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Volume 6 Number 11
March 2009
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From the
Director's Desk
--Christine M. Branche, Ph.D., Acting Director, NIOSH
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Except
for Benjamin Button and Peter Pan, we all get older. In the U.S. and
indeed around the world, this fact of life presents an array of challenges
for occupational safety and health professionals, centered on the aging of
the workforce.
Life
expectancy is increasing. The unusually large "baby boom"
population is graying. The number of young people now entering or close to
entering the workforce is smaller than the number of older people who have
reached or are about to reach traditional retirement age. As a result, the
workforce as a whole is growing older.
When
an expert panel convened by the National Research Council assessed the health
and safety needs of the aging workforce in 2004 at NIOSH's request, it
reported that there are 93 million people in the U.S. age 45 and over,
representing 44 percent of the population over age 15. By 2050, the panel
noted, it is predicted that the number of people age 45 and over will grow to
170 million, representing 53 percent of the population. More recently, as
further evidence for the graying of the workforce, 85 percent of unretired
baby boomers surveyed by McKinsey & Co., a management consulting firm,
said it was at least somewhat likely that they would continue to work beyond
the traditional retirement age. Many of the respondents said they planned to
continue working out of financial necessity.
To
be sure, this trend of an older workforce has advantages. There is value in
having work performed by someone who has years of experience from which to draw.
There is value in having mentors who can teach the ropes to younger
colleagues. For the person who likes the regularity, economic benefits, and
camaraderie of going to work, a job can be stimulating -- even fun.
At
the same time, many people may feel compelled to continue working when they
would rather be retired, and many others may wish to continue working but
will be challenged to do so for various reasons. These dynamics raise
questions for safety and health that ordinarily would not be of concern for a
younger working population, or at least not in the same ways. These are not
abstract questions. They involve challenges that employers, workers, and
workers' families will face on an average day on the job when an older worker
punches the time clock at a construction site, takes the night shift at a
nursing station, or staffs a phone bank at a call center:
- What are the physical effects of a strenuous
job for a person over 45 who lifts heavy loads or performs repetitive
movements?
- What difficulties do older workers face in
adapting to new technologies and new ways of doing business?
- What challenges are posed for older men and
women who come into the workplace with diabetes, hypertension, and other
age-dependent conditions?
- What work-and-family conflicts exist for
workers 45 and older who have responsibilities both for elderly parents
and for children in school?
- What measures are needed to
help people maintain good health and physical capability throughout
their adult lives, reducing cumulative wear and strain as they enter
their 50s, 60s, and 70s?
The
2004 National Research Council report, "Health and Safety Needs of Older
Workers." http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10884,
presented a thoughtful strategy for new research to address these and other
concerns associated with the aging workforce. The recent downturn of the
stock, credit, and banking markets has added new urgency in returning to
these challenges and following up on the panel's recommendations, as
financial losses compel even more men and women in their 50s and early 60s to
reassess their retirement plans.
Last
month, in collaboration with the Society of Occupational and Environmental
Health, the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics, CPWR-the
Center for Construction Research and Training, the University of Maryland,
Work and Health Research Center, the VA, and AARP, NIOSH held a national
workshop, "Healthy Aging for Workers: Anticipating the Occupational
Safety and Health Needs of an Increasingly Aging Workforce." http://www.soeh.org/meeting/meeting.html
The workshop provided a forum for revisiting the 2004 report, assessing
developments in the intervening five years, stimulating needed research, and
renewing our shared pledge to meet the challenges outlined in the study. I
recommend the NRC report to you, and I also invite you to watch for the
report that will be prepared from last month's workshop, which is expected to
be published later this year.
Do
you have suggestions for research to fill data gaps, meet health surveillance
needs, and develop interventions that will be necessary for progress in this
area? Do you want to join in planning and executing this research? We invite
your interest and participation in this valuable work. We are developing a
web topic page to provide resources about issues of safety, health, and older
workers, and to continue the dialogue begun with the NRC report and last
month's workshop. We will announce the posting of the new web page in a
future issue of eNews, and we hope you will use it to provide your
suggestions for research, and to join us in this work.
When it is said that people want
to enjoy their Golden Years, the phrase often has an undertone of irony and
worry. Some older men and women may find it imperative to keep working
because of financial necessity, but health impairments or physical
disabilities can make it difficult or impossible to meet the demands of a
job. Others enter this stage of their lives with energy and good health, and
may wish to work. However, as they enter the hiring line, they may face a
disadvantage because of generalizations about age, physical ability, and
mental acuity, even though, on the whole, older workers tend to be more
reliable and do not lose strength with age as quickly as might be expected.
As the federal agency that conducts research and makes recommendations to
keep the workplace safe and healthy, we want to take on those concerns as
they relate to workplace factors. We and our partners want to keep the Golden
Years truly golden for our working men and women.
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NIOSH, WVU
Partner on Flu Transmission Study
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NIOSH and West Virginia University
are collaborating on a study to help determine how flu may be spread through
the air when an infected person sneezes or coughs and to assess the
importance of this route of transmission in relation to other ways the flu
virus may be transmitted. The results of the study will add to the knowledge
needed for assessing healthcare workers’ risk of occupational exposure
to the flu and for pandemic flu preparedness. More information is available
at http://www.health.wvu.edu/newsreleases/news-details.aspx?ID=1065.
Local news media coverage of the study is available at http://wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=51978.
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NIOSH
Announces Application Deadline of May 15, 2009, for RFA-OH-
09-001 National
Center for Construction
Safety and Health
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NIOSH is soliciting applications
for a national center to address outreach, research, and research
dissemination for the construction sector in the U.S. The ultimate goal is to
prevent and reduce fatalities, injuries, illnesses, and disabilities for
construction workers. NIOSH expects to make one award for up to five million
dollars per year for a maximum of five years. Application details and
requirements for RFA–OH-09-001 may be found at http://grants.gov/, the NIOSH Web site http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/oep/ (under
Funding Opportunities click on Cooperative Agreements), or by contacting CAPT
Steve Inserra at (404) 498-255 or email SInserra@xxxxxxx.
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Nonfatal
Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, Three Industry Sectors
30% Above Average
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 This month’s graph shows the
average rates (per 100 full-time workers) of nonfatal occupational injuries
and illnesses among the following three NORA Services industry sectors: Waste
management and remediation (7.2); Performing arts, spectator sports and
related industries (6.7); and Accommodations (6.0). Each of the three
industry sectors exceeded the average rate among all private industry
employers by more than 30%. The graph is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/enews/enewsv6n11chart.html.
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ACOEM Presents
Its Highest Award to John Howard
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The American College
of Occupational and Environmental Medicine awarded the William S. Knudsen
Award, its highest honor, to former NIOSH Director John Howard for
significant contributions to research and leadership in occupational and
environmental medicine. The award cites Dr. Howard's accomplishments in
positioning NIOSH research on nanotechnology; emphasizing sound science, core
values, evaluation, and good management at NIOSH; establishing the r2p
program; and advancing electronic communications. The award will be presented
formally at an April 26 ceremony.
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NIOSH Hosts
Japanese Scientists to Discuss Nanotoxicology Findings
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 NIOSH scientists involved in
state-of-the-art research in nanotoxicology hosted a contingent of Japanese
scientists from academia, government, and industry in Morgantown, WV,
February 26-27. This visit was an opportunity for NIOSH to brief the Japanese
delegation on the NIOSH results concerning the biological effects of
pulmonary exposure to multiwalled carbon nanotubes. For more information on
NIOSH Nanotechnology research go to: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech/.
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Follow Up on International Road
Safety at Work Conference
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This first international
conference focusing on the occupational aspects of road safety took place in Washington DC
in February. The International Conference on Road Safety at Work brought together
220 delegates from 44 countries to discuss strategies to prevent road traffic
injuries in the workplace. The meeting was organized by NIOSH and
co-sponsored by the World Health Organization, International Labour
Organization, National Safety Council, World Bank, and U.S. Department of
State. A proceedings document is currently being assembled. Please comment on
the draft white paper by March 31st at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/programs/twu/global/pdfs/WhitePaper.pdf.
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American
Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists Recognize NIOSH Researchers
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The
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Awards
Committee will recognize two NIOSH researchers this summer during the 2009
American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo. Jessica Ramsey is the
recipient of the 2009 ACGIH John J. Bloomfield Award. The Bloomfield Award is
presented to an up-and-coming industrial hygienist who has made significant
contributions to the profession by pursuing occupational health and safety
hazards, primarily through field work. Vince Castranova is the recipient of
the Herbert E. Stokinger Award that recognizes outstanding achievement in
industrial toxicology.
 
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NIOSH and NHCA
Present First Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing
Loss Prevention Awards
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On
February 13, NIOSH, in partnership with the National Hearing Conservation
Association (NHCA), announced the first annual recipients of the
Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards™, honoring
companies that have shown their dedication to the prevention of noise-induced
hearing loss through excellent hearing loss prevention practices in the work
environment. Nominations for the next awards are being accepted until August
1, 2009. For further information please visit http://www.safeinsound.us.
Photo
by Jack Foreman. Back
row, top left to top right: Charlie
Floyd (Domtar), Mark Skripol (P&W), Pam Graydon (NIOSH), Tim Brooks
(P&W), Nancy Hitchins (P&W), Meg Gildea (P&W), Ed Nelson
(P&W), Thais Morata (NIOSH), Dom Chiulli (P&W), Craig Thompson
(P&W), Deanna Meinke (NHCA), Jim Newhall (NIOSH), and James Lankford
(NHCA). Front row
(seated), left to right: Connie Muncy
(MCWS), Debbie Davis (Domtar), Dave Russel (P&W), and Michael
Santucci (Sensaphonics).
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 NIOSH, Raytheon Partner on Underground Mine
Emergency Communication Research
NIOSH is collaborating with
Raytheon to explore adaptation of the company's radio technology for wireless
communication to help save the lives of miners trapped underground by a mine
explosion or roof collapse. Raytheon's family of advanced military radios
provides soldiers with simultaneous voice, video, data, and critical position
information on the battlefield. The partnership supports NIOSH's response to
the MINER Act of 2006. For more information on the research, contact Thomas
Dubaniewicz at TDubaniewicz@xxxxxxx.
Note: Mention of a company or product does not constitute a commercial
endorsement by NIOSH.
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 NORA Sector Council
Leaders, Updated List
Some leaders of the National
Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) have changed in recent months. An updated
list is posted on the NORA Web site (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/)
identifying the current NORA Sector Council co-chairs and the manager of the
NIOSH Sector Program that facilitates each Council’s work. Contact the
NORA coordinator (noracoordinator@xxxxxxx)
with any comments or suggestions.
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NIOSH Principle
Investigator Receives University Honor
Congratulations
to Jane Lipscomb, Ph.D., R.N., professor in the School
of Nursing at the University of Maryland,
who was named the University's 2008 Research Lecturer of the Year. Among
other achievements, the award recognized Dr. Lipscomb's role in "providing
the foundation for the School of Nursing's first Center
of Excellence, the Work and Health Research Center."
She is principal investigator on three major research projects that further
health and safety for healthcare workers and partners with NIOSH on
activities related to the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA). Jane
served as a NIOSH senior scientist from 1994 to 1997.
Quebec Issues Nanoparticle Risk Management Guidance
On
February 3, the Quebec Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute
(IRSST) released a best-practices guide for managing potential
occupational risks associated with engineered nanoparticles. Best Practices Guide to Synthetic
Nanoparticle Risk Management, issued in collaboration
with Quebec's Commission de la santé et de la
sécurité du travail (CSST) and NanoQuébec,
refers to and reinforces NIOSH findings and recommendations. The Quebec document is
available at http://www.irsst.qc.ca/files/documents/PubIRSST/R-599.pdf.
Project Assesses
Worker Exposure to Lead during Metal Recycling Tasks
Researchers from the New York
State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Bureau of Occupational Health, conducted
the Metal Recycling Industry Project (MRIP) to assess workers' exposures to
lead during typical metal recycling tasks. Significant lead exposure occurred
when workers cut not only painted metals, but also unpainted metals and new
steel—both considered lead-free by the industry. Lead dust contamination
was also found throughout the metal recycling facilities, including areas
that would be expected to be clean, such as lunchrooms, bathrooms, locker
rooms, and on workers’ hands before eating. The report and fact sheet
are available on the NYSDOH website at http://www.nyhealth.gov/environmental/workplace/metal_recycling/.
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NIOSH Science
Blog: Your Comments Wanted
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New
Communication Products
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Third National Conference on Health
Communication, Marketing, and Media—Deadline March 16 August
11–13, 2009, Atlanta,
GA. Call for abstracts http://www.cdc.gov/healthmarketing/NCHCMM2009/
8th International
Conference on Occupational Stress and Health. “Work, Stress, and Health
2009: Global Concerns and Approaches — Deadline March 16, 2009
November 5–8, 2009, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Call for proposals http://www.apa.org/pi/work/wsh.html
Understanding Small Enterprises: A
Healthy Working Life in a Healthy Business—Deadline April 1, 2009
October 20–23, 2009, Elsinore (Helsingør), Denmark. Call for workshops and
papers. http://www.use2009.dk/
Colloquium
of the ISSA International Section for Research on Prevention—Deadline April 14, 2009
October 15-16 2009, Dresden,
Germany.
Request for papers. http://www.dguv.de/bgag/de/veranstaltungen/weitere/ivss-kolloquium/index.jsp
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PPT Program Public Meeting—Look for us!
March 3, 2009, Pittsburgh,
PA http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/
Emergency Nurses Association
Leadership Conference
March 4–8, 2009, Reno,
NV (http://www.ena.org)
FIERO Fire PPE Symposium—Look for us!
March 9–11, 2009, Charlotte, NC http://www.fireppesymposium.com
Association of PeriOperative Room
Nurses—Look
for us!
March 14–18, 2009, Chicago
IL http://www.aorn.org
19th Annual Art and
Science of Health Promotion Conference: What Works Best in Health Promotion?
March 16–19, 2009, San
Francisco, CA. http://www.healthpromotionconference.org
Society of Toxicology 48th Annual
Meeting & Expo—Look for us Booth #3072!
March 16-18, 2009, Baltimore,
MD. http://www.toxicology.org/AI/MEET/AM2009/index.asp
29th Triennial Congress of
the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH 2009)
March 22–27, 2009, Cape Town, South Africa http://www.icoh2009.co.za
EMS Update 2009—Look for us!
March 27–28, 2009, Champion PA http://www.emsupdate.com
5th Annual Asbestos
Awareness Day Conference
March 27–29, 2009, Manhattan Beach Marriott, CA. http://www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org/events/conference.html
American Association of Occupational
Health Nurses 2009 Symposium and Expo—Look for us!
April 21–22, 2009, Orlando, FL http://www.aaohn.org/education/symposium-expo/cfp/
Fire Department Instructors
Conference (FDIC) 2009
April 20–25, 2009, Indianapolis,
IN http://www.fdic.com/
Ohio Innovation Summit—Look for us!
April 20 – 22, Dayton Ohio http://www.ohioinnovationsummit.org
Symposium on Radiology of the
Pneumoconioses
April 24–27, 2009, in Chantilly, VA http://www.acr.org/SecondaryMainMenuCategories/MeetingsandEvents/FeaturedCategories/acr_meetings/Pneumo
coniosis042409.aspx
American Occupational Health
Conference 2009—Look for us!
April 26–29, 2009, San Diego,
CA http://www.acoem.org/aohc09.aspx
2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment
Conference
April 27–30, 2009, West
Chester, OH. http://www.team-psa.com/trac2009/home.asp
Occupational Hygiene 2009: Promoting
a Healthy Working Environment
April 28–30, 2009, Eastbourne, UK http://www.bohs.org/resources/res.aspx/Resource/filename/1275/Initial_Announ
cement_OH2009.pdf
National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences (NIEHS)—Look
for us!
April 30 - May 1 2009, Cincinnati
OH http://www.niehs.nih.gov
2009 Nanotech Conference &
Exposition—Look
for us!
May 3–7, 2009, Houston, TX http://www.nsti.org/Nanotech2009/
Retail Industry Leaders Association
(RILA)—Look
for us! Booth #207
May 4- 5, 2009, Orlando FL http://www.rila.org
SOPHE 2009 Midyear Conference: All
that Jazz: Harmonizing Health Education Practice and Research to Advance
Health Equity
May 6–May 9, 2009, New Orleans,
LA http://www.sophe.org/
American Industrial Hygiene
Conference & Exposition (AIHce 2009)
May 30–June 4, 2009, Toronto, Canada http://www.aihce2009.org/
Thomas L. Petty Aspen
Lung Conference, 52nd Annual Meeting—The Environment and the
Lung: Detection, Prevention and Mechanisms of Disease
June 10-13, 2009, Aspen, Colorado http://www.uchsc.edu/pulmonary/aspen/callforabstracts.shtml
American Society of Safety Engineers
(ASSE) Professional Development Conference and Exposition “SAFETY
2009”
June 28–June 30 2009, San
Antonio, TX http://www.asse.org
2009 American Society for Testing and
Materials (ASTM) Johnson Conference on Emerging IEQ Issues
July 13–16, 2009 in Burlington,
VT. Email elight@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
for information.
19th International
Symposium on Shiftwork and Working Time: Health and Well-being in the 24-h
Society
August 2–6, 2009, Venice, Italy http://www.shiftwork2009.it/
Third National Conference on Health
Communication, Marketing, and Media
August 11–13, 2009, Atlanta,
GA http://www.cdc.gov/healthmarketing/NCHCMM2009/
Voluntary Protection Programs
Participants Association Annual Conference— Look for us!
August 24–27, 2009, San
Antonio, TX http://www.vpppa.org/
Academy of Certified Hazard Material
Managers 2009 National Conference
August 30-September 2, 2009, San
Diego, California. http://www.achmm.org/sandiego2009/
Measuring Air Pollutants by Diffusive
Sampling and Other Low Cost Monitoring Techniques International Conference
September 15–17, 2009, Krakow, Poland http://rsc-aamg.org/Documents/Programmes/KrakowCPF.pdf
Colloquium of the ISSA International
Section for Research on Prevention
October 15-16 2009, Dresden, Germany http://www.dguv.de/bgag/de/veranstaltungen/weitere/ivss-kolloquium/index.jsp
Understanding Small
Enterprises—A Healthy Working Life In A Healthy Business
October 20–23, 2009, Elsinore (Helsingør), Denmark. http://www.use2009.dk/
8th
International Conference on Occupational Stress and Health: Work, Stress, and
Health 2009: Global Concerns and Approaches
November 5–8, 2009, San Juan, Puerto Rico http://www.apa.org/pi/work/wsh.html
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Benjamin Button: The main
character in the 2009 Academy Award winning film 'The Curious Case of
Benjamin Button," that is adapted from the 1921s story by F. Scott
Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and grows younger.
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NIOSH eNews on the Web:
www.cdc.gov/niosh/enews/
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NIOSH eNews is Brought to
You By:
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Acting Director
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Christine M. Branche, Ph.D.
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Editor in Chief
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Max Lum
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Story Editor
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Tanya Headley
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Copy Editor
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Cathy Rotunda
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Story Editor Emeritus
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Tara Hartley
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Public Affairs Officer
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Fred Blosser
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Technical Lead
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Glenn Doyle
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Technical Support
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Joseph Cauley
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Please send
your comments and suggestions to us at nioshenews@xxxxxxx.
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