NIOSH Science Blog Posts
Maintaining a Relationship with your Turnout Gear
Sent flowers? Check. Made dinner reservations? Check. Purchased one of those mandatory heart-shaped boxes of candy? Check. Conducted routine cleaning of your turnout gear… wait. What? Valentine’s Day is all about putting in a little extra effort to maintain the important relationships in our lives. Way back in 2013, we began a tradition of taking Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsContinuous Personal Dust Monitor
Until recently, underground coal miners and mine operators had little way of knowing—in real time—if miners were being exposed to hazardous levels of respirable coal dust during their shifts. NIOSH collaborated with an instrument manufacturer, government partners, labor representatives, and coal industry leaders to develop the continuous personal dust monitor (CPDM), a technology that offers Read More >
Posted on by 5 CommentsThe Art and Science of OELs for Nanomaterials
This guest blog post from our Finnish colleagues summarizes the challenges of identifying OELs for new nanomaterials as part of the development of a WHO guideline for working safely with nanomaterials. Engineered nanomaterials are fascinating. Just by making stuff smaller researchers have discovered forms of materials and even completely new materials that can be Read More >
Posted on by 9 CommentsOccupational Health Internship Program – Apply Now for Summer 2017
The Occupational Health Internship Program (OHIP) is dedicated to helping students learn about the field of occupational safety and health (OSH) from the perspective of working people. OHIP has played a crucial role in training, mentoring, and inspiring a new generation of OSH professionals as well as providing worker community based organizations the resources to Read More >
Posted on by 25 CommentsNew NIOSH Training Offers Fatigue Management for Pilots in the Land of the Midnight Sun
For a pilot working in Western Alaska, the amount of daylight during their work day can vary as much as 14 hours between the summer and winter solstice (or more the farther north you go). These aviators often fly multiple legs each day, serving as a transportation link to over 250 villages across the Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsSynthetic Biology and Occupational Risk
Forty two years ago, in February 1975, the Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA [1] established guiding principles for safe conduct of experiments utilizing recombinant DNA technology, which facilitated the creation of a biotechnology industry in the 1980s. Since then, biotechnology advanced to its second-generation, also called “synthetic biology.” Synthetic biology involves applying the principles of Read More >
Posted on by 5 CommentsWearable Sensors: An Ethical Framework for Decision-Making
Wearable sensors are all the rage. They give us information about our health, fitness, productivity and safety. However, downsides to this technology are accuracy and security of the data and challenges to personal privacy. How wearable technology is used in occupational safety and health research and practice is evolving. Wearable sensors can detect and alert Read More >
Posted on by 10 CommentsNew NIOSH Sound Level Meter App
Imagine if workers around the world could collect and share workplace (or task-based) noise exposure data using their smartphones. Scientists and occupational safety and health professionals could rely on such shared data to build job exposure databases and promote better hearing health and prevention efforts. In addition, the ability to acquire and display real-time noise Read More >
Posted on by 168 CommentsOccupational Health Issues in the USA
Happy New Year. As we start afresh in 2017 I wanted to share my recent editorial in the British journal, Occupational Medicine, “Occupational health issues in the USA”. The article highlights some of the occupational safety and health issues identified as needing attention by the industry sector groups of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA). Read More >
Posted on by 11 CommentsOccupational Exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) in U.S. Manufacturing Companies
You may have seen water bottles labeled “BPA Free” or heard that certain foods contain BPA. BPA (or bisphenol A) has been in the news over the past several years. BPA is weakly estrogenic; that is, BPA may mimic some of the hormone-like effects of estrogen. BPA is used primarily in making polycarbonate plastic and Read More >
Posted on by 9 CommentsNonstandard Work Arrangements
Who is looking out for workers in nonstandard work arrangements? As the prevalence of nonstandard work arrangements (such as temporary agency, contract, and “gig” arrangements) rises, so do concerns about workplace safety and health among this workforce. A recent article, “Nonstandard work arrangements and worker health and safety” published in the American Journal of Industrial Read More >
Posted on by 18 Comments‘Twas the Week before Christmas: Safety and Health at the North Pole
‘Twas the week before Christmas, Santa’s elves work long shifts, Everyone’s exhausted, but there have to be gifts; Their work schedule leaves them tired and sleepy, But a mistake with the toys will make children weepy; Exercise, diet and relaxation techniques, Can help the elves get a better night’s sleep; And workshop policies friendly to Read More >
Posted on by 13 Comments‘Tis the Season for Shopping and Safety
‘Tis the season for shopping and for working—specifically in retail. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2015, 4.6 million Americans worked in retail sales while 3.4 million more worked as cashiers, making up almost six percent of total U.S. employment. This holiday season, many retail employees are working longer hours and to meet Read More >
Posted on by 5 CommentsThe New ANSI Nail Gun Standard is a Lost Opportunity for Safety
Pneumatic nail guns have (PNGs) caused injury and death to both workers and consumers. These easy-to-use tools are designed to quickly drive nails into work surfaces. Commercially available first in the 1960s, PNGs are now the most popular type of nail gun in use. These tools are able to drive any size nail into wood Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsOccupational Safety and Health Economics Workshop
In early September 2016, researchers from Canada and the U.S. convened a workshop in Montreal to analyze current and emerging issues in the economics of worker safety and health, and to formulate potential collaborative research aiming to improve and standardize economic metrics of worker injury and illness, including metrics of the under-recognized burden for workers Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsNever fear! NEAT 2.0 is here! – How to perform nanomaterial exposure assessment in the workplace
Please see the Technical Report: Occupational Exposure Sampling for Engineered Nanomaterials released in July 2022. Do you think you might have exposure to nanomaterials in your workplace? Never fear! NEAT 2.0 is here! Engineered nanoparticles are unique. They are generally smaller than both red blood cells and viruses, don’t weigh much, and have a great amount Read More >
Posted on byNIOSH’s State-of-the-Art Facility in Morgantown Celebrates 20 Years
Next week marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of the L building in Morgantown, West Virginia, an addition to the existing facility which was dedicated in 1971. This state-of-the-art National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) facility represents a commitment to occupational safety and health. The creation of the new building created over 200 new jobs in Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsReducing Whole Body Vibration to Improve the Safety and Health of Bus Drivers
On the road every day, transportation workers are responsible for the safe delivery of passengers, materials and goods across the United States. Bus drivers ensure our kids and family members arrive safely. Bus drivers are vital to our economy, but their job can put them at increased risk for health problems. In 2014, musculoskeletal disorders Read More >
Posted on by 12 CommentsCapturing Work-related Injuries from Emergency Department Data
Work-related injuries frequently occur, despite the fact that many are preventable. It is critical that we accurately describe and monitor these injuries in order to improve prevention efforts. Because there is no comprehensive data source that captures all work-related injuries, the occupational injury community relies on multiple sources to describe the problem. The occupational supplement Read More >
Posted on byShift Work and Sleep
In today’s competitive economy, an increasing number of U.S. businesses operate to meet customer demand for 24/7 services. These around-the-clock operations are required in order to maintain a place in the global market where transactions with clients, suppliers, and colleagues can span multiple time zones. Consequently, for many men and women, the workday no longer Read More >
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