NIOSH Science Blog Posts
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 Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsNIEHS and NIOSH Explore the Expansion of Recovery Friendly Workplace Programs
Recovery friendly workplaces (RFWs) have emerged around the United States as an important intervention to both prevent and address substance use disorders (SUD) and the opioid overdose crisis among workers. A RFW program strives to prevent SUD and overdose by creating a safe, hazard-free and healthy workplace by reducing the chance of injury and the Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsExploring Workers’ Compensation Injury Claims among Firefighters
A recently published research article explored patterns and characteristics of workers’ compensation injury claims over a 17-year period among firefighters in Ohio. Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) collaborated with the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (OHBWC) to conduct the study, which provided valuable insights into the occupational health Read More >
Posted on byThe Sound of Rockbursts: A new monitoring approach for longwall coal mines
A rockburst is a phenomenon where rock or coal is violently ejected into mine openings. Rockbursts can release significant amounts of energy and have the potential to injure workers and disrupt operations. Despite decades of research, these events are notoriously difficult to predict, and focus has turned to managing the related risks. In hardrock Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentProtecting 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 Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsInternational 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 Read More >
Posted on by 5 CommentsPrevention of Injuries and Fatalities Involving Overturn of Drill Rigs and other Specialty Equipment for Foundation Construction
Introduction Every year, drill rigs and other heavy, specialty equipment used for deep foundation construction (Figure 1) overturn potentially causing injuries and fatalities, as well as damage to the surrounding sites. There are many safety hazards associated with working around this heavy equipment, including the “Focus Four Hazards”: falls, caught-in or -between, struck-by, and electrocution. Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsTome medidas ahora para prevenir las enfermedades relacionadas con el calor en el trabajo
Antes de que comience el verano debemos prever las exposiciones al calor relacionadas con el trabajo y los posibles casos de enfermedades relacionadas con el calor entre los trabajadores. La exposición al calor, junto con la actividad física y otros factores ambientales, pueden aumentar la temperatura del cuerpo y causar estrés por calor. El cuerpo Read More >
Posted on byLos cascos para la construcción y las lesiones cerebrales traumáticas relacionadas con el trabajo
Una lesión cerebral traumática (TBI, por sus siglas en inglés) es una perturbación en el funcionamiento normal del cerebro que puede ser causada por un golpe, una sacudida o una lesión penetrante en la cabeza. Las TBI son un problema de salud pública a nivel mundial y una de las causas principales de muerte Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsSharing quality information on all things related to hearing: Wiki4WorldHearingDay2023
Background The U.S. workforce is ethnically diverse. Lack of safety and health training and language barriers are among the most frequently cited challenges companies face in promoting safety among immigrant workers (Flynn, 2014). Contributing quality, plain language health information in multiple languages to Wikipedia increases its accessibility and reach. Unaddressed hearing loss is a serious Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsNational 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 Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsNIOSH TWH Affiliate Program Rapidly Creating New Worker Well-being Opportunities
The NIOSH Total Worker Health® Affiliate Program is growing quickly, demonstrating enthusiasm for Total Worker Health (TWH) approaches by employers, researchers, and practitioners. With over 55 members as of March 2023, the TWH Affiliate Program aims to advance worker safety, health, and well-being through non-funded collaborations with governmental and nonprofit organizations, including labor, education, Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentThe National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank: Advancing Research and Treatment
The National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank (NMVB) is a virtual biospecimen tissue biorepository that was developed in 2006 at the University of Pittsburgh in partnership with a network of sites in the mid-Atlantic region. It was created to assist researchers and healthcare professionals better understand and treat malignant mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive, and Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentThe National Firefighter Registry for Cancer: Understanding the Link Between Firefighting and Cancer
Firefighting is a demanding profession that presents many risks from acute injuries on the fireground to long-term illness, like cancer. Firefighters can encounter cancer-causing chemicals by breathing them in, getting them on their skin or in their eyes, or by ingesting them. Exposure to these chemicals can occur while being near burning materials, from Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsNational Correctional Workers Appreciation Week 2023
May 7-13, 2023, is National Correctional Officers Week also referred to as Correctional Workers Week. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 393,000 correctional officers and jailers worked inside correctional facilities in the United States in 2021.[1] The total number of correctional workers is likely much higher as facilities may also employ chaplains, Read More >
Posted on byEconomic 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 Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentWorkers’ Memorial Day 2023: Statement by NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D.
Each year, NIOSH pauses on April 28th, Workers’ Memorial Day, to honor those who were killed or injured on the job. While tremendous progress has been made since Congress enacted the Occupational Safety and Health Act on this day in 1970, much still needs to be done. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsHonoring Science and Service at NIOSH
Exemplary science is the foundation for all National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) research and prevention activities. Each year, NIOSH recognizes outstanding science and service from our employees. This year’s Science and Service Awards took place on April 27, 2023. The awards booklet contains the finalists, awardees, and honorable mentions as well as Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsStanding Down to Prevent Falls in Construction
Overview Construction workers are at risk for injuries from many sources, but falls continue to be the leading cause of death (accounting for 37% [379 out of the 1015 fatalities] of all construction fatalities in 2021). This year marks the 10th annual National Safety Stand-Down to prevent falls in construction, an event to raise awareness Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsWorking Hours and Fatigue: Meeting the Needs of American Workers and Employers
In November 2022, the American Journal of Industrial Medicine (AJIM) published a special issue focusing on work-related fatigue. The issue explores factors that may increase work-related fatigue and actions to reduce work-related injuries and illnesses. [1] This issue is a result of discussions and collaborations from the 2019 NIOSH Working Hours, Sleep and Fatigue Forum Read More >
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