NIOSH eNews web page

STEPS REGISTRATION OPEN
Registration for the October Steps to a Healthier Workforce Symposium is now open.

Field Testing of Spokane Research Lab’s Hydrogen Vehicle
Experimental hydrogen vehicle designed to reduce diesel exhaust emissions currently being tested at Montana mine.

TB, Pesticide Findings Highlighted in CDC Weekly Report
Two Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report articles feature work conducted by NIOSH researchers.

Growing the Ranks: Occupational Health Internship Program
New NIOSH sponsored program inspires new generation of occupational health leaders.

Attention, Colleagues from Abroad: New Passport Requirement
Important information for our international colleagues planning visits to the U.S.

Special Theme Issue of Injury Prevention Features Papers from the Third National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS 2003)
Check out the August issue of Injury Prevention for research highlights from the October symposium.

Project IMHOTEP
NIOSH mentored nine outstanding college students under CDC’s Project IMHOTEP, which is designed to enhance the skills of minority students in the area of public health.

Conference Update: 7^th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion
“Work safety and health” theme of recent international conference.

r2p Corner

Web-based software for ground control in mine design 

Around NIOSH

Office of the Director
New roles for 2 NIOSH leaders

NIOSH Diversity Project
Check out the new Diversity newsletter

Division of Applied Research and Technology (DART)
New test provides real-time assessment of vaccine effectiveness

Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS)
Organizing the International Beryllium Research Symposium

Division of Safety Research (DSR)
Expanding outreach to the Fire Service

Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies (DSHEFS)
Study of noise exposures of the Highway Patrol

Education and Information Division (EID)
NIOSHTIC-2 offers updated resource on NIOSH grants, contracts, agreements

Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD)
Indoor Chemistry and Health Workshop held

National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL)
NPPTL seeking businesses to assist with testing electronic sensors

Office of Compensation Analysis and Support (OCAS)
New Associate Director for Science named

Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (PRL)
Emergency response and rescue

Spokane Research Laboratory (SRL)
Toolbox training materials released

Look For Us

National Wooden Pallet and Container Association in St. Louis, MO on September 16-18.

National Safety Congress in New Orleans, LA on September 13-15.

MinExpo International 2004 in Las Vegas, NV on September 27-30.

Training Resources Applied to Mining (TRAM) Conference in Beckley, WV on October 12-14.

Society for Mining, Metallurgical, and Exploration, Pittsburgh Section/Pittsburgh Coal Mining Institute of America Annual Joint Meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn, South Point, PA on October 21-22.

NORA

NORA Team examines the changing nature of work.

News From Our Partners

New OSHA Web page highlights residential construction industry

Communication Products

Preventing Falls of Workers through Skylights and Roof and Floor Openings

World Trade Center Response Topic Page

Upcoming Events

3^rd Conference on Metal Toxicity and Carcinogenesis

Workshop on Reducing Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Drugs to Healthcare: Converting Theory to Practice

2^nd International Symposium on Work Ability

Steps to a Healthier Workforce Symposium

First International Symposium on Nanotechnology and Occupational Health

17^th International Symposium on Epidemiology in Occupational Health

Contact Dermatitis 2004-Blending Science with Best Practice

Word of the Month

IMHOTEP

  From the Director's Desk

The fall harvest season is a reminder that agriculture has always been a mainstay of America’s economy, culture, and social values. Abraham Lincoln grew up on a farm. George Washington tested innovative methods for enriching the soil at Mount Vernon. I like to think that both of these great leaders would look favorably on the research and outreach that NIOSH conducts with farm families, businesses, farm employees, equipment manufacturers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, universities, and others to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths in agriculture.

Agriculture is one of NIOSH’s highest priority areas. As they operate and work around heavy equipment in physically challenging circumstances, farmers and farm employees face the risk of serious and potentially fatal traumatic injury. This risk extends to farm families, whose homes are also workplaces. On average, 103 children die every year from agriculture-related injuries on farms.

NIOSH’s initiatives in research, technical assistance, education, training, and communication are based on respect for farming traditions, and first-hand knowledge of this unique occupational setting. They are also rooted in our ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders to address potential risks for priority populations such as immigrant farm workers and working youth on farms. Efforts conducted or supported by NIOSH include these:

• NIOSH collaborates with tractor manufacturers and farmers to improve methods for testing tractor cabs for leaks, and designing ways to prevent or control leaks that may expose tractor operators to dust and pesticides.
  
  
• NIOSH in partnership with industry has begun developing cost-effective prototypes to retrofit older model farm tractors with rollover protective structure (ROPS). The goal of this partnership is to reduce the cost of retrofit ROPS to less than $300.
  
  
• A program developed by the NIOSH-funded Northeast Agricultural Center has decreased worker’s compensation claims by 36.2% among participating farms by helping the farms to assess work-related hazards and conduct safety and health training. More information about the Center can be found at http://www.nycamh.com.
  
  
• Results from the Community Partners for Healthy Farming Intervention Research Program, funded by NIOSH at the University of Illinois, helped protect participating Latino farm workers from eye injuries. The findings also provided insight into reducing injury and illness risks for Latino farm workers at other operations. The research demonstrated that training workers by Promotores, lay health advisors, was more effective than simply distributing safety equipment.
  
  
• Concerned by increasing reports of heat related illness, researchers from the North Carolina Agromedicine Institute are assessing the effects of environmental heat on the physiological health status of farm workers, primarily Hispanic, in eastern North Carolina, in research funded by NIOSH. For further information, contact John Sabella at sabellaj@mail.ecu.edu.
  
  
• NIOSH and partners are working under the Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention Initiative to monitor injuries and deaths involving youths on farms, and to develop effective preventive measures. Under this initiative:
  
  
• NIOSH is developing new educational brochures to help farm operators address areas where injuries to children on farms most frequently occur. Four brochures are currently available focusing on childhood asthma on minority and Hispanic farms, and childhood injuries on minority and Hispanic farms.
  
  Asthma Among Household Youth on Minority Farm Operations
  http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-118/
  
  Asthma Among Household Youth on Hispanic Farm Operations
  http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-158/
  
  Injuries to Youth on Minority Farm Operations
  http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-117/
  
  Injuries to Youth on Hispanic Farm Operations
  http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-157/
  
  
• The National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Safety and Health, funded by NIOSH at the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin, works to improve the safety of children in agricultural work and rural environments. http://research.marshfieldclinic.org/children/

  STEPS REGISTRATION OPEN!

Steps to a Healthier Workforce Symposium, Washington, D.C. October 26-28. To register online visit, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/steps.

Field testing of NIOSH’s experimental hydrogen-powered vehicle, Zero Emission Utility Solution (ZEUS), is slated to conclude later this month at the Stillwater Mine in Nye, Montana. Utilizing a converted diesel engine to burn hydrogen and emit water vapor, ZEUS is designed to reduce diesel exhaust emissions in underground mines. By storing hydrogen inside a solid metal, fire and explosion hazards are reduced to levels of fossil fueled vehicles. Partnerships with the Stillwater Mining Company and the Mine Safety and Health Administration have made it possible for the field testing to occur. For more on the ZEUS, contact Floyd Varley at FVarley@cdc.gov.

  TB, Pesticide Findings Highlighted in CDC Weekly Report

NIOSH scientists participated in investigations that were reported in two research articles in the Aug. 20 issue of CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. One article emphasized the importance of controlling tuberculosis (TB) in correctional facilities, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5332a2.htm. The other article noted the importance of controlling the unintended airborne drifting of pesticides from agricultural fields, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5332a4.htm.

  Growing the Ranks: Occupational Health Internship Program

On July 30th, NIOSH Director John Howard was among the special guests who celebrated the first class of nine undergraduate and graduate level interns from the Occupational Health Internship Program (OHIP) for medical, nursing and public health students. OHIP is a national program with centers at the University of California, San Francisco and Hunter College in New York City and administered by the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics. Launched this summer with the support of NIOSH, OHIP seeks to recruit, train, mentor and inspire a new generation of occupational safety and health professionals who are dedicated to preventing job injury and disease through partnerships with workers. Student interns are assigned to work in interdisciplinary teams to promote better understanding of how the different professions interact to identify, assess and resolve occupational hazards. For more information on the program to http://www.aoec.org/OHIP/Home.htm or contact OHIP program coordinator, Gail Bateson at batesong@pacbell.net.

  Attention, Colleagues from Abroad: New Passport Requirement

NIOSH wants its research colleagues from other countries to be aware of a new U.S. requirement for passports. Beginning Oct. 26, 2004, all visitors entering the U.S. who require a waiver must have a machine-readable passport. For further information to avoid complications in planned travel to the U.S. for meetings, conferences, and other collaborative purposes, see additional information on the U.S. State Department web page, http://travel.state.gov/visa/tempvisitors_novisa_waiver.html.

  Special Theme Issue of Injury Prevention Features Papers from the Third National Occupational
  Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS 2003)

The August 2004 issue of Injury Prevention features papers from the Third National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS 2003), co-sponsored by NIOSH in October 2003. This special issue features commentary by NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard emphasizing the need and priority of Research to Practice (r2p) - bridging the gap between research findings and the implementation of evidence-based, culturally competent, prevention practices in U.S. workplaces. For further information see http://ip.bmjjournals.com.

  Project IMHOTEP

NIOSH had the pleasure of mentoring nine outstanding college students this summer under CDC’s Project IMHOTEP, which is designed to enhance the skills and experience of minority students in the public heath areas of epidemiology, biostatistics and occupational safety and health. Sponsored by the Public Health Sciences Institute at Morehouse College, Project IMHOTEP is a valued resource for inspiring bright young people to pursue careers in health and safety for the increasingly diverse U.S. workforce. The talented students, who assisted with research projects in areas ranging from the hearing threshold of farmers to nanotechnology, were Tyson Anderson, Kimberly J. King, Elizabeth McCullum, Autumn Fulwiley, Nickie N. Jackson, Franklin Windom, Monisha Lewis, Edward Lockhart and Junis Miller. Each of the interns participated in a two-week training program consisting of classroom training, home study, attending seminars and workshops. The interns then worked one-on-one with a CDC research scientist and gave oral and written presentations of his or her research. More information on Project IMHOTEP is available at http://www.morehouse.edu/academics/cenins/publichealth/imhotep/program.html.

  Conference Update: 7^th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion

Increasing international visibility of occupational injury research and prevention was evident at the 7^th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion held this past June in Vienna, Austria . “Work Safety and Health,” one of eleven conference themes and co-chaired by staff from the NIOSH Division of Safety Research, included 42 oral presentations, 135 poster presentations and numerous cross-cutting thematic presentations (e.g. violence, road safety, child safety). NIOSH is supporting and planning the XVIIth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, slated for September 2005 in Orlando, Florida. We look forward to this opportunity and encourage participation by the occupational safety and health research community. More information about the upcoming conference is available at http://www.appcluster05.com/app/homepage.cfm?appname=343&moduleid=16.

  r2p Corner

Software for Ground Control in Mine Design
From its research on ground control, NIOSH has developed a number of software packages to help mine planners, managers, and others in designing mines and troubleshooting problems to prevent roof falls that may result in death or serious injury to miners. The software packages include programs on “Analysis of Longwall Pillar Stability,” “Analysis of Retreat Mining Pillar Stability,” “Analysis of Horizontal Stress Effects in Mining,” “LAMODEL” for calculating stresses and displacements in thin seams or veins, “Analysis of Roof Bolt Systems,” Coal Mine Roof Rating,” and “Troubleshooting Guide for Roof Support Systems.” Users have hailed the programs as “very useful” and a “type of help [that] keeps us safer and more productive.” These software packages can be accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/topics/groundcontrol/. Further information is available from Christopher Mark, NIOSH Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, at CMark@cdc.gov.

  Around NIOSH

Office of the Director
Dr. Gregory Wagner, who formerly headed the NIOSH Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS), joined the Office of the Director as a Senior Science Advisor. Dr. David Weissman succeeds Dr. Wagner as Acting Director of DRDS pending selection of a permanent division director.

NIOSH Diversity Project
Check Out the New Diversity Newsletter
New developments in NIOSH’s initiatives for advancing its diversity in outreach, recruitment, and other program areas are reported in the August 2004 NIOSH Diversity News. The on-line newsletter is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pgms/diversity/pdfs/DSCNewsletterAug2004.pdf.

Division of Applied Research and Technology (DART)
New Test Provides Real-Time Assessment of Vaccine Effectiveness
DART researchers developed a prototype assay test kit to evaluate the effectiveness of anthrax vaccine in first responders, decontamination workers and military personnel almost instantaneously, compared with traditional tests that may take days. DART scientists are now collaborating with the Naval Institute for Dental and Biomedical Research to evaluate the prototype. More information can be found in “Determination of serum IgG antibodies to Bacillus anthracis protective antigen in environmental sampling workers using a fluorescent covalent microsphere immunoassay,” Occup Environ Med (2004) 61:703-708 or by contacting Raymond Biagini at RBiagini@cdc.gov or John Snawder at JSnawder@cdc.gov.

Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS)
Organizing the International Beryllium Research Symposium
Christine Schuler and Mark Hoover are collaborating, on behalf of NIOSH, with scientists at the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST) and the National Jewish Medical and Research Center, as members of the organizing committee for an International Beryllium Research Symposium to be held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, March 8–11, 2005. Information on this symposium can be found at http://www.irsst.qc.ca/en/intro-be-2005.html.

Division of Safety Research (DSR)
Expanding Outreach to the Fire Service
NIOSH’s Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program expanded its outreach to fire fighters and fire departments across the U.S. by collaborating with the editors of several widely read fire service trade journals to publish summary versions of selected investigative reports from the program. This cost-free strategy enables NIOSH to disseminate information for preventing fire fighter fatalities to at least 1.8 million fire service personnel. More information on the program can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/firehome.html.

Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies (DSHEFS)
Study of Noise Exposures of the Highway Patrol
NIOSH offered recommendations to the Utah Highway Patrol for reducing troopers’ exposures to potentially high levels of noise from adjacent traffic when they work by the side of the highway. The NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE), which was requested by the Highway Patrol, could also help other law enforcement agencies set policies for protecting officers from the risk of job-related hearing loss. More information on HHEs can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe.

Education and Information Division (EID)
NIOSHTIC-2 Offers Updated Resource on NIOSH Grants, Contracts, Agreements
NIOSHTIC-2, a searchable on-line NIOSH database, provides updated information on reports from grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements funded by the Institute. As of July 2004, NIOSHTIC-2 provides citations to nearly 700 grant reports, more than 3,000 contract reports, and 37 cooperative agreement reports funded by NIOSH. For more information on NIOSHTIC-2, visit the Web page at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nioshtic-2/.

Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD)
Indoor Chemistry and Health Workshop Held
The NORA Indoor Environment Team sponsored an Indoor Chemistry and Health Workshop at the University of California, Santa Cruz Conference Center July 12-15. HELD team leader Ray Wells co-chaired the event that brought together approximately 70 attendees from 8 different countries to discuss advances in understanding in gas phase chemistry of the indoor environment, fundamental physiologic mechanisms, and potential areas for collaboration between chemists and health professionals. It is believed that this is the first time such a wide range of research disciplines had been gathered in one place to initiate new thoughts about future research directions for addressing issues of health effects of the indoor environment. Products of the workshop will be posted on the NORA Indoor Environment Team Web page (http://www2a.cdc.gov/nora/noratopictemp.asp?rscharea=ie).

National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL)
NPPTL Seeking Businesses to Assist with Testing Electronic Sensors
NPPTL is looking to partner with businesses capable of incorporating electronic sensors into respirator filter cartridges. This collaboration will consist of installing sensors in cartridges during their manufacturing process. The cartridges will be used to investigate sensor performance during test loading of the cartridges with industrial solvent vapors. Interested businesses must submit letters of interest by September 10, 2004. More information can be found in the August 10 Federal Register, http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-18219.pdf.

Office of Compensation Analysis and Support (OCAS)
New Associate Director for Science Named
The NIOSH Office of Compensation Analysis and Support (OCAS) announces the appointment of James Neton as the Associate Director for Science for the office. He will serve as the primary scientific advisor the OCAS Director and NIOSH Director in formulating scientific policy and program practice decisions for the responsibilities under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. To learn more about OCAS, go to http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/.

Rescue team members checking a map during an exercise.

Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (PRL)
Emergency Response and Rescue
During the first five months of 2004, underground mine rescue team training exercises were conducted at NIOSH’s Lake Lynn Laboratory for 11 mine rescue teams from Consol Energy and five rescue teams sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Deep Mine Safety. The exercises simulated critical rescue situations such as mapping smoke-filled entries, searching for missing miners, and administering first aid to injured miners. For more information, contact Charles Lazzara at CLazzara@cdc.gov.

Spokane Research Laboratory (SRL)
Toolbox Training Materials Released
NIOSH's ToolBox Training For Construction Aggregate Miners is now available for download from the NIOSH Web site.  These short training modules on hazards, best practices, and other training issues are designed to help aggregate operations in remote locations and with small work crews meet their training needs.  For more information contact Lani Boldt at CBoldt@cdc.gov or visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/topics/healthhazards/.

  Look for Us

Look for the NIOSH Exhibit Booth at these upcoming meetings and conferences!

• National Wooden Pallet and Container Association in St. Louis, MO on September 16-18 at booth number 12. Information on the conference can be found at http://www.nwpca.com/MeetingsandEvents/RecyclingRepairConference.htm.
  
  
• National Safety Congress in New Orleans, LA on September 13-15 at booth number 848. Information on the congress can be found at http://www.appcluster05.com/nsc2004splash.cfm.
  
  
• MinExpo International 2004 in Las Vegas, NV on September 27-30. The exhibit will feature various mining research results as well as information on the Black Lung Surveillance Program. More information on the conference can be found at http://www.minexpo.com/index.htm.
  
  
• Training Resources Applied to Mining (TRAM) Conference in Beckley, WV on October 12-14. The exhibit will feature mining research results as well as featuring new and upcoming technology transfer products.
  
  
• Society for Mining, Metallurgical, and Exploration, Pittsburgh Section/Pittsburgh Coal Mining Institute of America Annual Joint Meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn, South Point, PA on October 21-22.
  
  

   NORA

NORA Team Examines the Changing Nature of Work
The workplace is rapidly changing, creating new and unstudied safety and health challenges. Organizational restructuring, new communication technologies, and extended work shifts have left many workers facing increased job demands and longer work days. The NORA Organization of Work Team examines how these trends affect worker health and safety. Team leader Steve Sauter explains the team’s mission is to identify “what is known and not known about the health and safety implications and to promote research to fill these knowledge gaps.”

The team responded to these knowledge gaps with it's white paper The Changing Organization of Work and the Safety and Health of Working People, published in 2002. Subgroups now focus on two high priority issues: work organization and women’s health and the health and safety consequences of long working hours. Long working hours was also the theme of a successful conference the team recently co-sponsored with the University of Maryland; the Journal of the American Medical Association published the conference results in the July 7, 2004 issue. In addition, the team supports 21 research projects and funds 11 graduate training programs in the organization of work. Visit the team’s Web page to learn more about their research and the NIOSH Stress Topic page to find related information about the organization of work.

White paper link http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/02-116pd.html
Team Web page Link http://www2a.cdc.gov/nora/noratopictemp.asp?rscharea=ow
Stress Topic Page link http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/stress/

  News from Our Partners

New OSHA Web Page Highlights Residential Construction Industry
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has unveiled a new Safety and Health Topic page highlighting industry-specific safety and health information to thousands of workers engaged in residential construction. The topic page is a joint product of the agency’s year-old Alliance with the National Association of Home Builders, http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/residential/index.html.

  Communication Products

Preventing Falls of Workers through Skylights and Roof and Floor Openings
A new NIOSH Alert, DHHS (NIOSH) Pub No. 2004-156, provides recommendations for preventing fatal job-related falls through skylights and roof and floor openings. The Alert can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-156.

World Trade Center Response Topic Page
A new NIOSH topic page provides information on NIOSH’s response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The web page, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/wtc, includes air sampling reports, worker surveys results and links to emergency response resources.

  Upcoming Events

3^rd Conference on Metal Toxicity and Carcinogenesis
The 3^rd Conference on Molecular Mechanisms of Metal Toxicity and Carcinogenesis will be held Sept. 12-15, at the NIOSH Morgantown, W.Va., facility. The meeting is co-sponsored by NIOSH and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The conference will provide an opportunity to exchange information on new and emerging mechanisms of metal-induced toxicity and carcinogenesis; to formulate hypotheses regarding the ways certain metals may cause changes in the body at the molecular level that may predict or lead to cancer; and to propose novel therapeutic interventions, risk assessments and prevention strategies. More information is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pdfs/metals-conf.pdf.

Workshop on Reducing Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare: Converting Theory to Practice
NIOSH will sponsor a workshop Oct. 3-5, in San Antonio, Texas, to familiarize healthcare professionals with the recently published NIOSH Alert on Preventing Occupational Exposures to Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings and to discuss implementation of the recommendations contained in the alert. More information is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hazdrug/conference.html.

2^nd International Symposium on Work Ability
The 2^nd International Symposium on Work Ability will be held Oct. 18-20, in Verona, Italy. The Symposium is being organized by the Universities of Milano and Verona, the International Commission on Occupational Health’s (ICOH) Scientific Committee "Ageing and Work" and the International Ergonomics Association’s (IEA) Technical Committee “Ageing.” Topics include ways to assess and promote work ability and the factors affecting the work ability of older workers. NIOSH is an institutional member of ICOH. More information is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pdfs/workability-a.pdf.

Steps to a Healthier Workforce Symposium
The Steps to a Healthier Workforce 2004 Symposium will be held Oct. 26-28, at the Cafritz Center on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The symposium is being co-sponsored by NIOSH and will bring together communities of occupational safety and health protection and health promotion to develop a coordinated system that addresses both workplace and worker health. The deadline to submit a poster or presentation is August 27. More information is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/steps.

First International Symposium on Nanotechnology and Occupational Health
NIOSH and the Health and Safety Executive of the United Kingdom will co-sponsor the First International Symposium on Nanotechnology and Occupational Health, to be held in Buxton, United Kingdom, on Oct. 12-14. The symposium provides NIOSH with a partnership opportunity to address potential occupational health concerns associated with the manufacturing and use of nanomaterials, which are engineered materials of very minute size (details of other activities can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech/). As an increasing number of nanotechnology-based materials and products enter commercial production, there is a need to understand the potential safety and health risks and how they can be controlled.

This nanotechnology symposium is the first of its kind to bring together researchers, industry representatives and policy makers in order to define the issues facing workers and employers and to develop strategies to address the potential health risks. This is an open symposium aimed at initiating dialogue on nanotechnology and workplace safety and health. Additional information on the meeting is available at http://www.hsl.gov.uk/news/nanosymp.htm.

17^th International Symposium on Epidemiology in Occupational Health
The EPICOH 2004, 17^th International Symposium on Epidemiology in Occupational Health will be held Oct. 13-16, in Melbourne, Australia. NIOSH is one of the sponsors for this year’s conference. EPICOH is one of the major international occupational health and safety conferences and should appeal to people who work in occupational health research, people with occupational health and safety responsibilities or anyone with an interest in the relationship between work and health. This year’s theme is reducing the global burden of occupational disease and injury. More information is available at http://www.med.monash.edu.au/epidemiology/epicoh/index.html.

Contact Dermatitis 2004-Blending Science with Best Practice
The Contact Dermatitis 2004-Blending Science with Best Practice Conference will be held Oct. 28-30, in Bethesda, Md. NIOSH, the NORA Allergic and Irritant Dermatitis Team and other organizations and agencies are sponsoring and hosting this conference. The conference is the latest in a series of scientific meetings and collaborative activities by a diverse industry, government and academic working group to advance research to prevent work-related skin disorders. More information is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/skin/CD2004/.

  Word of the Month

IMHOTEP: A CDC mentoring program for minority students, named after an ancient Egyptian physician, mathematician and architect who established some of the first recorded public health practices.  He was deified as the god of medicine.