Volume
2 Number 2 June 2004 |
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Futures Initiative Immunoassays for Mold: New Information for Physicians |
NIOSH Director Receives Steiger Memorial Award Impact of Long Working Hours Engineering Literary Awards Fast ‘Steps’ by a NIOSH Marathon Champion |
This summer over 4 million teens are expected to enter the U.S. workforce as food handlers, laborers, cashiers, farm workers, and lifeguards, among other occupations. While eager to learn new skills and enthusiastic to earn a few bucks, young workers are at an increased risk of being injured on the job due to lack of experience and unfamiliarity with safe operating procedures. About 70 teens die from work-related injuries in the U.S. each year and nearly 77,000 get hurt badly enough to warrant an emergency room visit. Ensuring that these young workers are safe on the job is a critical part of the surveillance, research and outreach activities that NIOSH conducts and supports each year. Identifying the Problems
Getting the Word Out
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Futures Initiative |
On May 13, CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding announced new organizational changes in CDC resulting from the CDC Futures Initiative. As described in the May 13 eNews FLASH, NIOSH will join the National Center for Environmental Health, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control in the new Coordinating Center for Environmental Health, Injury Prevention, and Occupational Health. This alignment will provide new opportunities for many productive collaborations to help achieve our common goals. NIOSH will continue to keep you informed of the latest developments through our new Futures Initiative web page http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/futures. We encourage you to send your comments and concerns regarding this new initiative to NIOSHeNews@cdc.gov.
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A May 2004 technical review by six NIOSH scientists and an outside colleague provides current information to help physicians in determining whether a patient’s allergic rhinitis, asthma, or other symptoms may have been caused by occupational or environmental exposure to mold or other fungi. The review found that immunoassays are a useful adjunct to a complete clinical evaluation, but as a rule they should not be used as the primary means of assessment. The review noted that although an immunoassay can reveal that a person was exposed to mold or fungus (which are widespread in nature), it cannot specify when the exposure occurred, or reliably identify the particular type of mold or fungus involved, which are key elements for linking symptoms to a given exposure. The article was published in the May 2004 issue of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (Ann Allergy Asthma Immuno, 2004;92:483-492).
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NIOSH Director John Howard received the prestigious William Steiger Memorial Award from the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists at the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition in Atlanta last month. The award honors individuals from the social and political sphere whose efforts have contributed to advancements in occupational health and safety. The award is named for the late Representative William Steiger, the co-author of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
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A new NIOSH publication entitled Overtime and Extended Work Shifts: Recent Findings on Illnesses, Injuries, and Health Behaviors [DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-143] presents an integrative review of the methods and findings from 52 studies. The review indicates that the influence of long working hours on health and safety involves a complex interaction of a number of factors. It also recommends issues and priorities to consider in future research. The document was released in conjunction with a national conference entitled Long Working Hours, Safety, and Health: Toward a National Research Agenda which was held on April 29-30, 2004 on the University of Maryland campus in Baltimore, Maryland. The conference brought together researchers and representatives from labor and industry to discuss the sociological, economic, and health aspects of long work hours. The conference was conducted under the auspices of the National Occupational Research Agenda (Organization of Work Team) and cosponsored by NIOSH, the University of Maryland School of Nursing, and the U.S. Department of Justice. For more information on the conference, visit http://nursing.umaryland.edu/longworkhours. The document can be accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-143.
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Several NIOSH researchers are recipients of the U. S. Public Health Service Engineering Literary Award presented at the Commissioned Officers Association Conference in May. These awards are presented annually to recognize the written works of engineers and architects within the Public Health Service. The winners include:
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Congratulations to T.J. Lentz, industrial hygienist with the NIOSH Education and Information Division, who won the men’s division competition May 2 in the Cincinnati, Ohio, Flying Pig Marathon. The internationally popular contest, which benefits Cincinnati-area charities, drew 11,928 participants this year. NIOSH is proud to recognize T.J.’s achievement as we work with our partners and stakeholders to further the Steps to a HealthierUS Workforce initiative. Encouraging physical fitness and other healthy lifestyles, and integrating them with traditional occupational health initiatives, benefits the employer, the employee, and the community alike. Further information on the Steps initiative is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/steps/
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Office of the Director Congratulations to DeLon Hull, acting director of the Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies (DSHEFS), on his appointment as Coordinator of the Office of Research and Technology Transfer in the NIOSH Office of the Director. Congratulations also to Teresa Schnorr on her appointment as the new Director of DSHEFS. NIOSH Diversity Project Division of Applied Research and Technology (DART) Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS) Division of Safety Research (DSR) Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies (DSHEFS) Education and Information Division (EID) Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD) National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) NPPTL Employees Receive Excellence in Government Awards Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (PRL) Spokane Research Laboratory (SRL)
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OSHA Announces FY2004 Safety and Health Training Grants
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NORA Profiles the Intervention Effectiveness Research Team
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Look for the NIOSH exhibit at the American Society for Safety Engineers (ASSE) conference, Safety2004, on June 7-9 in Las Vegas, NV. We will be in booth number 1316. More information on the conference is available at http://www.asse.org/safety2004.htm. NIOSH will also have an exhibit at the Elko Mining Expo on June 9-12 in Elko, NV. More information on the expo is available at http://www.elkocva.com/miningexpo.html.
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NIOSH Bibliography of Communication and Research Products 2003 Workers’ Health Chartbook 2004 Nanotechnology Topic Page
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Hand-Arm Vibration Conference 2004 National Symposium on Agricultural Health and Safety 3rd Conference on Metal Toxicity and Carcinogenesis 2nd International Symposium on Work Ability Steps to a HealthierUS Workforce Symposium
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Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) is caused by repeated and frequent use of hand-held vibrating tools or working with machinery that vibrates. Symptoms of HAVS include numbness, pain and “white finger” or Raynaud’s phenomenon.
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