George and Florence Clayton Scholarship

Two names that are not only synonymous with the industrial hygiene profession but also instrumental in shaping the American Industrial Hygiene Association are George and Florence Clayton. They are the early pioneers who made it their lifelong passion to ensure recognition of industrial hygiene as a career. Their lives are intimately entwined with AIHA because they have been major players in the Association's history. The Claytons used part of their residence as AIHA's early headquarters in 1955.

Considered by many as the “Father of Air Pollution Investigations,” George Clayton spent the early years of his career with the U.S. Public Health Service, Division of Industrial Hygiene where he directed the investigation into the Donora, Pennsylvania air pollution disaster in 1948. He also worked the phosgene gas release disaster of Poza Rica, Mexico in 1950. In addition, Clayton's career included work with the International Joint Commission, a group established by the United States and Canada to manage and protect from pollution the lake and river systems along the border.

Through his involvement with these and other events following World War ll, Clayton, along with his wife Florence, started a successful consulting business in 1954 to address industrial hygiene and air pollution issues that were receiving more public attention with the industrial expansion in the United States. For more than 50 years, the business started in the Clayton’s home in Detroit, Michigan grew to more than 400 consulting and laboratory employees in more than 20 offices in North America.

The Claytons collaborated with other luminaries of the profession including Warren Cook, Bill Frederick, Doug McEwen, Frank Patty, and Ralph Smith, to further advance the science and understanding of industrial hygiene. They authored numerous technical articles and served as editors of Patty’s Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology. Additionally, Clayton served as the Executive Secretary of AIHA from 1955 to 1971. He received AIHA’s Cummings Memorial and Edward J. Baier Technical Achievement Awards, as well as the Academy of Industrial Hygiene’s Henry F. Smyth, Jr. Award.

Retiring in 1974, the Claytons continued to be very involved in the profession through their retirement years. George Clayton passed away in 2000.