Archive for NIOSH
Manufacturing Monday Blog Series: Playground Equipment
The blog content comes from the NIOSH Manufacturing Monday seminar series. With spring in full swing many of us will be heading outdoors more. For those of us with children, that could mean a trip to the playground on a nice day. National Playground Safety Week is April 25th through April 29th and reminds us of the importance of outdoor play and playground safety. The first playgrounds originated in Germany as “sand gardens” during the latter part of the 19th century, with the beginning Read more [...]
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Teleworking During the COVID-19 Pandemic
New research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) examined racial disparities in teleworking during the COVID-19 pandemic and estimated the extent to which these disparities are explained by education, occupation and racial discrimination. Teleworking, also known as telecommuting or virtual working, is an alternative type of work arrangement that uses information technology to allow workers to perform some or all their work from home during paid work hours with no Read more [...]
Welder’s Anthrax
A new journal article from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch describes cases of welder’s anthrax, a newly identified, deadly occupational disease. Welder’s anthrax is defined as pneumonia in a metalworker caused by bacteria within the B. cereus group that produces anthrax toxin. Seven patients diagnosed with what is now termed welder’s Read more [...]
Cancer Incidence, Latency, and Survival in World Trade Center Rescue/Recovery Workers
Tens of thousands of workers responded to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City. The 9/11-exposed workforce includes police officers, firefighters, construction workers, communications workers, emergency medical services personnel, and a wide variety of other workers and community volunteers. These workers were exposed to a wide variety of known and potential cancer-causing agents and other hazards during response and recovery efforts, which Read more [...]
Falls Campaign 2022: Making Research Work
Falls are the leading cause of death among construction workers. Tragically, each year roughly 300–400 construction workers fall to their deaths, most often while working at heights on roofs, ladders, and scaffolds. In 2020, out of 1,034 falls that resulted in death in the construction industry, 353 were due to falls from a height to a lower level. Researchers have found that some work conditions have higher risks for falls (CPWR 2021). Most fatal falls happen to roofing Read more [...]
Noticias recientes sobre el trabajo en turnos de noche y el cáncer: ¿Qué significa para los trabajadores?
El Programa Nacional de Toxicología (NTP, por sus siglas en inglés) hace poco publicó un informe sobre cómo el trabajo constante en turnos de noche está relacionado con el riesgo de cáncer (1). Este informe aparece después de una evaluación similar que publicó la Agencia Internacional de Investigaciones sobre el Cáncer (IARC) (2) en julio del 2019, la cual fue una actualización de su informe del Read more [...]
New NIEHS Resources to Prevent and Address Opioid Misuse and Promote Recovery Friendly Workplace Programs
The opioid crisis has intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics shows that in 2020 there was a 29% increase in the number of overdose deaths compared to the same time frame the previous year.[1] This crisis has severely impacted the U.S. workforce, especially industries with a high risk of injury. A survey focused on opioid use, conducted by the National Safety Council, found that 1 in 12 workers has an untreated substance use disorder and Read more [...]
Reducción de las enfermedades ocupacionales crónicas: Programa Multisectorial CRC
Durante los 50 años de historia de NIOSH, las enfermedades ocupacionales crónicas como el cáncer, las enfermedades cardiovasculares y los desenlaces reproductivos adversos siempre han sido una carga pública significativa y una fuente de costos económicos. Desde su creación en el 2004, el Programa de Prevención del Cáncer, Enfermedades Reproductivas, Cardiovasculares y Otras Enfermedades Crónicas (CRC), dentro del conjunto de programas Read more [...]
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위험에 처한 근로자 현재 미국에는 약 400,000명의 활동 중인 네일미용사 면허소지자와 약 600,000명의 고용된 헤어미용사가 있습니다. 이들 근로자의 대부분은 가임 Read more [...]
Nghiên c?u Nguy c? B? D? t?t B?m sinh ? Con c?a Th? Làm Móng và Th? Làm Tóc ?ang Mang thai
Những Người lao động Có Nguy cơ Hiện có khoảng 400.000 giấy phép cấp cho kỹ thuật viên làm móng đang có hiệu lực và khoảng 600.000 thợ làm tóc đang làm việc tại Hoa Kỳ. Hầu hết những người lao động này là phụ nữ trong độ tuổi Read more [...]
Work Flexibility and Worker Well-being: Evidence from the United States
Work flexibility can have positive and negative consequences for workers and their families, employers, and society overall. [1,2] For workers, it is increasingly recognized as an essential determinant of their well-being. Workers seek flexibility to address their personal and family needs, including childcare, eldercare, schooling, and healthcare. Flexibility in terms of work location and schedule gives workers a sense of job control, and increases their job satisfaction, thereby improving Read more [...]
Here Comes the Sun! Tips to Adapt to Daylight Saving Time
Daylight Saving Time (DST) marks the time to “spring” ahead one hour for most of the United States. Where it is observed, Daylight Saving Time begins this year on Sunday, March 13, 2022. This transition from Standard Time was first enacted to conserve energy and shift the timing of our activities to match more daylight during evening hours. The days grow longer and the nights get shorter as we head towards the summer solstice, which has been described as the longest day of the year. The Read more [...]
100 Million and Counting!
When researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) set out to develop a tool that could improve the use of industry and occupational data from surveys, death certificates and other sources, we could only dream that our efforts would be this successful. A Tool to Advance Research, and It’s Free We started this journey in 2012, deploying the first version of the NIOSH Industry and Occupation Computerized Coding System (NIOCCS). NIOCCS is for researchers and Read more [...]
Partnering to Design Safe and Healthy Workplaces for the Construction Workforce
The NIOSH Office of Construction Safety and Health has partnered with industry, government, academia, insurance companies, and labor to address construction-related injuries and fatalities. Working together, these partnerships can tackle many of the serious issues the Construction industry faces today. Prevention through Design (PtD) is an important approach to addressing many of these hazards. A recent NIOSH Science Blog: Prevention Through Design explains how PtD works. PtD identifies workplace Read more [...]
10 Lessons Learned From a Multi-Year Total Worker Health Study of Small Businesses
Over half of Americans are employed in small businesses. Small employers face unique challenges and often do not offer the same level of safety protections or health promotion activities found in larger organizations. However, there is evidence that small businesses are committed to addressing employee well-being, but they may lack the necessary resources and infrastructure to provide for it. (1). Senior-level decision-makers in small businesses are especially important in driving these efforts. Read more [...]
New Data Available! Assess Causes of Death by Industry and Occupation
Linking Causes of Death to Work Since the early years of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), mortality data have been an important source of information to assess links between cause of death and work. In the 1980s, the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance (NOMS) program was born out of a collaboration between NIOSH, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The NOMS program uses information from death certificates Read more [...]
The Role of Technological Job Displacement in the Future of Work
The future of work holds many possibilities for technological advancements, which may alter the number, quality, and stability of jobs; create new jobs that vary in skill and wage level; and fundamentally change entire industries. Such developments, including digitalization, robotics, artificial intelligence, and advanced computing, have the potential to lead to automation of unsafe tasks or reduction of hazards. While these innovations are often perceived to be favorable and may be linked to economic Read more [...]
Release of National Academies Consensus Study Report on Protecting Workers and the Public From Inhalation Hazards
On February 10,2022, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published a Consensus Study Report titled, Frameworks for Protecting Workers and the Public from Inhalation Hazards. Federal partners, NIOSH, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of State, as well as the CDC Foundation, commissioned this report to address the evolving respiratory protection needs of the public and workers not operating under a respiratory protection program. When employers can Read more [...]
NIOSH in Cincinnati – A Pictorial History, Part II
NIOSH in Cincinnati – How did it happen, and what has it looked like? How did federal industrial hygiene and occupational (and environmental) health research and service come to Cincinnati, and why did it stay? Interconnected stories of events that occurred, locations and buildings where they happened, cultural elements that developed, and artifacts that remain, speak to this question, providing evidence and glimpses of federal staff in Cincinnati investigating occupational health concerns, Read more [...]
Resolve to Protect the Safety and Health of Workers Manufacturing Fitness Equipment
As we end January, many reevaluate their New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you are one of the many Americans who resolved to improve their diet and start an exercise routine or join a gym. Exercise is not only good for your health, but the fitness industry is also a big part of the U.S. economy. In 2022, gyms, health clubs, and fitness clubs in the U.S. are expected to make over $35 billion. This figure only applies to commercial operations; it does not include equipment purchased for home gyms Read more [...]
NIOSH Education and Research Centers: Training
As part of its mandate, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is required to provide an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Public Law 91-596).The NIOSH-funded Education and Research Centers (ERCs) are one of the principal means for meeting this mandate. In 1977, the first nine ERCs were established in nine different states. By 1985, the number of centers grew to 14 centers in 14 states before further Read more [...]
NIOSH Noise: A 50-Year Timeline of Research and Intervention
Noise is among the oldest occupational hazards. An 18th century report noted hearing loss among coppersmiths whose “ears are injured by that perpetual din” from hammering on metal.[1] In view of this, noise was among the first hazards NIOSH addressed when the Institute was established in 1971. A dedicated Noise Section was established in Cincinnati to conduct field studies of noise exposure, design engineering controls, test hearing protection devices, evaluate the effectiveness of hearing Read more [...]
The NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
The NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (NPG) is the most popular NIOSH document produced to date. The NPG informs workers, employers, and occupational health professionals about workplace chemicals and their hazards. The NPG presents key data for 677 chemicals or substance groupings (such as cyanides, fluorides, manganese compounds) that are found in workplaces. The guide does not give all relevant data on a chemical but offers key facts in an abbreviated format. The information found in the Read more [...]
The Role of the Industrial Hygienist in a Pandemic: A roadmap for COVID-19 and beyond
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and health (NIOSH) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) have been developing guidance to help protect workers across all industries. AIHA has more than 80 years of experience protecting the health and safety of workers and their communities and has been at the forefront of efforts to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19. Early in the COVID-19 response effort, NIOSH established a cooperative Read more [...]
A Final Look at Our 50th Anniversary Commemoration
We hope you found a way to help us celebrate NIOSH’s 50th anniversary year. Commemorating a milestone such as this while the world—including NIOSH— fights a pandemic, has presented some unique challenges. NIOSH staff adjusted accordingly and produced a series of events and products worthy of our golden anniversary. If you missed any of these the first time around, please check them out as they contain a wealth of historical information on what has formed NIOSH into what it Read more [...]
The Secret Origins of NIOSH
While NIOSH’s 50th anniversary dates from its creation in its present form in 1971, it has a little-known history that stretches back much farther. NIOSH was in fact created from the Division of Industrial Hygiene of the U.S. Public Health Service, which has a continuous and eventful history going all the way back to 1914. Its path leads from Pittsburgh to D.C. to Bethesda, Maryland, where it was an integral part of NIH’s newly built campus and had a vital role in supporting worker Read more [...]
The Most-viewed NIOSH Products of 2021
It’s that time of year again when we take stock of the past year and what NIOSH information was most viewed on our channels. As the world and NIOSH continued to fight a pandemic it is not surprising that respirator information dominated on the NIOSH website and the NIOSH Science Blog. NIOSH continues to work diligently to protect workers from COVID-19 including certifying respirators. A blog post from last year summarizes additional aspects of the NIOSH COVID-19 response. As NIOSH marked Read more [...]
NIOSH in Denver
NIOSH has had a presence in Denver since the early 1970s shortly after NIOSH was created. While the name of the office and the functions have changed over time, a commitment to improving occupational health and safety conditions for those working in the Western United States has remained constant. In 2015, the Denver Office became part of the new NIOSH Western States Division. Together with the NIOSH Alaska Office and the Spokane Research Laboratory, the staff in the Denver Office work Read more [...]
Prevention Through Design
Prevention through Design, or PtD, is the process of designing OUT a hazard and it is the most reliable and effective way to protect workers. If a hazard doesn’t exist, there is no need to purchase protective equipment and establish ongoing programs to maintain it, inspect it, and train and supervise workers to use it. Since 2007, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has led the Prevention through Design National Initiative whose goal is to prevent or reduce Read more [...]
NIOSH in Cincinnati – 50 Years of OSH Research and Service
Occupational safety and health (OSH) research has a long history in Cincinnati, Ohio that pre-dates the creation of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in 1971 (see related blog). Today, NIOSH has facilities across the country including two in Cincinnati —the Robert A. Taft Occupational Safety and Health Laboratory on Tusculum Avenue and what is now known as the Alice Hamilton Laboratory for Occupational Safety and Health on Ridge Avenue. While the NIOSH Cincinnati Read more [...]
Santa’s Workshop Keeps Spirits Bright with Total Worker Health® Strategies
Before the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, everyone in the North Pole is busy preparing for the big night. Elves build toys at an escalating pace to help Santa stock up for the holiday. Santa’s Workshop may be magical but, like many workplaces, safety and health hazards can still be present. Fortunately, Santa doesn’t need magic to keep his workers safe. To protect elves and promote their well-being, he uses Total Worker Health (TWH) approaches. Santa thinks carefully about Read more [...]
NIOSH in Cincinnati-A Pictorial History Part 1
NIOSH in Cincinnati – How did it happen, and what has it looked like? How did federal industrial hygiene and occupational (and environmental) health research and service come to Cincinnati, and why did it stay? Interconnected stories of events, locations, buildings and artifacts provide glimpses of federal staff in Cincinnati investigating occupational health concerns and are a vital part of the history of NIOSH’s present. U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Stream Pollution Investigations Read more [...]
Learning from Workplace Fatality Investigations
Each day, on average, 15 U.S. workers die as a result of a traumatic injury on the job. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program is a research program designed to identify and study fatal occupational injuries. For nearly 40 years, the FACE program has worked to prevent occupational fatalities across the nation by identifying and investigating work situations at high risk for injury and then formulating and Read more [...]
Workplace Violence Research
In the 1980’s a series of shootings at post offices drew public attention towards the issue of workplace violence. While mass shootings receive a lot of media attention, they actually account for a small number of workplace violence events. NIOSH has been studying workplace violence since the 1980s. In 1993, NIOSH released the document Preventing Homicide in the Workplace. This was the first NIOSH publication to identify high-risk occupations and workplaces. The research revealed that Read more [...]
Respiratory Health Research at NIOSH
The history of protecting workers’ respiratory health pre-dates the creation of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In 1967 the Appalachian Laboratory for Occupational Respiratory Disease (ALFORD) was established within the U.S. Public Health Service (see related blog). ALFORD subsequently joined NIOSH in 1971, became the Division of Respiratory Disease Studies in 1977, and then the Respiratory Health Division (RHD) in 2015. A comprehensive history Read more [...]
