Occupational health pioneer Alice Hamilton will be recognized for her contributions to the health of workers in Illinois and across the U.S. during a centennial celebration at the University of Illinois at Chicago Sept. 13.
Gov. Patrick Quinn has designated Sept. 13 Alice Hamilton Day.
Hamilton (1869-1970) became interested in occupational injuries and illnesses while she was a resident at Jane Addams’s Hull House in Chicago, where she lived among laborers and learned of their dangerous working conditions.
In 1910, Hamilton was appointed chief researcher of the Occupational Diseases Commission of Illinois, the first such investigative body in the U.S. Her investigation of the dangerous effects of lead, mercury and arsenic established her as a leader in the field of toxicology and led to recommendations for preventing occupational illnesses in Illinois.
Hamilton went on to become the first woman appointed to the faculty at Harvard Medical School. During her career she continued to work with state and federal agencies and the League of Nations on public health issues.
A program recognizing her work will be held from 1 – 4 p.m. at UIC Student Center East, 750 S. Halsted St. Presenters will discuss her contributions to occupational medicine and epidemiology and their relevance to todays working conditions.
Speakers include:
- Christopher Sellers, of Stony Brook University
- Leslie Nickels, of the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health
A panel of occupational safety and health professionals and labor representatives will reflect on Hamiltons legacy and discuss issues affecting the health and safety of todays workforce:
- Linda Rae Murray, president of the American Public Health Association and chief medical officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health
- Michael Connors, regional administrator of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- Jorge Ramirez, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor
- Myra Glassman, treasurer of the Service Employees International Union Healthcare Illinois & Indiana
- Robert Safe, environmental health and safety consultant at Safe Technology, Inc.
- Lorraine Conroy, director of the UIC Illinois Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety Education and Research Center
Following the program, a reception and tour at Hull House, 800 S. Halsted St., will be held 4 – 6 p.m. To register, visit www.cvent.com/d/hcqn22. Registration is $15.
In conjunction with the centennial celebration, a national conference, Eliminating Health Disparities at Work, will be held in Chicago Sept. 14-15. The conference, sponsored by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and locally hosted by UIC, will examine social, cultural, and economic factors that create occupational health and safety disparities and programs to eliminate these disparities.
Conference information is available at: www.aoecdata.org/conferences/healthdisparities/index.html
For more information about UIC, visit www.uic.edu