Volume
6 Number 9 January 2009
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Volume
6 Number 9 January 2009 |
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| R2p corner NORA NIOSH Science Blog: |
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New Communication Products Asbestosis-Related Years of Potential Life Lost before Age 65 Years |
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Six new mining communication products are now available New Topic Pages Available en Español |
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From
the Director's Desk |
Welcome back from the holidays. With the new year, January invites us to renew our dedication to our mission as we look ahead to the challenges and opportunities that 2009 is sure to bring. January also brings an inescapable fact of life in much of the U.S.—winter weather. Falling temperatures conjure up different images for each person. For some it brings thoughts of skiing, hopes of snow days, and the thrill of sled riding. For others it means shorter days and the chance of snow and icy road conditions. But no matter if you love cold weather or would rather hibernate until spring, falling temperatures can pose risks, especially for workers, in many parts of the country. We urge employers to consider the health and safety hazards that cold conditions may create and to design effective interventions to protect the health and safety of workers. Workers who are exposed to extreme cold or work in cold environments may be at risk of cold stress. Extreme cold weather is a dangerous situation that can bring on health emergencies for workers who work outdoors, with or without shelter, or in unheated environment. NIOSH recommends that employees and employers plan wisely to prevent the risk of hypothermia, frostbite, and other cold-related hazards for workers exposed to these conditions. Some recommendations for how employers can help protect their workers include scheduling cold jobs for the warmer part of the day; using relief workers or assigning extra workers for long, demanding jobs; and providing warm liquids and warm areas to workers during breaks. It is also important for employers to make workers aware of the potentially unrecognized hazards of cold temperatures and of the measures that workers can take if working outside in harsh conditions. If possible, work should be moved to heated inside structures; otherwise, workers should wear appropriate cold weather clothing, especially covering for the ears, face, hands, and feet. Using schedules and shelters provided by employers, workers should also move into warm locations during work breaks and limit the amount of time outside on extremely cold days. For more information and a full list of recommendations for employees and employers please consult our resources for addressing cold stress at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/coldstress/. On another topic, I invite you to note the news item in this issue about last month's dedication of the Derek E. Dunn Conference Room in NIOSH's Washington, D.C., office. Dr. Dunn, who passed away in 2002, is warmly remembered by his many friends and colleagues as a leader with a profound commitment to public service in occupational safety and health. We were particularly pleased that members of Derek's family were able to be with us in the dedication ceremony to share their memories. "Example is not the main thing in influencing others; it's the only thing," Albert Schweitzer once said. Derek Dunn's example as a researcher, administrator, mentor, and individual continues to inspire his friends and colleagues. |
NIOSH Dedicates Derek E. Dunn Conference Room |
Dr. Derek E. Dunn (1945–2002), a NIOSH research scientist and administrator who held the rank of captain in the U.S. Public Health Service, was respected for his professionalism, leadership, and integrity. At a dedication ceremony held on December 5 in the Washington office, NIOSH was honored to host Capt. Dunn's family as well as his PHS colleagues, Acting Deputy Surgeon General and Rear Admiral Robert Williams and Rear Admiral Boris Lushniak, who spoke warmly of his humanity and his dedication to excellent science in the service of worker health and safety. A plaque honoring Dr. Dunn is inscribed with a question he often posed: "What have you done for the worker today?"
Capt. Dunn's family at the dedication ceremony (From left to right are Connie Smith, Melody Dunn Sparks, Gavin Smith, Garrison Smith and Garrette Sparks Smith)
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NIOSH Engages IOM to Review Draft Document, Asbestos Fibers and |
| NIOSH has engaged The National Academies' Institute of Medicine to review a draft of the NIOSH Current Intelligence Bulletin: Asbestos Fibers and other Elongated Mineral Particles: State of the Science and Roadmap for Research. The purpose of the National Academies’ review is to assess the technical quality of the draft document, its scope, and the methods used to produce its findings. The draft current intelligence bulletin and public comments can be found on the NIOSH Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docket/NIOSHdocket0099A.html. |
ASHP Honors Dr. Tom Connor's Contributions to the Health and Safety |
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Dr. Deborah Myers Highlighted in NSPE Next Generation Column |
Congratulations to Deborah Myers, Ph.D., a NIOSH research engineer and lieutenant in the U.S. Public Health Service, who was highlighted as a "next generation" leader, in the National Society of Professional Engineers' (NSPE) Professional Engineers in Government (PEG) December 11 e-newsletter. Dr. Myers notes that nurturing and mentoring students and young professionals is key for the occupational safety and health field: "The younger generation of engineers wants to know they are helping the community in some way." The interview with Dr. Myers is available at http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/nspepeg/issues/2008-12-11.html. |
Death of a Colleague, Ms. Shelley Davis (1952–2008) |
Ms. Shelley Davis who as deputy director of the advocacy group Farmworker Justice fought for the safety of workers, children, and the environment and was an inspiration to all who knew her has died of breast cancer. Ms. Davis collaborated with NIOSH on numerous projects: planning committee for immigrant workers, co-author of The Ones the Law Forgot: Children Working in Agriculture, and a NIOSH/NIEHS-funded project Promoting Occupational Health of Indigenous Workers. More information on Ms. Davis’ life and accomplishments can be found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/15/AR2008121502904.html. |
Study Finds Healthcare Employment Linked With Increased |
| NIOSH researchers found an association, over a 20-year period, between employment in the healthcare industry and deaths from several bloodborne pathogens and their related conditions among males but only with hepatitis C virus among females. Results of the study were published in an article co-authored by Sara E. Luckhaupt and Geoffrey M. Calvert, titled "Deaths Due to Bloodborne Infections and Their Sequelae Among Health-Care Workers," in the November 2008 issue of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine (51:812–824). |
NIOSH Researchers Win 2008 CDC Director's Innovation Award |
Congratulations to NIOSH researchers and colleagues for being among the inaugural recipients of the new CDC Directors' Innovation Award. This new award program was established to recognize CDC staff that use innovation to advance CDC's mission to promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability. Three NIOSH projects received awards: Permeation Calculator: Computer Software for Automated and Standardized Analysis of Chemical Protective Clothing Permeation Data (Pengfei Gao, Ph.D, Tyson Weise, Beth Tomasovic) Preventing Winch Entanglement Injuries on Commercial Fishing Vessels (Jennifer Lincoln, Ph.D., Robert McKibbin, P.E., Chelsea Woodward, Devin Lucas, M.S., John Bevan) Mitigating an Ignition Hazard in Oxygen Resuscitator Regulators (Timothy Merinar, MS, Frank Washenitz, MS, Barry Newton) |
Chromosomal Abnormalities Linked with Pilots' Flight Experience, |
| In a NIOSH study, experienced airline pilots who have flown for many years were found to have a higher frequency of chromosome translocations, a form of DNA damage, than pilots who have flown fewer years, according to results of the study. The findings appeared in the January 2009 British medical journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine. This study builds on the data that will be useful for the research community to determine if pilots' and flight crews' job-related exposures to cosmic radiation increase their risk for cancer. More information about the study is available from Dr. Lee C. Yong, NIOSH, at Lyong@cdc.gov or to read the full article go to http://oem.bmj.com/content/vol66/issue1/?etoc. |
NIOSH Health Effects Lab Names New Branch Chief |
| Steven Reynolds, Ph.D., was recently named the branch chief of the Toxicology and Molecular Biology Branch (TMBB) of the Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD) at NIOSH in Morgantown, West Virginia. Dr. Reynolds has a distinguished career in molecular biology spanning 27 years. He joined HELD in 2007 as the team leader of the Molecular Genetics Laboratory, TMBB, and has served as the acting branch chief of TMBB since 2006. |
NIOSH Study Looks at Neurologic Illness Associated With |
| A study by NIOSH scientists and colleagues in the December 5 issue of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report describes two cases involving workers exposed to 1-Bromopropane (1-BP) who were diagnosed with clinical manifestations of neurotoxicity. The article suggests interventions to reduce work-related exposures. The full article is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5748a2.htm. |
Study Focuses on Washington Trucking Industry |
A survey evaluation of trucking injury prevention materials from the Trucking Injury Reduction Emphasis through Surveillance (TIRES) Project show that 83% of respondents have made changes after receiving TIRES prevention materials and 82% have requested additional safety topics to be addressed. TIRES was developed by the Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program of the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries and is partially funded by a grant from NIOSH. More about TIRES, including an in-depth report on injuries in trucking Preventing Injuries in the Trucking Industry Focus Report, can be found at http://www.Lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/Trucking/Default.asp. |
Four New Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) Reports Now Available |
Potential musculoskeletal hazards at a postal processing and distribution center were evaluated by the HHE Program. Investigators recommended that the shelving in the sorting area be moved to make space for empty containers and that the tray management system conveyor is moved in front of the sorters; both changes would eliminate 180° lifts. Investigators also recommended that the number of workers in the loading and sorting areas be increased to allow for job rotation. Contact dermatitis at an automotive parts manufacturing facility was evaluated by the HHE Program. Investigators recommended that machines be cleaned before metal working fluids (MWFs) are added and that machines that leak hydraulic oil be fixed to prevent MWF contamination. Investigators also recommended that MWFs and biocides be replaced with less sensitizing materials. Investigators recommended that a comprehensive MWF maintenance program and personal protective equipment program be implemented. The effectiveness of using gaseous chlorine dioxide to killmold during urban rehabilitation projects was evaluated by the HHE Program. Investigators recommended that additional clean-up techniques, such as the use of high efficiency particle air filter vacuums, be used to reduce concentrations of spores and microbial components before re-occupancy is permitted in previously contaminated structures. Respiratory and dermal conditions at an aluminum wheel production facility were evaluated by the HHE Program. Investigators recommended that the facility conduct environmental monitoring for metal working fluids (MWFs) and install local exhaust ventilation to machines using MWFs. Investigators also recommended that personal protective equipment and training be provided to employees who work with MWFs.http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2007-0263-3069.pdf. |
r2p Corner |
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NORA |
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NIOSH Science Blog: Your Comments Wanted |
Share your thoughts with us and others on the potential hazards of 1-BP on the NIOSH Science BlogThrough this blog NIOSH hopes to alert employers, clinicians, and public health professionals to potential health effects among workers exposed to 1-BP, particularly in workplaces where 1-BP use may be increasing (such as in dry cleaning and solvent cleaning) and to emphasize the need for effective control methods to limit worker exposure to 1-BP. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/blog/nsb120808_1-BP.html. |
New Communication Products |
NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP): Leading Recommendations for Preventing Fire Fighter Fatalities, 1998–2005. Asbestosis-Related Years of Potential Life Lost before Age 65 Years The following mining communication products are now available:Mining Fact Sheets for 2005 and 2006 Performance of a Polyurethane Core Seal Tested in a Hydrostatic Chamber (NIOSH Publication No. 2008-129) Reducing Low Back Pain and Disability in Mining (NIOSH Publication No. 2008-135) Explosion Effects on Mine Ventilation Stoppings (NIOSH Publication No. 2009-102) Key Design Factors of Enclosed Cab Dust Filtration Systems (NIOSH Publication No. 2009-103) The Application of Major Hazard Risk Assessment (MHRA) to Eliminate Multiple Fatality Occurrences in the U.S. Minerals Industry (NIOSH Publication No. 2009-104) To order NIOSH publications, CDs, and videos click here: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/pubs/niosh.aspx. Order up to 18 titles. Order limits are listed for each document. If you need additional information, please contact Sherri Diana at sdiana@cdc.gov or by calling 513-533-8471. New Topic Pages Available en EspañolThree NIOSH topic pages are now available en Español: Biological Hazards, Electrical Hazards, and Respiratory Diseases. |
Call for Abstracts |
Academy of Certified Hazard Material Managers 2009 National Conference—Deadline January 15, 2009 2009 Emergency Nurses Association Annual Conference—Deadline January 15, 2009 American Occupational Health Conference 2009—Deadline January 31, 2009 Thomas L. Petty Aspen Lung Conference, 52nd Annual Meeting—Deadline February 14 Measuring Air Pollutants by Diffusive Sampling and Other Low Cost Monitoring Techniques, International Conference—Deadline February 28, 2009 American Association of Occupational Health Nurses 2009 Symposium and Expo—Deadline March 1, 2009 19th International Symposium on Shiftwork and Working Time—Deadline February 28, 2009 |
Upcoming Conferences |
International Roofing Expo 1st Annual Voluntary Protection Program Association for Construction (VPPAC) Conference Healthy Aging for Workers: Anticipating the Occupational Safety and Health Needs of an Increasingly Aging Workforce February 17-18, 2009, Washington, DC (http://www.soeh.org/meeting/meeting.html) International Conference on Road Safety at Work 19th Annual Construction Safety Conference & Expo—Look for us! 2009 Society of Mining Engineers (SME) Annual Meeting and Colorado Mining Association (CMA) 111th Annual National Western Mining Conference Emergency Nurses Association Leadership Conference 29th Triennial Congress of the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH 2009) American Association of Occupational Health Nurses 2009 Symposium and Expo Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) 2009 Symposium on Radiology of the Pneumoconioses American Occupational Health Conference 2009 Occupational Hygiene 2009: Promoting a Healthy Working Environment 2009 Nanotech Conference & Exposition American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo (AIHce)—Look for us! Thomas L. Petty Aspen Lung Conference, 52nd Annual Meeting—The Environment and the Lung: American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Professional Development Conference and Exposition “SAFETY 2009” 2009 American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Johnson Conference on Emerging IEQ Issues 19th International Symposium on Shiftwork and Working Time Voluntary Protection Programs Participants Association Annual Conference— Look for us! Academy of Certified Hazard Material Managers 2009 National Conference Measuring Air Pollutants by Diffusive Sampling and Other Low Cost Monitoring Techniques International Conference |
Word of the Month |
| 1-BP is a solvent used in multiple manufacturing processes, including vapor and immersion degreasing operations to clean electronics and metal and as a solvent vehicle in industries using aerosol applied adhesives such as foam cushion manufacturing. |
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The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) on December 8 presented the ASHP Board of Directors Award of Honor to NIOSH research biologist Thomas H. Connor, Ph.D., for his more than 30 years of research on occupational safety and health issues. Dr. Connor is a key author and contributor in NIOSH research to protect pharmacists and other healthcare workers from adverse exposures to hazardous drugs. More information about the award is available at 
