ABIH® Supports National and International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

October 22^nd through the 28^th is International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW). The World Health Organization (WHO) is promoting ILPPW awareness and actions to address the human health effects of lead exposure, especially for children. In the United States, the same dates are recognized as National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week which is being promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other agencies and organizations.
 
During this week, governments, academia, industry and various organizations promote efforts to prevent childhood lead poisoning, and specifically laws to eliminate lead in paint in all countries. Lead-based paints are widely recognized as a major source of lead exposure with children and adults across the globe. The WHO reports,” While many countries have long-established bans on lead paint, it is still legal to sell lead paint for use in homes, schools and other buildings in more than one third of the world’s countries. Children living in low- and middle-income countries, where there are few governmental controls on lead, are disproportionately affected.” The organization is calling on all countries to phase out lead-based paints by 2020.
 
“At the American Board of Industrial Hygiene^® we support the efforts of government agencies, institutions and private industry to build awareness of lead hazards to educate workers and families about ways to protect themselves from exposure risks,” said David Roskelley, CIH^® and Chair of ABIH^®. “Whether these hazards are from lead-based paints or due to other sources of the heavy metal, Certified Industrial Hygienists^® are uniquely qualified to help identify and manage lead exposure risks in the workplace and in communities. CIHs are trained and experienced in workplace assessments, community exposure, air sampling, toxicology, risk analysis, hazard communication and engineering controls. These and other areas of expertise required to become a CIH^® are critical for their ability to establish or maintain a safe and healthy work environment and to protect the public from lead hazards.”
 
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.
 

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