Recognizing Workers’ Memorial Day and the Importance of Industrial Hygiene Services

Workers’ Memorial Day is observed each year on the 28^th of April. This important day of recognition began in Canada, was later adopted in the United States, and today is observed in countries across the globe. April 28^th is also the same date that the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) was established in 1971.
 
OSHA states that Workers’ Memorial Day “…is a day to honor those workers who have died on the job, to acknowledge the grievous suffering experienced by families and communities, and to recommit ourselves to the fight for safe and healthful workplaces for all workers.” This mindset is still just as relevant today as in past years. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) latest figures for 2016 report an uptick in worker fatalities. BLS figures report a total of 5,190 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States that year, a 7% increase from the 4,836 fatal injuries reported in 2015. This was the third consecutive increase in annual workplace fatalities and the first time more than 5,000 fatalities had been recorded by the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) since 2008. The fatal injury rate increased to 3.6 per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers from 3.4 in 2015, the highest rate since 2010.
 
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing “safe and healthful working conditions” for their employees.  Committed to achieving the goal of safe work environments are thousands of dedicated Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIHs).  Today, thousands of CIHs are employed in countries worldwide and are instrumental in helping private employers, institutions, and government agencies improve the health and safety of workers. 
 
“Workers’ Memorial Day is a time to honor those who have died on the job, the heartbreak experienced by their friends and families, and to recognize the inherent risks and potential hazards that many workers face each day,” said Jeffrey Miller, CIH^® and Chair of ABIH^®. “As a society, we need to recommit our efforts to prevent conditions that could result in deaths, illnesses, and injuries. ABIH^® encourages those tasked with the oversight of worker health and safety initiatives to call upon CIHs to manage and implement programs to protect workers and communities.”
 
To learn more about the American Board of Industrial Hygiene^®, Certified Industrial Hygienist^® credential, or to locate a CIH^® to perform industrial hygiene services, please visit www.ABIH.org, email abih@ABIH.org , or call (517) 321-2638.
 
About the American Board of Industrial Hygiene ^®
Since 1960, ABIH^®, a not-for-profit corporation, has been the world’s largest organization for certifying professionals in the practice of industrial hygiene. ABIH^® is the premier credentialing body responsible for ensuring high-quality certification including education, experience, examination, certification maintenance, and ethics enforcement. Currently, more than 6900 people in 32 countries are certified to use the CIH^® credential. ABIH^® also administers the Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP^®) credential for established environmental practitioners and the Environmental Professional In-Training (EPI) designation for early-career practitioners.
 

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