The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) honored Christine Branche, Ph.D., the Principal Associate Director and the Director of the Office of Construction Safety and Health for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the prestigious Robert B. Hurley Distinguished Service Award, at the association’s Award Dinner on Dec. 3 at the Westin Alexandria in Alexandria, Va.
ISEA presents the award each year to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the advancement and promotion of workplace safety and health. “Dr. Branche’s commitment to occupational safety and health has significantly impacted the lives of workers. We are thrilled to be able to recognize her achievements and dedication with this year’s award, “ said Brain Lyons, ISEA’s Chairman of the Board, who presented the Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Branche attended the award dinner together with her husband Joseph James, and her mother, Eloise J. Branche.
Dr. Branche has conducted extensive research and program development in injury prevention and has led the NIOSH Office of Construction Safety and Health since its inception in December 2009. She received her B.A. in biology from the University of Rochester in New York, and her M.S.P.H. and Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
ISEA’s annual Fall Meeting is the association’s largest national meeting where leaders in the design, manufacture, testing and application of protective clothing and equipment converge to address issues affecting workplace safety.