Occupational Health is Public Health: Epidemiology of Infections Diseases for Occupational Health Professionals
General Info:
- Attendance options - this event can be attended in person or virtually. Please do your best to select the type of registration you plan to attend at the time of registration so that space accommodations and class size can be adjusted. Virtual attendees will receive Zoom joining info on the week of the event.
- Member registration - this special event is available for member pricing for both AIHA-RMS member and ASSP CO Chapter members!
Abstract:
Workplaces present unique transmission dynamics, making infectious disease management an essential capability for Occupational Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS) professionals. This 4-hour Professional Development Course (PDC) bridges public health epidemiology and industrial hygiene to equip attendees with practical skills for identifying, tracking, and mitigating biological hazards in the workplace.
Through guided instruction and a hands-on outbreak investigation scenario, participants will learn core epidemiologic principles, workplace surveillance strategies, and the application of the Hierarchy of Controls to viral, bacterial, and emerging infectious threats.
Learning Objectives:
- Apply core epidemiologic concepts to evaluate workplace exposure risks.
- Utilize workplace surveillance methods and OSHA logs to detect potential clusters and trends.
- Conduct workplace outbreak investigations using case definitions, line listing, and contact tracing tools.
- Design mitigation plans for applying the Hierarchy of Controls, vaccination programs, and effective risk communication.
Instructors:
Cynthia Ellwood, PhD, CIH, FAIHA
Cynthia is the owner and Principal Industrial Hygienist at Associates in Occupational + Environmental Health, an industrial hygiene and safety consulting firm. She received her B.S. from Ohio University and Ph.D. from Colorado State University. In addition to providing comprehensive industrial hygiene consulting services to a myriad of Federal government agencies, and State and Local municipalities, schools and universities, and private industries, Cynthia’s expertise is in health care. She has teamed with architects, general contractors, owner’s representatives, and the hospital’s design and construction teams to design comprehensive infection control throughout the projects for both renovation and new construction. She has served as adjunct faculty for Ohio University and an affiliate faculty member at Colorado State University. Cynthia has been a Certified Industrial Hygienist, comprehensive practice, by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene since 1993. Cynthia is a recipient of the American Industrial Hygiene Association Fellow Award.
Roberta Smith MSPH, RN, CIH, CIC
Roberta is an occupational and public health professional with over 25 years of experience spanning industrial hygiene, nursing, safety, and infection control. She holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Environmental Health and Nursing, as well as a Master of Science in Public Health. Her extensive career includes leadership roles across public and occupational health sectors, including serving as Director of Worker Health for Axion Health and Director of Public Health for Routt County, Colorado. A highly active contributor to the occupational health community, Roberta was the lead author on Colorado’s "Guide to Worker Safety and Health in the Marijuana Industry" and has held leadership positions within AIHA national and local chapters. Certified in both Industrial Hygiene (CIH) and Infection Control (CIC), Roberta was recognized as the AIHA-Rocky Mountain Section Industrial Hygienist of the Year in 2020 and has received multiple national AIHA Outstanding Project Team awards.
