Volume
4 Number 2 June 2006 |
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NIOSH Invites Public Comment on Dust Monitor Draft Report Flavorings-Related Lung Disease Subject of new NIOSH Topic Page |
New
NIOSH State-of-the-Art Mobile Medical Unit Coming to a Location
Near You NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory Update In Memoriam: Priscilla Wopat and David K. Denton Jr. NIOSH Office of Extramural Programs |
On May 25, NIOSH recognized contributions by our scientists and engineers for excellence in science, in service, and in applying research for the prevention of occupational illness and injury. I am pleased to highlight this year’s awards, which reflect NIOSH’s core values of conducting exemplary science to meet important needs, moving that research into practice, and developing historic partnerships nationally and globally.
Alice Hamilton Awards Educational Materials Category: -- Honorable Mention Biological Sciences Category: -- Honorable Mention Engineering and Physical Sciences Category: Human Studies Category: -- Honorable Mention Harrison J, Chen JQ, Miller W, Chen W, Hnizdo E, Lu J, Chisholm W, Keane M, Gao P, Wallace WE. Risk of silicosis in cohorts of Chinese tin and tungsten miners and pottery workers (II): workplace-specific silica particle surface composition. Am J Ind Med 48(1):10-15, 2005. More information about each of this year’s Alice Hamilton Award winners can be found at
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hamilton/. James P. Keogh Award for Outstanding Service in Occupational Safety
and Health Bullard-Sherwood Research-to-Practice Awards Knowledge Category: Interventions Category: Technology Category: -- Honorable Mention More information about the 2006 winners and background on the Bullard-Sherwood
r2p Awards can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hamilton/bullard-sherwood.html. |
NIOSH
is requesting public comment on a Draft Report of Investigations, “Laboratory
and Field Performance of a Respirable Personal Dust Monitor.” The
draft report addresses the laboratory and field testing of the Personal
Dust Monitor (PDM). Comments
will be accepted until June 30, 2006. A copy of the draft report
and links for filing comments by email and online can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/review/public/dustmonitor.
Included in the draft report for public comment are extensive technical
data and discussions, such as descriptions of the PDM, the tests performed
on the equipment, detailed data from test results, and the conclusions
drawn from the results. The
draft report concludes that, based on the findings of the tests, the
device “functioned as well as the current sampler in terms of availability
for use, accuracy, precision, and miner acceptance.” |
Flavorings-Related Lung Disease Subject of new NIOSH Topic Page |
A
new NIOSH Topic Page provides a resource for findings and recommendations
by NIOSH to reduce the risk of severe obstructive lung disease (bronchiolitis
obliterans) associated with occupational
exposures to flavorings. Bronchiolitis obliterans is a serious, irreversible
lung disease whose symptoms include cough and shortness of breath on
exertion. The topic page provides background on NIOSH’s extensive
research into this occupational disease, outlines the symptoms associated
with and treatment for bronchiolitis obliterans, and discusses recommended
control measures for reducing job-related exposures to flavorings.
Also on the page are links to key NIOSH resources and reports stemming
from its research. We invite you to review the Topic Page at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/flavorings/.
The page includes an email address for providing feedback and receiving
updates of information, Flavorings@cdc.gov. |
New NIOSH State-of-the-Art Mobile Medical Unit Coming to a Location Near You |
A new mobile medical unit provides underground coal miners with the opportunity to receive confidential lung disease screening in close proximity to where they work, live or shop. This new NIOSH resource will assist researchers, medical professionals, and others in identifying the distribution and prevalence of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) or black lung disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in U.S. coal miners. The self-contained unit provides individual privacy and state-of-the-art equipment for education, interviewing, x-ray screening, and lung function testing. The Mine Safety and Health Administration provided initial funding for the unit.
To date, 581 miners
have been screened in initial uses of the new unit, and further screening
visits are planned for the near future in Virginia and Kentucky. Information
obtained from the mobile screening activities will help identify conditions
and locations where current occupational exposures may pose a risk
for CWP, and where interventions may be needed to reduce exposures,
prevent the onset of CWP, or identify cases of illnesses for appropriate
treatment. To learn more about the program and the Mobile Medical Unit,
visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/surveillance/ORDS/CoalWorkers |
NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory Update |
Between February and May, 160 applications were submitted to NIOSH for approval of new respirators or extension of approvals for currently approved respirators. 129 were approved or extended, of which 8 were devices intended for protection against chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) agents. Three NIOSH-issued user notices were posted on NIOSH’s Web page in March and April. A new category of user notices has been added for the Department of Transportation. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl. As requested by our
stakeholders, the Respirator Standard Test Procedures have now been
posted on the NIOSH Web page. This enables manufacturers
to review the test procedures that the products will undergo during testing
for NIOSH certification. Additional procedures will be added as
they are updated. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/stps/respirator_testing.htm. |
NIOSH
is saddened to report the passing of two valued employees and friends. Priscilla
Wopat, a technical writer-editor at the NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory,
passed away on May 13. An
excellent editor and publications manager, Priscilla was posthumously
awarded a 2006 NIOSH Bullard-Sherwood r2p Award on May 25 for her work
in helping to develop and publish the NIOSH publication "Tell Me
a Story: Why Stories are Essential to Effective Safety Training." David
K. Denton, Jr., a mining engineer also with the Spokane Research Laboratory,
passed away on May 17. Among many research accomplishments, Dave
studied the applications of seismic monitoring to predict and control
rock bursts in underground mines. Based on the results of his research,
he helped to develop and install innovative monitoring systems in mines. He
authored and co-authored numerous publications during his career, but
was especially dedicated to making an impact by taking new technologies
directly to miners and mine operators, and helping them improve the safety
of their workplaces. |
The NIOSH Office of Extramural Programs (OEP) announces three new extramural funding opportunities.
|
NIOSH
and partners receive Safe Patient Lifting Award A NIOSH collaboration was recently recognized by the prestigious 2005 Safe Patient Handling and Movement Awards, presented by the Veterans Health Administration Veterans Integrated Service Network 8. The Safe Patient Handling and Movement Educator Award was presented to the collaboration between NIOSH, the American Nurses Association and the Veterans Affairs Patient Safety Center for the development and evaluation of a new Safe Patient Handling and Movement curriculum module to be used in schools of nursing. Faculty members from 26 geographically-dispersed schools participated and were able to successfully integrate the new approach into their existing curricula. From these the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Nursing; Boise State School of Nursing; and the Belmont University School of Nursing were selected as winners of the Educator Award for Safe Patient Handling, based on outstanding efforts to change the curriculum, including evidence-based approaches to safe patient handling. A draft of the curriculum can be accessed on the NIOSH Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/review/public/safe-patient. |
Volunteers
needed for the NORA Sector Research Councils.
|
Division
of Applied Research and Technology (DART) Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS) Division of Safety Research (DSR) Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies (DSHEFS) Education and Information Division (EID) Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD) National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) Spokane Research
Laboratory (SRL) |
Carbon
Monoxide Poisoning Prevention National Research and Response Agenda
Meeting |
The
Team Document [DHHS (NIOSH) Pub. No. 2006-121] NIOSH
Bibliography of Communication and Research Products 2005 [DHHS
(NIOSH) Pub. No. 2006-132]
Health Hazard Evaluations
|
1st American
Conference on Human Vibration 13th International
Respiratory Protection of Healthcare Workers and Emergency Responders Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Children at Work and Play December Nanotechnology Conference |
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