Categories: Bloodborne pathogens, Cancer, Chemicals, Construction, Health care, Personal protective equipment, Stress, Transportation, Violence, women
May 13th, 2013 10:04 am ET -
Naomi Swanson,Ph.D.; Julie Tisdale-Pardi, MA; CAPT Leslie MacDonald, Sc.D.; Hope M. Tiesman, Ph.D.
This week is Women’s Health Week. With over 58% of U.S. women in the labor force[i], the workplace must be considered when looking at women’s overall health. We must keep in mind that susceptibility to hazards can be different for men and women. Additionally, women face different workplace health challenges than men partly because men and women tend to have different kinds of jobs. Women generally have more work-related cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, and anxiety and stress disorders. Social, economic, and cultural factors also put women at risk for injury and illness. While workplace exposures can affect both male and female reproduction, issues related to reproduction and pregnancy are of particular concern to women. Below you will find summaries, with links to more research, of some hazards faced by women in the workplace as well as links to industry-specific research from NIOSH that relates to women. More information is available on the NIOSH topic page Women’s Safety and Health Issues at Work.
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Categories: Health care, Personal protective equipment, women
May 8th, 2013 9:28 am ET -
Ronald E. Shaffer, Ph.D. ; Debra Novak, DSN, RN; Jaclyn Krah, MA
Photos courtesy of Kimberly Clark, Moldex, 3M, and Alpha Protec
Poor compliance with respiratory protection requirements and proper use recommendations in healthcare settings remains a vexing problem. Given the many possible methods to improve compliance, and the constraints of limited budgets and resources available for research, we are asking the question: where should NIOSH conduct research to address this issue?
There are many reasons to focus attention on healthcare workplaces. There are more than 14 million workers in the United States employed in the healthcare field. Healthcare personnel are sometimes exposed to a variety of potential airborne respiratory hazards (e.g., Mycobacterium tuberculosis, hazardous chemicals, influenza etc.). In some of these situations the patient is the source of the exposure, but still requires medical care. Not surprisingly, some studies have found that compared to non-healthcare settings, healthcare personnel could be at a higher risk of exposure to infectious respiratory diseases. Preferred methods of reducing exposure (elimination, substitution, administrative, and engineering controls) are often not possible or practical to implement, especially during an emerging infectious disease outbreak or pandemic.
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Categories: Chemicals, Emergency response, Exposure, Manufacturing, Personal protective equipment, Technology
April 15th, 2013 10:15 am ET -
Donna Van Bogaert Ph.D. and Glenn Doyle
Since its first printing in 1978, the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (NPG) continues to be the Institute’s most popular document. The NPG provides general descriptive, exposure, and protective and emergency recommendations for 677 chemicals commonly found in the work environment. Workers, employers, and occupational health professionals all use the NPG in the course of their work and often in emergency situations. Fire fighters, for example, use the NPG to prepare themselves for exposures they might encounter on fire scenes.
The current printed pocket guide is a 424 page, 3 inch by 7 inch, pocket-sized book. We know many people rely on the printed version, particularly in times of emergency when power may be out or signals down or overextended. The NPG will continue to be available for print. We also know that there is a growing demand for the NPG in a mobile version that could offer users more convenience and flexibility.
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Categories: Personal protective equipment
February 14th, 2013 8:00 am ET -
Jaclyn Krah, MA
Happy Valentine’s Day! Today is the day of the year dedicated to showing our significant others just how much we care. Boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, and wives all scurry to make the day special with chocolates, flowers, romantic dinners, and thoughtful gifts. Why? Because good relationships take work. Good relationships take maintenance.
Have you ever thought about your relationship with your personal protective equipment? For instance, the men and women, such as firefighters, who use Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) know that this device is their life partner of sorts—providing them with a breathable air source in the midst of hazardous environments. SCBA respirator users must be aware that problems with their device can arise if it is not properly maintained. Correct inspection, cleaning, upkeep, and service procedures are all vital to ensure optimum SCBA operation. Whether you are the user or the service technician of the SCBA, never assume that you know the best methods of carrying out these procedures. Unlike your human significant other, your respiratory partner comes with instructions to keep the relationship running smoothly. Pay close attention to the guidelines issued by the SCBA manufacturer for proper care and maintenance. (See the NIOSH/NPPTL User notice.)
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This week is Women’s Health Week. With over 58% of U.S. women in the labor force[i], the workplace must be considered when looking at women’s overall health. We must keep in mind that susceptibility to hazards can be different for men and women. Additionally, women face different workplace health challenges than men partly because men and women tend to have different kinds of jobs. Women generally have more work-related cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, and anxiety and stress disorders. Social, economic, and cultural factors also put women at risk for injury and illness. While workplace exposures can affect both male and female reproduction, issues related to reproduction and pregnancy are of particular concern to women. Below you will find summaries, with links to more research, of some hazards faced by women in the workplace as well as links to industry-specific research from NIOSH that relates to women. More information is available on the NIOSH topic page Women’s Safety and Health Issues at Work.
