President's Message, Leah Oglesby MSPH

Moving forward

It's truly amazing how quickly time passes. I'm already on my second President's Message, and it seems like only yesterday that I was trying to convince the board members that surely someone else would run for President. I feel certain that the remainder of my term will pass by just as quickly, so I plan to enjoy the experience that this position has allowed me. Speaking of time flying... I'm sure most of you, like myself have been bombarded with remembrances of September 11^th. Can you believe that was a year ago? I've somehow switched from focusing on ergonomics, fall protection and confined space entry, to reading about dirty bombs, anthrax and security breeches. It is amazing how our world changed in response to that horrific event.

In the wake of the September 11^th anniversary and the recent Labor Day holiday, I do think it's worth patting each other on the back and saying thanks for a job well done in our quest to protect workers in America and all over the world. I know that we have many local members that have contributed their time, sweat and tears to the efforts associated with September 11^th, and we all work hard on a daily basis to ensure that employees are able to celebrate Labor Day each year. After all, much of the responsibility for worker safety and health lies in our hands. We should be proud!

We have a busy year ahead of us, and the board continues to work hard delivering valuable and effective quarterly meetings. One of the nicest things about serving on the board is gaining the appreciation for what they do every quarter. Our October meeting is packed full of everything you ever wanted to know about mold. Mold has been a hot topic for several months, and it doesn't seem to be losing any strength. The presentations should be very timely and extremely informative. Our winter meeting has been tentatively set for January 27^th. Please contact a board member with your suggestions on topics or your willingness to speak. We are always looking for volunteers. As I mentioned in the last message, we are planning a joint meeting with ASSE to replace our usual spring meeting. We are rolling our vendor's day meeting into the joint meeting, which will eliminate the competition between our two organizations for vendors. We feel like the joint meeting is a valuable opportunity for us to network with our safety colleagues in the local area and provide some cross-training opportunities. Stay tuned for developing information on this event.

In closing, I hope that you stop for a moment and take credit for playing a vital role in protecting the health and safety of people in your workplace and community. Pat yourself on the back, say thanks to a colleague and remember how important our profession is to working individuals. We deserve the credit. Please contact me with questions, input, suggestions, feedback, support, or even criticism (but keep it brief, this is a volunteer job!). Here's my contact information for easy access: leah.oglesby@mirant.com , 678-579-5481. Be sure to visit our website at www.georgiaaiha.org .

Count no Mistakes, have no experience, expect no wisdom. -Chinese proverb

ABIH CM Points for 2002 - 2003

The American Board of Industrial hygiene has awarded certification maintenance (CM) points for the following Georgia AIHA Local Section (GLS) meetings:

Activity: Summer Seminar 2002
Date: 7/19/2002
CM Points Awarded: 0.5 CM point
CM # 02-2287

Activity: ASSE/AIHA PDC
Date: 3/18-19/2002
CM Points Awarded: 2 Safety CM points
CM # 02-1113

Activity: Winter Meeting 2002
Date: 1/2/2002
CM Points Awarded: 1 Safety CM point
CM # 02-1498

To find approval numbers for other past meetings or to link to pdf copies of ABIH approval letters, please visit the GLS Web site's Calendar page at:

http://www.georgiaaiha.org/calendar.html.

Local Section Executive Committee:

President: Leah Oglesby, MSPH
President Elect: Richard Deluca, CIH
Secretary: Art Wickman, CIH
Treasurer: Ryan Langton
Director - 1st Term: Larry Newton, CIH, CSP
Director - 2nd Term: Grover Higgins, CIH
Newsletter Editor: Sylvia Callender-Carter, MPH.
Past President: Dave Beem, CIH

Executive Committee Highlights

Art Wickman, Secretary

The Executive Committee met on 9/6/02 at Georgia Power. Present were Art Wickman, Rich deLucca, Stan Salisbury, Leah Oglesby, Grover Higgins, and Ryan Langton. The fall meeting date was set for October 21, with a focus on mold/IAQ topics. Date for the winter meeting was set tentatively for January 27, 2003, and the focus of the meeting is open at this point.

Leah presented an update on the ASSE/AIHA spring PDC conference. At request of ASSE Georgia section managers, Georgia AIHA will not be in charge of planning the meetings on a rotating basis with ASSE. However, we will continue to co-sponsor the conference, as has been done in the past. We will drop our vendor day meeting, once every three years, when the PDC is in Atlanta. This will be done so that we don't duplicate exhibitions for the vendors.

The next Executive Committee meeting will be Nov. 8, 2002 at GA Power.

Websites to visit:

The first link is to the recent issuance of the final rule on recording hearing loss.  The second link provides information on OSHA Quick Takes.  Quick Takes is a bi-weekly e-news memo with information, updates and results from OSHA about safety and health in America's workplaces. The third link is the Drive Safely to Work Week initiative of the Governor's Office.

http://www.osha.gov/media/oshnews/june02/trade-20020628.html
http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/quicktakes/index.html
http://www.gohs.state.ga.us./

Calendar Notes:

• Upcoming Fall Golf Outing.   For more information, and to register, please go to http://www.georgiaaiha.org/golf02.pdf . The deadline for registration is Sept 26.
• The fall local section meeting will be held October 21, 2002, at Georgia Power.  The meeting will address the current topic of Mold, from a variety of perspectives--IH sampling, legal, insurance, case studies.  Great time is anticipated for all.

An ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness

In Memoriam of the 300 plus firefighters killed in the line of Duty on9/11/2001

The Fire Fighters Creed

When I'm called to duty God
wherever flames may rage
give me strength to save a life
whatever be its age

Help me to embrace a little child
before it is too late
or save an older person from
the horror of that fate

Enable me to be alert
to hear the weakest shout
and quickly and efficiently
to put the fire out

I want to fill my calling and
to give the best in me
to guard my neighbor and
protect his property

And if according to your will
I have to lose my life
bless with your protecting hand
my children and my wife.

Summer Internship in Atlanta Sought

Lauri Raley is a Safety Management junior at Indiana State University; she needs a summer internship in Atlanta. Please contact her if you can help in any way. Lauri1232000@yahoo.com .

AIHA Comments on Mold Bill, Stresses Importance of Prevention

AIHA recently issued comments on HR 5040, The United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act of 2002, noting that mold prevention should be a top priority and detailing several specific concerns the association has with the bill aka the Melina Bill.

AIHA expressed concern about four basic areas:

• AIHA believes it's impossible to define or set permissible exposure limits for "toxic mold." With current science, AIHA says, no single study can determine what mold or mold byproduct exposure level will harm human health.
• AIHA is concerned about standards for people involved with mold inspection and remediation. The association would like to see certified industrial hygienists formally recognized as being pre-qualified to address mold inspection and remediation. Others who work with mold should be required to have sufficient education and training, AIHA says.
• Only labs accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body or authority should analyze mold samples, according to AIHA.
• In its current form, the bill gives EPA complete oversight over the mold issue, but OSHA and NIOSH should be among the agencies designated to implement this legislation, AIHA asserts. Mold occurs in both work and home environments, AIHA notes, and it is concerned with employee exposure to potential mold hazards as well as the risks faced by those involved in mold inspection and remediation.

Additionally, AIHA says it's concerned about language in the bill that would leave development of standards, guidelines and recommendations to organizations that develop national building and construction standards, saying these organizations lack the necessary background and insight into the qualifications needed for mold inspection and remediation labs and professionals.

More information about mold is available in the May 2001 Report of the Microbial Growth Task Force (AIHA Press) and on the AIHA Web site (http://www.aiha.org/ ).

What you cannot enforce, do not demand.
- Sophocles