Taking in AIHce 2013, in Person or Online

It's time to talk health and safety in Montreal at the 73rd AIHce event.

• By Jessica Acklen
• May 01, 2013

As summer approaches, hundreds of U.S. health and safety professionals will venture north to this year's American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Expo, which takes place in Montreal. From May 18 to May 23, exhibitors and industrial hygiene and safety professionals will convene in one of Canada's most popular tourist destinations to discuss new products and services, exchange ideas, and attend educational sessions, keynote speeches, and other events focused on this key segment of the safety industry.

With more than 250 exhibitors participating in this year's conference, there will be no shortage of new technologies and products to view at Palais des congres de Montréal. Always an excellent way to network, the conference's expo will include a product demonstration theater to show off the latest advances, daily door prizes for attendees and exhibitors.

The educational courses will cover topics that include training, computer applications, LEED, confined spaces, nanotechnology, combustible dust, noise control, REACH and chemical safety, and many more. There are more than 150 technical sessions to choose from throughout the conference.

AIHce's professional development courses during the weekend and the May 20-23 technical sessions provide insight that any attendee can take apply to the workplace back home. Certification maintenance is also available to attendees, and 60 certification maintenance credits are available from Monday to Thursday. These credits will be awarded by a variety of U.S. and international organizations, including the American Board of Industrial Hygiene, the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, the Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists, the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals, and the International Association for Continuing Education and Training. Attendance to these CM classes will be required to earn points, and no partial credits will be awarded.

Keynote Speakers
Monday's opening general session will include a speech by Frans Johansson, CEO of The Medici Group based in New York City. His topic, "The Medici Effect: Groundbreaking Innovation at the Intersection of Disciplines and Cultures," will highlight innovation. Johansson is a best-selling author and entrepreneur who has appeared on CNN, ABC, and CNBC.

Tuesday's must-see general session features Lisa Raitt, minister of Labour for Human Resources and Skills Development in Canada, and Dr. David Michaels, MPH, Ph.D., assistant secretary for OSHA. Their session, "Straight from the Top! A Conversation on Occupational Health & Safety," will be a discussion moderated by John Henshaw, CIH, who is a former OSHA assistant secretary and a former president of the American Industrial Hygiene Association. The general session on Wednesday features Dr. L. Casey Chosewood from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, whose "Your Guide to Total Worker Health™" talk will address health threats that employees face daily.

Expo and Virtual Highlights
The expo events include an opening cocktail reception on Monday, May 20, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., giving participants a way to kick off the AIHce this year by interacting with old friends and new acquaintances.

Registration is available to attendees in multiple forms, from half-day to four-day access. Fees can reach $1,180, depending on membership status and length of attendance. But if you can't make it up to Montreal, don't worry because there also will be a simultaneous virtual conference that’s available to health and safety professionals worldwide. Sessions will be broadcast on the Internet, with access available to those who pay a registration fee. Participants can choose to register for all 12 broadcast sessions, spanning four days, and single-day registration is available. For a four-day access package, more than 26 hours of educational information, the registration fee is $575 for members and $675 for non-members. Daily fees range from $185 to $295, depending on membership and session length.

Local Attractions
On the AIHce website, http://aihce2013.org/, the educational sessions are listed by topic and a great deal of additional information is posted about this conference, which is co-sponsored by AIHA and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Visitors to the site can access the full event schedule and information about travel and hotel accommodations.

For attendees, there are multiple hotels to choose from near the convention center, including some within walking distance. Tourisme Montreal’s website, http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/, offers a wealth of information about restaurants, festivals, theater, sporting activities, hotels, and everything else that makes Montreal an exciting destination.

This article originally appeared in the May 2013 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.