NIOSH Science Blog Posts
Using Occupation and Industry Information to Better Serve Your Patient Population
Conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes. On average, American workers spend close to half their waking hours at work. As a result, work can have significant impacts on health. As electronic health records (EHRs) are replacing paper medical records in most Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsHear and Now: The Noise Safety Challenge
The Burden of Noise The idea of being hurt on the job tends to produce images of harrowing trauma, broken bones, and blood. Yet every year for more than a quarter of a century, hearing loss has quietly been among the most prevalent occupational health concerns in the United States. Approximately 22 million U.S. workers Read More >
Posted on by 6 CommentsN95 Day 2016: Proper Use, Filtration, and Fit – The Three-Legged Stool of Respiratory Protection
Dear N95 Day enthusiast – We want to thank you for joining us for another year of N95 respiratory protection information celebration. We know – today is 9/6, not 9/5. But we hope that many of you enjoyed the Labor Day holiday yesterday and are rested and ready for our annual N95 Day holiday today! Read More >
Posted on by 7 CommentsLabor Day 2016: A Statement by NIOSH Director John Howard, MD
To many, Labor Day signifies the end of summer vacations, the beginning of a new school year or a time to find bargains. It’s important to remember Labor Day is much more than just a retail holiday or a day off of work. We must not forget it is a day to celebrate workers—from teachers Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsKeeping Workers Safe on the Road
Reducing deaths due to motor vehicle crashes has been one of the greatest public health achievements of the last 50 years. In 2014, the rate of crash deaths in the United States, based on miles driven, was one-fifth the rate for 1966. And, the number of deaths decreased from 50,894 in 1966 to 32,675 in Read More >
Posted on by 6 CommentsWhere do you get your information? A survey of occupational safety and health practitioners
CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training receives NIOSH funding under a competitively awarded cooperative agreement that supports an extensive research program in occupational safety and health for the building industry. CPWR-supported researchers pursue original research in fields such as safety culture and climate, engineering controls for airborne silica and welding fumes, Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsCardiovascular Health Status by Occupational Group
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for 1 out of every 3 deaths in the United States, making it the leading cause of death. CVD illness and death accounts for an estimated $120 billion dollars of lost productivity in the workplace. With approximately 55% of Americans employed, the workplace is an important factor to consider in Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsOlympic Work
As Olympic fever takes hold, we would like to take the opportunity to highlight research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) that relates directly or indirectly to the athletes or their events. NIOSH has the responsibility of conducting research and making recommendations to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses. Although Olympic competition Read More >
Posted on by 7 CommentsWorkplace Medical Mystery Solved: Influenza-like Illness strikes Worker at Wildlife Refuge
Just before entering veterinary school, Michelle found a summer job at a wildlife refuge. She spent most of her time caring for Asian and African elephants until she came down with what she thought was the flu. Read more about her symptoms here. Had she been around anyone who was sick? Had she travelled anywhere Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsWorkplace Medical Mystery: Influenza-like Illness strikes Worker at Wildlife Refuge
Michelle was thrilled to have landed a job at a wildlife refuge in the Ohio River Valley the summer before she started veterinary school. She hoped to specialize in zoological medicine and work with zoo animals. Three months into her summer job, Michelle came down with the flu—or so she thought. An animal lover, Michelle Read More >
Posted on by 16 CommentsNIOSH’s Engineering Controls Database
The hierarchy of controls shows us that engineering controls can protect workers by eliminating or reducing hazardous conditions to acceptable exposure levels. The idea behind the hierarchy is that the control methods at the top of the graphic are potentially more effective and protective than those at the bottom. Following the hierarchy of controls can Read More >
Posted on by 12 CommentsImproving Workers’ Health Across the Globe
According to the International Labour Organization, globally, 6,300 people die as a result of occupational injury or work-related diseases every day – more than 2.3 million deaths per year. This has a tremendous impact on the global community- individuals, families, and employers. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is committed to improving worker Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsHelp Set the Research Agenda for the Healthcare and Social Assistance Sector
NIOSH wants to hear from you on how to improve workplace health and safety in the Healthcare and Social Assistance industry sector. Your insights will be used to inform the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA). NORA is a partnership program to stimulate innovative research and improved workplace practices in occupational safety and health. Since 1996, Read More >
Posted on by 21 CommentsThe “S” in NIOSH
The “S” in NIOSH could stand for science, super, or spectacular but as we all know (and maybe sometimes forget) it stands for safety. Safety is a critical part of the NIOSH mission: safety and health at work for all people through research and prevention. Why Is Worker Safety So Important? In 2014: -4,821 U.S. Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentUsing a Seat Belt: A safety priority on- and off-the-job
Share Roads Safely is this week’s emphasis for National Safety Month. Motor vehicle safety is an important topic in the workplace as motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of fatal injuries among workers in the United States. When it comes to reducing severity of injury or death in a crash, seat belt use can Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsMaking Alaska a Safer Place to Work
During 1980-1989, Alaska had the highest work-related fatality rate of any state in the nation, with a rate of 34.8 deaths per 100,000 workers per year compared to the average U.S. rate of 7 deaths per 100,000 workers per year. At the invitation of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services and the Read More >
Posted on by 12 CommentsProtecting Young Workers in Retail Jobs
June, which is National Safety Month, is an appropriate time to focus on young workers, as they head out of school and into the workforce. Many of them will find jobs in the retail industry, a leading employer of young workers in the United States. In 2014, there were approximately 18.1 million workers younger than Read More >
Posted on by 15 CommentsHelp Set the Research Priorities for Occupational Respiratory Diseases
Work-related respiratory diseases include both those that are uniquely caused by work, such as coal workers pneumoconiosis, and those that are caused by both work and non-work factors. Asthma is an example of this second type of condition. Work-related asthma is the most common respiratory disease treated in occupational health clinics in the United Read More >
Posted on by 20 CommentsNational Safety Month
It’s National Safety Month. Each June, the National Safety Council and its partners raise awareness on preventing the leading causes of injury and death at work, on the roads and in our homes and communities. This year’s theme is SafeForLife. Each week of June has a different focus area. In this joint blog from the Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsPPE-Info Database
“When you purchase a product, you expect it to work. Construction workers on high-rise buildings need to be confident that their safety harnesses will protect them in a fall. Firefighters need to know that their gloves and other protective equipment can withstand high temperatures. Healthcare workers administering highly toxic chemotherapy agents need to know Read More >
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