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Volume
7 Number 12 April 2010
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From the Director's Desk
--John Howard, M.D. Director, NIOSH
April eNews 2010
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At the Cusp
It is
exciting to stand at the cusp of history as events unfold, and to seize
opportunities from those events.
What
opportunities and potential successes for occupational safety and health are offered
by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was passed by the
House of Representatives on March 21, 2010, and signed by President Obama on
March 23, 2010? Does the legislation offer a role or roles for NIOSH, and if
so, what might that role or those roles be?
At this
time, we don’t know the answers to those questions with specificity or
certainty.
However,
we can glance through the legislation and suggest possibilities, as we and
our stakeholders comb its pages in greater detail.
Within the
new law are several provisions relating to preventive services, wellness, and
health promotion. Work-related injuries and illnesses impose a tremendous
burden on workers, their families, businesses, and the economy. Keeping
workers safe and healthy through prevention is the cornerstone of
occupational safety and health. Wellness and health promotion are prongs of
NIOSH's WorkLife Initiative, which aims to sustain and improve worker health
through better work-based programs, policies, and practices. WorkLife seeks
to remove the traditional - and artificial - distinctions between
occupational health and personal health. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/worklife/
Also in
the new law are provisions to strengthen, support, and develop a 21st Century
health care workforce. One important strategy for enhancing this dedicated
workforce, and thereby helping to improve patient care, is the prevention of
painful, often disabling, and potentially life-threatening occupational
injuries and illnesses among health care workers. Under the National
Occupational Research Agenda (NORA), NIOSH and its partners work diligently
to develop, implement, and evaluate preventive approaches in the health care
sector. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/comment/agendas/hlthcaresocassist/
In the March 29 NIOSH Science Blog, I discuss some of
the provisions of the new law that appear, in one degree or another, to
relate to NIOSH’s areas of responsibility and authority. I invite you
to read the Blog, and to offer your thoughts about ways in which we might use
these changes as a platform for advancements in occupational safety and
health. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/blog/nsb032910_reform.html
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President’s Science Council Reviews Nanotechnology
Effort
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On March 25, the President’s Council of Advisors
on Science and Technology released its review of the National Nanotechnology
Initiative, noting the importance of health, safety, and environmental
research to the success of nanotechnology, and NIOSH’s role in that
research. www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/pcast
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SENSOR-Pesticides on Wikipedia
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Get the scoop on NIOSH's SENSOR-Pesticides Program on
Wikipedia in an entry written by Jessica Keralis, a NIOSH Fellow. The
article, which has reached “Good Article” status (meaning that it
is vetted by Wikipedia as being balanced, well-referenced, reliable, and of
good quality), describes the program and its impact on occupational health,
public health, and pesticide awareness. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SENSOR-Pesticides.
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NIOSH Research Highlighted by EPA in Pesticide Fogger
Requirements
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The value of the SENSOR-Pesticides program for
monitoring potential health risks was also highlighted by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) in a March 23 announcement of revised pesticide
labeling rules to reduce risks of exposures from use of "total release
fogger" products. The March 23 EPA letter to companies that hold
registrations for total release fogger products cited a 2008 research article
by Sarah Luckhaupt and Geoff Calvert of NIOSH. The article discussed 466
cases of illnesses and injuries related to total release foggers that
agencies in eight states had investigated, predominantly under the SENSOR-Pesticides
program. The March 23 EPA letter is available at http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/reevaluation/label-lang-fogger-letter.pdf.
The 2008 research article is available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5741a3.htm.
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Commissioned Officers from NIOSH Serve in Haiti Relief
Deployment
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NIOSH salutes two of our own, Leslie MacDonald and
Jennifer Hornsby-Myers, for dedicated service during deployment by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to Haiti as commissioned
officers of the U.S. Public Health Service. Leslie and Jennifer suggested
modifications of operating procedures to reduce risks of heat stress for
colleagues in the HHS Disaster Mortuary Team as part of the U.S. relief
effort in earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Members of the team worked long hours in
the intense Haitian heat and humidity with little if any time to become
acclimated after arrival. Leslie and Jennifer also provided technical
assistance on reducing health risks from air pollution, asbestos, silica
dust, and psychological stressors. More information about the HHS-led
recovery efforts in Haiti can be found at www.hhs.gov/haiti/.
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Hearing Conservationist Award Presented to Mark
Stephenson
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Congratulations to Mark Stephenson, Ph.D., a senior
audiology researcher at NIOSH, who received the National Hearing Conservation
Association’s Outstanding Hearing Conservationist Award. Dr. Stephenson
was honored specifically for his research in the areas of hearing protection,
signal detection, and hearing loss prevention programming as well as for his
nearly 30 years of national leadership in the hearing conservation
profession.
Mark
Stephenson
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Mark Threeton, Ph.D., Receives NIOSH School Safety Award
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The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE)
and NIOSH named Mark D. Threeton, Ph.D., professor at Pennsylvania State
University, as this year’s NIOSH School Safety Award recipient. The
ACTE and NIOSH Safety Award is given to a teacher or professor who promotes
occupational safety and health in school laboratories. Dr. Threeton is a
professor in Penn State’s Workforce Education and Development Program.
For more information on this award, contact Cara DiMattina, ACTE, at cdimattina@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
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Upcoming Institute of Medicine Workshops Focus on
Personal Protective Equipment
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The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is planning public
workshops pertaining to two IOM studies for NIOSH regarding personal
protective technologies (PPT). One study assesses the need for further
testing and certification of nonrespiratory PPT (e.g., eye protection,
hearing protection, medical masks, protective clothing) given the positive
impact NIOSH’s ongoing certification process has had on the quality of
respirators in the workplace. The second study will provide recommendations
on research and standards-setting for PPT for healthcare workers to prevent
the transmission of pandemic influenza and other viral respiratory
infections. This study updates the 2008 IOM report, Preparing for an Influenza Pandemic:
Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Workers. More
information is available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/nationalacad.html.
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Study Finds High Burden From Work Fatalities, Injuries,
Illnesses in Wholesale and Retail Trades
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A new peer-reviewed article by NIOSH scientists finds
that the wholesale and retail trades sector accounts for a disproportionately
high percentage of all work-related injuries and illnesses in private
industry. “Occupational Fatalities, Injuries, Illnesses, and Related
Economic Loss in the Wholesale and Retail Trade Sector,” by Anderson et
al., explores factors that pose work-related risks, estimates the high costs
of these occupational injuries and illnesses, and identifies areas for
potential safety and health interventions. The article is available from the American Journal of Industrial
Medicine, ahead of print, at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/123313948/PDFSTART.
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National Work Zone Awareness Week
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Dr.
Kalpana Balakrishnan discusses the first Masters of Public Health degree
program in Occupational and Environmental Health in India. Dr. Balakrishnan
is an associate professor and head of the Department of Environmental
Health Engineering in the Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research
Institute, Sri Ramachandra University, a World Health Organization
Collaborating Centre. View the video at http://www.archive.org/download/Dr.Balakrishnanvideo/drkb.wmv.
Windows media player is required to view this video. Download the latest
version of the Windows media player at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download.aspx.
Video run
time is 6:53
Dr.
Kalpana Balakrishnan discussing the new MPH program
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NIOSH Requests Comments on the Following:
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Draft
Current Intelligence Bulletin: Asbestos
Fibers and Other Elongate Mineral Particles: State of the Science and
Roadmap for Research, Version 4, NIOSH Docket Number NIOSH
099-C. Comments will be accepted through April 16. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/review/public/099-C/default.html
Ten-Year
Review of the NIOSH Radiation Dose Reconstruction Program, NIOSH Docket
Number NIOSH 194. Comments will be accepted through June 4. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/review/public/194/
NIOSH seeks comments on the proposed collection of
information for a survey of home care workers to evaluate newly developed
educational intervention materials. NIOSH has developed educational
intervention materials for home care workers to prevent exposure to
work-related hazards. Materials have been developed and piloted in Alameda
County, California. The goal of this data collection is to evaluate these
materials before disseminating them more broadly. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-5841.htm
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New Health Hazard Evaluation
Report Now Available
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‘Hot Tub Lung’ in New Mexico
The New
Mexico Occupational Health Surveillance Program, New Mexico Department of
Health, is investigating Mycobacterium
avium complex (MAC) infections in spa workers that may have
resulted from occupational exposures to the organism in water aerosols. MAC
has been associated with "hot tub lung," a form of hypersensitivity
pneumonitis (HP) which is a lung inflammation that acutely produces fever,
cough, chills, and shortness of breath with repeated exposure. The chronic
form of HP can result in permanent scarring (fibrosis) of the lung. A
report of findings is scheduled to be posted on the state agency Website, http://nmhealth.org/eheb/occhealth.shtml.
Brochure for Workers Who Perform Soldering Using Rosin-Core
Solder
Rosin-core solder is commonly used by workers in many
industries to make electrical connections. When rosin-core solder wire is
heated by a soldering iron, fumes are produced that contain a wide variety
of chemicals, including aldehydes, terpenes, and resin acids. Inhalation of
these fumes can aggravate existing asthma or lead to new onset asthma, and
can cause irritation of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes, and
dermatitis can result from skin contact.
The New
Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services’ (NJDHSS)
Work-Related Asthma Surveillance and Intervention Project has identified 13
workers since 1990 who have experienced the development or aggravation of
asthma as a result of exposure to solder flux fumes. On-site industrial
hygiene investigations revealed that local exhaust ventilation systems are
often lacking or improperly used.
NJDHSS
developed a concise brochure intended to alert solderers of the fume hazard
and methods for preventing exposure: http://www.nj.gov/health/surv/documents/wrarosin.pdf.
The
United Kingdom’s Health and Safety Executive has published more
detailed safety and health information on solder flux fumes: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg249.pdf.
Oklahoma Releases Report on Work-Related Traumatic Brain
Injuries
The
Oklahoma State Department of Health has found that approximately 900
Oklahoma workers were hospitalized with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) from
2004-2007, accounting for approximately 5 percent of all Oklahoma TBI
hospitalizations. TBI injuries are frequently disabling and have a profound
impact on workers and workplaces. The Oklahoma report identifies the
leading causes of these injuries in Oklahoma, quantifies outcomes from
these injuries, includes compelling case examples, and makes
recommendations for prevention. The full report is available at http://www.ok.gov/health/documents/Work%20TBI%202004-2007.pdf.
AOEC Resource on Occupational Issues for Adolescents
In 1998, the Association of Occupational and
Environmental Clinics (AOEC) established the Pediatric Environmental Health
Specialty Units (PEHSU). Funded by a cooperative agreement through ATSDR
with additional funding through EPA, the PEHSU program is a collaboration
between the academic pediatric and occupational medicine departments to
provide free consultation and outreach. Although funded to address environmental
issues, the PEHSUs also address occupational issues for adolescents. For
more information, contact the AOEC offices at 1-888-347-2632 or go to the
PEHSU Web site at http://www.pehsu.net.
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NORA Implementation at AIHCE
Taking steps to achieve the goals of the NORA sector
agendas will require the involvement of researchers, occupational safety
and health professionals, trade associations, unions, and others.
Industrial hygienists will have an opportunity to learn about the national
sector goals and become involved in efforts to advance them during a panel
session and luncheon discussions at the Tuesday session of the American
Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exhibition (AIHCE) on May 22-27 in Denver,
Colorado. For a description of each session, consult the conference program
at http://63.146.183.217/aihce10/education/conference-program.htm.
For questions or suggestions about NORA, contact the NORA coordinator (noracoordinator@xxxxxxx) or
visit the .NORA sector agendas at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/.
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 Trenching
Safety Classes
NIOSH, in partnership with the Associated General
Contractors of Kentucky, Kentucky Labor Cabinet, Bluegrass Community and
Technical College, and Heckmann Sales and Leasing, sponsored a series of
trenching safety classes in Lawrenceburg, Ky., on March 16 and 17.
Approximately 85 people were trained over the two days. Participants
included small business employers and employees, Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) instructors, safety consultants, military
personnel, and students. For more information about the classes, contact
Ray Sinclair at rsinclair@xxxxxxx .
For more information about trenching safety, contact T.J. Lentz at tlentz@xxxxxxx or visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/trenching/.
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What’s New on the NIOSH Blog?
Last
week, Congress passed and the President signed the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act. For a summary of the prevention provisions in the bill and
potential implications for occupational safety and health, read the new
NIOSH blog post "Prevention in Health Reform" from NIOSH Director
John Howard. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/blog/nsb032910_reform.html
Add your favorite occupational safety and
health-related movie to the growing list on the blog "Mad as a Hatter:
Mercury and Other Occupational Hazards at the Movies." http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/blog/nsb031610_movies.html
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New Communication Products
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More Than Aches and Pains
The
incidence rate for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) within the
U.S. manufacturing sector is 41 per 10,000 workers. Experience has shown
that reducing MSDs can improve productivity and reduce workers’
compensation and healthcare costs. Thus, NIOSH and its partners on the
NIOSH National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Manufacturing Sector
Council have developed an agenda that identifies areas of research in
surveillance, epidemiology, exposure assessment, etiological research, work
organization, and control technology that are vital for helping prevent
such disorders. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2010-129/
Interventions Against Disinfection
Byproduct Effects
Lifeguards
and patrons in the rapidly growing indoor waterpark industry can be exposed
to numerous disinfection byproducts and microorganisms that can cause
adverse health effects such as eye and respiratory irritation, skin rashes,
and flu-like symptoms. Practical and effective interventions for the
industry are recommended in NIOSH
Workplace Solutions: Reducing Illnesses at Indoor Waterparks. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2010-138/
The adult human body is unwieldy,
heavy, and certainly doesn't come with handles, at least not practical
ones.
Love
handles don’t count. So lifting a person is no small task. In
nursing, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), such as back and
shoulder injuries, persist as the leading and most costly U.S. occupational
health problem. A large body of evidence indicates that a substantial
number of work-related MSDs reported by nurses are due to the cumulative
effect of repeated manual patient-handling activities and work done in
extreme static awkward postures. NIOSH has created a web-based training for
nurses to learn safe patient handling techniques aimed to reduce injuries.
Also included is a training manual for nursing students. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2009-127/
Proceedings of Mine Modeling Workshop
Published
High
tech meets an age-old industry. NIOSH announces the publication of Proceedings of the International
Workshop on Numerical Modeling for Underground Mine Excavation Design.
Advances in the capabilities of numerical modeling software, together with
ever increasing computational speeds, have made it possible to investigate
the very nature of the large-scale rock mass and its response to mining
excavations. The improved understanding of the rock response obtained from
modeling enhances mine designs, resulting in greater stability and safety
of the mining excavations. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/pubs/pubreference/outputid3208.htm
Firefighter Fatality Compilation CD-ROM
Compilation
of Line-of-Duty Injury and Death Investigation Reports and Publications is a CD-ROM
containing all NIOSH fire fighter fatality and injury investigation reports
completed through August 2009. This CD-ROM also contains 21 NIOSH
publications and one safety advisory covering a number of topics specific
to fire fighter safety and health. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2009-155c/
NIOSH Training Materials for Mine Map
Reading
NIOSH
offers innovative resources to train new miners to read mining maps. This
online safety training includes three components for teaching and testing
map reading skills. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/products/product165.htm
More…
To see other new NIOSH communication products,
including documents and new and updated topic pages, go to the NIOSH
“What’s New” page. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/whatsnew.html
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Upcoming Conferences & Workshops
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IOM and Personal Protective Technologies Certification
The Institute of Medicine will conduct a workshop, Certification of
Personal Protective Technologies, on April 13 in Washington, D.C. An agenda
and online registration are now available at http://www.iom.edu/certppt.
IOM and Personal Protective Technologies for Healthcare
Workers
The Institute of Medicine will conduct an additional workshop,
"Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Workers During an
Influenza Pandemic: Current Research Issues," on June 3 in Washington,
D.C. Online registration and further information will be available in early
to mid April at www.iom.edu/influenzappe.
Nanomaterials and Worker Health
NIOSH and the Mountain and Plains Education and Research Center will hold a
conference, "Nanomaterials and Worker Health: Medical Surveillance,
Exposure Registries, and Epidemiologic Research", July 21-23 in
Keystone, Colorado. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech/keystone2010/
National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and
Media
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fourth Annual National
Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media, August 17-19,
2010, Omni Hotel in Atlanta, GA. http://www.cdc.gov/healthmarketing/NCHCMM2009/
A comprehensive list of upcoming conferences can be
found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/exhibits.html.
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Rosin-core
solder
- Rosin-core solder is commonly used by workers in many industries to make
electrical connections. It is a wire product that is manufactured from
tin/lead or tin/antimony alloy, with rosin-based flux making up the inside
core of the wire.
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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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Director
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John
Howard, M.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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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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Kevin
Whaley
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Please send your comments and
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