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20 results for COVID-19

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, MS6 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

Safety for Workers in Elementary and Secondary Schools

As teachers, school administrators, students, and parents get ready to go back to school, safety should be top of mind. School safety most often emphasizes keeping students safe from violence, bullying and harassment, and the influence of substance use (NCSSLE, 2023), but it should also include the safety of those who work in schools. To

Posted on by Makayla Hughes and Kitty J. Hendricks, MA1 Comment

Protecting Workers and the Public from Wildfire Smoke

  The Canadian wildfires highlight the hazard of wildfire smoke, an issue faced annually by many communities across the United States. In this blog, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and National Center for Environmental Health teamed up with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide

Posted on by Maryann M. D’Alessandro, PhD; Meghan Kiederer, BA; Joseph Schall, MA; Maria Mirabelli, PhD, MPH; Susan Stone, MS; CAPT Lisa Delaney, MS, CIH; CAPT Christa Hale, DVM, MPH, DACVPM (Epi); Lew Radonovich, MD4 Comments

International Women in Engineering Day

  June 23, 2023 is International Women in Engineering Day. In the United States, women make up 14% of the engineering workforce (15% internationally).[1]  In 2020, 24% of bachelor’s degrees in engineering were earned by women, and women of color earned 10% of the total engineering degrees.[1]  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Posted on by Blog Coordinator5 Comments

National Safety Month 2023

Each June, we celebrate National Safety Month. Safety matters every day of the year, but during June it gets the extra attention it deserves so we can all stay safe from the workplace to anyplace. As part of the celebration of safety, the National Safety Council (NSC) selects themes for each week of the month. This

Posted on by Jennifer M. Lincoln, PhD, CSP; Lauralynn Taylor McKernan, ScD, CIH; and John Dony4 Comments

Economic Security and Worker Well-being

  The future of work incorporates ongoing and future changes to the workplace, work, and workforce. Understanding the adaptations in how work is being performed and the associated consequences on worker safety, health, and well-being is essential and requires sustained attention from occupational safety and health researchers and their partners. To meet the challenges and

Posted on by Tapas Ray, PhD, and Sarika Abbi, MPA1 Comment

Critical Steps Your Workplace Can Take Today to Prevent Suicide

  Employers can play a vital role in suicide prevention. Historically, suicide, mental health, and well-being have been underrepresented in workplace health and safety efforts, but this is changing. In some European countries, there are workplace standards for workplace psychosocial hazards that put workers at risk for suicide. Additionally, in France, employers have been made

Posted on by Hope M. Tiesman, PhD; Jodi Frey, PhD, LCSW-C, CEAP; and Sally Spencer-Thomas, PsyDLeave a comment

Psychosocial Hazards Often Overlooked in Construction Industry

Why Do Psychosocial Factors of Work Matter? The construction industry has considerable safety and health hazards that result in high rates of injury, illness, and fatality. Common hazards include noise, fall, electrical, and chemical hazards. Approximately 60% of all construction fatalities each year can be attributed to the ‘focus four’ hazards of falls, struck-by, caught

Posted on by Aurora B. Le, PhD, MPH, CSP, CPH; Doug Trout, MD, MHS; Ann Marie Dale, PhD; Scott Earnest, PhD, PE, CSP3 Comments

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the Agricultural Community

Avian influenza (bird flu) is caused by infection with avian influenza (flu) Type A viruses. These viruses routinely spread among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species. Sporadic human infections with bird flu viruses have occurred. Avian influenza A viruses are classified into the following two categories:

Posted on by Carolyn Sheridan, RN, BSN; Jenna Gibbs, MPH, PhD; Matthew Spencer, CSP, SHRM-CP; John Gibbins, DVM, MPH2 Comments

Violence Against Public Health Workers

  Many workers who were on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced increased physical and mental stress. One study found that 70% of U.S. workers felt more stressed at work during COVID-19 than at any other point in their professional careers [1]. Public health workers, including epidemiologists, contact tracers, laboratory scientists, community health workers,

Posted on by Hope M. Tiesman, PhD; Scott A. Hendricks, MS; Douglas M. Wiegand, PhD; Barbara Lopes-Cardozo, MD; Carol Y. Rao, ScD; Libby Horter, MPH; Ramona Byrkit, MPH; and Charles E. Rose, PhD.1 Comment

The Effectiveness of DIY Air Filtration Units

  Portable air filtration units, or air cleaners, remove airborne particles (called aerosols) from the air indoors. Air filtration units were widely used during large wildfire outbreaks in the western United States,[1] and their use surged nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to reduce exposure to aerosols containing the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Homemade or

Posted on by Raymond Derk, MS; Jayme Coyle, PhD; William Lindsley, PhD; Francoise Blachere, MSc; Angela Lemons, MS; Samantha Service, MS; Stephen Martin Jr., PhD, PE; Kenneth Mead, PhD, PE; Steven Fotta; Jeffrey Reynolds, PhD, PE; Walter McKinney, MSEE; Erik Sinsel, MS; Donald Beezhold, PhD; and John Noti, PhD10 Comments

Most-viewed NIOSH Products of 2022

  As we look forward to 2023, we also are taking a look back at our most-viewed products of 2022. After two years of information focused on COVID-19, 2022 brought a variety of topics that engaged our users including ergonomics, construction, ladder safety, and working in the heat. Below is a summary of the top

Posted on by Garrett Burnett, MS, MBA; Katie Shahan, JD; Burt Tienken; and Julie Tisdale-Pardi, MA2 Comments

Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

  January 9th is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Law enforcement officers (LEO) place their lives and their health and safety at risk while protecting the public. While some of the risks may be obvious, there are many hazards officers face in the line of duty including: motor vehicle incidents, needlestick injuries, noise and lead

Posted on by Hope M. Tiesman, PhD; Melanie Lee Fowler, MS, CSP; Luenda Charles, PhD, MPH; John M. Violanti, PhD; Desta Fekedulegn PhD, MPH; Christa L. Themann, MA, CCC-A; Sarah Hughes, MPH.Leave a comment

NIOSH Rising Stars

Like many workplaces, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is working to help prepare staff to become leaders in their fields. One way NIOSH is readying its next generation of leaders is through the Rising Stars Program. The Rising Stars program was created by NIOSH to provide an opportunity for employees to

Posted on by Amanda Dunnick, MPH; Margaret Banton, MSA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP; and Constance Franklin, MPALeave a comment

Total Worker Health® Symposium: A Closer Look at Keynotes

We’re taking a closer look at the presentations delivered during the 3rd International Symposium to Advance Total Worker Health®. Attendees from across the globe heard from experts in the field during keynote addresses, presentations, workshops, and “bright spots,” a new conference feature that highlights successful and innovative interventions in 10-minute presentations. Presentations explored opportunities to

Posted on by Emily Kirby, BPH1 Comment

Celebrating the 3rd International Symposium to Advance Total Worker Health®

October 11-14, 2022, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Center for Health, Work & Environment (CHWE) presented the 3rd International Symposium to Advance Total Worker Health®. Held virtually and in-person at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, the symposium is the only NIOSH-sponsored event focused solely on advancing Total Worker

Posted on by Emily Kirby, BPH; L. Casey Chosewood, MD, MPH; and Adele Childress, PhD, MSPH4 Comments