Congressional-Executive Commission on China Recognizes AIHA’s International Work in Annual Report

The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) recognized the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s (AIHA) work with the National Center for International Cooperation in Work Safety, SAWS, China (NCICS) in its 2015 annual report. The CECC, also known as the Commission, monitors human rights and the development of the rule of law in China and provides an annual report to the president and Congress. Worker rights, public health, and the environment are key topics addressed in the annual report.

“We are proud to have been the only U.S. association to participate in two recent exchanges between the Chinese and U.S. governments,” said AIHA Executive Director Peter J. O’Neil, FASAE, CAE. “This is great recognition of AIHA’s efforts.”

The report urges members of Congress and Administration officials to “encourage meaningful exchanges between Chinese and U.S. professional organizations, such as those between China’s National Center for International Cooperation on Work Safety and the American Industrial Hygiene Association.” For many years, AIHA has worked diligently to build and sustain a working relationship with the Chinese government and professional organizations in China.

Last month, AIHA and NCICS jointly hosted the first-ever China-U.S. Occupational Health Symposia in Shanghai, China. Nearly 300 practitioners and industry partners from across China assembled for two days in Shanghai to exchange knowledge and information about worker protection. Discussions at the meeting covered topics such as risk/exposure assessment and the process of attaining the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) credential.

“AIHA and SAWS have had a longstanding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and this joint effort represents the first time we have collaborated with the Chinese government at this level,” O’Neil said. “We look forward to continuing our efforts to advance the practice of industrial/occupational hygiene globally.”

The day before the China-U.S. Occupational Health Symposia, AIHA participated in a government-to-government dialogue as part of the U.S. delegation, which was led by Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Dr. Michaels was joined by senior representatives from the Department of Labor and the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. Minister Yang Yuanyuan, Deputy Director of China’s State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS), led the Chinese delegation, which included representatives from large municipalities in China. Senior health and safety representatives from Apple, Dow, 3M, General Electric, and other corporations also took part in the discussion.