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20 results for COVID-19

Risk-Based Model to Resume Field Research and Public Health Service During the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many workplaces across the world strictly limited or ceased in-person activities, including parts of the Federal government.  While much work continued remotely, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) needed to make decisions about allowing employees to travel to conduct workplace safety and health field research and public health

Posted on by Douglas Johns, PhD, MS; Kristin Yeoman, MD, MPH; Joshua Harney, MS; John Howard, MD; and Gerald Poplin, PhD, MSLeave a comment

Demonstrating the Ability to Protect Healthcare Personnel from COVID-19 in High-Risk Settings

This content can also be found on CDC’s Safe Healthcare Blog. The COVID-19 pandemic brought about stresses to the U.S. healthcare workforce never seen before. Since early in the pandemic, reports have abounded of healthcare personnel (HCP) being infected, sometimes resulting in severe outcomes and death. As of July 20, 2022, there have been nearly 1

Posted on by L. Clifford McDonald, MD, and David Weissman, MD2 Comments

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Teleworking During the COVID-19 Pandemic

New research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) examined racial disparities in teleworking during the COVID-19 pandemic and estimated the extent to which these disparities are explained by education, occupation and racial discrimination. Teleworking, also known as telecommuting or virtual working, is an alternative type of work arrangement that uses information

Posted on by Abay Asfaw, PhDLeave a comment

The Role of the Industrial Hygienist in a Pandemic: A roadmap for COVID-19 and beyond

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and health (NIOSH) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) have been developing guidance to help protect workers across all industries. AIHA has more than 80 years of experience protecting the health and safety of workers and their communities and has been

Posted on by Roger Lewis, PhD, CIH; Robert Strode, CIH; Ina Xhani; Kevin H. Dunn, Sc.D., CIH; Eric Glassford, MS, CIH; and Jennifer Tyrawski, PhDLeave a comment

COVID-19 and Wildland Firefighters

Wildfires do not stop during a pandemic. The 2020 fire season saw the first-ever single wildfire to burn over 1 million acres, with 44 days at the highest fire preparedness level (and 30 days higher than the 5-year average) when fire personnel and resources are extremely scarce. Circumstances surrounding wildfire incidents can put wildland firefighters

Posted on by Kathleen Navarro, PhD, MPH; Daniel Hardt, MS, CIH; and Kathleen Clark PhD, MS, RRT1 Comment

Using Workplace Absences to Measure How COVID-19 Affects America’s Workers

Since September 2017, NIOSH has monitored the monthly prevalence of health-related workplace absences among full-time workers in the United States using nationally representative data from the Current Population Survey (CPS). This data can be a useful way to measure the effect COVID-19 has had on the U.S. working population.

Posted on by Matthew R. Groenewold, PhD; Hannah Free, MPH; and Amy Mobley, MEn2 Comments

COVID-19 Poses Big Challenges for Small Construction Firms

Occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals can help small construction firms build safety into their worksites, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Small construction firms, with 20 or fewer employees, face constant challenges obtaining safety information and resources. They are less likely to belong to trade associations or be connected to unions, which are common sources

Posted on by Claudia Parvanta, PhD; Tessa Bonney, MPH, PhD; Lee Newman, MD, MA; Eileen Betit; and CDR Elizabeth Garza, MPH, CPH3 Comments

COVID-19 and Workplace Fatigue: Lessons Learned and Mitigation Strategies

  The declaration of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a US public health emergency on March 13, 2020, altered the way we work and live, intensified feelings of stress, and created uncertainty about the future for many people. The closure of many businesses led to financial instability and the highest unemployment rates since 1976 1.

Posted on by Imelda Wong, PhD; and Mary B. O’Connor, MS5 Comments

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Opioid Overdose Epidemic: A Perfect Storm for Workers?

Introduction Before the pandemic took hold, the United States was already facing another public health crisis – alarming rates of opioid-related overdose deaths. In 2018, 46,802 deaths were attributed to opioids, which accounted for 69% of all drug overdose deaths.1 Based on provisional data, an estimated 50,828 Americans died of opioid overdose in 2019 —

Posted on by Jamie Osborne, MPH, CHES®; L. Casey Chosewood, MD; and John Howard, MD1 Comment

Research Questions for Aerosol Scientists Addressing COVID-19 and the Workplace

  The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has raised many questions about the transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, including the possibility of aerosol transmission. In the workplace, workers may encounter asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic, and symptomatic individuals who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 and may expel airborne particles containing the virus. Aerosol scientists bring a

Posted on by William G. Lindsley, PhD; Francoise M. Blachere, MSc; Nancy C. Burton, PhD, MPH, CIH; Brian Christensen, MPH; Cherie F. Estill, PhD; Edward M. Fisher, MS; Stephen B. Martin, PhD, PE; Kenneth R. Mead, PhD, PE; John D. Noti, PhD; Melissa Seaton, MS, CIH3 Comments

How Collecting and Analyzing COVID-19 Case Job Information Can Make a Difference in Public Health

  Collecting, coding, analyzing and reporting industry and occupation data from COVID-19 cases is necessary to inform strategies to reduce the impact of the pandemic on workers. As described in the previous blog post, “Collecting occupation and industry data in public health surveillance systems for COVID-19,” it’s important to collect job information for all workers

Posted on by Sara E. Luckhaupt, MD, MPH; Matthew R. Groenewold, PhD; Amy Mobley, MEn; Stacey Marovich, MHI, MS; and Marie Haring Sweeney, PhDLeave a comment

Economic Security during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Healthy Work Design and Well-being Perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic is adversely affecting worker well-being in many ways, including through decreased economic security. Economic aspects of overall health and well-being, along with physical, psychological, and social aspects, are a fundamental focus of the NIOSH Healthy Work Design and Well-being Program (HWD). The mission of HWD is to protect and advance worker safety,

Posted on by Rene Pana-Cryan, PhD; Tapas Ray, PhD; Tim Bushnell, PhD, MPA; and Brian Quay, MS4 Comments

COVID-19 Stress Among Your Workers? Healthy Work Design and Well-Being Solutions Are Critical

Experiencing an infectious disease outbreak can cause fear, anxiety, and stress.1-5 Along with overwhelming uncertainty and new behavioral ‘norms’ (e.g., cloth face covering or mask wearing, physical distancing), the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we meet our daily needs, how we socially interact, and whether, how, and where we work.1,3 Millions of workers have lost

Posted on by Jeannie A. S. Nigam, MS, Jessica M. K. Streit, PhD, MS, Tapas K. Ray, PhD, Naomi Swanson, PhD4 Comments

Collecting Occupation and Industry Data in Public Health Surveillance Systems for COVID-19

This is the first blog in the series “COVID-19 Surveillance among Workers: What we know and what are we doing to learn more”. What we know Though the COVID-19 pandemic continues, critical infrastructure industries are operating and other types of businesses are beginning to reopen. Recent studies have reported outbreaks of COVID-19 in several types

Posted on by Sara Luckhaupt, MD; Sherry Burrer, DVM; Marie de Perio, MD; and Marie Haring Sweeney, PhD4 Comments

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

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

New Burnout Prevention Training for Public Health

  A new free online training, Understanding and Preventing Burnout among Public Health Workers: Guidance for Public Health Leaders will help managers and supervisors prevent burnout in the public health workers they lead and in themselves. The course, from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, is part of a health worker mental health

Posted on by Emily Novicki, MA, MPH; Christopher J. L. Cunningham, PhD; Kristen J. Black, PhD; L. Casey Chosewood, MD, MPH; Thomas Cunningham, PhDLeave a comment

Mental Health, Alcohol Use, and Substance Use Resources for Workers and Employers

  The workplace is an important setting to address mental health conditions, excessive alcohol use, and other substance use disorders among workers. In 2021, more than half of U.S. adults who reported a mental illness in the last year were employed. National U.S. data show that 70% of all adults with a substance use disorder (including

Posted on by Jamie C. Osborne, MPH, CHES® and Sudha P. Pandalai, MD, PhD, MS4 Comments

Family Farms: When Working From Home Can Put Children at Risk

Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries for workers,[1] but since many farms share work and home spaces, it is also one of the few industries in which family members are also at risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. Every day, 33 children in the United States are seriously injured in agricultural-related incidents, and every

Posted on by Florence Becot and KC Elliott, MA, MPH1 Comment

Respiratory Protection Week 2023: Filling in the Gaps

We’re back for another Respiratory Protection Week! This year we’re shining some light on our Respirator Approval Program’s efforts to fill in gaps related to respiratory protection and answering some of your remaining questions about NIOSH Approved® respirators. As you may know, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the federal institute

Posted on by Meghan Kiederer and Jeff PetersonLeave a comment

Labor Day 2023: Statement by NIOSH Director, John Howard, MD

Labor Day often evokes thoughts about the end of summer and start of a new school year. It can be easy to forget that the origins of the holiday lie in the labor movement of the late nineteenth century when workers fought for their rights, including safer working conditions. A lot has changed since then

Posted on by John Howard, M.D.2 Comments