POLISH ASSOCIATION OF INDUSTRIAL HYGIENISTS

[ Council of Management of PAIH ] [ Constitution of PAIH ]

Polish Association of Industrial Hygienists (PAIH) was registered in 1992 as a professional and scientific organization grouping persons with academic education, active in the field of occupational hygiene.

The objectives of PAIH are:

• promotion of progress in the area of occupational hygiene and upgrading occupational hygiene to the rank of a scientific discipline;
• upgrading professional and scientific qualifications of its members and supporting research work;
• development of appropriate forms of training and post-graduate education, adjusting training programmes to the current needs;
• cooperation in the training of qualified industrial hygienists and in the development of the most appropriate training programmes;
• stimulation of preventive activities leading to a reduction in the number of professional diseases and accidents at work and related sickness asbenteeism through elimination of the health risk;
• cooperation with professional occupational hygiene associations and institutions in Poland and abroad.

At present the number of PAIH members exceeds 300. Our members recruit mostly from local branches of the National Sanitary State Inspectorate (governmental agency responsible for evaluation of compliance to hygienic standards in industry), units of the National Inspectorate of Labour (governmental agency supervising observance of regulations listed in the Code of Labour), industrial hygiene laboratories, research institutes, academic institutions and industry (occupational safety and hygiene officers) etc. PAIH is entitled to set up local branches. Three of such branches has been already registered, others are under organization.

To accomplish its objectives, PAIH organizes scientific meetings, conferences and workshops and carries out publishing activities. The National PAIH Conference is organized every year, starting from 1993 with 250-300 participants. The papers (100-150) are grouped in sections (chemical hazards in industry, industrial toxicology, occupational physiology, industrial dusts, physical factors, organization of health care prevention, etc.) in addition lectures by invited speakers (from Poland and abroad), covering fundamental topics are presented on plenary session.

The Association participates as co-organizer in the meetings and workshops organized by other institutions or scientific societies.

The Association is also very active in the committee establishing permissible occupational exposure limits for chemical, physical and biological agents in Poland.

PAIH is a co-publisher (jointly with the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine) of Higiena Pracy (Occupational Hygiene), quarterly journal in the Polish language, distributed to all its members free of charge. The journal presents papers dealing with different areas of occupational hygiene- analytical methods, exposure evaluation to physical and chemical agents, risk assessment, recommendations and regulations etc.

PAIH is engaged in activities leading to formal recognition of industrial hygiene as a profession in Poland and organization of accreditation scheme of industrial hygienists according to international standards