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![NIOSH eNews logo]()
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Volume 3 Number 11 March 2006
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We
in NIOSH are excited that preparations are underway to launch the second
decade of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA). The official launch
will occur next month at the 2006 National Occupational Research Agenda
(NORA) Symposium. The three-day symposium will be held April 18-20, 2006 at
the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, D.C.
During
the first decade of NORA, strategic research partnerships were developed. The
second decade of NORA will build upon those partnerships while preparing for
new challenges in designing research to address the 21st Century
workplace. NIOSH, through feedback from numerous organizations and
individuals, has shaped the second decade of NORA around eight sector
research councils. In addition, a cross-sector research council will be
formed to identify research partnerships across sectors. The councils will be
led by partnerships with the worker, business, and academic communities.
This
preliminary planning has involved close interactions with our stakeholders
over the past year, including 12 town hall meetings across the U.S. that
began in December 2005. To review the NORA sectors, visit the NORA Web page, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/sector.html.
In
addition to launching the next decade of occupational safety and health
research for the nation, the symposium will feature:
- A commemoration of the 35th
anniversary of the occupational safety and health act which established
both NIOSH and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
- The presentation of the NORA
Partnership Award for Worker Health and Safety and NORA Innovative
Research Award for Worker Health and Safety.
- Presentations featuring key
research findings conducted during the first decade of NORA.
- Workshops centered around
comments from a series of successful town hall meetings throughout the
country and online submissions.
- Workshops focusing on the eight NORA sectors.
This is a historic event, and if
you have not yet registered, we encourage you to do so now at http://secure.nsc.org/forms/niosh_nora/register.cfm.
In the meantime, you can stay up to date with the latest information on NORA
through the NORA Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora.
We look forward to seeing you in April.
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NIOSH,
State of West Virginia and MSHA to Host International Mining Safety and
Health Meeting
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NIOSH along with the State of West
Virginia and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) will cosponsor
an international Mining Health and Safety Symposium April 20-22 at Wheeling
Jesuit University in Wheeling, WV. The Symposium will focus mine equipment
approval and ways to accelerate adoption of state-of-the-art technologies,
both from traditional sources and by adapting technologies developed for
other applications. More information is available at http://www.nttc.edu/minesafety/default.asp.
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Dr.
Howard Will Play Role in HHS' World Trade Center Efforts
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NIOSH Director John Howard will
play a lead role in the Department of Health and Human Services' response to
ongoing concerns about health effects related to exposures from the World
Trade Center (WTC) terrorist attack. In a February 27 letter answering requests
from the New York Congressional delegation, Health and Human Services
Secretary Michael Leavitt wrote that the coordination effort will provide
"appropriate, compassionate, and timely support to those who were
affected by the WTC exposures following the 9/11 attack." NIOSH has been
active in this area since early 2002, administering a series of grants for
screening, monitoring and treatment of World Trade Center responders.
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Guner Gürtunca Named Director of
Pittsburgh Research Laboratory
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Guner Gürtunca was named permanent
director of NIOSH's Pittsburgh Research Laboratory on February 27. Dr. Gürtunca
had served as acting director of the laboratory during the previous 18
months. Dr. Gürtunca has conducted research in a range of mining safety and
health topics and has published extensively. Dr. Gürtunca received his
undergraduate and Master's degrees in Mining Engineering from Middle East
Technical University in Turkey, and his Doctorate in Mining Engineering from
the School of Mining Engineering of University of New South Wales, Sydney,
Australia in 1984. Prior to joining NIOSH, he was director of the CSIR Mining
Technology Division (Miningtek) in South Africa.
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Published Findings Reveal Increase Risk
for Brain Cancer Death Following PCB Exposure
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NIOSH scientists published their
latest findings from research to help resolve the question of whether
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) pose an occupational risk for cancer.
Despite the production of PCBs having been banned almost 30 years ago,
workers who repair, maintain, or dispose of equipment containing PCBs may
still be exposed occupationally. Studies to date have not resolved the
question as to whether PCBs can cause work-related cancer. Following up on a
1992 study with new data, the new report confirmed earlier findings of
higher-than-expected mortality from brain cancer and melanoma among workers
at an Indiana capacitor manufacturing plant. The report notes limitations of
the study, including lack of information about non-occupational risk factors,
lifestyle choices and previous or subsequent employment. The NIOSH scientists
are pursuing further research that “may provide some additional insight,”
according to their report. The report, published in the January 2006 issue of
the journal Environmental
Health Perspectives, is available at http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/members/2005/8253/8253.html
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NIOSH
and Partners Develop Safe Patient Handling Presentation for Schools of
Nursing
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NIOSH is seeking comments from our
stakeholders on a draft training presentation, “Safe Patient Handling
and Movement Principles.” NIOSH, in partnership with the American
Nurses Association and the Veterans Health Administration’s Patient
Safety Center, have developed the presentation as a component of new training
curriculum for safe patient handling at schools of nursing, but it should be
of interest for any situation of patient handling. A draft version of the
presentation can be viewed online or downloaded via a Zip file at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/review/public/safe-patient.
The presentation will remain available for review until May 30, 2006. After
that date, NIOSH will consider all the comments submitted and make
appropriate revisions to the presentation before publishing a final version.
This presentation will also undergo scientific peer review. The details of
the review will be reference on the NIOSH Web site in the near future.
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N.Y.
Inhalational Anthrax Investigation Draws on NIOSH Expertise
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NIOSH scientists helped to design
and conduct environmental sampling for naturally occurring anthrax spores on
February 22 at the home and the work facility of a New York resident who was
diagnosed and hospitalized with inhalational anthrax while on travel to
Pennsylvania. The NIOSH assistance was part of a response from the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with other federal,
state, and local agencies, at the request of the New York City Department of
Health (NYDOH). The NYDOH said that the infection appeared to be related to
the patient's work in confined spaces with unprocessed animal hides used in
making handcrafted drums. One component of the sampling strategy was the use
of an innovative vacuum-collection method that was successfully adapted and
used by NIOSH as part of the investigation into the 2001 anthrax attacks.
More information on the CDC response to the February case involving naturally
occurring spores is available at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/anthrax/han022206.asp.
More information on the innovative method developed by NIOSH, and its use in
sampling during the 2001 investigation, is available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5050a1.htm.
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NIOSH
Evaluating and Seeking Stakeholder Input on the NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality
Investigation
and Prevention Program
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![Photo of a structure fire]() NIOSH is undertaking two
complementary efforts to seek data and input to guide future directions of
the NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program. Last
month, NIOSH initiated a national survey of U.S. fire departments focusing on
the use of NIOSH recommendations and information products. NIOSH is seeking input
from fire chiefs and frontline fire fighters to see how and where NIOSH
reports are being used and to identify ways to increase the usefulness and
impact of the fire fighter program in reducing fire fighter fatalities. A
March 22 public meeting in Washington, D.C., will address the broad array of
stakeholder needs and ideas. More information on the program, survey, and
meeting can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire.
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NIOSH to Exhibit at the World of
Asphalt Conference
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At the request of the National
Asphalt Pavement Association, NIOSH has been invited to exhibit at the World of Asphalt
conference and exhibition in Orlando, FL March 14-16 (http://www.worldofasphalt.com). The
NIOSH booth (visit us at booth number 1081) will feature NIOSH research
projects on work zone safety and noise-induced hearing loss. Visitors to the
booth will be provided demonstrations of blind areas around construction
equipment, internal traffic control plans, and data collection methods for
tracking worker risk to being struck by construction equipment operating
inside work zones. Visitors will also learn about hearing loss prevention
while having their hearing checked in the NIOSH Hearing Loss Simulator Unit.
Visitors will also experience the sensation of hearing loss as they check out
the NIOSH hearing loss simulator. NIOSH will provide similar educational
services at the April 2006 International Union of Operating Engineers Health
and Safety Conference in Newport Beach California.
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NIOSH
Announces RFA on Prevention of Airborne Infections in Occupational Settings
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![OEP logo]() The NIOSH Office of Extramural Programs announces a Request for
Applications (RFA) on Prevention of Airborne Infections in Occupational
Setting. The application receipt date is April 18, 2006. The purpose of the
announcement is to invite applications to conduct basic, applied or
population research that will improve prevention of airborne infectious
diseases in occupational settings. Studies with a high likelihood of
affecting real-world prevention practices are especially desirable. The
announcement can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OH-06-002.html.
Contact Adele Childress at AChildress@xxxxxxx
for additional information.
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India Silicosis
Prevention
In January, in response to a request from the National Institute of
Occupational Health (NIOH), Indian Council of Medical Research, NIOSH Mining
Engineer Andrew Cecala traveled to Beawar, India to provide technical
assistance and information for preventing silicosis among workers (including
women employees) from potential exposures to respirable silica dusts.
Assistance included suggestions for cost-effective engineering control
techniques, many of which were developed by NIOSH and directly applicable to
these operations. He also participated in an Indo-U.S. Workshop, providing an
overview of the NIOSH silica dust control research program and the various components
of silicosis prevention. Information exchange through this cooperative
working relationship will continue into the future to assist in reducing
silicosis among the mining workforces in India and the U.S. Further
information about this project is available from Andrew Cecala, ACecala@xxxxxxx. Findings and
recommendations from NIOSH’s program of silicosis prevention research
are available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/silica.
The Global Occupational Health Network: Promoting
Students’ and Young Workers’ Health and Safety by NIOSH/CDC and
other US Organizations
NIOSH discussed injury problems and contributing factors to young worker
fatalities in a recent issue of the World Health Organization’s (WHO)
The Global Health Network Newsletter. The article “Promoting
Students’ and Young Workers’ Health and Safety by NIOSH/CDC and
other U.S. Organizations,” identified ways NIOSH and other agencies are
addressing this problem. Resources and information, such as NIOSH Alerts,
safety checklist program for schools and promoting safe work for young
workers, and outreach efforts such as the NIOSH community outreach program
for adolescent working students and the Safety Competition Award Program,
were among the numerous NIOSH programs highlighted. The newsletter can be
found at http://www.who.int/occupational_health/publications/newsletter/Gohnet9eng.pdf.
More information on young worker safety and health can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/youth.
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![Nanotechnology image]() NIOSH Posts Nanotechnology Web Library for Use, Comment
NIOSH offers a new, Web-based Nanoparticle Information Library (NIL), http://www2a.cdc.gov/niosh-nil, for
public use and comment. The new, interactive database responds to the needs
of scientists, business leaders, and others for information on different
types of nanoparticles in current use, their physical and chemical
characteristics, and their occupational health and safety implications. By
providing the database, NIOSH hopes to further the ability of researchers and
decision-makers to address the question of whether work-related exposures to nanomaterials
may have unintended health consequences. The Library is part of NIOSH’s
strategic program for conducting advanced research on the occupational health
and safety implications of nanotechnology, providing interim guidance on
occupational health practices, and stimulating new partnerships. Further
information on this strategic program is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech.
December 2006 Nanotechnology Conference
NIOSH and the University of Cincinnati will cosponsor the International
Conference on Nanotechnology Occupational and Environmental Health and
Safety: Research to Practice on December 3-8, 2006 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The
conference is centered on the impact of nanotechnology on occupational and
environmental health and safety from two perspectives: promotion and
protection of individual safety and health along the life cycle of nano-based
products, and the use of emerging technology in prevention, detection and
treatment of occupational and environmental diseases. The deadline for
receipt of abstracts for paper presentations and workshops is May 31, 2006.
Abstracts for poster presentations will be accepted until June 30, 2006. For
more information, visit the conference Web site at http://www.uc.edu/noehs.
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![r2p logo]() NIOSH and Occupational Health Nurses Association Partner to
Advance Occupational Safety and Health Research and Outreach
On January 27, NIOSH and the American Association of Occupational Health
Nurses (AAOHN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to further research and
outreach efforts for the prevention of occupational injuries and illnesses.
The agreement, signed by NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. and AAOHN President
Susan Randolph, is in effect until October 2008 and can be extended. More
information can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/upd-02-21-06.html.
NIOSH Collaborates
for Control and Prevention of CO poisonings on Recreational Boats
Based on results of NIOSH evaluations conducted through partnerships with
other federal and state agencies and other stakeholders, numerous houseboat
manufacturers have pursued new interventions for preventing occupational and
recreational exposures to hazardous levels of carbon monoxide (CO) from exhaust
emissions on houseboats. For example, numerous houseboat manufacturers have
adopted, as a standard for the construction of new boats, a
“stack” design in which CO emissions are routed to a level above
the deck, where they will not be breathed in. Other solutions are also being
explored. The Department of Interior Web site posts NIOSH and other reports
on the following link,
http://safetynet.smis.doi.gov/COhouseboats.htm.
NIOSH Technology Provides Basis for Approved Mine System
A NIOSH-developed technology provided a basis for a warning system approved
by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) on February 6, 2006, for
preventing miners from being crushed or pinned by continuous mining machines.
Some 29 such fatal incidents have occurred since 1984. The warning system
approved by MSHA, TramGuardTM, is based on technology developed by
NIOSH under the HASARD research initiative. A transmitter on a continuous
mining machine sends a signal to a receiver worn by a miner, prompting an
alarm if the miner approaches too closely to the machine in the busy confines
of a mine. The MSHA notice is available at http://www.msha.gov/regs/complian/PIB/2006/pib06-03.asp.
More information about NIOSH’s HASARD research is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/topics/machinesafety/equipmentdsgn/hasardsystem.htm.
The mention of a trademarked product does not constitute a NIOSH commercial
endorsement.
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![NORA logo]() Share your ideas, time is running out!
You still have time to participate in our four remaining
NORA Town Hall Meetings.
Join us on:
- March 6 at Edison Community
College in Piqua, Ohio for a morning multi-sector roundtable discussion
followed by discussions on the manufacturing sector.
- March 13 at the Hubert H.
Humphrey Building in Washington, DC for a national meeting.
- March 20 at the University of
Massachusetts Lowell in Lowell, Massachusetts for a regional meeting.
- March 24 in Jackson, Mississippi for our final
regional meeting.
For details on these meetings,
visit the NORA Town Hall Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/townhall/default.html.
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Division of Applied
Research and Technology (DART)
DART researchers are looking for facilities involved in the manufacturing or
use of nanomaterials, as potential partners on studies to understand how
workplace exposures to nanoparticles may occur, and to develop
recommendations for sampling and controls. If your facility is interested in
participating in these studies or you would like more information on the
aerosol or engineering controls research, contact Kevin Dunn at KDunn@xxxxxxx.
Division of
Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS)
In January 2006, a DRDS team provided technical assistance to the Zambian
National Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research (NISIR) in the
training of a group of occupational health care providers. The assistance
will help build capacity in Zambia for monitoring respiratory health,
diagnosis, and medical management of miners who work in Zambian copper mines.
Division of Safety
Research (DSR)
NIOSH has recently enhanced the Web pages for the Fatality Assessment and
Control Evaluation (FACE) program and the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation
and Prevention Program (FFFIPP). Through a new subscription feature, readers
can receive email notifications of new reports and publications for both
programs. The FACE Web page, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/face,
provides a feedback link for readers to comment on the usefulness of the FACE
reports. The Fire Fighter Program page http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire.
now includes a series of interactive, educational safety quizzes. For more
information, contact Robert Koedam, Chief, Fatality Investigations Team, at rkoedam@xxxxxxx.
Division of Surveillance,
Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies (DSHEFS)
Congratulations to Marilyn Fingerhut, Ph.D., on her invitation as featured
speaker at the 104th College of Saint Elizabeth Commencement
Exercises on May 13, 2006, where she will also receive an honorary Doctor of
Laws degree. Dr. Fingerhut has held a number of major leadership and research
positions during her 24-year career at NIOSH.
Education and
Information Division (EID)
In an effort to explore an innovative strategy for chemical risk management
in the workplace, researchers in EID have gone back to school. With an
interagency agreement and funding from the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), NIOSH has partnered with the Kentucky Safety and
Health Network and two universities in Kentucky for a demonstration project
to introduce and evaluate a chemical risk management program building on a
concept known as control banding. For more information contact T.J. Lentz at TLentz@xxxxxxx. To learn more about control
banding visit the NIOSH Control Banding Topic Page at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ctrlbanding.
Health Effects
Laboratory Division (HELD)
A paper by NIOSH researchers, “Contact Pressure Distribution at
Hand-Handle Interface: Role of Hand Forces and Handle Size,” won the
Liberty Mutual Best Paper Award for 2006. The manuscript was published in the
March 2005 issue of the International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics.
For more information on this research, contact Ren Dong at RDong@xxxxxxx.
![NPPTL logo]() National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL)
Respirator experts from NPPTL supported the first meeting of a committee
under the Institute of Medicine (IOM) as part of an effort by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services Office of Emergency Preparedness,
with IOM assistance, to identify non-pharmaceutical measures for healthcare
workers and the general public to improve pandemic influenza preparedness. At
the January meeting, NPPTL respirator experts provided an overview of NIOSH
respirator testing and certification requirements, including policies and
provisions on respirator reuse. Further assistance will be provided at a
March 6-7 public workshop.
Office of
Compensation Analysis and Support (OCAS)
OCAS has completed more than 12,500 (62%) of the cases it has received from
the Department of Labor for dose reconstructions under the Energy Employees
Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. Dose reconstructions are used
as a basis for DOL determinations on claims submitted for compensation of
cancers under the Act. Of these cases, 96% have been submitted to DOL for a
final decision; the remaining 4% are awaiting a response from the claimant
before being submitted to DOL. On average, OCAS has received 214 new cases
from DOL and completed 457 dose reconstructions per month for the past six
months. For more information about the dose reconstruction program or other
OCAS activities, visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas.
Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (PRL)
Among numerous initiatives in partnership with other agencies and
stakeholders in response to the January 2006 West Virginia mine disasters,
PRL scientists have 1) assisted the Mine Safety and Health Administration
with expert advice on mine explosions, mine seals and communications, 2)
participated in the Symposium on the Capabilities and Availability of
Wireless Communication and Tracking Systems for Underground Coal Mines held
in Abingdon, VA, February 13, hosted by Virginia Tech’s Virginia Center
for Coal and Energy Research in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Mines,
Minerals and Energy, and 3) participated in the West Virginia Coal Forum,
Mine Safety Emergency Rules Forum in Charleston, WV, on February 21.
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OSHA, NHTSA and NETS Issue Guidelines for Reducing Motor
Vehicle Crashes
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Network of Employers
for Traffic Safety (NETS) have issued new safety guidelines for employers and
employees who use motor vehicles for work purposes. The motor vehicle
guidance is available on the OSHA Web page, http://www.osha.gov/Publications/motor_vehicle_guide.pdf.
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![Photo of a chicken]() Avian Flu: Protecting Workers from
Exposure
Topic Page
NIOSH provides information for preparedness in protecting workers from
potential exposure to Avian influenza through a new Topic Page, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/avianflu.
![Photo collage of workers handling needles]() Occupational
Exposure to Antineoplastic Agents Topic Page
A new NIOSH Topic Page, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/antineoplastic,
provides information on the effects of occupational exposure to antineoplastic
agents.
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Call for Abstracts: 13th International
Respiratory Protection of Healthcare Workers and Emergency Responders
Abstracts will be accepted until March 31, 2006 for the 13th International
Respiratory Protection of Healthcare Workers and Emergency Responders
Conference.
The conference will be held August 27-September 1, 2006 in Toronto, Ontario,
Canada. More information on the Call for Abstracts is available at http://www.isrp.com.au/isrpcom/callforpapers_toronto.htm
or by contacting Ziqing Zhuang at ZZhuang1@xxxxxxx.
Additional information on the conference can be found at http://www.isrp.com/au.
2006
NORA Symposium: Research Makes a Difference
The National
Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Symposium 2006: Research Makes a
Difference symposium will be held on April 18-20, 2006
in Washington, D.C. Several hundred occupational safety and health
researchers, stakeholders, and policymakers from the public and private
sectors will convene to celebrate completion of the first decade of NORA,
mark the 35th anniversary of NIOSH, and inaugurate the new plan
for the future of NORA. An important aspect of this conference will be
scientific presentations addressing the original 21 NORA priorities and
anticipating research areas for the next ten years. For more information about
the symposium, please visit the NORA Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/NORA, or
e-mail the NORA coordinator at noracoordinator@xxxxxxx.
AIHce
2006
and VENT 2006
The American
Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce)
and Ventilation
2006-the 8th International Conference on Ventilation
will be held concurrently May 13-18, 2006 in Chicago, IL. NIOSH is a
cosponsor of Ventilation 2006. More information on both conferences can be
found at http://www.aiha.org/Content/CE/aihce/aihce.htm.
1st American Conference on Human
Vibration
The 1st
American Conference on Human Vibration to be held June
5-7, 2006 in Morgantown, WV. The conference will provide a unique opportunity
for participants to exchange information on all aspects of human responses to
hand-transmitted vibration and whole-body vibration. Information on the
conference can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/conferences/Vibration/.
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Control banding: A risk
assessment and management tool to help businesses by providing an
understandable, practical approach for controlling hazardous chemical
exposures at work. In control banding, a single control technology (such as
general ventilation or containment) is applied to one range or band of
exposures to a chemical (such as 1-10 mg/m3) that falls within a
given hazard group (such as skin and eye irritants or severely irritating and
corrosive materials).
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