- Scientific Committee on Epidemiology in Occupational Health (SC) has as its main function promotion of communication among epidemiologists, industrial hygienists, and other occupational health scientists worldwide.
- All members of the SC shall be members in good standing of ICOH, but otherwise there will be no limit on, nor criteria for membership. Applications for membership should be presented to the Chair and include a current resume so that the Chair and the Management Group (MG) will be informed about the interests and background of members when planning activities to be sponsored by the SC. The only additional criterion for membership will be interest and professional or scientific activity in occupational epidemiology. Members will be added on a continuing basis with new membership announced at the annual Business Meetings.
- The MG shall be in charge of the administration of the SC. The MG shall be formed and consist of five representatives who are members of the SC along with the Chair and Secretary who will serve as ex-officio voting members. The MG representatives who are elected will be announced at the business meeting of the SC held in connection with the ICOH congresses that usually are organized every third year. Alternately two or three representatives to the EC shall be elected to serve a six-year term at each voting opportunity.
- All members of the SC shall be eligible to stand for election to the MG. With the advice and assistance of the MG, the Chair will seek nominations from the SC membership one year in advance of the ICOH Congress. A mail ballot will be presented to the SC membership in advance of the Congress so that the candidates elected by the ballot can be informed and the results announced at the Business Meeting held during the ICOH Congress. Every effort shall be made to have a representative number of men and women as well as a representative geographical distribution. However, no formal rules are proposed.
- At each Triennial Congress a new Secretary shall be appointed and a candidate for Committee Chair will be recommended to the ICOH President to serve for the next triennium. A year in advance of the Business Meeting held at the ICOH Congress, the MG shall inform all SC members of the MG’s recommendation for a new Secretary and a new Chair. Unless the Chair is notified of an additional candidate for either office, nominated by at least three members of the SC, the MGs candidates will be elected at the Business Meeting held at the ICOH Congress. The President of ICOH shall be requested to ratify the election of the Chair and to approve the appointment of the Secretary. If there is more than one candidate, an e-mail ballot will be offered to all SC members and the results announced at the meeting during the ICOH Congress.
- The MG shall carry out the work of the SC between triennial meetings. A formal business meeting of the SC shall be held at the annual symposia where the EC will report on its activities and where necessary SC business will be conducted. Additional meetings of the MG may take place at the annual symposia or, if necessary, at other times and locations that are convenient.
- The MG’s primary responsibility shall be selection and planning of the annual symposia. The MG shall interact with ICOH leadership as needed. In addition, the MG will identify and evaluate proposals for special tasks (a monograph, a special study, collaborative activity with another SC, etc.) and determine the interest of the SC by appropriate means.
- In the planning and review of symposia the MG shall serve as a resource in an effort to keep the symposia well focused and productive, but open to appropriate change in form as needed. The MG shall bear primary responsibility for identifying SC members who are interested in hosting a symposium. The MG will receive “bids” from any competing sites and identify candidate sites for future symposia to present to the membership. Final selection of future symposia locations shall be made by the SC membership by e-mail ballot.
- The MG can make proposals to the annual Business meeting to change the rules when necessary. Also the members of the SC can propose changes to the rules by sending their proposals in writing to the Chair. Proposals shall be presented at the next Business meeting. If the proposals are accepted by the meeting, an e-mail ballot shall be arranged by the MG for acceptance by the membership. The accepted changes shall be presented at the following Business meeting.
