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Northern Illinois University

College of Engineering & Engineering Technology

Dennis J. CesarottiDennis J. Cesarotti

Associate Professor, Technology
Director, National Safety Education Center
Email: dcesarotti@niu.edu
Tel: 815-753-9912

Education

M.S. (1975), Ph.D. (1999) Doctor of Philosophy, in Environmental, Occupational, Safety and Health, University of Illinois Medical Center with collateral study in Epidemiology

Research Interests

Homeland Security / Disaster Preparedness and Response, Occupational and Environmental Exposures to Hazardous Materials, Adult and Teacher Education.

Work Experience

Founder and President of Aires Consulting Group, an interdisciplinary engineering consulting firm that dealt primarily with safety, health and environmental (EHS) engineering and construction of buildings and processes that involve hazardous materials or energy.

Responsibilities include supervising field staff of EHS consultants, directing an AIHA/EPA/NVLAP accredited laboratory, conducting comprehensive occupational and surveys that assist in compliance with Federal, State, and Local OSHA, EPA, RCRA, and regulations.

Additional responsibilities include:

  • Developing and conducting training seminars that ranges from corporate policy to standard operating procedures. The training format ranges from classrooms setting to computer-based training.
  • Conducting ergonomics surveys that identify risk factors, engineer control measures, develop training for management and labor, and conduct training on the ergonomic programs.
  • Develop programs and procedures for Disaster Preparedness, and conduct tabletop simulations for a variety of industrial operations.
  • Develop and perform audits for EHS Programs that include auditing the workers compensation practices and procedures as well as the return to work programs.
  • Develop and maintain a computer based training program for OSHA Compliance Officers on toxicology.

Assistant Vice President/Manager Alexsis Risk Management Services Division of Alexander & Alexander, Inc.

The primary responsibility as manager was to ensure that all the environmental/occupational health studies were of the highest quality. Additional responsibilities included participating in comprehensive environmental risk assessment studies; air pollution, water contaminant monitoring, modeling and developing control criteria; hazardous waste audits; expert testimony; conducting environmental health seminars.

Industrial Hygienist with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Responsibilities included conducting occupational safety and health inspections throughout general industry, health care facilities, and government buildings; served as expert witness for the Department of Labor in the areas of ventilation, toxicology, and chemical decomposition products.

Professional Associations and Honors

  • Certified by the American Board in the Comprehensive Practice of Industrial Hygiene. Certificate Number 1656.
  • Illinois licensed Industrial Hygienist
  • Board of Certified Safety Professionals Certification in Comprehensive Practice Certificate #12862
  • Board Approved Analyst in the AIHA Analyst Registry. ID#1090
  • OSHA Authorized Construction Safety Outreach Program Trainer
  • OSHA Authorized Safety and Health Program Trainer
  • National Member, American Industrial Hygiene Association.
  • Member, American Academy of Industrial Hygiene.
  • Professional Member, American Society of Safety Engineers

Selected Publications

  • Internet based course on the Foundations in Homeland Security, available to public universities throughout Illinois. 2006
  • Business Continuity Plan for the City of Chicago, Department of Public Health. 2007
  • Continuity of Health Service Operations in Public Health Departments During Pandemics

Research Projects

More than 20 research projects funded by various federal, state and industry agents including Milk Market Administrators, State of Illinois, Motorola, Tellabs, Saint-Gobain Containers, Exelon, and University of Illinois at Chicago. Recent projects include Homeland Security Preparedness and Response exercises with DeKalb Fire Department, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education.

Other Significant Projects/Interests

Developing the second course for the Disaster Preparedness Program at NIU.

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