FAIRFAX, VA (February 10, 2009) - The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is pleased to announce that its legacy Laboratory Quality Assurance Programs (LQAP) have been reorganized into three separate limited liability companies (LLCs). Effective immediately, AIHA’s laboratory activities, once housed under LQAP, will be operated by:
  • AIHA Laboratory Accreditation Programs, LLC (www.aihaaccreditedlabs.org)
  • AIHA Registry Programs, LLC  (www.aiharegistries.org)
  • AIHA Proficiency Analytical Testing Programs, LLC (www.aihapat.org)

 The LLCs have each been organized as separate legal entities with their own governance, committees, policies, budgets, technical volunteers, and strategic advisors. In forming the LLCs, AIHA created the flexibility for each laboratory program to be more efficiently managed and operated and has met the impartiality requirements included in international standards under which the programs operate. 

 Later in the year, laboratories with AIHA accreditation will be receiving new licensing agreements to sign so they can receive new accreditation logos from the AIHA Laboratory Accreditation Programs, LLC. Information about individual AIHA-accredited labs can now be found at www.aihaaccreditedlabs.org, whereas information on the Registry and Proficiency Analytical Testing (PAT) Programs will be maintained separately on the websites listed above. Each of the LLCs is committed to offering AIHA laboratory customers the same great service previously provided by AIHA. Over time, the LLCs are expected to deliver new, innovative products and services to meet the needs of laboratory customers in a rapidly changing market.

 “We look forward to continued success as we operate AIHA laboratory programs more efficiently under this new business model,” said AIHA President Lindsay E. Booher, CIH, CSP.

 AIHA’s Director of Affiliate Laboratory Programs, Cheryl O. Morton added, “Over the coming months, we will be executing a communications plan to improve the knowledge of and comfort with the LLC concept.”