Volume
5 Number 11 March 2008 |
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NIOSH Posts Updated Nanotechnology Strategic Plan for Public Comment NIOSH Announces Schedule for Free, Confidential Screening in WV for Coal Workers’ PneumoconiosisComments Invited for Draft NIOSH Alert on Preventing Chronic Beryllium Disease NIOSH Database for Assessing Exposure to Power-Frequency Magnetic Fields NIOSH Research Referenced in Scientific American on Health Implications of Nanotechnology |
NIOSH Seeks Applications for 2007 Director's Award 2006 Farm and Ranch Safety Survey Findings Released NIOSH Joins ANSI/NAM Monthly Chemicals Discussion University of Connecticut wins the CHAS NIOSH Collegiate Award Comments Requested on WorkLife Initiative Reminder: NIOSH to Host Town Hall Meeting March 25 |
r2p Corner NORA Registration Open NORA Symposium 2008 NORA Services Sector Council Draft Agenda Around NIOSH American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Award NHCA Outstanding Hearing Conservationist Award |
Society of Risk Analysis Best Paper Award in the Health Sciences Updated Flavoring Topic Page National and International Collaborations NIOSH Engineer Evaluates ROPS Self-Installations NIOSH Cosponsors International Workshop on Occupational Safety and Health State-based Occupational Health updates News From Our Partners |
CPWR Releases 4th Edition of The Construction Chart Book National Safety Council to Host April Webinar Communication Products Protecting Poultry Workers from Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Upcoming Events Call for Abstracts Upcoming Conferences Word of the Month |
From the Director's Desk |
For those of us who study social trends, two recently published works make compelling reading. I recommend both pieces to you. In the February 23 issue of The Economist, an article looks thoughtfully at the implications of today’s wave of Hispanic immigration. As the article notes, the demographic shift from this influx is no longer confined to a handful of cities and states, such as my own home state of California. It is transforming whole sections of the country, with profound impact on industry and the economy. The article, “The Newest Frontier,” is posted online at http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10727883. How will the tide of Hispanic and other immigration shape the future? A new report from the Pew Research Center, issued February 11, suggests some answers, based on continuation of current trends. For example, the study predicts that the nation’s foreign-born population, now 36 million, will more than double in size to 81 million by 2050. Forty-two years from now, nearly one in five Americans will be a foreign-born immigrant, up from one in eight now. We know that immigrants are at elevated risk for work-related injury, illness, and death for a variety of reasons, including disproportionately high employment in jobs that are more likely to pose risks, and language barriers that complicate safety and health training. The forecast in the Pew report reinforces the wisdom of taking steps now to address these risk factors and to craft solutions. Clearly, if unchecked, the problem will only become greater and more consuming in the coming decades, with serious implications for safety, family and community stability, and economic productivity into the next half-century. NIOSH has worked closely with diverse partners to identify, understand, and meet the safety and health needs of the changing work force. In 1999, with commendable foresight, NIOSH and its stakeholders met in a national conference to define the challenges for safety and health training to serve the increasingly diverse workforce of the 21st Century, including non-English-speaking populations. The report from that conference is available as a NIOSH numbered document at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-132. The needs outlined in that report have informed NIOSH’s subsequent research and outreach in relation to immigrant workers, notably the rapidly growing Hispanic immigrant population. To help fill a gap for meaningful, culturally appropriate training materials for Hispanic workers and their employers, NIOSH has worked with outside colleagues to develop bilingual educational documents for protecting worker safety and health in industries with a high proportion of men and women whose first language is Spanish. For example, Silicosis - El trabajo con tejas de cemento: el peligro de la sílice recommends controls and good work practices for reducing roofers’ exposures to silica dust, http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/niosh/docs/2006-110sp.html. Soluciones Simples: Ergonomía Para Trabajadores Agrícolas offers practical, cost-effective solutions for preventing painful and potentially disabling musculoskeletal injuries among farm workers, http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/niosh/docs/01-111pd-sp.html. Our Web page en espanõl serves as a portal for our stakeholders whose first language is Spanish, http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/niosh. Another interesting prediction from the Pew study: the U.S. elderly population will more than double in size through 2050 – the result of the baby boomers entering what the report calls the traditional retirement years. If current employment trends continue, many of these men and women 65 or older will still be on the job, either part-time or full-time. Their safety and health needs will be different in many ways from those of younger workers, as an expert committee of the National Academies noted in a study conducted at NIOSH’s request, Health and Safety Needs of Older Workers, available at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10884. Occupational safety and health issues for older workers are a focus of collaborative research under NIOSH’s program on work organization, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/programs/workorg/emerging.html. At the same time, other working men and women will follow the traditional retirement path – including occupational safety and health professionals, beginning over the next decade with those of my generation who entered their careers in the 1970s and early 1980s. It will be critically necessary to have in place a next generation of dedicated men and women to carry on the vital work that we do, and a next generation after that. Recruitment, professional development, continuing education, and mentoring will be more important than ever before. Support for high quality training and education through NIOSH’s Education and Research Centers and training grants programs has always been a mainstay of our field, and will become more so in the foreseeable future. The Pew Research Center report, “Immigration to Play Lead Role in Future U.S. Growth: U.S. Population Projections: 2005-2050,” by Jeffrey S. Passel and D’Vera Cohn, is available online at http://pewresearch.org/pubs/729/united-states-population-projections. While NIOSH does not have a “Project 2050” per se, our partnerships through the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) are all based on the reality that shaping the future for the better begins today. Further information on NORA can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora. If you are not already one of our NORA partners, I invite you to join us. |
NIOSH Posts Updated Nanotechnology Strategic Plan for Public Comment |
On March 5, NIOSH placed on its website an updated version of its Strategic Plan for NIOSH Nanotechnology Research: Filling the Knowledge Gaps. The update reflects scientific developments in research since 2005, when the initial version was released, and captures the ongoing prioritization needed to keep pace with rapid advances being made in nanotechnology. The document provides an accounting of current projects and carries NIOSH's research planning forward to 2012. The plan has four goals for research: 1) to determine if nanoparticles and nanomaterials pose risks for work-related injuries and illnesses, 2) to prevent work-related injuries through the application of new nanotechnology products, 3) to promote healthy workplaces through interventions, recommendations, and capacity-building, and 4) to enhance global workplace safety and health through national and international collaborations on nanotechnology research and guidance. The strategic plan will be peer-reviewed by the NIOSH Board of Scientific Counselors. The plan is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech/strat_plan.html. |
NIOSH Announces Schedule for Free, Confidential Screening in WV for Coal Workers’ |
NIOSH will provide free, confidential health screening to working underground coal miners in 16 counties throughout West Virginia this year to provide early detection of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, also known as “black lung.” The screenings will be provided through the state-of-the-art NIOSH mobile testing van at convenient community locations April 7 – 19, 2008. Information about the NIOSH screening program can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/surveillance/ORDS/ecwhsp.html or by calling 888-480-4042. |
Comments Invited for Draft NIOSH Alert on Preventing Chronic Beryllium Disease |
NIOSH is conducting public review of a draft NIOSH document, NIOSH Alert: Preventing Chronic Beryllium Disease and Beryllium Sensitization. The Alert describes the nature of chronic beryllium disease and other health effects that can occur from exposure to beryllium and beryllium-containing materials. Recommendations for companies and workers to minimize the health risk to workers are also provided. When submitting comments to the NIOSH Docket, be sure to reference Docket Number 120. Guidelines for submissions can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/review/public/120. |
NIOSH Database for Assessing Exposure to Power-Frequency Magnetic Fields |
A new job-exposure matrix assessing exposures to magnetic fields from electric power has just been posted to the NIOSH Web site. NIOSH collaborated with researchers from the University of Washington to study disease risks from occupational magnetic fields exposures, which have been identified as a possible human carcinogen by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the California Department of Public Health. The result of the research was a job-exposure matrix that links exposure statistics with disease and death certificates. The matrix, which has already been used in three epidemiologic studies, can be obtained as MS Excel® files at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/emf/jem-powerfreq/jempowerfreq.html. For more information, contact Dr. Joseph Bowman at JBowman@cdc.gov. |
NIOSH Research Referenced in Scientific American on Health Implications of Nanotechnology |
A February 15, 2008, on-line article from Scientific American reports on the challenges and complexities of research by NIOSH and others to determine if nanotechnology poses serious human health risks, and to define effective occupational control measures in the face of uncertainties. The article describes the complex issues that are the focus of NIOSH's national leadership in research, and highlights NIOSH's contributions to defining and answering the questions about potential occupational health effects of nanomaterials. The article is online at http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=will-nano-particles-present-big-health-problems. |
NIOSH Seeks Applications for 2007 Director's Award |
Application deadline is April 15, 2008. |
2006 Farm and Ranch Safety Survey Findings Released |
On January 17, 2008, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture released findings from a first-of-its-kind survey conducted for NIOSH. The 2006 Farm and Ranch Safety Survey http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1764 provides national estimates of safety hazards, controls, and the use of selective personal protective equipment on U.S. farms and ranches. Previously unavailable statistics include these: 59 percent of an estimated 4.2 million tractors have rollover protective structures, an essential safety feature. About 60 percent of an estimated 57,000 manure pits were covered with grates, concreted lids, or other type of guarding. Findings from this survey, which NIOSH plans on repeating periodically, can be used to inform injury and health prevention activities. Contact John Myers at JMyers@cdc.gov in the NIOSH Division of Safety Research for more details. |
NIOSH Joins ANSI/NAM Monthly Chemicals Discussion |
NIOSH has joined the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Network on Chemical Regulation, first convened in 2007 to share information regarding global regulation on waste, recycling, and other issues relating to chemicals. The network is comprised of representatives of industry, government, academia and other interested stakeholders who meet monthly via teleconference for an exchange of information. Drs. Rick Niemeier and T.J. Lentz are the NIOSH representatives for this workgroup. More information on the topic can be found on the ANSI Web site at http://www.ansi.org/news_publications/news_story.aspx?menuid=7 |
University of Connecticut wins the CHAS NIOSH Collegiate Award |
NIOSH in partnership with the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Division of Chemical Health and Safety (CHAS) funds an annual Health and Safety Award for university and college chemistry laboratories in the U.S. This year's award was won by the Chemistry Department at the University of Connecticut. The award will be presented during the ACS national conference on August 18, 2008 in Philadelphia, PA. |
Comments Requested on WorkLife Initiative |
Deadline is 5:00PM ET on March 19, 2008. |
Reminder: NIOSH to Host Town Hall Meeting March 25 |
The NIOSH Emergency Preparedness Response Office invites you to attend its Research Portfolio Town Hall Meeting for partners and stakeholders on:
NIOSH has developed strategic research and partnership goals to address important issues surrounding the health and safety of emergency responders. The conference will provide an overview of this research portfolio and will solicit public comments regarding priorities of the strategic goals. For more information on these strategic goals, visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/programs/epr/goals.html. For information on conference registration, please visit our Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/programs/epr/townhall.html. |
Abstract Deadline Extended for 2008 NOIRS Symposium |
The deadline for abstract submissions to the 2008 National Occupational Injury Research Symposium has been extended to April 1, 2008. Details on the submission process can be found on the NOIRS Web page, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/noirs/2008/abstracts2008.html. |
NIOSH Science Blog |
The latest posting to the NIOSH Science Blog describes the use of training videos to reduce mining injuries and fatalities. The posting is provided by Dr. Elaine Cullen, former Chief of the Communications Branch at NIOSH’s Spokane Research Laboratory. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/blog. |
r2p Corner |
Communicating Results-Driven NIOSH ResearchNIOSH is partnering with the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) and the American Institute of Physics (AIP) to provide content for AIP's Discoveries and Breakthroughs in Science video news service. Three segments showcasing NIOSH projects are available for viewing at the external links below.
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NORA |
Call for Posters Deadline is this weekThe last day to submit posters to the NORA Symposium 2008 is this Friday, March 7, 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/symp08/callforposters.html Registration Open NORA Symposium 2008Registration is open for the NORA Symposium 2008: Public Market for Ideas and Partnerships, July 29 in Denver Colorado. Limited student scholarships are available for those who qualify. For more information or to register click on "registration" in the right-hand menu on http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/symp08/default.html. NORA Services Sector Council Draft AgendaThe NORA Services Sector Council has posted draft goals for the National Services Sector Agenda at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/councils/serv. The Council members and corresponding members have been working on the agenda over the past year to develop a set of 15 strategic goals to guide the nation in research and research-to-practice efforts in 10 sub-sectors. In addition, sector-wide goals were developed for musculoskeletal disorders and surveillance. The Council requests comments from stakeholders on these draft goals. Look for the link "Comment on Draft Sector Agendas" in the right-hand menu on http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora. |
Around NIOSH |
Awards and HonorsAmerican Society of Health-System Pharmacists AwardThe American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) selected Thomas Connor, research biologist in the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology, as the recipient of the Society's 2008 award for a non-pharmacist's contribution to pharmacy. The award recognizes Tom's and NIOSH's leadership in recommending ways to prevent occupational exposures to hazardous drugs in health-care settings. NIOSH's recommendations for preventing occupational exposures to hazardous drugs in health-care settings are available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hazdrug. NHCA Outstanding Hearing Conservationist AwardCongratulations to Dr. Thais Morata for receiving the Outstanding Hearing Conservationist Award from the National Hearing Conservation Association. Dr. Morata is a Senior Research Fellow in the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology. Her research on occupational hearing loss prevention, specifically on the effects of solvents on hearing and combined exposures of noise and ototoxic chemicals, has informed not only NIOSH priorities and policy but also national and international occupational safety and health policies. Society of Risk Analysis Best Paper Award in the Health SciencesA paper authored by Matt Wheeler and John Bailer from the NIOSH Education and Information Division won the Society of Risk Analysis Best Paper Award for 2007 in the Health Sciences category. The award was presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Risk Analysis. The paper, Properties of model-averaged BMDLs: a study of model averaging in dichotomous response risk estimation, was published in Risk Analysis (vol. 27, pp. 659-670, June 2007). The paper describes the statistical properties of a new procedure, developed by the authors, for averaging model-specific risk estimates for use in quantitative risk assessment. Updated Flavoring Topic PageNIOSH has developed an updated version of its topic page devoted to prevention of flavorings-induced lung disease. The topic page has been reorganized to make information more easily accessible. It also has been updated to include recent developments in research and outreach. It can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/flavorings. National and International Collaborations
NIOSH Engineer Evaluates ROPS Self-InstallationsAt the request of the Director of the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health/Northeast Center for Agricultural Health, a NIOSH Division of Safety Research engineer provided assistance to an ongoing rollover protective structure (ROPS) retrofit program. Dr. Tony McKenzie visited 56 farms throughout the state of New York and conducted an evaluation of ROPS self-installations by the farmers. Farmers were told onsite or through written correspondence whether the installation was completed properly and if modifications were needed. Contact Tony McKenzie at TMcKenzie@cdc.gov in the NIOSH Division of Safety Research for more information. NIOSH Cosponsors International Workshop on Occupational Safety and HealthOn February 11-15, NIOSH co-sponsored and participated in a workshop, |
State-based Occupational Health updates |
NIOSH has been supporting state-based occupational health surveillance activities for many years, recognizing that states have lead authority for public health practice, including legal mandates for health surveillance. These programs have achieved many successes linking surveillance data to disease and injury prevention. Beginning with this issue of NIOSH eNews, state-based programs will be contributing monthly updates. State-based occupational health surveillance programs have formed an organization under the umbrella of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), called the Occupational Health Surveillance Workgroup. NIOSH has provided funds to CSTE to support the activities of the Workgroup. A major project undertaken by the Workgroup has been the development of 19 “Occupational Health Indicators” (OHIs) that can be used to measure the baseline health of working populations and changes that take place over time. These definitions and a standardized methodology for their calculation were compiled in a document, Occupational Health Indicators: A Guide for Tracking Work-Related Health Conditions and Their Determinants. Thirteen states’ data for the 19 OHIs and comparison national data have been published in Putting Data to Work: Occupational Health Indicators from Thirteen Pilot States for 2000, and, for OHI data through 2003, on the Web. Both documents and Web data are available at http://www.cste.org/occupationalhealth.asp. |
News From Our Partners |
AIHA to Host Ergonomics SymposiumThe American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) Ergonomics Committee will sponsor the “Ergonomics Symposium: Making a Business Case for Ergonomics (and Other Safety and Health Programs) on June 1, 2008, at the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce) in Minneapolis, MN. This symposium will demonstrate the development of the business case of ergonomics using economic criteria. More information on the Symposium can be found at http://www.aiha.org/aihce08/education/symposium.htm or by contacting Samantha Seigmam at sseigman@aiha.org. CPWR Releases 4th Edition of The Construction Chart BookThe Center for Construction Research and Training, known as CPWR, released the 4th edition of The Construction Chart Book: The U.S. Construction Industry and Its Workers. This new version of the Chart Book presents the most complete data available on the construction industry, including new data not presented in previous editions, and includes a special emphasis on Hispanic workers. More information about the Chart Book can be found at http://www.cpwr.com or by calling 301-578-8500. National Safety Council to Host April WebinarThe National Safety Council will host a webinar titled “Forward Thinking Safety and Health Issues to Keep Baby Boomers on the Job” featuring Dr. Greg Wagner, Senior Advisor to the NIOSH Director, and Dr. Michael Silverstein from the University of Washington. The webinar will be on April 2, 2008 from 10 – 11AM CDT. Registration information can be found at https://www114.livemeeting.com/lrs/nsconline_ccc/Registration.aspx?pageName=l33q8c6tw36xsmf8. |
Communication Products |
Expanding Our Understanding of the Psychosocial Work Environment DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2008-104 Protecting Poultry Workers from Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2008-113 NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation |
Upcoming Events |
Look for UsThe NIOSH Exhibit Booth will be at these upcoming conferences.
Call for Abstracts“Safety 2008 Professional Development Conference and Exposition” “International Roofing Expo” “14th International Society for Respiratory Protection” Upcoming Conferences“8th Annual Safety Patient Handling and Movement Conference” “Semiconductor Environmental, Safety and Health Association (SESHA) Annual Symposium and Expo” “Fire Department Instructors Conference 2008” “9th Annual Transforming Fall Prevention Practices” “American Association of Occupational Health Nurses” “International Association of Fire Chiefs 2008 International Hazardous Materials Response Teams Conference” “2008 American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition” “NSTI Nanotech Annual Conference” “2008 World Safety Conference and Exposition” "American Society of Safety Engineers “SAFETY 2008” Professional Development Conference and Exposition" “12th US/North American Mine Ventilation Symposium” “International Association of Fire Chiefs Fire Rescue International 2008” “2008 National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS)” “PCIH 2008” “8th Conference of the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology” |
Word of the Month |
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