Coinciding with the the new code of ethics, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), AIHA’s Academy of Industrial Hygiene (AIH) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) have created a set of principles designed to complement the enforceable code of ethics for AIHA, AIH and ACGIH, which they will share.
Though the Member Ethical Principles document was developed in cooperation with ABIH and is based on the same concepts as its new code of ethics, the organizations note that the joint principles are not enforceable but represent shared member ethical principles. These principles were available for member input and recently were approved by both the AIHA and ACGIH Boards of Directors.
Societies “Have Struggled” with Enforcement of Code of Ethics
ABIH, AIHA, AIH and ACGIH have jointly shared a code of ethics since the mid-1980s.
In 1995, the four societies worked together to update the code of ethics. In 1996, the Joint Industrial Hygiene Ethics Education Committee (JIHEEC) was formed with representatives from each of the societies.
“During the past few years, the organizations have struggled, individually and collectively, with the best way to enforce the code of ethics,” AIHA said in a news release. “The four organizations have formed internal and joint task forces to address these myriad challenges within and between the societies. In the past few years, AIHA, AIH and ACGIH have moved from enforcement to education, and ABIH has strived to enhance the mechanisms by which it enforces the code of ethics for certified professionals.”
For more information and to view the new Member Ethical Principles, click here. To view the new ABIH Code of Ethics, click here.