Talking safety: Why safety matters

Invited presentation on the PRES track at #ACSBoston

Talking safety: Why safety matters
by Jennifer Maclachlan, PID Analyzers, LLC

Maclachlan is the Chair of the American
Industrial Hygiene Association's Teen
Workplace Safety Task Force

Safety is a core value for many professional societies including the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). Through education, training and leading by example, members of the ACS and AIHA can create what ACS President, Peter Dorhout, has coined an "ethos of safety". 40 young workers die each year, and 60,000 more are rushed to the emergency room due to workplace injuries. Educating students about workplace hazards that include but are not limited to chemical, electrical, physical (fall, trip, slip), emotional (includes verbal abuse, bullying etc.) and more using tools like the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) Talking Safety curriculum and abbreviated materials known as Safety Matters, developed jointly by NIOSH and AIHA, member volunteers of AIHA and ACS can introduce these to teachers, students and legislators in their own communities. Communication about ACS resources such as the Guidelines for Chemical Laboratory Safety in Secondary School and Academic Institutions will be addressed as well as other outreach opportunities that ACS can leverage to support safety cultures in 2018 and beyond.

AIHA Fall Conference 2015 according to @pidgirl

 We're a long time exhibitor at the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition. In fact, we got our start in industrial hygiene instrumentation back in 1973. As our marketing program evolves, I've been seeking smaller venues that are more networking and presence based. The New England Local Section of American Industrial Hygiene Association provides this small venue that is vendor friendly at their all-day technical conference (they do this at a handful of local section monthly meetings as well). I'd heard some buzz about the AIHA Fall Conference (AIHAFC),when I was in Salt Lake City at the National meeting earlier this year, that the Fall conference is "a really intimate experience" and that "totally different people attend the Fall conference". I just had to check it out.

I tweeted my friend, @Rosenow, and asked if there were vendor opportunities at the Fall conference in Orlando, FL. Turns out, there were. I signed up to be a "Silver Level Sponsor" which entitled me to a registration, a high-boy table in "The Hub" where I could showcase my products, myriad signage with my hnu logo, product description in the printed program, banner ads on the AIHAFC web pages and some Facebook and Twitter tagging/mentioning pre-meeting.

Here's what I brought with me to show:

The most interest was in our continuous analyzers for area or fenceline monitoring and our NEW! truly portable GC available in a box configuration shown above.

At the networking breakfast on Monday morning, I "met my match" while sipping coffee and listening to the AIHA Career Stages program. See my tweet about it below.

They fed us well at AIHAFC. I especially enjoyed the networking focus of the conference with the breakfast and lunch presentation series and discussions. I also liked that the attendees were funneled through "The Hub" where the event sponsors were located, including the coffee breaks and most notably, the Monday evening cocktail hour. 

It was fantastic to have dedicated exhibit time. It allowed me to attend sessions; something that I usually cannot do when I'm exhibiting solo at a larger conference. 

It was a wonderful experience and one that we'll be adding to our repertoire. See you in San Antonio!

#AIHce 2014: The @pidgirl Experience

I arrived to San Antonio late night on Sunday evening June 1, 2014, after midnight. First thing in the morning, I headed to the FEDEX office in the hotel, to pick up my banner stand and portable analyzers to show at the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo AIHce expo and proceeded straight to booth setup. Within no time I had it looking like this:

During booth setup, I found an American Chemical Society Division of Chemical Health and Safety friend, Russ Pfifer of WC Environmental. It's great to see other folks who are involved with both the American Chemical Society and the American Industrial Hygiene Association like we are.

My first day at the expo was awesome. I forgot how much I enjoy booth duty and connecting face-to-face with clients and prospective customers. The last time we exhibited at an industry trade show was in 2011 at both Pittcon and AIHce.You'll see us, HNU PID Analyzers, exhibiting at these two trade shows in 2015 after the positive experience we had at AIHce San Antonio. 

On Monday night I met up with Jeff Kraiterman and Russ Kraiterman of A.J. Abrams Company Inc. at the informal New England American Industrial Hygiene Association NEAIHA gathering at the National Meeting. I always enjoying hanging out with Russ and especially introducing him to people and boasting about how his company used to sell our analyzers back in the 1970's!

The 161 Fun Run participants met at a central location before
heading to the course. The policeman on bicycles stopped traffic
for us throughout the course on the cross streets
which made it a really nice run!

This was the first time I have participated in a Fun Run during a conference so what I didn't realize, is that by Fun Run, it usually means approximately a 5K. For this particular run, it was a 4K which I wish I knew prior to taking the start line because I definitely would have run faster even in the overwhelming Texas humidity! 

With my AIHce Twitter friend, Paula Loht at the AIHF Fun Run

Paula Loht

@pjloht

With my Local Rep: Tom Stringer at the booth, without whom I couldn't have managed this conference on my own between participating as an exhibitor and presenting in the technical program at the podium sessions.

We were tucked way in the back left corner of the exhibit hall and hadn't made it onto the Exhibitors List in the Final Program because I signed up at the last minute. However, we somehow managed to be constantly busy during the expo hours and had an amazing conference. 

Our portable FID and the customized  multi-gas analyzers were among the most popular products we were showcasing. Booth visitors didn't know that we had an FID and liked the idea of having the flexibility to customize their 4-gas meter with a list of over 30 sensors to choose from!  

Here I am presenting in Real Time Detection Systems I on Tuesday afternoon on the subject of A Rapid and Accurate Field Method for Reduced Sulfur Compounds by GC/FPD.

Wednesday morning at Real Time Detection Systems II  Pictured  L TO R: E. LIGUS (Monitor), P. SMITH (Moderator), J. MACLACHLAN (presenter) AND E. FLOYD (Presenter)

I gave two talks on Wednesday in two different sessions. First one was in the Real Time Detection Systems II on the subject of Field Measurement of Common Fumigants via Portable GC with PID & FUV Detectors. Second talk was in 

Innovations in IH Sampling and Analysis, part of the Sampling and Laboratory Analysis Committee, and I described our Modified Analytical Method for the Determination of Arsine at Low-ppb Levels by HG/GC/PID.

I heart my I heart IH commemorative tee shirt! I did a quick change after
 my Sampling & Lab Analysis session and wore it on the plane home.

We're looking forward to participating again next year in Salt Lake City 2015!

New England Local Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (NEAIHA) June Technical Meeting

A view from US Coast Guard Sector Boston when we arrived at the
NEAIHA June Technical Meeting yesterday afternoon.

Our company, PID Analyzers, LLC was the vendor sponsor for this
June Meeting.  Corey Briggs, NEAIHA Past President, was kind enough to
mention us in his five minute talk which included
his hazmat class at University of Rhode Island and about his goals for a NEAIHA archive.
We'll be contributing information about the history of photoionization.

Here's a photo of Jack and I at our vendor table at the dining room entrance at
the US Coast Guard All Hands Club. We even brought Pete Bonk with us, although
somehow we managed not to get a photo of him in his purple tie.
Mr. Mo Yuong Kang, the recipient of the Robert Weker Memorial Scholarship, attended the meeting last night and was recognized and had his photo taken with the NEAIHA Executive Committee.  Mr. Kang was selected from among six excellent applicants according to a press release issued by Bart Ellingsen, NEAIHA Immediate Past President. 

NEAIHA Vendor Liaison, Steve Goselin of Enviro Tech introduced Jack during dinner. They gave him five minutes (and he used over 7)!
I took a video of the talk which I'll likely upload and post here.

This was a view of the room from our vendor table. We are looking forward
to participating in the day-long event that NEAIHA hosts.
This year it is October 21, 2014 in Norwood, MA.

The full meeting agenda is accessible below.

  New England American Industrial Hygiene Association June 2014 Meeting by Jennifer Maclachlan