Georgia Local Section
[American Industrial hygiene Association] [December 1998]

Presidents Message by Phil Williams, CIH

Barb Epstien has done an outstanding job of organizing an excellent list of topics and presenters for our 1999 Winter meeting. At the meeting, we will also have updates on many activities going on in our Local Section: Kevin Gara (with support from many others) is taking the lead with the Title Protection issue at the State level; Max Kiefer is keeping a close watch on the Lead issue within the State government; and Stan Salisbury has completed our Local Section web site. I hope to see each of you at the Georgia Power Building on January 25.

On a much more personal note, my wife and I would like to thank you for the concern that so many of you have expressed to us during our recent tragedy. We very much appreciate all your support.

Web Site Update by Stan Salisbury, CIH

What you see above is the image map for the Georgia Local Section web site. Our site is hosted by the Univ. of Georgia, through the Environmental Health Science Department at no cost to the Georgia Local Section. This image appears at the top of our home page at http://www.uga.edu/ehs/aiha. Links to our site's web pages are contained within different parts of the image. Just click the area you want to visit. Text-based links are also available. Clicking the center of the image will send you to the AIHA web site. If you have yet to visit the site, or you haven't been there for a while, I encourage you to check it out. All parts of the site have been updated and enhanced.

To give you a brief overview, the outline below shows a breakdown of the entire site.

The site's membership page offers a convenient way to keep your listing updated in our membership directory. Just fill out the electronic reply form and click "submit." The changes will be automatically emailed to our Secretary, Brenda Southerland. Applications for membership can be electronically submitted as well. Please verify you're listed correctly in the directory you received in October. We still need email addresses from about 50% of our active members. Some of the email addresses we've tested from our directory have failed. Make sure your's is current and correct. The following members may have an invalid email address in our directory: Angela Banks, Claire Black, Anita Dorsey-Word, Christine Englemann, Susan Evans, Steven Henry, Gracie Hill, Jeffery Johnson, Harry Jones, Dawn Knapek, Cliff Moseley, Mary Reed, Shannon Sauls, Lana Shew, Theresa Smith.

The "Other Links" page contains a selection of links to sites or pages within a site that I believe offer some of the best OSH related information the Internet has to offer. But then, that's just my opinion. You may have other sites you think should be added to the list. If so, let me know at sas4@bellsouth.net, and I'll consider your suggestions.

Speaking of suggestions, I'd also like to hear your ideas for other ways we can enhance the site to better serve our members. For example, a page could be added to permit members to suggest topics for future meetings. What about listing local training or conference opportunities? Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Travis Williams Memorial Fund

Travis Williams who died tragically on November 6, 1998, was the son of Phil and Theda Williams. He was scheduled to graduate summa cum laude from Shorter College on December 12th, a semester early. He was a two-time Academic All American in Cross Country and planned to attend graduate school in the Fall. Shorter College has established a scholarship fund in his honor. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a rising senior, business major who exemplifies the character and commitment of Travis. Donations can be made to Shorter College - Travis Williams Memorial Fund and sent to the following address:

Ms. Barbara J. Mull
Donor Relations Manager
Shorter College
315 Shorter Avenue
Rome, GA 30165-4298

Vendors Needed

If your company would like to participate in our Vendors Day event being held in conjunction with the Local Section Spring Meeting scheduled for April 12, 1999, please contact Dave Beem at Norfolk-Southern Corp., 404-527-3258, Email thebeems@mindspring.com

Professional Recognition of Industrial Hygiene and Safety Professionals in Georgia, by Kevin Gara, CIH

We have completed our selection process for a government affairs consultant, and chosen James E. "Jet" Toney, President of Cornerstone Communications, to represent us before the Georgia legislature. Mr. Toney came to us highly recommended. We believe he has the ability and desire to help us succeed (of course, where legislation is concerned, there can be no guarantees). He is currently reviewing background material about our proposed bill. He will assist us in revising the bill, and securing appropriate sponsors in the House and Senate. Bob Weir (Ga Chapter, ASSE), Kevin Gara, and Jet Toney were scheduled to meet in mid-December to discuss the legislation and secure Rep. Larry Smith's counsel in drafting the legislation. Mr. Smith currently serves as chair of the House Industrial Relations Committee. This Committee is where our bill died last year.

We believe our bill is written in such a manner that GORRC (the Georgia Occupational Regulatory Review Council) is not applicable. We will continue to assert this position, however, to deal with GORRC in the event the bill is sent to the Council, a GORRC "white paper" has been drafted. The white paper addresses all of the questions GORRC would ask about our bill. It's similar to a big term paper, and provides justification (including documentation) of the need for professional recognition (title protection). An additional benefit from preparing the white paper is that it helps us to more clearly define our message. Special thanks go out to Joanne Sullivan for helping write and edit numerous drafts of this document, and for her many other contributions to the government affairs effort. A copy of the white paper (or possibly a synopsis of the white paper) will be posted on the Georgia Local Section web site, after a final version of the white paper becomes available.

Paperwork for formation of the Georgia Industrial Hygiene Council was to sent to the AIHA national in November. In December, the national Board gave formal approval of the Georgia Industrial Hygiene Council. Our thanks go to Ed Grunwald for preparing the necessary paperwork for the Board.

Those of you who will continue to be active participants in the title protection process, please mark your calendars for our next meeting, Friday, January 8, 1999 at the Pritchard & Jerden offices. The legislative session will have begun by then. Jet Toney has been invited to join us to give an update on the legislative process and to go over our strategy for enacting title protection legislation in 1999.

Please email or call if you have questions, comments or suggestions.

Kevin Gara, CIH
Pritchard & Jerden, Inc.
(404) 238-9090
kgara@pritchardjerden.com

Joanne M. Sullivan
RDS, Inc.
770-442-0686
jmsullivan@rdsor.com

ABIH Certification Maintenance

The American Board of Industrial hygiene has awarded certification maintenance (CM points for the following Georgia AIHA Local Section meetings:
Activity: Spring 1998 Seminar
Date: 4/13/98
CM Points Awarded: 0.5 CM point
CM Approval # 11382

Activity: Summer 1998 Meeting
Date: 7/24/98
CM Points Awarded: 0.5 CM point
CM Approval # 6990

Activity: Fall Seminar
Date: 10/26/98
CM Points Awarded: 1.0 CM point
CM Approval # 4888

Nominating Committee Update

President Elect:
Brenda Southerland, CIH, CSP, MPH
Georgia Power

Secretary:
Michael Mount, CIH, OHST
Cape Environmental Management, Inc.

Treasurer:
Dave Beem, CIH
Norfolk Southern Corporation

Board of Directors:
Peter Kowalski, CIH, CSP
ATSDR

Additional candidates for office are being sought. If you have suggestions for additions to the slate, please contact Eve Ewing, Compass Environmental, 770-977-4767, FAX 770-977-5540, email EMEwing@aol.com. The final slate of candidates will be presented at the Winter Meeting in January. Addition nominations may be received from members at the January meeting. All candidates for Local Section Officers must also be member of the National AIHA.

Internships Needed

The Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at Emory University is seeking internship opportunities for Masters of Public Health students. Internships should last approximately 3-4 months with students working at least 20 hours per week. If you would like to discuss student internships, please contact the Internship Coordinator, Amanda Sanders, at:

(404) 727-4620 or asander@sph.emory.edu.

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