Category: Observances

World Cancer Day 2020 – Reflecting on a Decade of NIOSH Cancer Research

February 4th, 2020 is World Cancer Day, and we are reflecting on the role of the occupational cancer research being done at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in reducing the burden of cancer worldwide. Cancer develops as a result of the body losing its ability to control the growth and spread Read More >

Posted on by Raquel Velazquez-Kronen, Ph.D.; and Jasmine Nelson, B.S.7 Comments

NIOSH Launches Respiratory Protection Week in Celebration of 100 Years of Respiratory Protection

September is here, and we NIOSH employees have put away our Labor Day picnics to get back to the work of protecting the American labor force…. And, of course, celebrating N95 Day! Right? Yes and no. You see, this year is special. This year marks an important anniversary in the history of respiratory protection. One Read More >

Posted on by Jaclyn Krah Cichowicz, MA6 Comments

Labor Day 2019 Message: Future of Work and Total Worker Health

At NIOSH, we spend every day focused on improving the safety and health of the U.S. workforce who maintain and propel this country forward. This year’s 125th anniversary of Labor Day gives us the opportunity as a Nation to celebrate and appreciate all workers for their contribution to this country’s prosperity, strength and well-being. This Read More >

Posted on by John Howard, MD6 Comments

Celebrate National Safety Month

We all face risks throughout our lives. The fact is, unintentional injuries have been increasing for decades and are now the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S. To reverse this trend, we all need to take simple steps to help keep each other safe. Safety should be practiced all year round, but June Read More >

Posted on by Dawn Castillo, MPH and Kim ShambrookLeave a comment

Workers’ Memorial Day, 2019: Statement by John Howard, M.D., Director, NIOSH

Workers’ Memorial Day, observed annually on April 28, recognizes workers who were injured, became ill, or died because of exposures to hazards at work. In 2017, work-related injuries claimed the lives of 5,147 U.S. workers according to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This represents less than a 1% decrease in Read More >

Posted on by John Howard, M.D.4 Comments

Workplace Accidents, Occupational Illness and the Long Road to Workers’ Compensation and Safety Policies around the World

Workers’ Memorial Day1 takes place annually around the world on April 28 as an international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work. This day also commemorates the enactment of the United States’ Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, put into effect on April 28, 1971. Read More >

Posted on by Julia Moses5 Comments

Construction Fall Fatalities Still Highest Among All Industries: What more can we do?

Falls are the leading cause of construction-worker fatalities, accounting for one-third of on-the-job deaths in the industry. In 2017, there were 366 fall fatalities out of 971 total fatalities in construction. According to the CPWR, from 2011-2015, 61% of fatal falls in construction occurred in small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. Almost two-thirds of Read More >

Posted on by CDR Elizabeth Garza, MPH, CPH4 Comments

Women in STEM

In honor of Women’s History Month, this blog highlights a few of the talented female researchers working in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) at NIOSH. Their varied paths into STEM fields are as interesting as they are inspirational. After reading these stories please pass them along to other women and girls so that they Read More >

Posted on by Asha Brogan; Valerie Coughanour, MA, MFA; Debbie Hornback, MS; Michelle Martin, MS; Katie Shahan, JD; Theodore D. Teske, MA; Julie Tisdale-Pardi, MA; Jennifer Tyrawski, PhD; Sydney Webb, PhD; and Rachel Wilson, MA4 Comments

National Engineers Week

This week is National Engineers Week which is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) employs over 200 engineers and engineering technicians who identify, evaluate, develop, and implement engineering control technology to Read More >

Posted on by Blog Coordinator5 Comments

Good Clean Fun: Cleaning Considerations for Elastomeric Respirators

Valentine’s Day is a day for all of us to reflect on love and relationships. With so much romance in the air, we began to think about what makes for a lasting relationship? How can we all achieve our own happily ever after? Being the relationship experts that we are here at NIOSH, we have Read More >

Posted on by Rachel Wilson, MA; Jaclyn Krah Cichowicz, MA; and Megan Casey, RN, BSN, MPH7 Comments

N95 Day 2018: Getting Down to the Particulars about Filter Class

Calling all N95 filter facepiece respirator users, program managers, educators, manufacturers, and general enthusiasts of respiratory protection. Today is N95 Day and we are psyched! We’ve planned this N95 Day party to be particularly packed with information pertaining to particles. (Say THAT five times fast.) We admit it; we are pretty geeky when it comes Read More >

Posted on by Jaclyn Krah Cichowicz, MA, and Bingbing Wu, PhDLeave a comment

Labor Day Message from NIOSH Director, John Howard, MD

More than just a “day off,” Labor Day provides us a moment to pause and reflect on the efforts and sacrifice all men and women across the nation have worked through to keep this country moving, day and night, contributing to the economic and material well-being of its inhabitants. NIOSH’s mission has been and will Read More >

Posted on by John Howard, MD2 Comments

Make One Change for Safety this National Safety Month

June is National Safety Month, an opportunity to help prevent unnecessary injuries and deaths at work, on the roads, and in our homes and communities. With this year’s theme, No 1 Gets Hurt, we are encouraging readers to think of at least one change you can make to improve safety this month. This joint blog Read More >

Posted on by Dawn Castillo, MPH and Kim ShambrookLeave a comment

Workers Memorial Day 2018: Statement from Dr. John Howard

Every year on April 28th, we observe Workers Memorial Day, remembering those workers who have been killed or injured on the job. This is also an opportunity to reflect on how we, as a federal research institute, and our partners in industry, labor, academia and the safety and health practice community, can contribute to making Read More >

Posted on by John Howard, MD2 Comments

5th Annual National Stand Down to Prevent Falls in Construction

Falls remain the leading cause of death in construction. In 2016, there were 370 fall fatalities out of 991 total fatalities in construction. There were more fatal injuries in construction than any other industry in the United States in 2015, accounting for 20% of the nation’s 4,836 work-related deaths that year. According to the CPWR-the Read More >

Posted on by CDR Elizabeth Garza, MPH, CPH, and Christine Branche, PhD, FACE4 Comments

Naomi Swanson, PhD: Advancing Worker Health Through Improved Organization of Work and Ergonomic Design

During Women’s History Month, NIOSH will highlight several female researchers and their contributions to NIOSH and America’s workers.   Naomi Swanson has served as the Chief of the Organizational Science and Human Factors Branch (OSHFB) in the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology since May 2008. She received her M.A. in Experimental Psychology (specializing Read More >

Posted on by Julie Tisdale-Pardi, MA3 Comments

Chia-Chia Chang, MBA, MPH; Adele Childress, PhD; and Sara Tamers, PhD: Advancing Total Worker Health initiatives through Partnerships, Workforce Development, and Research

During Women’s History Month, NIOSH will highlight several female researchers and their contributions to NIOSH and America’s workers.   Chia-Chia Chang, MBA, MPH, is the Coordinator for Partnership and New Opportunity Development in the NIOSH Office for Total Worker Health® .  In this capacity she has helped bring on over 30 partners for Total Worker Health Read More >

Posted on by Reid Richards1 Comment

Amy Chambers, MS, and Lauren Chubb, DrPH: Advancing Safety and Health for Miners

During Women’s History Month, NIOSH will highlight several female researchers and their contributions to NIOSH and America’s workers.   Amy Chambers, MS Amy Chambers, MS, is a research engineer working in the NIOSH Spokane Mining Research Division. She joined NIOSH in July 2015. Ms. Chambers seeks to ensure underground miners have a stable roof to Read More >

Posted on by Valerie Coughanour, MA, MFA2 Comments

Lee Greenawald, PhD: An up and coming leader in PPE

During Women’s History Month, NIOSH will highlight several female researchers and their contributions to NIOSH and America’s workers. Lee Greenawald, PhD, is a NIOSH career development success story. While working on her B.S. in Forensic Chemistry from Ohio University, Lee began her career at NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) as a summer student Read More >

Posted on by Jaclyn Krah Cichowicz, MALeave a comment

HeeSun Choi, PhD, and Christina Socias-Morales, DrPh: Creating Safer Workplaces

During Women’s History Month, NIOSH will highlight several female researchers and their contributions to NIOSH and America’s workers.   HeeSun Choi, PhD HeeSun Choi, PhD, is a psychologist working in the Protective Technology Branch in the NIOSH Division of Safety Research. Dr. Choi started with the Institute in 2016. Dr. Choi’s research is helping to Read More >

Posted on by Sydney Webb, PhD2 Comments