Volume
6 Number 2 June 2008 |
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High Fatality Rates, Persistent Risk Disparity for Hispanic Workers Found in Study 2008 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week Director’s Desk Follow-Up: NIOSH Posts Draft Control Banding Document for Public Comment and Review Special Issue of the Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health |
Addressing the Hazards to Reproductive Organs from Occupational Cycling REMINDERS Nominations Being Accepted for First “Safe in Sound” Award |
r2p Corner NORA NORA Liaison Committee Meeting Around NIOSH NIOSH Information Provided to Professional Piercers Presentations |
NIOSH Hispanic Worker Outreach Efforts Hazards to Outdoor Workers State-based Occupational Health updates News From Our Partners Agriculture Partners Reveal Updated Web site National Safety Council’s June webinars |
Communication Products Health Hazard Evaluation Report now available. |
From the Director's Desk |
As the story goes, Dr. Francis Crick walked into a pub one night in 1953. "We have discovered the secret of life," he announced. He and Dr. James Watson had just mapped the structure of DNA, in one of the fundamental scientific breakthroughs of the 20th Century. Among many other applications, this discovery opened the door to astonishing advances in medicine. It would be difficult to argue the profound benefits of these new tools, which have given doctors and scientists the ability to detect, diagnose, treat, and prevent disease before symptoms appear or adverse effects make headway. At the same time, this progress has raised understandable concerns about the use of genetic information in individually detrimental ways. In the arena of work, the debate has centered on the use of tests for new hires to identify genetic traits and susceptibility to hazardous substances in the workplace. A 2004 study by the American Management Association showed that nearly 63 percent of U.S. companies require medical testing of current employees or new hires. In addition, 15.1 percent conduct tests for susceptibility to workplace hazards, 3 percent for breast and colon cancer, and 2 percent for sickle-cell anemia; 3.2 percent collect information about family medical history. The American Management Association survey, "2004 Medical Testing Survey," is available through the association's archives page at http://www.amanet.org/research/archive.htm. In practice, such tests often forced individuals to make a difficult choice: "Would you take a genetic test if you knew that the information about your genetic makeup would be used against you -- to deny you employment or health coverage?" Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) noted the dilemma in essentially those words last year, when she introduced the bipartisan Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (also called "GINA"). http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2007_record&page=S846&position=all On May 21, 2008, the President signed the final bill into law. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/05/20080521-7.html The long-awaited law, which has been under consideration in Congress for 13 years, was enacted to protect Americans against discrimination based on their genetic information when it comes to health insurance and employment. The history of GINA's passage is outlined on genome.gov, the National Human Genome Research Institute's government web page http://www.genome.gov/24519851. GINA's passage provides a timely opportunity to consider the intersection of genetics and occupational health, and the challenges that genetic science and medicine pose for occupational health scientists and physicians. While GINA's passage is intended to be a critical step in preventing discrimination, there are still important reasons for considering genetics in protecting workers from occupational disease. Genetic factors contribute to the variable responses of workers to occupational hazards—particularly chemical hazards and some biological and physical agents. Although, increasingly, workplace exposures are being controlled to lower concentrations, workers with susceptible genetic profiles may still be at unacceptably high risk. A broad range of published studies show that genetic variations can lead to differential occupational disease risks in exposed workers. Clearly, genetic technology has been useful in these studies of occupational disease and chemical exposures. The greatest contributions thus far have involved understanding mechanisms and modes of action. Detecting genetic variations can also lead to identifying susceptible subgroups in exposed populations. This however, raises many questions. If susceptible subgroups are identified, should government agencies use the information, e.g., in risk assessments or in setting standards? For example, how might the Occupational Safety and Health Administration use genetic information when setting standards (to the extent economically and technically feasible) that are intended to assure that “. . . no employee will suffer material impairment of health and functional capacity even if such employee has regular exposure to the hazard dealt with by the standard for the period of his working life.” 29 U.S.C. § 655(b)(5). No good examples exist in which occupational exposure limits (OELs) have been based on genetic characteristics or risk in a population subgroup. Nor are there examples of one OEL for the general working population and a different one for a specific genetic subgroup. An important area of continued research involves identifying genetically high-risk groups with exposure to widely prevalent workplace chemicals. Examples include exposure to substances such as benzene, ethylene oxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), beryllium, and silica. Including genetic information in quantitative risk assessments could be on the horizon in the future. The inclusion of genetic information in risk assessments does not mean that workers will need genetic tests. Rather, it means that research on genetic characteristics in some workers will be used in modeling risks and determining safe levels of occupational exposure. As with any new legislation, questions of implementation, administration, interpretation, and compliance are likely to follow. However, under GINA as enacted by Congress and the President this past month, workers are provided more protection against genetic discrimination. At the same time, the occupational safety and health community will have to add another topic to its basic skill set--understanding the new world of occupational genetics. At NIOSH, we intend to devote ongoing attention to the challenge of occupational genetics--a challenge that is on the frontiers of science and ethics. I want to thank Dr. Paul Schulte, Director of the NIOSH Education and Information Division, for his contribution to this month's column and for his ongoing work in the field of occupational genetics. I look forward to revisiting this topic with you in the future. |
High Fatality Rates, Persistent Risk Disparity for Hispanic Workers Found in Study |
Work-related fatality rates for Hispanic workers in the U.S. exceeded those for all workers during 1992-2006, and that the disparity of risk was persistent over time, NIOSH scientists and outside colleagues found in a new study published in the June 6 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The article examines important aspects of the data and recommends interventions to prevent fatal injuries among this growing segment of the U.S. work force. The article is on line at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5722a1.htm. |
2008 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week |
NIOSH is partnering with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) to promote 2008 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week, June 22-28, 2008. The goal is to institute a strong culture of health and safety within the fire/EMS service. More information about this important activity can be found at http://www.iafc.org/safetyweek or by contacting Tim Merinar at TMerinar@cdc.gov. |
Director’s Desk Follow-Up: NIOSH Posts Draft Control Banding Document for Public Comment and Review |
On May 13, NIOSH posted a draft document about Control Banding for public review and comment. This draft document, Qualitative Risk Characterization and Management of Occupational Hazards (Control Banding [CB]): A Literature Review and Critical Analysis, describes the evolution and concepts of control banding, a qualitative approach for assessing and managing hazards associated primarily with chemical exposures in the workplace. The public review and comment period is open until July 11, 2008. The draft document is available for viewing at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/review/public/138. |
Special Issue of the Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health |
The Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health (2008 Volume 14, Number 2) released a special issue featuring articles from the September 2006 Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety Conference “Health and Safety in Western Agriculture: Research to Practice.” The Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, located at the University of California, Davis is one of ten NIOSH-funded Ag Centers across the U.S., http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/agctrhom.html. Abstracts of the seven articles are available at http://asae.frymulti.com/toc_journals.asp?volume=14&issue=2&conf=j&orgconf=j2008. |
Addressing the Hazards to Reproductive Organs from Occupational Cycling |
Researchers from the Division of Applied Research and Technology, culminated eight years of studies on the health effects of occupational cycling with the publication entitled “Cutting Off the Nose to Save the Penis.” The paper will be in the August 2008 issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine and is currently available as an “online early” article (http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2008.00867.x ). The paper describes an intervention study to assess the effectiveness of no-nose (noseless) saddles in alleviating the pressure on the groin and health effects caused by the traditional (nosed) bicycle saddle. No-nose saddles were demonstrated to be an effective intervention for bicycling police officers. These results indicate that no-nose saddles may alleviate discomfort and maintain sexual health for men who ride bicycles as part of their job as well as for the 5 million recreational cyclists. Next: communicating the findings of the research and translating them into practice. |
NIOSH Dockets Updated |
The following NIOSH Dockets have been updated with the latest public comments.
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REMINDERS |
Save the Date: NIOSH To Host DREAM Workshop in NovemberNIOSH will host the “DREAM (Direct Reading Exposure Assessment Methods) Workshop” on November 13 – 14, 2008, in Arlington, VA. The workshop will bring together stakeholders from academia, labor, management, method development and research, government and manufacturing to discuss research needs in the area of direct reading methods for assessing occupational exposures. Input from the workshop will be used to set research priorities for the methods. Information on the workshop will be available on the NIOSH Web page, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/drm. Nominations Being Accepted for First “Safe in Sound” AwardNIOSH and the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) have established a new award to be given each year to companies or organizations that exemplify Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention. The first “Safe in Sound” award will be presented at the NHCA annual conference in February 2009 and will recognize organizations that document measurable achievements in hearing loss prevention programs, obtain information on their real-world successes, and widely disseminate information on how others can use these successful strategies or benchmark their own programs. Additional information and submission details can be found at http://www.safeinsound.us. Nominations will be accepted until September 1, 2008. |
NIOSH Science Blog |
Be sure to check out and comment on the latest NIOSH Science Blog topics.
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r2p Corner |
NIOSH Technical Assistance on Silicosis Prevention HighlightedThe April 2008 issue of the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) Newsletter highlights silicosis prevention in a series of short articles. The articles describe activities and leadership by NIOSH, national, and international experts to control silica exposures. Articles presented approaches suitable to stone cutters, ceramics workers, and to construction workers in the U.S. and in other countries. Training is another focus of the newsletter, with articles about the status of development and review of International Occupational Hygiene Training Modules intended for quality teaching globally, the World Health Organization document on prevention and control of dust, and the Fogarty and Work and Health in Southern Africa (WAHSA) programs in South Africa. The article is available online at http://www.ioha.net/images//iohanewsletterapril08.pdf. |
NORA |
NORA Early Registration Ending SoonEarly registration will be open through June 15 for the NORA Symposium 2008: Public Market for Ideas and Partnerships, July 29 in Denver, Colorado. Regular registration will be open through July 20. For more information or to register, click on "registration" in the right-hand menu on http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/symp08. NORA Liaison Committee MeetingNORA Liaison Committee meetings have afforded an opportunity for representatives of organizations with a national scope (employers, unions, professional associations and others) to learn about the progress of NORA and identify possible partnerships with each other or NIOSH to further enhance the success of NORA. The next public meeting,‘‘Partnerships to Advance the National Occupational Research Agenda," will be held on June 19, and includes an option for online participation so more organizations may participate without having to travel to Washington, DC. For more information on the meeting, go to http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-10753.htm. To attend the meeting, please pre-register by emailing the NORA Coordinator noracoordinator@cdc.gov. |
Around NIOSH |
Safety Advisory: Aerial Ladder Truck WaterwaysOn May 8, 2008, the NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program posted a Safety Advisory urging fire departments to take immediate steps to ensure that procedures for setting-up waterways on aerial ladder trucks are consistent with manufacturer recommendations, that fire fighters are thoroughly trained on these procedures, and that correct set-up is verified before the waterways are used. This Safety Advisory was prompted by an ongoing NIOSH investigation of an April 8, 2008 fire fighter fatality and is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/SafetyAdvisory05052008.html. On May 12, 2008, the manufacturer of the aerial ladder involved in the April 8 incident mailed a notice to all of its customers alerting them of this incident and referencing the NIOSH Safety Advisory and recommendations to prevent similar incidents. Contact Tim Merinar at TMerinar@cdc.gov for additional information. NIOSH Information Provided to Professional PiercersInformational post cards from the NIOSH Body Art occupational health and safety project were distributed at a national conference last month hosted by the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). NIOSH staff worked with the Regional Resource Coordinator from the US Department of Health and Human Services National HIV Testing Mobilization Campaign to supply copies of the "Good, Clean Art" and "Look Sharp" post cards for the conference. More information is available on the NIOSH Body Art topic page, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/bbp/bodyart, or by contacting Everett (Chip) Lehman at ELehman@cdc.gov or Amy Mobley at AMobley@cdc.gov. PresentationsPresentations on NIOSH Nanotechnology ResearchSeveral representatives from the NIOSH Nanotechnology Research Center made technical presentations and conducted a hands-on measurement workshop for the Central Ohio American Industrial Hygiene Association in Columbus, OH, on April 25. They provided an overview of the NIOSH nanotechnology research projects and demonstrated the Nanoparticle Emission Assessment Technique (NEAT) for close to 70 participants. For more information about the NIOSH nanotechnology research program, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech. NIOSH Hispanic Worker Outreach EffortsMichael Flynn of the NIOSH Education and Information Division described recent NIOSH efforts to reach Hispanic workers at the 54th Information Seminar for the Ventanillas de Salud (Health Windows) program sponsored by the Institute for Mexicans Abroad and the Mexican Ministry of Health. The presentation focused on a pilot study by NIOSH and the Institute for Mexicans Abroad to develop and disseminate occupational safety and health information on priority topics at select consulates with the Ventanillas de Salud (Health Windows) program. If successful, this pilot project will lay the foundation for establishing occupational safety and health as an integral part of the Mexican consular network’s health promotion programs and could be used as a model for collaborating with the Ventanillas de Salud on a national level regarding other health topics as well. Hazards to Outdoor WorkersNIOSH representatives presented a workshop, "Hazards to Outdoor Workers," at the 24th Annual Kentucky Governor's Safety and Health Conference and Exposition in Louisville. Workshop sessions included an overview of outdoor worker hazards, a review and update on vector-borne diseases, and dermal hazards with a focus on contact dermatitis. EID has an ongoing informational effort addressing outdoor worker hazards including the development of Web pages with recommendations for protecting outdoor workers from physical and biological hazards. The NIOSH topic page for hazards to outdoor workers was recently posted at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/outdoor. New Appointments and AwardsCongratulations to:
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State-based Occupational Health updates |
States Develop Strategies to Combat an Old Occupational DiseaseNIOSH, organizations involved in the NIOSH-funded Occupational Health Indicators Project, and partners, together with OSHA’s New Jersey Silica Outreach and Research Alliance (SOAR) have developed a dust-suppression engineering control for jackhammers and are currently promoting its use through an outreach campaign. Additionally, the New Jersey Departments of Treasury and Transportation have incorporated silica health and safety language into their contract bidding process. These contract specifications require dust control methods, respiratory protection, a silica health and safety program which includes employee training, and an on-site competent person. For information about New Jersey’s activities to prevent silicosis, contact the New Jersey Occupational Health Surveillance Program at surveillance@doh.state.nj.us or visit http://www.nj.gov/health/ohs/contact_surv.shtml. |
News From Our Partners |
OSHA Teen Summer Job Safety Campaign Launched on TODAY ShowOn April 21, Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao launched OSHA’s 2008 Teen Summer Job Safety Campaign on NBC’s “Today” show. The campaign is part of OSHA’s Young Worker Initiative, which provides information and resources to teenagers, parents, educators and employers to ensure safe and rewarding work experiences for these summer employees. More information about workplace safety for teens is available at http://www.osha.gov/teens. Agriculture Partners Reveal Updated Web siteBe sure to check out the newly revised joint website of the North Carolina Agromedicine Institute and the Southern Coastal Agromedicine Center (SCAC), http://www.ncagromedicine.org. The SCAC is one of ten NIOSH funded Agricultural Centers. National Safety Council’s June webinars
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Communication Products |
“Explosion Hazards from Methane Emissions Related to Geologic Features in Coal Mines” DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2008-123. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/pubs/pubreference/outputid2936.htm. Spanish version of this NIOSH publication and Web pages are now available“NIOSH sobre entrenamiento en espirometria” (“NIOSH Spirometry Training Guide”) DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2004-154c. http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/niosh/docs/2004-154c_sp Health Hazard Evaluation Report now availableManufacturing Sector - Evaluation of potential ergonomic hazards. The NIOSH health hazard evaluation program responded to a union request at a piston and cylinder liner plant. The request concerned potential musculoskeletal hazards resulting from job tasks. The most common complaints were pain or discomfort in the low back and shoulders resulting from heavy lifting and awkward postures. NIOSH recommended that managers add adjustable lifts and tables to reduce bending and reaching and that they train workers to be aware of unsafe work practices. Investigators recommended that employees take the time to work safely and lift properly, as well as promptly report any injuries or unsafe work conditions to their supervisors. The final report is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2007-0124-3060.pdf. |
Upcoming Events |
Look for Us“International Association of Fire Chiefs Fire Rescue International 2008” “Association of Occupational Health Professionals” “National Safety Council Expo” Call for Abstracts“Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) 2009” “14th International Society for Respiratory Protection” “National Safety Council’s Annual Texas Safety Conference and Expo” ASSE Professional Development Conference and Exposition “SAFETY 2009” “29th Triennial Congress of the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH 2009)” “Association of periOperative Registered Nurses Congress 2009” Upcoming ConferencesAmerican Society of Safety Engineers “SAFETY 2008” Professional Development Conference and Exposition “12th US/North American Mine Ventilation Symposium” “National Institute for Farm Safety” “2008 Johnson Conference: Critical Issues in Monitoring Asbestos” “International Association of Fire Chiefs Fire Rescue International 2008” “International Society for Respiratory Protection (ISRP) 14th Conference” “2008 National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS)” “PCIH 2008” “8th Conference of the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology” “International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) 2008 Annual Conference” “International Roofing Expo” “2009 SME Annual Meeting” and “CMA 111th Annual National Western Mining Conference” “19th International Symposium on Shiftwork and Working Time” |
Word of the Month |
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