AIHA represents industrial hygienists and occupational health and safety scientists who play vital roles on the front lines of public health emergencies, such as the novel coronavirus. Some of the ways AIHA members help control the spread of highly infectious diseases include:

• Selecting appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Providing training on proper techniques for putting on and removing PPE.
• Determining whether certain types of PPE and other equipment should be discarded or if it can be reused after proper cleaning.
• Selecting and providing training on the use of decontamination chemicals and techniques.
• Managing waste that is known or is suspected to contain an infectious substance.
• Educating (or training) employers, employees, the media, policymakers, and the public to understand risks.
• Creating or revisiting plans to manage the fatigue of healthcare and other workers who may be working long hours.

To help protect workers, their families, and communities, AIHA has created a Coronavirus Outbreak Resource Center at http://bit.ly/AIHACOVID19 and maintains a robust Consultants Listing of professionals who specialize in proper PPE fit testing, exposure assessment, incidence response and preparedness and many more scientific activities that protect workers and the public. Together, these resources provide powerful tools to help combat this global pandemic. To learn more about AIHA visit https://www.aiha.org/about-aiha.