Ahn, Sc.D., CIH Wane A. Baker, CIH Edwin F. Barth, CIH Joel I. Berman, CIH David A. Black, CIH Marion B. Bragg, CIH Brenda Jean Brewer, CIH Robert J. Bridge, CIH Gregory David Bronder, CIH Donald Gary Brown, Dr.PH, CIH Raymond V. Caddy, CIH Stephen M. Caine, CIH Kent A. Candee, CIH Jason Todd Capriotti, CIH Deepak Chadda, CIH Michael A. Charlton, CIH Melissa L. Cheszek, CIH Thomas K. Chism, CIH Brent A. Cooley, CIH Mariette N. Cooray, CIH Socorro Nadonga Cottle, CIH Andrew P. Cruz, CIH Jay Bart Dawson, CIH David A. DeRuiter, CIH Dominick A. DiMichael, CIH Jeffrey S. Duffy, Ph.D., CIH Gary Michael Eargle, CIH Robert L. Edgar, CIH George Manuel Evans, CIH Anthony Wm. Flynn, CIH Scott Michael Frajerman, CIH Russell B. Furr, CIH Mark Lester Gallett, CIH Charles S. Garrett, CIH William F. Garvin, CIH Afsaneh (Afsi) Gerami, CIH Joseph D. Gifford, CIH Leonard A. Gilbert, CIH Thomas C. Goob, II, CIH Igor Grahovac, CIH Kristin K. Gwin, CIH Joshua M. Harney, CIH Robert W. Harrison, CIH Terry Lane Heaton, CIH | Darren S. Hendricks, CIH Everette J. Horne, CIH Kevin Charles Housman, CIH Allen Harris Howard, CIH Howard P. Hoyt, CIH Brian E. Hroch, CIH Jerry Walker Humphrey, Jr., CIH Edward P. Jerome, CIH Karen M. Jones, CIH Kurt M. Juntunen, CIH Wendy Ann Kady, CIH Patrick J. Kempen, CIH Michael A. Kenney, CIH Christopher L. Kirkham, CIH Mark W. Klein, CIH Wendy E. Klein, CIH Marvin K. Knight, CIH Karla L. Konzen, CIH Karen Marie Krall, CIH Donald Anthony Kubik, Jr., CIH Anjali Lamba, CIH Beatrix M. Lambert, CIH Richard T. Lamont, CIH Michelle Lan, CIH Peter T. LaPuma, CIH Delano D. Leonard, CIH Rainbow Y. Leung, CIH Jana Lynn Lienemann, CIH Kim Chien-Kai Lin, CIH Yuk Pui Jimmy Lok, CIH Joseph A. Loro, CIH Steven Rosten Lyth, CIH Bernardo Mangilin, CIH Lisa S. Massih, CIH Stacy L. Maxfield, CIH Melissa K. McCullough, CIH Erin M. McKeown, CIH Theresa Jean Medina, Capt., CIH John P. Meulenbroeks, CIH Jennifer Meyer, CIH Aaron M. Miller, CIH Garret J. Miller, CIH Andrea Maria Mims, CIH Dinkar R. Mokadam, CIH Michael J. Moriarty, CIH Richard Lee Neitzel, CIH | Thresa-Jan Nelson, CIH Daniel A. Newfang, CIH Tuan Ngoc Nguyen, CIH Keummi Park, CIH Kent F. Parkinson, CIH Horace G. Partin, CIH Scott C. Petlick, CIH Larry C. Pierce, CIH Gerald Daniel Pineda, CIH Jeanette F. Pon, CIH James L. Poole, CIH Dennison Poon, CIH Michael S. Rosenow, CIH Kelly A. Scanlon, CIH Cathy A. Seeger, CIH Andrea Frances Sevier, CIH Jigar M. Shah, CIH Edwin C. Slesak, CIH Gavin J. M. Smith, CIH Russell K. Smith, CIH Gregory B. Sorenson, CIH Jeff F. Stalnaker, CIH Christina A. Starkbaum, CIH Tobias Donald Steele, CIH Brian D. Stymest, CIH Susan S. Swan, CIH Lauralynn Taylor, CIH Siew-Tai Teo, CIH Geoff G. Thomson, CIH Troy W. Timothy, CIH Stephen Victor Tsu, CIH Man Kin Sam Tung, CIH Marc A. Vargas, CIH Haralambos V. Vasiliadis, Ph.D., CIH Christopher D. Walker, CIH Jon E. Wardecke, CIH James Edward Watson, CIH John K. Webster, CIH Laura H. Weems, CIH David G. White, CIH Joseph P. Wier, CIH Jennifer R. Wiest, CIH Bo Xu, CIH Perry Yeh, CIH Liliana Yohonn, CIH Lynne Marie Zarate, CIH |
| Certified Associate Industrial Hygienist (3) | ||
Craig M. Cornell, CAIH | Xingqin (Kent) Huang, CAIH | Michael R. Perry, CAIH |
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This was posted on December 5, 2003.