NIOSH eNews - September 2008

The memory of September 11, 2001, is particularly vivid every year at this time, as we mourn and honor our fellow Americans who died in the terrorist attacks that day, and commemorate the heroism of the responders who went into the devastation at Ground Zero on missions of rescue and recovery.

As a part of the national response to the attacks, NIOSH scientists and engineers were among those mobilized by the Federal Government to provide technical assistance on-site for responders as rescue and recovery proceeded at the World Trade Center site. Seven years later, NIOSH continues to partner with the responder community and the medical community, our fellow government agencies, and others in meeting national needs from the long-term impact of 9/11. We are honored to have this role, and we are mindful that what we do is vitally important for responders and their loved ones.

Since 2002, federal funds have supported health services for the World Trade Center responders. Today, these services include clinical health screening, monitoring, and treatment for health conditions associated with exposures from the World Trade Center attack. Services are provided for responders in the New York metropolitan area and for those who came to Ground Zero from other parts of the country. NIOSH was mandated to administer these funds through our extramural contracts and grants program. We are committed to carrying out our duties responsibly, thoughtfully, and sensitively.

More recently, we were also designated to administer funds for providing access to medical screenings, diagnostic services, and treatment for residents, students, and other "non-emergency responders" impacted by the World Trade Center catastrophe. We issued an announcement for proposals on July 24, 2008, with a deadline of August 25, 2008, and we expect to award funding by the end of this month. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/upd-07-24-08.html

Screening, monitoring, and treatment are essential for addressing acute health effects and guiding timely, effective medical care for individuals. At the same time, the services supported through federal funds also provide a complementary underpinning for research to help answer ongoing questions about potential risks for populations associated with World Trade Center exposures: What trends appear when cases are analyzed in aggregate? What conditions associated with exposures are most likely to occur? Do the conditions persist over time? Will exposures be associated with illnesses that have long latency periods – illnesses that would take years or decades to emerge?

At NIOSH’s encouragement, a body of high-quality scientific literature addressing such questions has grown over the past six years. Peer-reviewed studies by our clinical partners have identified certain conditions whose onset or aggravation may be related to World Trade Center exposures, clinical findings suggest. These include certain respiratory symptoms, digestive disorders, and mental health conditions. Continued research, in conjunction with monitoring and treatment, will help scientists and doctors assess whether these conditions remain persistent over time, and whether other conditions are likely to emerge. Some of the notable studies that have been published to date, in addition to other information about the monitoring and treatment efforts, can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/wtc/.

With the help of our partners, we continually evaluate our efforts to make sure that we continue to meet the mandate entrusted to us, that we anticipate ongoing needs, and that policymakers have needed information for future planning. I want to thank everyone who helps us to do so. I have had occasion to meet many of our colleagues and stakeholders in our shared World Trade Center activities, and I have been impressed with their high regard for NIOSH’s professionalism and dedication. With your help and theirs, we will continue to do our best to meet the level of quality and service expected of us.

In Memoriam: Bill Wallace

Dr. Bill Wallace

Dr. Bill Wallace

Friends and colleagues were shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden death on July 20, 2008 of Dr. Bill Wallace, a distinguished senior scientist in the NIOSH, Health Effects Laboratory Division, who was vacationing at Cape May, NJ with his family. Bill was a physicist, whose first postdoc was at the Department of Energy facility in Morgantown, where he did research in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Bill developed an NMR pulse sequence that is used today as part of magnetic resonance imaging. Bill went on to become a division director at the Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) focusing on environmental control technologies.

Bill came to NIOSH in 1980 with an intense interest in coal workers’ pneumoconiosis and similar diseases. This inspired three main research quests: What are the surface properties of dusts that make some dusts much more dangerous than others, how does pulmonary surfactant interact with pathogenic dusts, and how can fibrotic lung disease be diagnosed at an early stage so treatment might be possible? Over the next several decades, Bill’s research led to a patented method for ranking dusts for surface-available silica, which is in use now in China and elsewhere, and has been validated by epidemiological studies. Studies have confirmed that pulmonary surfactant interactions with dusts, especially diesel exhaust particulates, are crucial to their biological activity. In collaboration with a HELD Team and the Radiology Department at the WVU Health Sciences Center, Bill developed a method using 18F-fluoroproline and Positron Emission Tomography to detect excess collagen synthesis in the lungs of test animals with induced silicosis. The results were validated by histopathology and published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Besides science pursuits, Bill was a dedicated humanist, a United Way and Salvation Army board member, and great scholar and conversationalist. We will miss you, Bill! (even your adaptation of Shakespeare’s sonnets into country and western songs)!

(Contributed by Mike Keane on behalf of Bill’s friends and coworkers.)

Nanotechnology issues discussed by Dr. Howard in Public TV interview

In a new public television segment, former NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D., and other representatives from government, research, business, and health advocacy discuss issues relating to the health and safety implications of nanotechnology. The segment was broadcast on the August 12, 2008, edition of "QUEST," a science and nature series produced by KQED-TV, San Francisco. "Nanotechnology's future depends on how much investment we make in risk assessment and risk management now, in the first decade of the 21^st Century," Dr. Howard states in an interview taped in May. The segment is available on-line at http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/macro-concerns-in-a-nano-world.

NIOSH Storm and Flood Cleanup Topic Page Provides Resources for Hurricane Response Workers

Now that the 2008 Hurricane Season is in full force, NIOSH would like to remind you that the NIOSH Storm and Flood Clean up Topic Page http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/flood/ is a resource for employers and workers to help prepare in advance for anticipated response activities, and to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses in the field once rescue, recovery, and clean-up begin. The page provides information on recommendations for relief workers and emergency responders, assessment tools for hurricane response, and links to information about hazards associated with storm and flood cleanup.

NIOSH Funded Study Helps Teens Stay Safe at Work

A NIOSH funded Teens at Work Project was featured on a Boston local television news story on young workers in July. The Teens at Work Project was developed by the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Health and Safety (MassCOSH) to help reduce the high rate of injury for teens by educating them of their rights and of safety precautions. For more information or to view the news segment, go to http://www.thebostonchannel.com/investigative/17025393/detail.html. NIOSH resources for preventing work-related injuries and illnesses among working youths are available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/youth/.

The Stories We Can Tell… NIOSH NORA Photo Contest Winners Announced

NIOSH recently held its first NORA Photo Contest. Participants were asked to submit photos related to one or more of the seven NORA sectors. The photos were judged on the following three criteria: aesthetic quality of the photograph, quality of the story told by the photo, and originality of the subject. A winner was selected from each NORA sector category as well as a "best in show." To view the winning photos go to http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/symp08/photoContest.html or view all submitted photos as well as other NIOSH photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/niosh/.

NIOSH Researchers Win in CDC Annual Photo Contest

NIOSH researchers showed off their photography skills in CDC’s annual photo contest, winning in both the domestic people and domestic program categories. The winners are identified below with their winning photo.

Miner examining the fallen roof inside a mine
Gregory Molinda won second place in domestic programs category for his photo of a NIOSH researcher evaluating a “roof fall” and trying to determine the best support to reinforce the rock.

Worker high upon a 45 degree roof leaning on a NIOSH designed roof bracket safety rail system.
This photo taken by Tom Bobick tied for third place in domestic programs. His photo demonstrates workplace safety. The worker is on a 45° steep-slope roof, notes Bobick. “What is normally a risky workplace has been turned into a safe work environment through the use of the NIOSH-designed adjustable roof bracket-safety rail system…”

Scientist fully enclosed in protective clothing in a once flooded residence.
This photo by Sung-Chul Seo is of a scientist investigating mold in a home flooded by Hurricane Katrina. It is the first-place winner in the domestic people category.

Seventy year old miner surrounded by tables of equipment inside a mine.
Anita Wolfe won second place in the domestic people category for this photo that shows a 70 year old coal miner who still works underground in the anthracite coal fields of eastern Pennsylvania.

r2p Corner

Occupational Safety and Health at Xavier University

In August NIOSH signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Xavier University’s Williams College of Business, Cincinnati, to help advance the safety and health of workers, by raising awareness of the business case for preventing worker injury and illness. As a result of this agreement, the first effort by NIOSH and Xavier University will be the development of an MBA course, “Business Value of Safety and Health,” that is focused on improving safety and health in the workplace to increase productivity and profit. This effort, in collaboration with the National Safety Council, will integrate safety and health material into the business school curriculum. The course is scheduled for spring 2009. Further information about the agreement is available from DeLon Hull, director of the NIOSH Office of Research and Technology Transfer, DHull@cdc.gov.

NORA

Many of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Sector Councils (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/councils)have already posted a draft national agenda for their sectors (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora). They are now preparing updated agendas based on the comments received as they move into the implementation phase. If you or your organization has an interest in the accomplishment of ;one or more of the goals and are not already involved, contact the NORA Coordinator at noracoordinator@cdc.gov. Unique contributions from diverse partners will be required to accomplish the many surveillance, research, and research-to-practice goals outlined.

Around NIOSH

Podcast Highlights NIOSH Researcher's Professional Accomplishments

Vincent Castranova, director of the Pathology and Physiology Research Branch in the NIOSH Health Effects Laboratory Division, was interviewed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a podcast highlighting his professional accomplishments and his recognition as the winner of the 2008 Shepard Award for Lifetime Achievement. The podcast is available at http://www2a.cdc.gov/podcasts/player.asp?f=9988.

NIOSH Hosts Safety and Health Interventions Session at Mining Expo

NIOSH will host a special session at MINExpo International 2008 on September 23-24 in Las Vegas, NV. "Safety and Health Interventions for Mining" will cover ten important topic areas where NIOSH has made significant progress toward the goal of a safer and healthier mining workplace. For more information on the meeting go to http://www.minexpo.com/overview.shtm.

NIOSH Representative Appointed to the EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Chemical Prioritization Process

Richard W. Niemeier, Associate Director for Science, NIOSH Education and Information Division, will represent NIOSH on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) chemical prioritization process. This Standing Federal Science Review Committee will meet three times per year to evaluate the current IRIS documents as well as newly prioritized substances.

PtD News

Donna Heidel, certified industrial hygienist, has formally joined NIOSH in the Education and Information Division. Donna will continue her role as the recently-appointed NIOSH coordinator for the Prevention through Design (PtD) National Initiative. Donna was instrumental in the publication of the initial PtD workshop proceedings and has been working with partner organizations and companies as well as individual PtD experts to draft a strategic plan for the PtD National Initiative. More information on PtD can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/PtD/.

Improved Criteria for Emergency Medical Protective Clothing

NIOSH research is incorporated in the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA1999 Standard on Protective Clothing for Emergency Medical Operations, 2008 Edition. The technical standard provides a new level of personal protective equipment (PPE) protection for the nation’s Emergency Medical Service. The NIOSH research incorporated in the technical standard reflects NIOSH’s partnership with EMS responders to learn about their PPE needs and identify appropriate technical performance levels for equipment. Contact Angie Shepherd for more information dlq0@cdc.gov.

Upcoming Survey to Collect Injury Data on Minority Operated Farms

NIOSH is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to collect data from the approximately 50,000 minority farm operators (Asians, Blacks, Native Americans, and Hispanics) across the U.S. The survey, conducted every five years, will collect data on the number of youths living on the farms and the number and type of farm-related injuries, illnesses, and hazards to youths and adults. Findings will be used to monitor nonfatal injury patterns, assess farm hazards and exposures, and prioritize research. USDA will then share the results to each participating farm and provide information on steps to reduce agricultural injuries. Contact John Myers at JRMyers@cdc.gov for information on the survey or visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/agriculture/ for more information on agriculture safety.

News From Our Partners

Occupational Health Disparities Affecting Connecticut’s Hispanic Workforce

NIOSH health surveillance partners at the Connecticut Department of Public Health recently reported an analysis of occupational health disparities in the state’s Hispanic workforce. The analysis showed that Connecticut’s Hispanic workforce had consistently higher rates of non-fatal occupational illnesses, injuries, and fatalities than their White counterparts for the years 1999-2006. Additionally, while the non-fatal illness and injury rates for Hispanic and White workers had both declined between 1999 and 2006, the disparity between the two groups was virtually unchanged (2.3 times higher for Hispanic workers in 1999 and 2.4 times higher in 2006). In 1999, the occupational fatality rate for Hispanic workers in Connecticut was almost five times higher than the rate for White workers. While this disparity gap has been decreasing since 1999, the occupational fatality rate for Hispanic workers remained 2.5 times higher than the rate for White workers in 2006, indicating a continuing need for targeted education and intervention efforts.

Communication Products

Two NIOSH documents are now available in Spanish

"Protecting Poultry Workers from Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)" DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2008-128 http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/niosh/docs/2008-128_sp/default.html. The English version is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2008-128/.

"Workplace Solution - Water Spray Control of Hazardous Dust When Breaking Concrete with a Jackhammer" DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2008-127 http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2008-127_sp/default.html. The English version is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2008-127/.

Upcoming Events

“No Fit Test” Respirator Workshop

NIOSH and the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, are cosponsoring a “No Fit Test” Respirator Workshop November 6, 2008, in Pittsburgh, PA. This workshop will focus on the nature and process of product innovation and development in negative-pressure half-facepiece respirators to gauge the current state of the art, and to stimulate new designs or approaches for improved respirator fit. The results of this workshop will lead to a better understanding of how future NIOSH research can encourage on-going development of better-fitting respirators without compromising long-term protection. The workshop is free but registration is required http://cpheo.sph.umn.edu/mcohs/.

Look for us

Association of Occupational Health Professionals
September 17 – 20, 2008, Denver, CO. Booth numbers 55 & 56

National Safety Council Expo
September 22 – 24, 2008, Anaheim, CA. Booth number 1594

2008 National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS)
October 21 – 23, 2008, Pittsburgh, PA

FFA
October 22 – 24, 2008, Indianapolis, IN. Booth numbers 446 & 448

American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting & Exposition
October 25 – 29, 2008, San Diego, CA

Call for Abstracts

Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference
April 14-15, 2009, Tacoma, Washington. Deadline for abstracts is September 15, 2008. http://capps.wsu.edu/conferences/emergencyprep/

ASTM
July 13-16, 2009, Burlington VT. Deadline for abstract and/or presentation submission is October 15, 2008. Email submissions to elight@building-dynamics.com.

Association of periOperative Registered Nurses Congress 2009
March 15 – 19, 2009, Chicago, IL. Deadline for proposals is October 1, 2008.
http://www.aorn.org/Education/EducationEvents/CallForProposals

American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo
May 30 – June 4, 2009, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Deadline for Technical Papers, Poster Abstracts and Roundtable Panel Program submissions is October 6, 2008. http://www.aiha.org/aihce09/default.htm

2009 Emergency Nurses Association Annual Conference
October 7 – 10, 2009, Baltimore, MD. Deadline is January 15, 2009.
http://ena.org

American Occupational Health Conference 2009
April 26 – 29, 2009, San Diego, CA. Deadline for Academic Abstracts is January 31, 2009. http://aohc2009.abstractcentral.com

American Association of Occupational Health Nurses 2009 Symposium and Expo
April 17 – 23, 2009, Orlando, FL. Deadline for poster presentation submissions is March 1, 2009.
http://www.aaohn.org/education/symposium-expo/cfp/index.cfm

Upcoming Conferences

American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Conference for Leadership Advancement
September 10 – 12, 2008, Atlanta, GA. http://www.aaohn.org

14^th International Society for Respiratory Protection
September 14 – 18, 2008, Dublin, Ireland. http://www.isrp.com/dublin/

20^th Annual Occupational Medicine Update
September 19 – 20, 2008, Sandestin, FL.
http://www.soph.uab.edu/dsc/continuingeducation/20thAnnualOCCMED

National Safety Council Expo
September 22 – 24, 2008, Anaheim, CA. http://congress.nsc.org/nsc2008/public/MainHall.aspx?ID=17&MMID=17

2008 Mine Expo International
September 22-24, 2008, Las Vegas, NV. http://www.minexpo.com/overview.shtm

2008 National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS)
October 21 – 23, 2008, Pittsburgh, PA. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/noirs/2008

American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting & Exposition
October 25-29, 2008, San Diego, CA http://www.apha.org/meetings/

2008 Worker Safety and Health Technical Conference
October 28 – 29, 2008, Washington, DC. https://frink2.sraprod.com/wsh

PCIH 2008
November 8 – 11, 2008, Tampa, FL. http://www.aiha.org/pcih08/

ISEA Fall Meeting Protection 2033
November 11, 2008, Arlington, VA. http://www.safetyequipment.org/#inside

8^th Conference of the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology
November 12 – 14, 2008, Valencia, Spain. http://www.ea-ohp.org

2008 NIOSH Direct-Reading Exposure Assessment Methods (DREAM) Workshop
November 13-14, 2008, Washington, DC. http://www.team-psa.com/dream2008/main.asp

International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) 2008 Annual Conference
November 15 – 20, 2008, Overland Park, KS. http://www.iaem.com/events/annual/intro.htm

International Roofing Expo
February 3 – 5, 2009, Las Vegas, NV. http://www.theroofingexpo.com

2009 SME Annual Meeting” and “CMA 111^th Annual National Western Mining Conference
February 22 – 25, 2009, Denver, CO. http://sme2009.abstractcentral.com

Emergency Nurses Association Leadership Conference
March 4 – 8, 2009, Reno, NV. http://www.ena.org

29^th Triennial Congress of the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH 2009)
March 22 – 27, 2009, Cape Town, South Africa. http://www.icoh2009.co.za

American Association of Occupational Health Nurses 2009 Symposium and Expo
April 17 – 23, 2009, Orlando, FL. http://www.aaohn.org/education/symposium-expo/cfp/index.cfm

Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) 2009
April 20 – 25, 2009, Indianapolis, IN. http://downloads.pennnet.com/fe/fdic2008/2009indycallforpapers.doc

ASSE Professional Development Conference and Exposition “SAFETY 2009”
June 23 – July 1, 2009, San Antonio, TX. http://www.asse.org

ASTM Conference
July 14-17, 2009 in Burlington VT. Email elight@building-dynamics.com for information.

19^th International Symposium on Shiftwork and Working Time
August 2 – 6, 2009, Venezia, Italy. http://www.shiftwork2009.it

Word of the Month

IRIS (the Integrated Risk Information System): An electronic database (http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris/index.cfm) containing information on human health effects that may result from exposure to various substances in the environment. It is maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

NIOSH eNews on the Web: www.cdc.gov/niosh/enews/

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Acting Director	Christine M. Branche, Ph.D.
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