ACGIH is very grateful to Pamela Susi, MSPH, CIH, who first volunteered for ACGIH serving on the Construction Committee in the 1990s, and began serving as an ACGIH Board Member in 2020. Pam is an industrial hygienist and has been employed in that profession for thirty-three years.
What drew you to volunteer with ACGIH?
I initially began volunteering because construction workers were being exposed to extremely high levels of lead and silica and OSHA construction standards were lacking at that time. It wasn’t uncommon to hear about bridge workers getting lead poisoned. At the time, industrial hygienists were rare in construction.
What do you see as the most pressing issue in the field?
A major issue is that the agency charged with promulgating health standards is hamstrung by a rule-making process that allows business interests to turn down the spigot on standards development to a trickle. The result has been the publication of a relatively small number of OSHA health standards during the last forty years and permissible exposure limits (PELs) over 50 years old. This is why the ACGIH TLVs are so important. Both are essential evaluation criteria. But since an employer is only required to comply with the PELs, the protection offered employees is often woefully inadequate. Click button below to read full answer...
What changes would you like to see in the field?
I think we’ve done a good job of focusing on the technical aspects of our profession and have made major inroads in addressing industrial hazards. But some areas in which I think our profession could grow is by: Click button below to read full answer...
How do you foresee the future of occupational health and hygiene?
Younger workers may have higher expectations for safety and health conditions driving acceptance and demand for occupational health measures
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