It’s Pi Day. Do you use π (3.14) in the course of your work? If so, please tell us how in the comment section below. You are probably aware that the traditional way to celebrate this holiday, which also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday, is by eating pie. As you enjoy your delicious desert know that […]
Archive for NIOSH
Daylight Savings: Suggestions to help workers adapt to the time change
Spring forward Fall back. We all know the saying to help us remember to adjust our clocks for the daylight savings time changes (this Sunday in case you are wondering). But, what can we do to help workers adjust to the effects of the time change? A few studies have examined these issues but […]
Wearable Exoskeletons to Reduce Physical Load at Work
Robotic-like suits which provide powered assist and increase human strength may conjure thoughts of sci-fi and superhero film genres. But these wearable exoskeleton devices are now a reality and the market for their applications in the workplace is projected to increase significantly in the next five years. As with any technologic innovation some of the […]
NIOSH Ladder Safety App Evolves with User Feedback
The award-winning NIOSH Ladder Safety App is now updated based on our users’ feedback. First introduced in 2013, the app has received much positive feedback. As of the end of 2015, it has more than 52,000 downloads. Among those promoting the app are state officials, industry leaders, and safety professionals. Many companies have even […]
Black History Month: Saluting Two NIOSH Pioneers of Diversity
During Black History Month, we celebrate the men and women of African-American heritage who have contributed so much to our nation’s leadership in the global community. At NIOSH, we recognize the importance of a diverse scientific workforce that mirrors the diversity of today’s workforce as a whole. As we approach the third decade of […]
Occupational Exposure Limits – State of the Science
The process of developing and using occupational exposure limits is a cornerstone of industrial hygiene practice, with a history dating back to the 1880s. Occupational exposure limits, known as OELs, have not—until recently—evolved enough to reflect the advances in related sciences of toxicology, risk assessment, and exposure assessment. Much of the pioneering effort to […]
How to Put Leading Indicators into Practice
The use of leading indicators is a growing hot topic in occupational and environmental health and safety. The Campbell Institute at the National Safety Council has been studying leading indicators for the past two years to help more organizations take advantage of their predictive power. The Institute defines leading indicators as proactive, preventive, and […]
How to Make Safer, More Knowledgeable Drivers—On and Off the Job
This blog was originally posted on MyCarDoesWhat.org As an employer, what can you do to help workers understand and learn how to use safety features built into vehicles they drive for work—whether you provide these vehicles, or workers drive their own vehicles? Newer vehicles have advanced safety features most of us could not have imagined […]
Understanding Noise Exposure Limits: Occupational vs. General Environmental Noise
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is 100% preventable; however, once acquired, it is permanent and irreversible [NIOSH 1998]. Understanding and minimizing the risks associated with noise exposures are the keys to preventing noise-related hearing loss. NIOSH has a long history of leadership in conducting research, advancing control measures, and recommending noise-exposure limits to prevent job-related […]
Coffee Workers at Risk for Lung Disease
Obliterative bronchiolitis, an irreversible form of lung disease in which the smallest airways in the lung (the bronchioles) become scarred and constricted, blocking the movement of air, was previously identified in flavoring manufacturing workers and microwave popcorn workers who were occupationally exposed to diacetyl (2,3-butanedione) or butter flavorings containing diacetyl. Now, NIOSH research finds […]
New NIOSH Study Supports the OSHA Annual Fit Testing Requirements for Filtering Facepiece Respirators
Results of a recently completed NIOSH study confirm the necessity of the current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) respirator fit testing requirement, both annually and when physical changes have occurred. The study’s conclusions emphasize that respirator users who have lost more than 20 pounds should be re-tested to be sure that the current size […]
The Opioid Overdose Epidemic and the Workplace
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released troubling statistics on the growing epidemic of drug and opioid overdose deaths in the United States. The origins of this epidemic have been linked to prescription opioids. While it is unknown how many drug and opioid overdose deaths are associated with workplace injuries and […]
Holiday Gifts from NIOSH
If you are lucky enough to get some time off over the holidays, you may find yourself looking for something to listen to, watch, or read. Our gift to you this holiday season is a compilation of the songs, movies and books with workplace safety and health themes that we have collected through the NIOSH Science […]
Movies with Workplace Safety and Health Themes
The 33 2015, Patricia Riggen IMDb rating: 7.0 From IMDb: Based on the real-life event, when a gold and copper mine collapses, it traps 33 miners underground for 69 days. 42nd Street 1933, Lloyd Bacon IMDb rating: 7.7 From our readers: The film has an interesting final image: a drawing of a theatre curtain that […]
Books with Workplace Safety and Health Themes
Ahab’s Wife Sena Jeter Naslund (1999) From our readers: A novel written about the wife of Ahab of Moby Dick. She disquises herself as a cabin boy and works on a whaling ship. Animal’s People Indra Sinha– (2007) From our readers: A fictional novel about a boy who was born just before the Bhopal environmental […]
Songs with Workplace Safety and Health Themes
9 to 5 – Dolly Parton Allentown – Billy Joel Banana Boat Song – Harry Belafonte Bread & Roses – James Oppenheim- performed by Joan Biaz The Chemical Worker’s Song– Ron Angel Drivin My Life Away – Eddie Rabbit Finest Worksong-REM Flamethrower– J. Geils Band A Hard […]
Preventing Wood Chipper Fatalities
Last week, a 19-year-old North Carolina teen was killed after being pulled feet first into a wood chipper (see news report). It was his first day on the job.Self-feeding mobile wood chippers commonly used during tree trimming operations consist of a feed mechanism, knives mounted on a rotating chipper disc or drum, and a […]
NIOSH Co-hosts Motor Vehicle Safety Webinar
Earlier this month, the NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety, together with the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research, hosted a webinar on Occupational Research in Motor Vehicle Safety. The webinar grew out of interest generated at the National Occupational Injury Research Symposium, and featured presentations on organizational-level approaches to improving work-related […]
A Robot May Not Injure a Worker: Working safely with robots
Robots are used in increasing numbers in the workplace and in society in general. As their numbers and capabilities increase, observers have urged that scientists, engineers, and policymakers explore the implications of robotics for society, to ensure that the rise of robots will not spell “doom for humanity” as some critics have warned [1]. […]
Work Songs
The 2015 American Music Awards air this Sunday, November 22nd (8 pm EST in case you’re interested). Why is NIOSH blogging about this you may ask? Well, we’ve blogged about workplace safety and health themes in: movies twice (three times if you count the recent blog on James Bond’s occupational hazards), books, the theater, […]
Workplace Medical Mystery Solved: Fire Training Officer Lands in Hospital with a Distressing Lung X-Ray
Bob, an experienced firefighter and trainer started to experience chest pain, shortness of breath, and a cough with blood following a firefighter training that he set up and led. At the emergency room, the doctor ruled out a blood clot in his lungs. However, an x-ray did show Bob had small nodules in his lungs. […]
James Bond Exposed…To 50 Years of Occupational Hazards
Your heart may race while your eyes follow the iconic figure that is James Bond as he holds it together to do his job: driving at high speed down alleyways, under railway crossings, and often through explosive fire and other obstructions. You may wonder how he will survive driving a car that has just been […]
Workplace Medical Mystery: Fire Training Officer Lands in Hospital with a Distressing Lung X-Ray
Bob was an experienced firefighter. He worked for 17 years as a member of his city’s fire suppression team working his way up to fire captain. After 5 years as captain, Bob decided to transition to the role of fire training officer where he could work five 8-hour shifts per week instead of 24 hour […]
“Safety Matters” —Bringing Work Safety and Health to the Classroom
Every day, young workers face injury, illness and even death on the job. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that about 1.5 million teenagers from 15 through 17 years old work in the United States. Studies show that nearly 8 of 10 high school students in the United States work at some […]
Advancing Worker Well-being Across the Working Life: NIOSH’s New Center for Productive Aging & Work
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2020, American workers 55 years or older will increase by almost 10 million, or at a rate of 33.5%. In addition, by 2020, most workplaces will have five generations working side by side. An aging workforce means having to think about how workers and organizations address […]
Help for Small Businesses
New businesses start with an idea, an opportunity, and a problem to solve. The path to profitability crystalizes as a business plan emerges. Then come the paperwork and licensing. New business owners must attend to innumerable tasks: negotiate with suppliers, trim costs, manage employees, push for revenue, secure capital, deliver to clients, and navigate […]
New Research Identifies 5 Best Practices for Keeping Contractors Safe
Creating a culture of safety isn’t just meant for full-time employees of an organization. It requires the involvement all workers whether full-time, temporary or contract and the diligence of the companies or organizations where their work occurs. Contractor safety management is extremely relevant in our increasingly global and complex world that involves work in […]
#PlanAhead for Drive Safely Work Week 2015
How do you plan to celebrate Drive Safely Work Week? Don’t know? Haven’t thought about it yet? Well, you are in luck. This year, we are posting our blog in advance of the annual observance that encourages safe driving on and off the job (October 5-9, 2015) to give you plenty of time to […]
A Partnership: NIOSH and Mexican Consulates help support the health and safety of workers
This is the fourth in a series of blogs describing the development and purpose of the Protéjase educational materials. These materials were created as part of NIOSH’s mission to conduct research and determine effective ways of delivering occupational safety and health information. Organizations that serve Spanish-speaking immigrant workers can use these materials to encourage […]
Partnership Increases Capacity in Agricultural Safety on the Navajo Nation
Farming and ranching are important to the livelihood and culture of the Navajo Nation. Nearly all families living on the 27, 000 square mile reservation are involved in agriculture.1 Many of them use traditional farming practices that do not include powered machinery. However, an increasing number of farmers are changing to cash crops and larger-scale […]
FACE Investigation Documents Factors Contributing to a Worker’s Death Inside Pressure Cooker
The headlines a few weeks ago were alarming. The tragic death of a worker in a 270-degree oven three years ago led to a $6 million agreement to settle criminal charges in what Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey said was the largest payout in a California workplace death (see news report). The California […]
One Size Does Not Fit All
When your safety and your life depends on it, you need your equipment to fit properly. This is especially true in the workplace. Improper fit may prevent workers from performing their job duties safely and effectively. If your respirator does not seal properly to your face, if your gloves are too big, if your seatbelt […]
NIOSH Travel Health and Safety Resource Kit for Workers with International Assignments
Travel Internationally for Work? Tell us what you think. Ever looked at international travel resources on the web? There are an incredible number. Most are intended for leisure travel and not for work-related travel, and most are overwhelming in detail. In addition to the many logistics involved in making foreign travel a pleasant and successful […]
Health Effects from 9/11: Lessons Learned
Today, as the world remembers the terrorist attacks of 9/11 we must also remember that tens of thousands of responders and survivors of the disaster continue to suffer adverse health effects every day. Multiple types of toxic exposures were encountered by the responders, clean-up personnel and residents of the surrounding community. A new Continuing […]
N95 Day 2015: The tools to build a culture of proper respiratory protection practices
Every day is a day to think about worker safety. But today, on our annual N95 Day (09/04/2015), we embrace our dedication to proper respiratory protection practices, shining it with a bit of elbow grease, and displaying it at the very front line of our priorities. Today we find the time necessary to focus […]
