Society for Occupational and Environmental Hygiene

Society for Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
Name	Society for Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
Abbreviation	SOEH
Formation	1980s
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	United States
Region served	International
Membership	Occupational hygienists, industrial hygienists, environmental health professionals
Leader title	President

Society for Occupational and Environmental Hygiene The Society for Occupational and Environmental Hygiene is a professional association focused on occupational hygiene and environmental health, serving practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. It operates in the context of occupational safety, industrial hygiene, environmental protection, and public health, interacting with governmental agencies, standards organizations, and academic institutions.

History

The organization emerged during a period of expanding occupational safety activity influenced by the passage of laws and the work of agencies such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and Environmental Protection Agency; contemporaneous groups included American Industrial Hygiene Association, British Occupational Hygiene Society, and Society of Occupational Medicine. Early leaders were often affiliated with universities such as Johns Hopkins University, University of Michigan, and Harvard University, and worked alongside researchers from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and industry laboratories. The society's development paralleled major events including the Love Canal controversy, the expansion of Clean Air Act regulation, and international efforts like the formation of World Health Organization occupational programs. Over time the society contributed to professionalization movements similar to those of Royal Society of Chemistry and Institute of Medicine.

Mission and Objectives

The society's stated mission aligns with the aims of organizations such as American Public Health Association, International Labour Organization, and United Nations Environment Programme to protect worker and community health. Objectives include developing practice standards comparable to those promoted by American National Standards Institute, advising regulators like Department of Labor, and supporting research networks linked to European Agency for Safety and Health at Work and Health and Safety Executive. The society emphasizes evidence-based guidance in contexts related to incidents like Bhopal disaster and environmental topics addressed by Stockholm Convention and Montreal Protocol.

Membership and Organization

Membership comprises professionals with affiliations to institutions including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Mayo Clinic, and industrial employers such as Boeing, DuPont, and 3M. Governance structures echo those of American Chemical Society and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, with elected officers, committees, and regional chapters modeled on American Society of Safety Professionals and Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. The society maintains special interest sections reflecting areas covered by World Health Organization programs, including industrial hygiene, exposure science, toxicology, and ergonomics, and collaborates with unions such as United Steelworkers and professional schools at Cornell University and University of California, Berkeley.

Education and Certification

Educational offerings mirror initiatives by Board of Certification in Public Health, National Board of Public Health Examiners, and certification bodies like American Board of Industrial Hygiene. The society organizes training similar to programs run by OSHA Training Institute and develops curricula used by universities such as University of Minnesota and Columbia University. Certification pathways align with internationally recognized credentials comparable to those from Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and European Federation of Occupational Health Nurses, and the society engages with credentialing discussions involving International Labour Organization conventions and professional accreditation by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

Publications and Conferences

The society publishes peer-reviewed journals and technical monographs comparable to those of Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Annals of Occupational Hygiene, and Environmental Health Perspectives. Regular conferences and symposia echo the formats of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Conference, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, and International Congress on Occupational Health, hosting plenaries with speakers from World Health Organization, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and prominent universities such as Yale University and Stanford University. Proceedings and position papers are cited in regulatory deliberations by bodies like Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Labor.

Standards and Advocacy

The society contributes to standards development in arenas similar to American National Standards Institute, International Organization for Standardization, and ASTM International, providing input on exposure limits, industrial ventilation, and sampling methods that relate to guidelines by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and limit-setting by Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Advocacy activities place the society alongside stakeholders such as American Medical Association, National Safety Council, and Public Citizen in consultations on legislation, regulatory rulemaking, and emergency response frameworks influenced by events like Three Mile Island and Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Collaborations and Partnerships

Collaborations extend to academic partners including Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Imperial College London, international agencies like World Health Organization and International Labour Organization, and professional organizations such as American Industrial Hygiene Association and British Occupational Hygiene Society. The society also partners with standards bodies like ISO and ANSI, research funders such as National Science Foundation, and non-governmental groups like Environmental Defense Fund to advance occupational and environmental hygiene practice.

Category:Occupational health organizations