Archive for NIOSH
Highlights from a New Report on Indicators of Workplace Violence
Federal agencies recently published a joint statistical report on workplace violence entitled Indicators of Workplace Violence, 2019. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) examined incidents of fatal and nonfatal violence that occurred against persons at work or on duty, or violence that was away from work but over work-related issues from 1992 to 2019. The report includes data for Read more [...]
Labor Day 2022: A Statement by NIOSH Director, John Howard, MD
On the first Monday of September, we have an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the incredible contributions and achievements of American workers. Labor Day is an important reminder of the impact of the U.S. workforce and of our vision for safer, healthier workers. Sometimes, the greatest threats to workers are ones we cannot see. Work stress can negatively impact workers’ mental and physical health. We know that increased negative mental health symptoms among workers are linked to increased Read more [...]
NIOSH Miner Health Program Addresses Substance Use and Work
Drug overdoses have accelerated over the past two decades, and in 2017, the United States Department of Health and Human Services deemed the opioid crisis a public health emergency. In April of 2021, the U.S. surpassed 100,000 drug overdose deaths for the preceding 12-month period, marking a nearly 29% increase from the previous 12-months. This milestone is 80% higher than the number of deaths for the same period five years prior.[1] The overdose epidemic has been fueled by the rapid Read more [...]
Pre-pandemic Mental Health and Well-being of Healthcare Workers
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers faced substantial work-related stress. Most research on the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers has focused on physicians and nurses, with less attention paid to other healthcare occupations. Recent research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) evaluated the pre-pandemic mental health and well-being of a broad range of healthcare workers, including lower-wage healthcare support workers with patient Read more [...]
Students Making Their Mark at NIOSH
Training the next generation of occupational safety and health specialists is a critical part of the NIOSH mission. Most training is done through the NIOSH supported Education and Research Centers (see related blog). In addition to these formal programs, each year NIOSH is fortunate to host student interns within the Institute. NIOSH staff give students a glimpse into the type of work conducted at NIOSH and the students’ work provides real benefit to NIOSH researchers. Summaries of many of Read more [...]
Risk-Based Model to Resume Field Research and Public Health Service During the COVID-19 Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many workplaces across the world strictly limited or ceased in-person activities, including parts of the Federal government. While much work continued remotely, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) needed to make decisions about allowing employees to travel to conduct workplace safety and health field research and public health service work. To assist with these decisions, NIOSH developed a risk-based model to conduct fieldwork, balancing Read more [...]
Are Insurer Risk Control Services Effective?
Workers’ Compensation Risk Control Workers’ compensation insurance systems provide medical care and lost-time wage payments for workers who are injured or become ill due to work. Workers’ compensation insurers also provide employer risk control services including: Onsite risk assessment visits Video-based safety and ergonomic job analyses Industrial hygiene air/noise sampling, and physical hazard assessments Safety program development Training The main purpose of risk control service Read more [...]
NIOSH Education and Research Centers: Research
As discussed in a previous NIOSH Science Blog, NIOSH Education and Research Centers: Training, there are 18 NIOSH-funded Education and Research Centers (ERCs) that engage in meaningful research, training, and outreach activities across 17 states. In honor of the 45th anniversary of the ERCs, this blog will highlight research activities conducted by the ERCs. The interdisciplinary nature of the centers gives rise to a broad spectrum of research priorities that range from mechanistic studies investigating Read more [...]
Strategies for Advancing Occupational Safety and Health: Examining Health Inequities
How can we improve occupational safety and health research to better address health inequities? The United States has a long history of occupational safety and health (OSH) research, policy, and intervention. Despite this, long-standing occupational health inequities continue, with underserved workers experiencing higher rates of injury and illness. Occupational Health Equity Program researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently wrote a commentary published Read more [...]
Día Mundial contra el Cáncer 2020. Reflexiones acerca de una década de investigación de NIOSH sobre el cáncer
Este blog se publicó originalmente en inglés en el 2020. Contiene una gran cantidad de recursos que todavía son relevantes hoy en día; por eso estamos publicando el blog en español, para compartir esta información con una audiencia más amplia. El 4 de febrero del 2020 es el Día Mundial contra el Cáncer, y estamos reflexionando acerca de las investigaciones sobre el cáncer ocupacional que se están realizando Read more [...]
National Marble Day: A Look at the Manufacturing of Glass Marbles
The blog content comes from the NIOSH Manufacturing Mondays series. July 23rd is National Marble Day. There is much more to these little spheres than you might think. Although the game of marbles was originally played by children, it grew into a fun pastime for adults as well. There are treasure hunts to find special marbles; collectors seek out old marbles as well as the beautiful creations of modern glass makers. Marbles have been used for play for thousands of years. In ancient Rome, Read more [...]
Exposure Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Refined Coal Tar Sealant Applications
Coal tar sealants are applied as a protective coating for paved surfaces. Many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are found in these sealants. Several of these PAHs are known or suspected to cause, or increase the risk of developing cancer, but to date there has been no published research on workplace exposures to coal-tar-based sealant. Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) undertook the first occupational exposure assessment study for PAHs Read more [...]
Education and Training Concerning Masks and Respirators for Construction Workers
Various types of masks and respirators are receiving increased attention in many workplaces, including on construction sites. Use of masks is part of a multi-layered prevention strategy for COVID-19, and many workplaces require or encourage employees to wear them. Masks are designed to cover a person’s mouth and nose to help contain large droplets or airborne particles when a person exhales, coughs, or sneezes. Respirators provide crucial respiratory protection by filtering out small airborne Read more [...]
ERCs Partner to Offer Webinar Series on Human Factors and Ergonomics and Industrial Hygiene
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the NIOSH Education and Research Centers (ERC) which are extramurally funded university-based centers that carry out multidisciplinary education and research training activities and offer graduate and postgraduate training in the core and allied fields of occupational safety and health. The ERCs serve as a resource for our nation’s workforce through continuing education[1] and outreach. Together, the 18 ERC Continuing Education Programs provide critical Read more [...]
What Measures Can Companies Use to Evaluate Safety Management Practices and Identify Opportunities for Improvement?
What measures can companies use to evaluate safety efforts and identify opportunities for improvement? The most commonly used measures of safety performance are lagging indicators such as injury counts and costs.1,2 While lagging indicators can be beneficial, using them as the only measure of safety can be a barrier to safety improvement. For example, companies with few injuries may not have enough information to identify trends3, as is often the case for smaller companies. In Read more [...]
Fireworks
The blog content comes from the NIOSH Manufacturing Mondays series. The Fourth of July is the quintessential American holiday. Not only are we celebrating the birth of our nation, but we take a break in the heat of summer to participate in parades, cookouts, swimming, and FIREWORKS! While many of us enjoy the exhilaration of a professional fireworks display: the flashes of light, bright colors, and explosive noises, most of us have probably never thought much about what goes into Read more [...]
Workplace Medical Mystery Solved: What Is Making This Roofer Sick?
Ray worked as a roofer and started feeling sick during work. His symptoms started halfway through the first day and, by the end of the second day, he felt even worse with a headache, cough, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. At the doctor’s office, his tests came back normal. Read more about his case here. When Ray and his coworkers got sick, the roofing company ordered an investigation. On the days crew members got sick, they were placing a rubber membrane on the roof using a Read more [...]
Workplace Medical Mystery: What Is Making This Roofer Sick?
Ray drove to his work site on Monday morning, sipping coffee along the way. Spring was almost over, and everything was in full bloom. He was thankful for a cloudy day and cranked up the air conditioning, he knew he would start sweating once he got to work. Today Ray and his crew were working on a rubber roofing membrane installation. Ray parked and walked over to where the crew was setting up. Everyone was sharing stories from the weekend, but Ray hadn’t left the house since his kids came home Read more [...]
Climatologic Conditions, Chronic Disease and Work: Emerging Evidence and Implications
As concerns about climatologic conditions (CC) are rising globally they remain poorly addressed in many settings such as the workplace. Climate-related hazards such as heat exposure and extreme weather events are and will continue to shape workers’ work experiences, risks for chronic disease, other health outcomes, and productivity. As such, central goals for occupational safety and health (OSH) need to include a better understanding of and targeted approaches to prevent and reduce the Read more [...]
Pausas para ir al baño
Aunque los trabajadores pueden suponer que tendrán acceso a baños en el trabajo, muchos que laboran en una amplia gama de sectores comerciales y ocupaciones dicen que no pueden hacer las pausas que necesitan para ir al baño mientras están trabajando.1-6 Las pausas insuficientes para ir al baño son algo importante que hay que considerar en lo que a la salud y la seguridad se refiere en muchos puestos de trabajo, como los que incluyen la atención de pacientes Read more [...]
The Manufacture and Selection of Eye Protection at Work
The blog content comes from the NIOSH Manufacturing Mondays series. June 6th was National Eyewear Day (and May was Healthy Vision Month). To celebrate we are highlighting eye protection at work. Thousands of people each year experience work-related eye injuries that could have been prevented with the proper selection and use of eye and face protection. Ensuring that workers wear proper eye protection and have it available is an important aspect of work safety management programs. Read more [...]
The Role of Robotics in the Future of Work
NIOSH established the Future of Work Initiative in response to rapid changes in the workplace, work, and workforce. The Initiative seeks to prompt research and practical approaches to address future occupational safety and health concerns. Increased use and rapid technologic advances in robotics fits within the sphere of changes in how work will increasingly be done. The rapid increase in use, and new types of robots, has resulted in numerous knowledge gaps on how robotics technologies can Read more [...]
Save Your Hearing Day
The blog content comes from the NIOSH Manufacturing Mondays seminar series. Today is National Save Your Hearing Day. Hearing loss is one of the most common work-related illnesses. [1] About 12% of U.S. workers have hearing difficulty. [2] Among noise-exposed workers, 23% have hearing difficulty compared to 7% of non-noise-exposed workers. [3] Twenty-four percent of worker hearing difficulty is due to occupational exposures including hazardous noise and ototoxic chemicals (chemicals causing damage Read more [...]
Umbrella Manufacturing
The blog content comes from the NIOSH Manufacturing Mondays seminar series. During this time of year many of us will grab an umbrella when walking out the door, a useful device that has been with us for a long time but is seldom thought about until you need one. The umbrella is a vital piece of personal weather protection useful for keeping rain or sunlight off a person. They have also found their way into fashion, popular cocktails, the beach, and our backyards. Umbrellas were present in some of Read more [...]
Health Worker Mental Health Initiative
A new Surgeon General’s Advisory highlights the urgent need to address the health worker burnout crisis across the country. Workers providing health services face many on-the-job challenges that can lead to work-related stress. For many of the 20 million health workers in the U.S., the COVID-19 pandemic has led to new and worsening mental health concerns, including burnout, compassion fatigue, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and suicidal ideation. These concerns affect each worker’s Read more [...]
World Whiskey Day: Safety and Health for Bourbon Distillery Workers
The blog content comes from the NIOSH Manufacturing Mondays seminar series. Saturday, May 21, 2022 is World Whiskey Day Founded in 2012 by a Scottish college student, the day is now recognized by whiskey drinkers all over the world to celebrate their favorite spirit. There are historical references to whiskey dating to at least the 15th century. The term itself comes from a Gaelic word that means “water of life.” There are many spirits that come under the general term whiskey – Read more [...]
Commercial Vehicle Operators and Legionnaires’ Disease
A New Concern Among Commercial Vehicle Operators Legionnaires’ disease is a serious form of pneumonia that almost always requires treatment in the hospital. Studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and elsewhere have found Legionnaires’ disease occurs at twice the rate in transportation workers as in non-transportation workers. Among the transportation workers reporting Legionnaires’ disease, most (77%) were driver/sales workers or truck drivers.[1] The Read more [...]
Manufacturing Mondays Blog Series: Military Appreciation
The blog content comes from the NIOSH Manufacturing Mondays seminar series. May is Military Appreciation Month, established by Congress in 1999. There are several important days to remember that encompass Military Appreciation Month like VE Day (Victory in Europe Day, May 8th), Armed Forces Day (the third Saturday in May), and Memorial Day (the last Monday in May). This year, with many service members overseas supporting our NATO allies in Eastern Europe, it is especially important to recognize and Read more [...]
Outdoor Workers and Poisonous Plant Exposures
Poisonous Plants Are an Occupational Hazard For many outdoor workers (and some who work indoors), contact with poisonous plants is a common work hazard. Workers at risk include construction workers, farmers, landscapers and arborists, gardeners, outdoor painters, roofers, and wildland firefighters. Common plants they may come in contact with include poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, devil’s club (devil’s walking stick), stinging nettle, jimson weed, milkweed, giant hogweed, ragweed, Read more [...]
Manufacturing Mondays Blog Series: May the 4th Be with Laser and Plasma Cutting Workers
The blog content comes from the NIOSH Manufacturing Mondays seminar series. It’s the first week of May! This week is May 4th, a date when people celebrate that cultural touchstone: Star Wars. But don’t forget the other star wars. The famed defense program, officially designated the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), was announced by President Reagan in 1983, and subsequent Bush and Clinton administrations modified the original to include more workable technologies. The idea to use ground- Read more [...]
Workers Memorial Day 2022: Statement from NIOSH Director John Howard, MD
Workers Memorial Day, observed each year on April 28, is an opportunity for us to commemorate workers who were injured, became ill, or died because of exposures to hazards. As scientists, we often look at numbers to tell one part of the story, and within the last two years there have been some trends that are telling. It is interesting to note that nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses decreased 5.7 percent over 2019. However, in 2020, 4,764 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States, Read more [...]
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 [...]
