NIOSH eNews Web site

Precautions, Resources on Storm, Flood Clean-Up Spotlighted
Tips for keeping workers and volunteers safe during clean-up and recovery.

New NIOSH Study Links Certain Professions with Neurodegenerative Diseases
Investigators looked for associations between 87 occupations and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

MMWR: Fatal Injuries among Volunteer Workers – U.S., 1993-2002
Results reveal occupations and activities where greatest number of deaths occurred.

NIOSH Encourages Stakeholder Input for Reviews of Occupational Energy Research Program
Reviews will enhance the scientific merit and focus of future research initiatives.

Respirator Certification Update
NIOSH releases numbers on respirator approvals and extensions for July.

Seeking Comment to Respirator Standard Concepts
NPPTL Standards Team needs your input!

Fiscal Year 2004 Annual Program Report Now Available
Features grants process and highlights success stories from NIOSH grantees.

Upcoming Exhibits
Look for the NIOSH Exhibit Booth at these upcoming conferences.

Around NIOSH

NIOSH Diversity Initiative
Overview for New Employees Conducted.

Division of Applied Research and Technology (DART)
‘Meth’ Detection and Decontamination Examination.

Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS)
DRDS Assists U.S. Department of Interior by Offering Spirometry Training.

Division of Safety Research (DSR)
VR Workshop Identifies Potential Occupational Safety Research Topics.

Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies (DSHEFS)
Study Estimates, Assesses Pesticide Exposures at Schools.

Education and Information Division (EID)
Video Announcement Promotes Farm Safety at Iowa State Fair.

Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD)
HELD Scientist Presents Nanotechnology to the Global Audience.

National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL)
New Application Procedure in Place for Certifying Respirators.

Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (PRL)
New Clothes Cleaning Process Decreases Respirable Dust Exposure.

Spokane Research Laboratory (SRL)
A program of highs takes students to new ‘lows’ -- literally.

r2p Corner

NIOSH HHEs Find Roofers' Exposure to Silica Dust

NORA

Recognize Outstanding Research with a NORA Award Nomination

News From Our Partners

Dr. Aida Giachello, NIOSH Partner, Honored by Time Magazine

Communication Products

NIOSH Publication No. 2005-155: Recommendations for Protecting Outdoor Workers from West Nile Virus Exposure

Upcoming Events

North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology (NACCT) 2005

Second International Symposium on Nanotechnology and Occupational Health

Advanced Personal Protective Equipment - Challenges in Protecting First Responders

Mechanisms of Action of Inhaled Fibers, Particles, and Nanoparticles in Lung and Cardiovascular Disease

Second Symposium on Beryllium Particulates and Their Detection

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

“Acronym” of the Month

 From the Director's Desk

Later this month, the global safety community will converge upon the city of Orlando as two prominent international and national conferences are held. Attendees will share the latest research findings, new innovative technologies and ideas for improving worker safety. 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 make its first appearance in the U.S. as approximately 3,000 professionals will gather at this international forum.

Scheduled in tandem 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.

NIOSH will have significant presence at both conferences, as researchers will share findings through key presentations. Listed below are some of the topics that NIOSH researchers will be discussing.

• Investigations by the NIOSH FACE Program to address the high number of Hispanic worker deaths.
  
  
• Evaluation of the impact of Federal compliance reviews on reducing highway truck crashes in the U.S.
  
  
• Development of a hospital planning tool for evaluating the potential exposure of first receivers to toxic chemicals and other agents in terrorism incidents and industrial emergencies.
  
  
• Collaborative research evaluating the effectiveness of an improved restraint system for emergency medical service workers in ambulance patient compartments designed to reduce vehicle crash-related injuries.
  
  
• Results from a NIOSH-developed computer-based method utilizing digitally scanned 3-D images to test headforms and eyewear for quantifying safety eyewear coverage.
  
  
• Use of the Alaska Trauma Registry surveillance data to focus injury prevention and evaluation efforts for decreasing non-fatal worker injuries.
  
  
• Addressing obstacles to developing effective transnational training.
  
  
• Establishment of occupational health services for healthcare workers in Kabul, Afghanistan.
  
  
• Advancements in control banding and updates on current projects in the U.S. and worldwide.
  
  
• The use of an emergency department based injury surveillance system for reporting work-related injuries in Nicaragua.
  
  
• Characterizing occupational safety and health management programs in small enterprises.
  
  
• Emerging issues in occupational safety and health, including the relationship between work, psychological dysfunction and neurodegenerative disease, increasing focus on information and knowledge transfer and application, and addressing the global interconnectedness of occupational safety and health.
  
  
• Building a research and development program for improving personal protective equipment used by emergency responders.
  
  
• Using Virtual Reality Technology to evaluate footwear for improved balance at heights.
  
  
• Development of two mechanical methods for reducing material handling injuries in underground coal mines.
  
  
• The power of storytelling as a training technique.
  
  
• Identifying key behavioral factors for use in targeted training recommendations to reduce non-contact electric-arc injuries.
  
  
• Panel presentation describing safety and health resources and initiatives in construction.

In addition to the valuable and insightful information shared through these presentations, don’t forget to stop by the NIOSH Exhibit Booth for additional safety and health information. You can find us at the back left section of the Expo hall at Exhibit Booth #777. More information on the World Safety Congress can be found at http://www.safety2005.org. More information on the National Safety Council Congress and Expo can be found at http://www.congress.nsc.org.

  Precautions, Resources on Storm, Flood Clean-Up Spotlighted

Precautions for working safely during storm and flood clean-up, and resources for assessing and addressing potential clean-up risks, are spotlighted on the NIOSH Web page. Preventing injury, illness, and death from electrical hazards, carbon monoxide, and heat stress are among the issues highlighted. These resources are designed to be useful in the field for workers involved in clean-ups such as those that will follow in the wake of the devastation in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Katrina. The storm and flood clean-up page can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/flood.

Other important web-based resources for safety and health in relief and clean-up from Hurricane Katrina are available from:

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/index.asp

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.hhs.gov/emergency/hurricane.html

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/hurricaneRecovery.html

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): http://www.fema.gov/press/2005/katrinaemergency.shtm

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security: http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=16&content=4768

  New NIOSH Study Links Certain Professions with Neurodegenerative Diseases

Findings from a new NIOSH study add to the body of scientific evidence for exploring whether the risks of certain neurodegenerative diseases are associated with work-related factors. The article, “Potential Occupational Risks for Neurodegenerative Disease,” was published in the July issue of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine (48:63-77). It investigated hypotheses suggested by previous research, which statistically linked certain occupations with higher-than-expected incidences of such diseases. The new results show that about one-third of those occupations had statistically significant elevated mortality odds ratios for the same outcomes, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The abstract for the article can be viewed at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/110520795/ABSTRACT.

  MMWR: Fatal Injuries among Volunteer Workers – U.S., 1993-2002

A total of 501 persons died from injuries sustained while volunteering between 1993 and 2002, according to an analysis by NIOSH scientists in the Aug. 5, 2005, issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report. The majority of these fatalities occurred while the volunteer was operating a motor vehicle. Three occupations accounted for half of the fatal injuries: fire fighters (37%), nonconstruction laborers (7%) and pilots and navigators (5%). Twenty-one percent of these volunteers were between 25 and 34 years old. The full report can be accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5430a2.htm.

  NIOSH Encourages Stakeholder Input for Reviews of Occupational Energy Research Program

One public review is being conducted by the National Academies (NA) at the request of DOE. The review will assess the NIOSH energy research program, as well as public health activities conducted under the same agreement with DOE by NIOSH’s fellow agencies in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. From the review, NA will recommend ways to enhance the scientific merit, focus, and effectiveness of the initiatives, as well as their impact on DOE’s policies and decisions. More information can be found at the NA Web site, http://www4.nas.edu/webcr.nsf/ProjectScopeDisplay/NRSB-O-05-01-A?OpenDocument.

In the other review, NIOSH will convene a public meeting on Oct. 27, 2005, in Washington, D.C., with stakeholders and other interested parties to outline ongoing activities under the Occupational Energy Research Program, and discuss needs and plans for future research. The meeting also will provide follow-up to a July 2004 public meeting in which NIOSH addressed research into the question of whether associations exist between occupational exposures to radiation and risk for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Although the Oct. 27 meeting is independent of the NA review, NIOSH anticipates that information from the meeting will help inform and facilitate the NA process. NIOSH announced the meeting and invited public comment and participation in an Aug. 17, 2005, Federal Register notice. The notice is available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-16257.htm.

More information on the NIOSH Occupational Energy Research Program is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2001-133/.

  Respirator Certification Update

NIOSH approved or extended existing approvals for 22 industrial respirators and 2 chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) respirators in the month of July. Forty-seven units were submitted for initial approval or extension of approval. NIOSH completed 60 product investigations or audits since June in its National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, and the Certified Product Investigation Process (CPIP) program closed 68 user-generated investigations of device failure or other user-concern. User notices are posted at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/usernotices/. More information on the certification process can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/.

 Seeking Comment to Respirator Standard Concepts

The NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) policy and standards team is seeking comment regarding respirator standard development efforts. Interested participants may obtain copies of the CBRN Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR), the Industrial PAPR, and the CBRN Closed Circuit, Self Contained Breathing Apparatus concept papers from http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl. Comments regarding these concepts will be discussed at future public meetings. Send your ideas to Jon Szalajda at JSzalajda@cdc.gov.

  Fiscal Year 2004 Annual Program Report Now Available

NIOSH announces the availability of the Fiscal Year 2004 Annual Program Report from its Office of Extramural Programs. The report provides information on NIOSH extramural funding priorities, an overview of the grant process, grantee highlights and success stories, a complete list of all 2004 awards, and links to important references. The report is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/oep/reports.html#awards.

  Upcoming Exhibits

Look for the NIOSH Exhibit Booth at these upcoming conferences:

• 2005 National Safety Council Expo on September 21-23 in Orlando, FL. Exhibit booth number 777.
  
  
• 2005 TRAM National Mine Instructors Seminar on October 11-13, 2005 at the National Mine Health and Safety Academy in Beckley, WV. http://www.msha.gov/events/TRAM2005/TRAM2005.pdf. Contact Becky Farley at MSHALibrary@dol.gov for more information.
  
  
• 2005 Pittsburgh Coal Mining Institute of America and the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration Pittsburgh Section Joint Meeting on October 14-15, 2005 in South Pointe, PA. Contact Myron Nehrebecki at myronnehrebecki@consolenergy.com for more information.
  
  
• 10^th Annual Safety Seminar for Underground Stone Mines on December 6-7, 2005 in Louisville, KY. Contact Lou Prosser at LProsser@cdc.gov for more information or Kim Mitchell at KAMitchell@cdc.gov for registration information.
  
  

  Around NIOSH

NIOSH Diversity Initiative
The NIOSH Diversity Steering Council successfully conducted a NIOSH Overview for New Employees on June 29, 2005. The program was held at all NIOSH locations to give a broad view of the work conducted at the facilities. The orientation coincided with the release of the new electronic Employee Handbook and Web site designed to assist new employees in locating vital information and employee services.

Division of Applied Research and Technology (DART)
To assist law enforcement officials who go on-site during investigation or decontamination of illegal methamphetamine laboratories, NIOSH researchers are developing field methods to detect the presence of methamphetamine on surfaces, personnel, and personal protective equipment. These methods will detect the presence of the drug in illicit laboratories and evaluate the effectiveness of decontamination procedures. NIOSH is developing, evaluating and validating two different approaches to ‘meth’ detection, by chemical and immunochemical means. It is also evaluating surface wipe protocols for various surfaces encountered in clandestine laboratories. Field tests with law enforcement agencies will follow. These methods have the potential to help law enforcement agencies better reduce the risk of potential exposures of officers and other employees to hazardous chemicals that may be used in illicit methamphetamine production. For more information contact Eric Esswein at EEsswein@cdc.gov or John Snawder at JSnawder@cdc.gov.

Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS)
DRDS staff offered a two-day spirometry training course on August 25-26, 2005 in Portland, OR as part of the U.S. Department of Interior’s request for assistance in examining the quality of spirometry reports for wildland fire fighters. This is the first in a series of courses designed to improve the quality of spirometry at the more than 350 client clinics providing spirometry for candidates to the Federal Interagency Wildland Fire Fighter Medical Qualification Standards program. This initiative is part of the NORA-funded study of the Respiratory Effects of Particulate Exposure in Wildland Fire Fighters. The course will be led by Lu-Ann Beeckman-Wagner and Diana Freeland.

Division of Safety Research (DSR)
The Division of Safety Research sponsored a one-day workshop, Virtual Reality (VR) as a Tool in Occupational Safety Research, on June 9. The workshop featured presentations by five experts with experience in different aspects of VR technologies and research applications. The workshop included participants from West Virginia University and the International Union of Operating Engineers. Specific topics include fall prevention, fire fighter decision making, machine safety, workplace violence prevention simulation and recognition, and transportation safety. DSR is reviewing these topics and plans further follow-up to assist in identifying research priorities.

Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies (DSHEFS)
Two NIOSH scientists and 13 colleagues from federal and state agencies published the report “Acute Illnesses Associated with Pesticide Exposure at Schools” in the July 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. During the period 1998-2003, illness surveillance data identified 2,593 cases of acute illnesses associated with pesticide exposures at schools. The findings that the rates were low (6.8/million children) and the vast majority of cases were of low severity is reassuring, the article stated; however, the findings nevertheless suggest the need to adopt measures to reduce pesticide exposure in schools, the authors said. An abstract of the article is available at http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/294/4/455. More information on pesticide exposure can be found on the NIOSH Pesticide Illness and Injury Prevention topic page, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/pesticides. Request for article reprints can be sent to Walter Alarcon at WAlarcon@cdc.gov or Geoffrey Calvert at GCalvert@cdc.gov.

Education and Information Division (EID)
NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D., greeted visitors at the Iowa State Fair this summer through an appearance on a 3 minute videotaped announcement on farm safety and health. Information was provided on NIOSH efforts to prevent tractor rollover injuries and deaths and on agricultural-related NIOSH publications including Injuries Among Youth on Farms, 2001 and Simple Solutions: Ergonomics for Farm Workers. The video production was a collaborative effort between Steve Leonard and Joe Cauley of the NIOSH Web team and DeLon Hull and Jan Huy of the NIOSH Research to Practice (r2p) Office.

Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD)
Vincent Castranova, Chief of the HELD Pathology and Physiology Research Branch, was invited to be a Distinguished Lecturer by the Australian Research Council Nanotechnology Network. In this capacity, Castranova presented ten lectures at academic institutions throughout Australia during the month of July. Castranova also recently returned from an invited lecture tour in South Korea where he presented five lectures to the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Administration, professional organizations and academic institutions.

National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL)
NPPTL revised the Standard Application Procedure (SAP) for the Certification of Respirators under 42 CFR Part 84. The SAP is the guidance document required for respirator manufacturers to file their applications for initial approval, or approval of changes or modifications to previously approved units. The revised procedure is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/resources/certpgmspt/.

The revision and posting is the culmination of a two-year effort by the Respirator Branch to develop an easy-to-read and user-friendly version. In addition, the revised SAP more accurately reflects the current operating procedures of the branch. It is recommended that applicants and approval holders review the entire document before submitting a respirator for approval.

The Respirator Branch is currently working on the next generation of the SAP with the goal of developing an easy-to-navigate text-based Web site providing information and resources on the entire respirator certification process including specifics for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) applications. Contact the NPPTL Respirator Branch at (412) 386-4000 for more information.

Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (PRL)
Through collaboration with Unimin Corporation, a silica sand producer, researchers at PRL have recently developed a new method for cleaning dusty work clothes, the “Clothes Cleaning Process.” Dirty worker clothing has been identified as a source of exposure to respirable dust. If the dust contains silica, it may cause the inhaler to develop silicosis, an irreversible lung disease.Modifying a process originally developed for cleaning tools, through air volume and exhaust calculations and testing several manifold designs and air nozzles, researchers produced a system that is ten times faster and 50% more effective than methods currently used to clean clothing. The process is simple: wearing appropriate personal protective equipment the worker enters the negative pressure booth, turns open a valve which releases air through 27 nozzles, rotates 1-2 times in 30 seconds, and exits the booth. More information can be found in the Technology Newsletter, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/pubs/pdfs/tn509.pdf, or by contacting Andrew Cecala at ACecala@cdc.gov or Douglas Pollock at DPollock@cdc.gov.

Spokane Research Laboratory (SRL)
Under Project IMHOTEP, an innovative partnership between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the nation’s historically black colleges and universities, three students from Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA, came to SRL this year to learn about NIOSH’s leadership in mining safety and health. It was the latest of a series of visits hosted by SRL over the past five years under Project IMHOTEP, which seeks to expand students’ knowledge and skills in biostatistics, epidemiology, and occupational safety and health. The students worked with SRL researchers on projects related to their field of study, ranging from haul truck ergonomics to materials handling.

In addition to their work at the lab, Quentin Williams, Mary Glover, and Aja Lampley joined seven other NIOSH employees and summer students for a field visit to the Galena Mine in Wallace, ID to visit workers most directly affected by SRL's research. The group traveled over half a mile beneath Idaho's Silver Valley to meet with miners, ask questions, collect mineral samples and see some of NIOSH's innovations first hand. The trip opened their eyes to a whole new world beneath their feet and reinforced the importance of NIOSH’s research for preventing injuries and illnesses in mining.

  r2p Corner

An article appearing in the August issue of Professional Roofing magazine demonstrates how NIOSH investigations prompted quick actions to decrease potential exposures of roofers to silica dust. The actions came after NIOSH conducted a series of Health Hazard Evaluations (HHEs) in 2003 and 2004 in Phoenix, AZ to examine exposures of roofing contractor employees to silica dust while dry-cutting cement tiles. NIOSH subsequently established a screening program to identify potential indications of silicosis. NIOSH, along with representatives from government, professional organizations, industry and worker groups, gathered to strategize ways of discuss the problem and form a working group to identify work practices to decrease exposures among these workers. The article can be accessed on the Professional Roofing Web site, http://www.professionalroofing.net.

  NORA

NIOSH and the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Liaison Committee invite nominations for two awards, which will be presented at the NORA Symposium on April 18-20, 2006 in Washington, DC. The NORA Partnering Award for Worker Health and Safety honors organizations conducting NORA-related collaborative research that resulted in new equipment, practices, products, procedures, or policies. The NORA Innovative Research Award for Worker Health and Safety recognizes new approaches to prevent and/or reduce occupational illness and injuries. Candidates for this new award may be affiliated with a university, industry, government agency, labor union, or a private organization.

The deadline for award nominations is February 1, 2006. More information, including how to apply, is available on the NORA Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/NORA.

  News From Our Partners

Dr. Aida Giachello, a public health research leader at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a partner with NIOSH on efforts to reduce minority safety and health disparities, was named by Time magazine as one of the 25 most influential Hispanics in the U.S.  The Aug. 13, 2005, Time article highlighted Dr. Giachello’s innovative approaches to engaging Hispanic community leaders in gathering data, assessing medical needs, and developing strategies to address health problems that disproportionately affect Hispanics.

“Dr. Giachello has helped NIOSH to establish partnerships with an impressive number of Chicago community-based organizations that serve a diversity of minority and immigrant populations in that area,” says Rashaun Roberts of the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology.  Dr. Giarchello and her staff teamed with NIOSH to design and conduct a multilingual study in the Chicago area.  Results will help NIOSH gain a better understanding of the psychosocial factors that minority and immigrant groups experience at work, and how those factors may interact with occupational safety and health concerns.  The Time magazine profile is available at http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1093646,00.html.

 Communication Products

 Upcoming Events

North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology (NACCT) 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, FL. 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.

Second International Symposium on Nanotechnology and Occupational Health
The 2^nd International Symposium on Nanotechnology and Occupational Health will be held on October 3-6, 2005 in Minneapolis, MN. The symposium, jointly sponsored by NIOSH, the Air Force Research Laboratory, Rice University and the University of Minnesota, is the foremost international meeting of 2005 addressing the potential implications and applications of nanotechnology in the workplace. The symposium will provide a multi-stakeholder forum for presenting, assimilating, and discussing the latest breakthroughs and activities in addressing nanotechnology and worker safety and health. More information on the conference can be found at http://www.cce.umn.edu/conferences/nanotechnology.

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.

Mechanisms of Action of Inhaled Fibers, Particles, and Nanoparticles in Lung and Cardiovascular Disease
On October 25-28, 2005, NIOSH and partners will sponsor the Mechanisms of Action of Inhaled Fibers, Particles, and Nanoparticles in Lung and Cardiovascular Disease conference in Research Triangle Park, NC. The conference will serve as a forum for discussion of basic and applied research strategies with an emphasis on interaction between environmental exposures to particles and fibers with host factors that may lead to disease pathogenesis. More information can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/conferences/2005NanoConf/nanoconf.htm or by contacting Vince Castranova at VCastranova@cdc.gov.

Second Symposium on Beryllium Particulates and Their Detection
NIOSH along with the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, the U.S. Department of Energy, Beryllium Health & Safety Committee, Eichrom Technologies, Inc., and the Savannah River National Laboratory will convene the 2nd Symposium on Beryllium Particulates and Their Detection on November 8-9, 2005 in Salt Lake City, UT. This symposium, held in connection with the fall meeting of the Beryllium Health and Safety Committee, will devote one day to sampling issues (air, surface, and bulk) and one day to issues with sample preparation, laboratory analysis, and portable instrumentation. The format includes oral presentations, vendor displays, panel discussions, and a poster session. More information on the symposium can be found at http://www.rmcoeh.utah.edu/besymp.

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, FL, 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.

 “Acronym” of the Month

FACE (Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation): a NIOSH research program for identifying and studying fatal occupational injuries. FACE is designed to reduce occupational fatalities across the nation by identifying and investigating work situations at high risk for injury and then formulating and disseminating prevention strategies to those who can intervene in the workplace. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/face.