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Although not part of the main three-day conference, professional development courses (PDCs) are important supplements to AIHA Connect programming. These half-day, full-day, and two-day workshops held before and after the conference allow participants to increase their knowledge and technical competencies through learning opportunities that are more intensive, specialized, and hands-on than those supported by conference educational sessions.

In 2026, PDCs held on Thursday, May 28, and Friday, May 29, will be exclusively virtual, while those scheduled for the remaining dates will be held in person. This post lists only a handful of the 65 PDCs scheduled in both formats over the days leading up to and following AIHA Connect 2026.

Thursday, May 28

PDC 002V: Health Hazards and Safety Issues of the Post-Fire Environment, 1 to 5 p.m. Central time. Participants in this session will be able to identify toxic gases, vapors, particulates, and other hazards found in areas affected by fire, as well as use respiratory protection and practical strategies to work safely in these environments.

Friday, May 29

PDC 040V: Ethically Empowering OEHS Professionals with AI Workflows, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time. Presenter Philip Clark, MS, CIH, CSP, describes this course as “a practical, ethical and accessible introduction to AI without the hype.” Mid- to late-career occupational and environmental health and safety professionals are invited to learn how they can make use of artificial intelligence tools in their work.

PDC 020V: TSCA Exposure Assessment and Its Impact on the IH Profession, 1 to 5 p.m. Central time. Participants will learn the differences between the methods typically used by industrial hygienists to evaluate chemical exposures and those used by the Environmental Protection Agency for risk evaluations conducted under the Toxic Substances Control Act. They will gain the ability to calculate risk using EPA TSCA methods.

Saturday, May 30

PDC 104: Hearing Protector Fit Test Administrator, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time. This PDC is the civilian equivalent of a course developed to support the implementation of hearing protector fit testing across the U.S. Department of Defense. Participants will learn how to support hearing protector fit testing in any workplace.

PDC 702: 2026 Respirable Crystalline Silica and Other Minerals and Metals Symposium – Day 1, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time. The first part of a comprehensive, two-day symposium in which speakers will share papers on health risks, regulations, and technical innovations related to respirable crystalline silica and other minerals and metal dusts. For those wishing to present, the call for paper submissions is open until Jan. 14, 2026.

PDC 301: Mastering Soft Skills for OEHS Success, 1 to 5 p.m. Central time. This course builds on a session ranked among the top 10 AIHA Connect educational sessions for two consecutive years. Participants will select a “soft skill” relevant to their needs, break it down into its technical components, and create a plan to practice their chosen skill in the real world.

Sunday, May 31

PDC 402: Mental Health First Aid Certification Training, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time. After completing this course, participants will receive a three-year certification in mental health first aid, enabling them to intervene in a range of mental health crises within and outside of the workplace.

PDC 702: 2026 Respirable Crystalline Silica and Other Minerals and Metals Symposium – Day 2, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time. The continuation and conclusion of the two-day symposium.

PDC 502: Professional Ethics and Principles of Good Practice, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Central time. Participants will analyze real-world case studies to learn how to make ethical decisions relating to the use of AI in professional OEHS practice.

Thursday, June 4

PDC 809: Asbestos and Respirable Crystalline Silica Immersive Risk Assessment Experience, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time. This comparative study of the effects of asbestos and respirable crystalline silica on the human respiratory system will support participants in performing risk assessments and analyses for these and other respiratory hazards.

PDC 1002: Fit Testing and Selection of PPE for Diverse Workforces, 1 to 5 p.m. Central time. In this hands-on session, participants will learn fit testing techniques for several kinds of personal protective equipment, enabling them to select PPE that fits every worker.

More information about these and other PDCs associated with AIHA Connect 2026 is available from the conference’s online agenda. Pre-registration is required to attend all PDCs.

AIHA Connect 2026 will take place from June 1 to 3, 2026, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Registration opens Dec. 8, 2025.