NIOSH Science Blog Posts

Sweating the Small Stuff: 20 years of NIOSH Research on Engineering Controls for Nanotechnology

Engineered nanomaterials are intentionally produced substances that have at least one primary dimension less than 100 nanometers (nm). Nanomaterials may have properties different from those of larger particles of the same material, making them unique and desirable for specific product applications (e.g., cosmetics, electronics, construction materials). The health effects associated with nanomaterials are not yet Read More >

Posted on by Kevin H. Dunn, ScD, CIH; Samuel Lo, PhD.; Jennifer Topmiller, MS; and Duane Hammond, MS, PELeave a comment

Dispelling Myths to Make Healthy Hearing a Reality

This World Hearing Day, March 3, 2024, the World Health Organization is promoting awareness of hearing loss to reduce societal misperceptions and stigma and is encouraging you to do the same. Over 80% of ear and hearing care needs are not met worldwide.[1] Hearing care has an annual cost of nearly $1 trillion (US) globally.[2] Read More >

Posted on by Thais C. Morata, PhD; Christa L. Themann, MA, CCC-A; Asha Brogan, MSLeave a comment

Changing Mindsets on Hearing Disorders Associated with Work Hazards

  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Hearing Loss Prevention Program has been an official member of the World Hearing Forum (WHF) since it was launched in 2019. The Forum was assembled by the Office of Ear and Hearing Care of the World Health Organization to promote ear and hearing care worldwide. Read More >

Posted on by Thais C. Morata, PhD; Christa L. Themann, MA, CCC-A; Shelly Chadha, MD2 Comments

Protecting the Well-being of the Nation’s Health Workforce

  The American Journal of Public Health recently published a special supplement with 15 articles focusing on health worker mental health. As part of this special issue, our article Protecting the Mental Health and Well-being of the Nation’s Health Workforce summarizes the scope of the issue and prevention efforts underway at the Centers for Disease Control and Read More >

Posted on by John Howard, MD, and Debra Houry MD, MPHLeave a comment

AJPH Highlights Health Worker Mental Health

The American Journal of Public Health recently published a special supplement with 15 articles focusing on health worker mental health. This special issue of the journal was sponsored and edited by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and stems from the health worker mental health initiative from the Centers for Disease Control Read More >

Posted on by Thomas Cunningham, PhDLeave a comment

Finding the Right Fit—Is Your Respirator “The One”?

Finding the right fit is one of the most important parts of a relationship. You don’t just grab any old fish from the sea that swims by and hope for the best. First, it’s necessary to test the waters and ensure you’re simpatico before settling on a partner. It’s Valentine’s Day, and yes, this advice Read More >

Posted on by Aris Copeland, Meghan Kiederer, Joseph Schall, and Megan Casey1 Comment

Prevention Through Design to Address Continuing Construction Workplace Deaths and Injuries

Nearly 1 in 5 of all workplace fatalities occur in the construction industry (BLS, 2024). In 2022 there were 1,092 fatalities in the construction industry (BLS, 2024); in 2021 and 2022 there were 144,480 cases of construction industry workers missing days away from work from a non-fatal injury or illness (BLS, 2023). These and other Read More >

Posted on by Amber Trueblood, Babak Memarian, Trudi McCleery, Douglas Trout, G. Scott EarnestLeave a comment

NIOSH Global Collaborations on Workplace Safety of Nanomaterials

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC) has taken on a global leadership role on research and guidance for nanomaterials in the workplace since the formation of NTRC in 2004 [1]. Global Collaborations is one of the ten critical topic areas for nanotechnology research and communication identified by NTRC Read More >

Posted on by Vladimir Murashov, Ph.D.Leave a comment

Nonfatal Occupational Injury Surveillance Data: Examples from Michigan

The importance of developing a tracking system for occupational fatalities, injuries and illnesses was recognized in the original Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970. The Secretary of Labor at that time elected to delegate responsibility to collect, compile, and analyze occupational safety and health statistics. Despite the authority in the OSH Act to Read More >

Posted on by Kenneth D. Rosenman, MD; Mary Jo Reilly, MS; and Ling Wang, PhDLeave a comment

Most-viewed NIOSH Products in 2023

Each January we look back at our most-viewed products from the previous year. This helps us gauge our impact and understand the type of information our users are seeking. Interest in all our platforms remains high. The subject matter making our most-viewed lists covers a wide range of topics including the prevention of firefighter cancer, Read More >

Posted on by Garrett Burnett, MS, MBA; Katie Shahan, JD; Burt Tienken; and Julie Tisdale-Pardi, MA1 Comment

Long COVID and Occupational Medicine Practice

  Some individuals with COVID-19 do not recover to their usual state of health, experiencing a broad array of new or continuing debilitating symptoms collectively referred to as “long COVID.”  Long COVID can have a significant impact on a worker’s return to work. In June 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosted the Read More >

Posted on by John Howard, MD; Marianne Cloeren, MD, MPH, FACOEM, FACP; Greg Vanichkachorn, MD, MPH2 Comments

ONDCP Launches New Recovery Ready Workplace Toolkit

  In 2022, approximately 110,000 Americans died from a drug overdose. At the same time, 46 million Americans aged 18 or older experienced a substance use disorder in 2022. Nearly two thirds of those people (30.1 million) were employed. The drug overdose epidemic is occurring in and impacting workplaces. Unintentional overdose from the nonmedical use Read More >

Posted on by Jamie C. Osborne, MPH, CHES®; L. Casey Chosewood, MD, MPH; John Howard, MD; Peter Gaumond4 Comments

Is Occupational Physical Activity Harmful to Health?

  A recent webinar from the National Occupational Research Agenda’s Cancer, Reproductive, Cardiovascular, and Other Chronic Disease Prevention (CRC) cross-sector council describes research related to the potential effects of occupational physical activity on workers’ cardiovascular health. This blog summarizes the webinar and discusses the differences between (1) leisure-time physical activity, and (2) occupational physical activity Read More >

Posted on by Taylor Shockey, PhD, MPH; Tyler Quinn, PhD; Liwei Chen, MD, PhD; Niklas Krause, MD, MPH, PhD1 Comment

Health Equity, Work, and Motor Vehicle Safety

  Among U.S. workers, driving a motor vehicle or being exposed to traffic hazards as a pedestrian while at work is a significant risk. In fact, motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are the leading cause death at work in the United States [1]. Many factors can play a role in work-related MVCs, but have you considered Read More >

Posted on by Kyla Hagan-Haynes, Rosa Rodríguez-Acosta, Rebecca Knuth, and Stephanie PrattLeave a comment

Looking to the Past and the Future of NIOSH Nanotechnology Guidance

NIOSH has been at the forefront of research on engineered nanomaterials since the early 2000’s.  As the NIOSH Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC) celebrates its 20th anniversary, we look back over two decades of NIOSH NTRC published guidance to help reduce worker exposures to engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Both companies and workers use this guidance to keep workers Read More >

Posted on by Jay Vietas, PhD, CIH, CSP and Lilia Chen, MS, CIH2 Comments

Hazardous Exposures to Silica in Metal and Nonmetal Mining Indicate the Need for Better Prevention

  Mined raw materials, or products produced from them, are essential for all industries. Mining will remain an essential industry even with the shift to sustainable energy as critical minerals that will support the needs for zero-emission vehicles, carbon-free energy, and production of energy resources and everyday products must be mined. Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) Read More >

Posted on by Aaron L. Sussell, PhD, MPH, CIH®; Samantha E. Wilson, MS; and Alexander Johnson, MPHLeave a comment

Want to Improve the Well-Being of Health Workers? The System Itself Must Change

  The pandemic has brought attention to the safety, health, and well-being of workers in healthcare. Recent efforts to address these issues include, the Office of the Surgeon General’s Addressing Health Worker Burnout,(1) an “Advisory on Building a Thriving Health Workforce,” from the National Academy of Medicine’s National Plan for Healthcare Workforce Wellbeing (2) and Read More >

Posted on by Michael R Privitera, MD, MS; Chia-Chia Chang, MPH, MBA; L. Casey Chosewood, MD, MPH3 Comments

Preparing for the Future: NIOSH Applications of Strategic Foresight

  Change is all around us, and it is happening more intensely and more rapidly than ever before. NIOSH recognizes that many of the social, technological, economic, environmental, and political changes we experience can impact the design of work and the lives of working people.1 We also understand the benefit of proactively preparing for future Read More >

Posted on by Jessica MK Streit, MS, PhD, CHES® and Sarah A Felknor, MS, DrPH3 Comments

Stay Safe and Warm This Holiday Season Like Frosty the Worker

♪ Frosty the Worker, Is a jolly happy soul, With his big warm boots and his warm-up breaks, The cold cannot take its toll. ❄ ♪Hypothermia and chilblains, May be fairy tales one day, Cuz’ with training and prevention, Frostbite can be kept at bay.❄ ♪It really isn’t magic when, A warm wool hat is Read More >

Posted on by Blog Coordinator2 CommentsTags

Help for the Holidays: Preventing Fatigue, Violence, and Stress in Retail

  The holidays can be the most stressful time of the year—especially for retail workers who often work long hours and irregular shifts. These workers might also deal with crowds, violence, and robberies. This blog highlights the risk of fatigue, violence, and stress for workers in retail stores and provides strategies for making retail work Read More >

Posted on by Cammie Chaumont Menéndez, Casey Chosewood, Adrienne Eastlake, Jennifer Lincoln, Suzanne Marsh, Jeannie Nigam, Donna Pfirman, Hope TiesmanLeave a comment