AIHA, ACGIH Have Ended Alliance Talks
The strategic alliance dialogue begun in May 2009 is over, but ACGIH continues to explore a new structure so it can continue to develop the Threshold Limit Values (TLVs®).
A new structure for the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists is still needed, its leaders say, but for now it will not come via a strategic alliance with the other major U.S. organization for IHs, the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the two organizations announced Monday. They had started alliance talks in May 2009 out of their interest in continuing to develop Occupational Exposure Guidelines (AIHA) and Threshold Limit Values (ACGIH's TLVs®).
A joint task force worked for the past year to develop operating agreements to define the alliance, but leaders said the discussions made it clear major changes in ACGIH are needed. ACGIH Chair Stephen Reynolds said, "The alliance talks helped us understand the extent to which we needed transformational changes in ACGIH."
Their joint news release said a new corporate structure for ACGIH is one of the changes to come. "A renewal of discussions may occur following the approval of a new ACGIH® business model by its Board and membership," the release stated.
"We respect the ACGIH leadership team's effort to develop a new organizational structure that will create an enduring and sustainable process for TLV development," said Michael Brandt, AIHA's president. "Occupational Exposure Guidelines are important tools for our profession, and our members need the capacity to develop and maintain more of them. The parallel efforts of AIHA and ACGIH® will ensure we retain this capacity into the future. While we are disappointed that we have been unable to put the alliance in place, AIHA will refocus its efforts on the recently formed AIHA Guideline Foundation, which supports the development of WEELs, ERPGs, and other important tools for our members."
"While we feel that it is not the appropriate time to negotiate with AIHA, we earnestly look forward to continuing our dialogue with a view towards greater cooperation so as to better serve the profession," Reynolds said.