NIOSH Science Blog Posts

Sleep, Pain, and Hospital Workers

We know that decreased sleep duration and extended shifts in healthcare workers are linked to workplace injuries.  The effects of decreased sleep on pain in the workplace are less clear.  New research from the Harvard Center for Work, Health and Wellbeing  –one of four NIOSH Centers of Excellence funded to explore and research the concepts Read More >

Posted on by Orfeu M. Buxton, PhD; Glorian Sorensen, PhD, MPH 18 Comments

Making the Case for Paid Sick Leave

Does it make economic sense for employers to offer or expand paid sick leave benefits to their employees? A new NIOSH study published in the American Journal of Public Health reported that workers with access to paid sick leave were 28% less likely overall to suffer nonfatal occupational injuries than workers without access to paid Read More >

Posted on by Abay Asfaw, PhD; Regina Pana-Cryan, PhD; Roger R. Rosa, PhD 36 Comments

Safer and Healthier at Any Age: Strategies for an Aging Workforce

Profound changes continue to unfold in the American workforce as Baby Boomers—Americans born between 1945 and 1964—swell the ranks of our workplaces. This has led many employers to fear the possibilities of negative impacts associated with this demographic trend.  On one hand, they are concerned that having age-gifted workers on the job may mean escalating Read More >

Posted on by L. Casey Chosewood, MD17 Comments

Wildland Fire Fighting Safety and Health

Wildland fires continue to increase in the Western United States as hot, dry and windy conditions persist, resulting in an extended fire season and factors conducive to fires. Currently, drought conditions are prevalent in the West due to low snow-pack levels, below average rainfall, record setting temperatures and high winds, resulting in a greater than Read More >

Posted on by Corey Campbell and Liz Dalsey 29 Comments

Worker Exposure to Crystalline Silica During Hydraulic Fracturing

Hydraulic fracturing or “fracking”  is the process of injecting large volumes of water, sand, and chemicals into the ground at high pressure to break up shale formation allowing more efficient recovery of oil and gas.  This form of well stimulation has been used since the late 1940s, but has increased substantially over the last 10 Read More >

Posted on by Eric Esswein, MSPH; Max Kiefer, MS; John Snawder, PhD; and Michael Breitenstein, BS 27 Comments

U.S. Businesses Start and Stay Smaller

Next week is National Small Business Week. Recent research finds that U.S. businesses are starting smaller and staying smaller than in decades past. What are the implications for occupational safety and health? Read More >

Posted on by Raymond Sinclair, Ph.D.9 Comments

Getting Closer to Understanding the Economic Burden of Occupational Injury and Illness

A recent landmark paper by J. Paul Leigh shows that the annual direct and indirect costs of occupational injury and illness in the U.S. are at least $250 billion. This amount exceeds the individual cost of cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Read more about the most comprehensive analysis ever conducted of the burden of occupational illness and injury in the U.S. on the NIOSH Science Blog. Read More >

Posted on by Paul Schulte, PhD; Elyce Biddle, PhD; Frank J. Hearl, PE9 Comments

NIOSH Research on Work Schedules and Work-related Sleep Loss

Yesterday, in honor of National Sleep Awareness Week, we blogged about sleep and work and the risks to workers, employers, and the public when workers’ hours and shifts do not allow for adequate sleep.   This blog provides a brief overview of some of the work that NIOSH intramural scientists are carrying out to better understand Read More >

Posted on by Claire Caruso, PhD, RN; Luenda Charles, PhD; Tina Lawson, PhD; Akinori Nakata, PhD; Karl Sieber, PhD; Sudha Pandalai, MD, PhD; and Ted Hitchcock, PhD28 Comments

Sleep and Work

Sleep is a vital biological function and many Americans don’t get enough. To coincide with National Sleep Awareness Week, the new NIOSH blog post: Sleep and Work summarizes the risks to workers, employers and the public when long hours and irregular shifts required by many jobs do not allow workers to get adequate sleep. Read More >

Posted on by Claire Caruso, PhD, RN, and Roger R Rosa, PhD80 Comments

Hair, Formaldehyde, and Industrial Hygiene

A recent settlement requires the makers of Brazilian Blowout hair straightener to warn consumers and hair stylists about formaldehyde in their products. Read more from guest blogger, Dede Montgomery on how the Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology at Oregon Health and Science University worked with their partners to raise awareness of this issue.  Read More >

Posted on by Dede Montgomery180 Comments

Cold Stress

Frostbite, hypothermia, trench foot, and chilblains are all illnesses and injuries caused by cold stress. Those working outside or in areas that are poorly insulated or without heat may be at risk for cold stress. There are many steps employers and employees can take to protect workers from cold stress-related injuries and illnesses. Read More >

Posted on by Brenda Jacklitsch, MS11 CommentsTags , , ,

Erionite: An Emerging North American Hazard

Recent cases of lung disease suggest that erionite, a naturally-occurring fibrous mineral with health effects similar to asbestos, may pose a greater threat to workers than previously realized. Read more about erionite and how to prevent exposure in at-risk occupations such as road construction and maintenance work in areas where erionite-containing gravel or soil is present. Read More >

Posted on by David Weissman, MD, and Max Kiefer, MS, CIH41 Comments

Map: Occurrences of Erionite

From Sheppard R. Occurrences of erionite in sedimentary rocks of the western United States. Denver, CO: US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey; 1996. Open File Report 96–018. Read More >

Posted on by Administrator

Buy Quiet

Quieter tools and machines lead to decreased hearing loss among the workers who use them. So why aren't companies "buying quiet"? Read more about the challenges in this area and what NIOSH is doing to make it easier to "buy quiet."  Read More >

Posted on by Heidi Hudson, MPH, and Chuck Hayden, MS, PE26 CommentsTags

The Continuing Persistence of Silicosis

Silica is the most abundant compound in the earth's crust. Inhalation of crystalline silica is the only cause of silicosis, a preventable but incurable type of lung fibrosis. Inhalation has also been associated with lung cancer, tuberculosis, COPD and other conditions.  Read More >

Posted on by David Weissman, MD, and Paul Schulte, PhD25 Comments

Prevention through Design Standard

A new ANSI/ASSE Prevention through Design standard provides guidance on how to avoid, eliminate, reduce and control occupational safety and health hazards in the design and redesign process.  Read More >

Posted on by Donna S. Heidel, CIH20 Comments

Keeping Workers Hydrated and Cool Despite the Heat

Many areas of the country have been experiencing extreme temperatures this summer, and sadly the news has been full of stories about the lives lost due to heat stroke.  Read More >

Posted on by Brenda Jacklitsch, MS38 Comments

Low-dose CT Scans and Lung Cancer Screening in the Occupational Setting

Lung cancer mortality is high and better survival prognosis for early stage cases makes early detection an appealing public health strategy. For years studies have been conducted to find an effective screening method; the NLST is the first randomized trial to show a significant reduction in mortality from lung cancer with low-dose CT screening.  Read More >

Posted on by Simone Tramma, MD, MS; Eileen Storey, MD, MPH; Douglas B. Trout, MD, MHS; Marie Haring Sweeney, PhD, MPH11 Comments

Construction Equipment Visibility

From 1995 through 2002, 844 fatal occupational injuries occurred at road construction sites. Educating drivers and road crew about vehicles' blind areas can help to reduce related injuries and fatalities.  Read More >

Posted on by David E. Fosbroke, MSF38 Comments

These Go to Eleven

Musicians and others who experience loud music in their workplace are typically overlooked in terms of occupational safety and health. Recent studies at nightclubs show that all employees (waiters, bartenders, DJs, etc,) were exposed to noise levels above internationally recommended limits and were at a higher risk of early hearing loss and tinnitus. A new term, music-induced hearing loss, has been coined to reflect this growing condition. Read More >

Posted on by Thais C. Morata, PhD, and Ryan Johnson, BA115 Comments