NIOSH eNews Web site

UPDATE: New Topic Page Follows NA Evaluation of NIOSH Programs
The National Academies begin evaluation of NIOSH research programs.

Significant Costs from Workplace Homicides Estimated in Study
Highest number of homicides and total costs occur in retail trade industry.

Control Banding is Addressed in New NIOSH Topic Page
Site defines control banding, describes its potential applications and includes key resources.

Global Safety and Health Community to Gather in Florida this Fall
The World Safety Congress and the National Safety Council will meet in September.

NIOSH Health Care Worker Resources Featured in Global Health Network Newsletter
NIOSH provides information on topics ranging from chemical hazards to workplace violence to tuberculosis.

Office of Extramural Programs
The NIOSH Office of Extramural Programs announces a new award and provides updates to previous funding notices.

Around NIOSH

Office of the Director
Integrating worker health protection, and promotion will be highlighted in a symposium.

NIOSH Diversity Initiative
Former employee recognized for promoting equal opportunities and diversity within the Institute.

Division of Applied Research and Technology (DART)
NIOSH hosts global partners for discussions on workplace bullying.

Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS)
NIOSH conducts spirometry training at the American Occupational Health Conference.

Division of Safety Research (DSR)
Recent Publication NIOSH Alert: Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Fire Fighters due to Truss System Failures highlighted.

Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies (DSHEFS)
John J. Bloomfield Award presented to Lauralynn Taylor.

Education and Information Division (EID)
National Control Banding workshop held.

Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD)
HELD Deputy Director named.

National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL)
New research laboratory measures physiological stress.

Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (PRL)
New video focuses on roof screen to prevent Injury.

Spokane Research Laboratory (SRL)
SRL employee assists in tsunami relief effort.

r2p Corner

AutoROPS moves from prototype technology to practical application.

NORA

News From Our Partners

U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board to hold June meeting on Combustible Dust

Communication Products

Fact Sheet: Mechanical Timber Harvesting Reduces Workers' Compensation Injury Claims in West Virginia
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005-129

Nanotechnology FAQs

A New Method to Clean Dust From Soiled Work Clothes
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005-136

New NIOSH Topic Page: Office Environment and Worker Safety and Health.

Upcoming Events

Occupational and Environmental Exposures of Skin to Chemicals-2005

Fifth International Symposium on Modern Principles of Air Monitoring

Health Effects of Welding

North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology (NAACT) 2005

Advanced Personal Protective Equipment - Challenges in Protecting First Responders

Internoise 2005

Work, Stress and Health 2006: Making a Difference in the Workplace

"Word" of the Month

Control banding

  From the Director's Desk

A strong foundation for advancing the field of occupational safety and health can be found at the 16 NIOSH-funded, university-based Education and Research Centers (ERCs) and for the more than 40 institutions that receive NIOSH Training Project Grants (TPGs). These two programs assist NIOSH in providing an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Since the inception of the ERC program in the mid-1970s, over 13,500 students have graduated. Each year continuing education courses are provided to over 30,000 trainees.

Located at leading universities in 15 states, ERCs provide interdisciplinary graduate and research training, and continuing education in industrial hygiene, occupational health nursing, occupational medicine, occupational safety, and other closely-related occupational safety and health fields. They also provide outreach and serve as regional resource centers for industry, labor, government, and the public. The ERCs are funded for up to five-year periods under a competitive peer-review process.

ERCs have adapted their training and education efforts to meet the needs and demands of the changing work environment. Here are a few examples:

• New programs offer specialized training in health services research, occupational epidemiology, hazardous substances, and biomarkers of occupational exposure and susceptibility.
  
  
• ERCs are positioned to serve as a resource center for their communities and to provide continuing education to the region's professionals, including a distance-learning program implemented in occupational health nursing.
  
  
• ERC graduates from Central America, Colombia and Venezuela include some of the first doctoral students in occupational and environmental epidemiology, occupational health, safety engineering and ergonomics.
  
  
• Doctoral students in the ERCs are challenged with investigating new threats to the workplace and for developing new methods to improve worker safety and health, such as a testing method for detecting anthrax-laden envelopes.
  
  
• Through the ERC Pilot Project Grant Program, researchers receive seed money to begin small-scale studies related to research topics in one of the twenty-one priority areas defined by the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA). The promising results from these projects form the basis for submitting larger studies.

The ERC program announcement (PAR-05-107) was published in the May 12 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guide for Grants and Contracts. Applications are currently being accepted and the receipt date is September 16, 2005. The complete program announcement, which includes further details, can be found at: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-05-107.html. We anticipate announcing the awards in summer 2006.

Training Project Grants (TPGs) are supported by NIOSH at academic institutions which primarily provide single-discipline training in the fields of occupational safety and health. These training grants support academic programs that enroll approximately 800 full-time trainees each year.

Successes under the TPG program include the following:

• The Occupational and Environmental Health (OEH) Nursing Program at the University of Pennsylvania is ranked highest within the School of Nursing by employers. The program has met a great need for practicing OEH Nurses within the industrial base of the Middle Atlantic region.
  
  
• Marine safety training to prevent death and injury due to hypothermia and drowning in cold water environments is provided through the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association. Over 600 instructors have provided training to more than 100,000 commercial fishers, boaters, agency personnel and children.

The program announcement for the TPGs is anticipated this summer and will be highlighted in a future issue of eNews.

The NIOSH ERC and TPG training programs are the only federal programs providing leadership to support the ongoing training of occupational safety and health professionals. This combined effort results in a win-win situation by training occupational safety and health practitioners and researchers as well as leaders for the public and private sectors, and providing support and funding for faculty and students.

To learn more about the NIOSH ERCs visit the Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/oep/centers.html. Information on NIOSH Training Project Grants can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/oep/trngrnt.html.

   UPDATE: New Topic Page Follows NA Evaluation of NIOSH Programs

A new NIOSH topic page describes the purpose, scope and components of the evaluation of NIOSH research programs currently underway by the National Academies (NA). Included on the topic page are a description of the evaluation, links to pertinent documents, a list of the framework committee members, copies of NIOSH presentations to the committee, and past reports by the NA. The topic page is http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nas.

At the request of NIOSH, the NA is evaluating programs based on impact, relevance and future directions. The NA will determine the extent to which NIOSH research is responsible for changes in the workplace that reduce the risk of occupational injuries, illnesses, and deaths. Fifteen programs will be evaluated beginning with the hearing loss prevention and mining injury prevention programs. The request reflects NIOSH's commitment to expert external review of our research programs.

   Significant Costs from Workplace Homicides Estimated in Study

   Control Banding is Addressed in New NIOSH Topic Page

The purpose, elements, current and potential applications, and other features of control banding are described in a new NIOSH Web topic page introduced on May 26. The page is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ctrlbanding. Control banding is a process in which a single controltechnology (such as general ventilation or containment) is applied to one range or band of exposures to a chemical (such as exposures in the range of 1-;10 milligrams per cubic meter of air) that falls within a given hazard group (such as skin and eye irritants or severely irritating and corrosive materials). The most developed model for control banding has been established by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of the United Kingdom. NIOSH is currently evaluating its utility for the United States.

   Global Safety and Health Community to Gather in Florida this Fall

Safety and health experts from around the world will gather in Orlando, Florida this fall for two prominent international and national conferences. On September 18-22, 2005, NIOSH along with a number of other private and public sector organizations will co-support the XVIIth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work. The Congress, jointly organized by the International Labor Organization, the International Social Security Association and the National Safety Council, will serve as an international forum for approximately 3000 professionals to exchange ideas, research, and best practices on highly topical issues in the area of occupational safety and health. This marks the first time the Congress will be held in the U.S. http://www.safety2005.org.

Coinciding with the World Safety Congress, the National Safety Council Congress and Expo will run from September 21-23, 2005 at the same location. The Congress will feature over 200 sessions ranging from broad-based to industry-specific topics for the seasoned professional and newcomers to safety and health. The Expo is the world's largest annual safety and health exhibit, where more than 750 exhibiting companies demonstrate and showcase the latest in safety materials and products. http://www.congress.nsc.org.

   NIOSH Health Care Worker Resources Featured in Global Health Network Newsletter

NIOSH announced health care resources to readers of the World Health Organization's (WHO) The Global Health Network Newsletter. The article highlighted information available on hazards and exposures faced by health care workers around the world, including tuberculosis, exposure to ethylene oxide, latex allergy, workplace violence, musculoskeletal disorders, female reproductive health and psychosocial hazards, such as organizational change and workplace stress. Resources such as the Worker Health Chartbook and the NIOSH Bibliographic Database for Health Care Workers were highlighted. The newsletter can be found at http://www.who.int/occupational_health/publications/newsletter/gohnet8eng.pdf. Additional information may be obtained by contacting John Palassis at JPalassis@cdc.gov. More information on health care worker safety and health can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/healthcare.

   Office of Extramural Programs

NIOSH Director's Award

UPDATE: NIOSH State-Based Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance
NIOSH has posted a notice of special interest for state-based occupational safety and health surveillance applications that addresses the priority health condition of work related injury fatalities. This special notice is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/oep/pdfs/Surv-Update-June05.pdf.

In past years, this priority area has been referred to as the Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program, which is an essential component of the State-Based Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance program announced last year, http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-04-106.html. For the next receipt date, August 6, 2005, NIOSH has identified work-related injury fatalities as a priority health condition, although others may be proposed.

Questions about the NIOSH State-Based Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance program announcement should be addressed to the Scientific Program Administrator, Susan Board at SBoard@cdc.gov. In addition, information about FACE can be obtained through the FACE Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/face, or by contacting Virgil Casini at VCasiniJr@cdc.gov or Dee Higgins at DHiggins@cdc.gov.

Application Deadline Extended for "Centers of Excellence to Promote a Healthier Workforce"
In the last edition of eNews, we announced a call for applications for a new cooperative agreement program entitled, "Centers of Excellence to Promote a Healthier Workforce." The program will establish trans-disciplinary research, education, and translation programs to facilitate the integration of health protection and health promotion in the workplace by taking a collaborative and innovative approach. The application deadline for this program has been extended to September 14, 2005. A conference call has been scheduled for 1:00 p.m. EDT, June 30, 2005 to answer general questions about the program and the application process. The call in number is 1-877-918-5756. For security reasons, the passcode (15365) and the leader's name (Bridgette Garrett) are required to join the call.

   Around NIOSH

Office of the Director
NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D., delivered opening remarks at a May 13 symposium at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., entitled "Workplace Health Protection and Health Promotion: What Will It Take to Do Both Well?" The symposium was sponsored by Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, as part of a seminar series with NIOSH participation to explore issues of improving worker safety and health through sound business practices. The focus of the May 13 session was how employers can better integrate traditional workplace safety protection with worksite-based health promotion efforts. In conducting research and making recommendations to advance workplace health and safety, "one of the issues we face is whether people come to work as healthy as they could be and should be," Dr. Howard said. Gregory Wagner, M.D., Visiting Professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and former Director of the NIOSH Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, discussed the Steps to a Healthier U.S. Workforce initiative as an innovative program for stimulating the integration of workplace health protection and health promotion. More information on the symposium, including presentations on the challenges of bridging health protection and health promotion, and the experiences of two major corporations in establishing and maintaining health improvement programs, can be found at http://www.msb.edu/prog/cbpp/safety/main.htm. That link also contains additional information on the partnership between NIOSH and the McDonough School. More general information on Steps to a Healthier U.S. Workforce can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/steps.

NIOSH Diversity Initiative
Shelia Phillips, a former NIOSH employee who retired this past February, was presented with the Dr. Marvin Mills Award during a ceremony held April 7, 2005. Sheila was a member of the Cincinnati Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Council (EEOAC) and dedicated her career to teamwork and promoting fairness within the workplace. She is credited with providing informational sessions for the NIOSH Cincinnati employees on disabilities awareness, African American and Native American history.

Dr. Marvin Mills, a former NIOSH employee, has a distinguished career in occupational safety and health. Dr. Mills proposed the establishment of NIOSH summer internships for minority college students in hopes of engaging their interest for the field of occupational safety and health. Over the years more than 100 students have come to NIOSH under this intern program and many of those have pursued careers in public health.

Division of Applied Research and Technology (DART)
NIOSH recently assembled leading experts from Europe and North America and representatives from labor and industry to discuss a wide range of topics concerning bullying research. The meeting furthered partnerships NIOSH is forming with other agencies, European experts, U.S. researchers, and business and professional organizations to build a framework for conducting research on workplace bullying. Topics discussed included linking bullying to health and safety outcomes, barriers to prevention and intervention, and establishing a research focus for the next several years. For more information on NIOSH research on bullying in the workplace, contact Paula Grubb, pgrubb@cdc.gov.

Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS)
A s part of ongoing efforts to optimize the utility and effectiveness of pulmonary function testing performed in the occupational health setting, DRDS held a workshop at the American Occupational Health Conference on May 2, 2005. The OSHA Cotton Dust Standard gives NIOSH responsibility for approving courses of instruction of all individuals who administer screening pulmonary function testing to employees covered by that OSHA Standard. Several medical professional societies recommend that all technicians who collect spirometry data in the occupational setting take a NIOSH-Approved Spirometry Training Course. Institute staff discussed potential curriculum changes to the NIOSH-Approved Spirometry Training Course and solicited input and engaged workshop participants. More information on the spirometry training courses can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/spirometry. To receive a summary of the workshop discussion or to provide comments, send an e-mail to spirometry@cdc.gov.

Division of Safety Research (DSR)
A new NIOSH Alert document provides safety recommendations to consider when working in or near structures containing fire-damaged roof and floor truss systems. Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Fire Fighters due to Truss System Failures (DHHS [NIOSH] Publication No. 2005-132) presents five case studies where fire fighters were injured or killed while fighting fires in structures containing heavy timber, lightweight wood, and steel roof and floor truss systems. The Alert makes recommendations to fire departments, fire fighters and building owners and managers to minimize the risk of injury and death to fire fighters during fire-fighting operations. The Alert can be accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2005-132 The Alert will be disseminated to more than 37,000 fire departments, state fire marshals offices, and training centers across the country, and will be made available at major fire fighter safety and health conferences and meetings.

Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies (DSHEFS)
Lauralynn Taylor was the 2005 recipient of the John J. Bloomfield award given by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) to recognize young industrial hygienists. Each year, ACGIH ® honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the profession through their leadership and dedication. These prestigious awards are presented at the annual American Industrial Hygiene Association Conference and Exposition (AIHce), and past winners comprise a virtual "who's who" in ACGIH ® and industrial hygiene overall. This is the sixth time a NIOSH employee has received the award.

Education and Information Division (EID)
On the heels of the 2 nd International Control Banding Workshop convened by NIOSH and other partners and held on March 1-2, 2004, NIOSH helped to organize and sponsor the National Control Banding Workshop in Washington, DC on March 9-10, 2005. The workshop, comprised representatives from state and Federal government, organized labor, industry, consulting, and academia, was convened to identify and discuss the key issues and barriers for implementing control banding strategies in the U.S., particularly in small businesses. Much of the discussion was guided by a draft review of the literature for control banding commissioned by NIOSH. NIOSH plans to investigate the merits of control banding approaches through demonstration projects and partnerships with stakeholders in small businesses and others in the occupational safety and health community. Additional information on control banding and related NIOSH research activities is available on the NEW NIOSH Control Banding Topic Page, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ctrlbanding, or by contacting T.J. Lentz at TJLentz@cdc.gov.

Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD)
Denzil Slaughter has accepted the position of Deputy Director of the Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD). Denzil is a graduate of Fairmont State University with a degree in mechanical engineering. Denzil came to NIOSH in 1991 where he served as Facility Engineer and later as the Management Operations Officer for the NIOSH Morgantown facility. In the fall of 2004, Denzil was named the HELD Acting Deputy Director following the retirement of Nancy Bollinger. During that time, Denzil made significant contributions to HELD and NIOSH. We welcome Denzil to this new position.

National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL)
The recently completed research physiology laboratory consists of state-of-the-art equipment for determining the work capacity of participants. Oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the participants' exhaled breath are measured as they use a treadmill or electronic cycle ergometer. Additional physiological data will be measured using an advanced technology, a cloth vest equipped with sensors sending key data to a computer via wireless technology.

A major activity in the lab is the comparison of the physiological stress or burden imposed by a prototype fire fighter ensemble that provides chemical and biological hazard protection to a standard fire fighter ensemble. Data gathered will assist NPPTL researchers in developing a robust, predictive physiological stress index and models that may be used to evaluate future prototype protective garments.

Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (PRL)
Researchers at the NIOSH Pittsburgh Research Laboratory released an informational video module titled "Make it Safer with Roof Screen." Coal miners can be injured or killed by relatively small rocks falling between permanent roof supports. One solution to this problem is steel screen that can be installed at the time permanent roof support is installed. This 5-minute video, along with a companion instructional manual, is intended to increase mine operators' awareness of the work-related hazards associated with small rock falls and how roof screen can help to prevent them. For more information about roof screen safety, contact Susan Robertson at SBRobertson@cdc.gov or Gregory Molinda at GMolinda@cdc.gov.

Patrick sampling air quality with portable sampler.

Spokane Research Laboratory (SRL)
On April 1, Lt. Commander Patrick Hintz was selected to join a team of 10 U.S. Public Health Service officers from various disciplines to participate in Operation Unified Assistance II, an earthquake disaster relief mission to the Indonesian island of Nias off Sumatra 's western coast. This mission, like the first mission in response to the December 26, 2004 tsunami that struck the region, was unique in that the U.S. Navy worked jointly with both the Public Health Service and Project Hope, a nongovernmental humanitarian assistance organization. The team focused on assessing destabilized and damaged buildings, including hospitals, schools, and other buildings where people gather; performing disease epidemiology; assisting with rudimentary dental care; organizing and dispensing pharmaceuticals; assessing water source and distribution systems; and assessing air quality. Patrick returned home from Indonesia the first week of May.

   r2p Corner

Automatically deployable Rollover Protective Structure (AutoROPS), a NIOSH Division of Safety Research project, has received funds from the Office of Technology Transfer and Commercialization (OTTC) at the California State University San Bernardino which will assist the project in moving to the next phase of translating research to practice.

AutoROPS is a passive safety device to protect tractor operators in an overturn event. NIOSH, in partnership with industry, developed and tested the AutoROPS against the strict Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J2194 standard. After successfully meeting the SAE standard, NIOSH submitted and was awarded an OTTC grant to conduct a market feasibility study and prototype development and testing evaluation. A 12-week market study identified the manufacturers' need for a product that meets industry standards. Efforts by the marketing team resulted in the AutoROPS inclusion in the latest version of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 21299 standard. Current activities to further the advancement of the AutoROPS in the field include initiating a licensing and copyright background study, a field acceptance study and marketing of the AutoROPS at state fairs and equipment shows this summer. Contact Tony McKenzie at EMckenzieJr@cdc.gov for more information on the AutoROPS.

   NORA

As outlined in last month's NORA column, a significant evolution of NORA is the move to sector-based research agendas. This approach represents a new way for NORA to involve partners in recognizing problems and solving them through research. Scientists, whose research focuses primarily on a particular occupation, such as the investigation of fire fighter fatalities and the development of control technologies for mine safety, can easily identify with this approach. The picture may not be as clear for those scientists whose laboratory-based research is organized around the principles of a scientific discipline, such as chemistry, biology and physics. In response to your comments and concerns about where more basic research fits into the sector-based approach, we share two examples of laboratory-based research that it expected to make significant contributions to identifying or solving important problems within a sector.

• Low level, long-term exposures to toxic materials typically do not result in acute poisoning, but significant chronic effects are suspected although we have few tools for discovering them. Laboratory-based studies have shown that activation of the glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) is a sensitive and early response of the nervous system to all types of neurotoxic injuries. Recently, researchers found that GFAP levels were increased in the brains of individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and mixed dementia in comparison to non-demented individuals. Bringing this information to bear on occupational safety and health, researchers are currently examining the link between GFAP levels and occupational chemical exposures, such as those experienced by farm workers through pesticide application and exposure to fuel additives among service station workers.
  
  
• Following the respiratory illnesses of several manufacturing workers at microwave popcorn facilities, NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluations determined exposure to the popcorn's artificial butter flavoring was associated with breathing problems in these workers. Samples of the flavorings were brought to the NIOSH laboratories where researchers meticulously examined the components to identify the chemical or chemicals producing this debilitating illness. Laboratory testing revealed changes in pulmonary function. These studies have enabled the popcorn industry to target specific manufacturing areas as sites where changes had a potential to improve worker health.

These are just two examples of the synergistic effect produced by laboratory-based and field- and epidemiology-based studies resulting in valuable information for improving worker safety and health. Continued collaboration among these fields and the translation of ideas across these boundaries will facilitate our shared goal: safer, healthier people at work. Please continue to provide us with your comments and suggestions via the NORA Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora and stay tuned to future issues of eNews for updates on the second decade of NORA.

   News From Our Partners

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) will hold a public hearing on June 22, 2005 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. The CSB solicits public input on its investigation of combustible dust hazards following three deadly accidents which occurred in 2003 in North Carolina, Kentucky and Indiana. CSB also invites the public to comment and to contribute new information regarding specific questions raised by the investigation, either verbally at the hearing or via written submission to the CSB. The Federal Register Notice and additional information about the hearing, information requested by the investigators, and how to submit comments can be found through a link on the CSB Web site, http://csb.gov.

   Communication Products

Fact Sheet: Mechanical Timber Harvesting Reduces Workers' Compensation Injury Claims in West Virginia
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005-129
This fact sheet highlights a NIOSH study examining injury rates of logging companies who use mechanized harvesters compared to companies who do not use the equipment. Logging companies in West Virginia who used mechanized harvesters during the study period had a significantly lower workers' compensation injury claim rate than the rest of the West Virginia logging industry, 5.2 per 100 compared to 16.6 per 100 workers. While it is considered to be a vital component of the wood products industry in West Virginia, logging is often considered the most dangerous occupation in the U.S. The use of mechanized harvesters could help to decrease the injury rates of loggers and result in substantial declines in injury claim rates. The fact sheet can be accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2005-129.

Nanotechnology FAQs
NIOSH has developed a new topic page addressing frequently asked questions regarding nanotechnology. The topic page answers basic questions, defines nanotechnology, identifies nanomaterials, addresses the worker health effects, and outlines the NIOSH research program. The topic page can be accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech/faq.html.

A New Method to Clean Dust From Soiled Work Clothes
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005-136
NIOSH researchers have developed a new method to clean dust-soiled clothing on workers at mineral processing operations. The process uses a compressed air nozzle manifold to blow dust from the workers' clothes in an enclosed booth. Because the air exhausted by the dust collector causes the booth to be under negative pressure, no dust escapes to contaminate the work environment or other workers. Test results have shown that this process is ten times faster and removes up to 50% more dust than the single air hose or vacuuming methods. More information on the development of this method can be found in Technology News at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/pubs/pdfs/tn509.pdf.

New NIOSH Topic Page: Office Environment and Worker Safety and Health
Information regarding office environments and worker safety and health can be found on a new NIOSH Topic Page, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/officeenvironment/officeenvironment.html. Office workers may face exposure to chemical hazards, ergonomics, physical environment such as poor ventilation and noise, shift work, workplace violence, and stress.

   Upcoming Events

Occupational and Environmental Exposures of Skin to Chemicals-2005
NIOSH, the Karolinska Institutet and the Stockholm County Council in Sweden are co-sponsoring Occupational and Environmental Exposures of Skin to Chemicals-2005in Stockholm, Sweden, June 12-15, 2005. The conference will focus on practical ways to better prevent local and systemic injury and disease caused by exposing skin to chemicals. More information on the conference is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/skin/OEESC2 or by contacting Sid Soderholm at SSoderholm@cdc.gov.

Fifth International Symposium on Modern Principles of Air Monitoring
NIOSH, the National Institute for Working Life, Sweden, and the National Institute of Occupational Health, Norway will co-sponsor the Fifth International Symposium on Modern Principles of Air Monitoring, June 12-16, 2005 in Loen, Norway. The scientific program will feature the latest developments in exposure assessment and strategies as well as analytical air sampling, measurement and monitoring methodologies. New for the Fifth International Symposium, the topic of biomonitoring will be addressed. More information on the symposium can be found at http://www.airmon.org or by contacting Martin Harper at MHarper@cdc.gov.

Health Effects of Welding
NIOSH and the West Virginia University (WVU) Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health (IOEH) are teaming up to sponsor an international seminar, "Health Effects of Welding," on July 23-24, 2005 in Morgantown, W.Va. Leading experts from around the world will gather to share the latest information in key research areas regarding potential respiratory, neurological, and reproductive effects associated with welding fumes or inhaled welding particles. More information about the symposium can be found at http://www.hsc.wvu.edu/IOEH.

North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology (NAACT) 2005
The American Academy of Clinical Toxicology and the American Association of Poison Control Centers will host the North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology 2005, September 9-14, 2005 in Orlando, Florida. The agenda features three NIOSH-related sessions: Developing an Occupational and Environmental Toxicology Research Agenda, Occupational/NIOSH Case Files, and an EPA/NIOSH/OSHA workshop on risk assessment and n-propyl bromide. More information on the conference can be found at http://www.clintox.org.

Advanced Personal Protective Equipment - Challenges in Protecting First Responders
The NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University are sponsoring Advanced Personal Protective Equipment - Challenges in Protecting First Responders. The conference will be held October 16-18, 2005 at the Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center in Blacksburg, Va.

Attendees will learn about the hazards posed by emerging threats, the application of personal protective equipment (PPE) technology to these threats, and associated challenges with selecting and interfacing different PPE items. The emphasis of the conference will be on practical issues of threat accommodation, standards, regulations, applications of best practices, manufacturing and distribution issues, PPE decision-making and purchasing, and multi-PPE integration. More information on the conference can be found at http://www.conted.vt.edu/appe or by contacting Tom Fisher at TFisher@cdc.gov.

Internoise 2005
The 34^th International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering-InterNoise 2005 will be held August 7-10, 2005 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The conference is sponsored by the International Institute of Noise Control Engineering I-INCE and organized by the Brazilian Acoustical Society (SOBRAC) and the Iberoamerican Federation of Acoustics. The conference theme is Environmental Noise Control. More information can be found at http://www.internoise2005.org.br/welcome.aspx.

Work, Stress and Health 2006: Making a Difference in the Workplace
NIOSH, the American Psychological Association, the National Institute of Justice of the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Labor, will convene the sixth international conference on occupational stress and health, Work, Stress, and Health 2006: Making a Difference in the Workplace in Miami, Florida., March 2-4, 2006, at the Hyatt Regency Miami Hotel. The conference is designed to address the constantly changing nature of work, and the implications of these changes for the health, safety, and well-being of workers. In keeping with the conference theme of "making a difference in the workplace," there will be a particular focus on the translation of research to practice and workplace programs, policies, practices, case experiences, and other efforts to prevent stress in today's workplace. More information about the conference can be found at: http://www.apa.org/pi/work/wsh2006.html.

   "Word" of the Month

Control banding: a semi-quantitative risk analysis and management approach to address workplace hazards and provide control-focused solutions.