AIHA Meritorious Awards

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) awarded Bernard L. Fontaine, Jr., CIH, CSP, FAIHA with the 2021 President's Award and the Social Responsibility Award for work done with the AIHA Back-Work-Safety team. The initiative was the most successful addition to a public relations campaign to clarify misinformation on PPE, ventilation and disinfection to educate employers and employees about the hazards associated with re-entry into the workplace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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In 2022, the AIHA awarded Bernard L. Fontaine, Jr., CIH, CSP, FAIHA the Lawrence and Ruth Birkner Leadership and Management Award. This award is proudly given annually to an individual exemplifying extraordinaire leadership and management. Lawrence (Larry) R. Birkner and Ruth McIntyre-Birkner, considered by many to be the perfect couple, were well known in the occupational health and safety community. Both were passionate educators who worked tirelessly to advance the field of industrial hygiene. Their shared commitment to the profession and life remains evident through their many accomplishments. Much of Larry’s industrial hygiene and safety career was at ARCO, where he managed the corporate-wide industry hygiene and safety. Larry was a CIH and CSP. Ruth successfully built and managed adult learning departments for the University of Minnesota Medical School, St. Paul-Ramsey Hospital, the Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety, the University of Southern California, and the University of California, Los Angeles. Later, Ruth started her own training business that evolved into the successful consulting firm, McIntyre Birkner & Associates, which was run by the couple.

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