In This Issue |
Monthly Features |
From the Director’s Desk
John Howard, M.D., Director, NIOSH
NIOSH Partnership Focuses on Reaching Spanish-speaking Immigrant Workers With Occupational Safety and Health Information
Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 to October 15, serves as a reminder that health equity in occupational safety and health is central to our nation’s overall health and safety. In a partnership with the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its network of 50 consulates in the United States, NIOSH has developed a series of multimedia materials—Protéjase en el trabajo, or Protect Yourself at Work. These materials will be shared with lower-wage Spanish-speaking immigrant workers in the United States. The materials include four brochures, two posters, and five videos. They offer evidence-based information to raise awareness about potential occupational safety and health issues, and they encourage workers to seek help for work-related questions or concerns.Dr. John Howard Reappointed as Director NIOSH and Administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program.
Effective September 3, John Howard, M.D., was reappointed as the NIOSH director and as administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program. Dr. Howard is the sixth director of NIOSH and, with this reappointment, is now the longest-serving director. Dr. Howard has worked with scientists, medical professionals, workers and labor groups, and business leaders to effectively lead investigations into new and potential health hazards, and to address workplace health and safety concerns. As one of the nation’s leaders in occupational health and worker safety, his dedication and passion to ensuring safe and healthy workplaces will lead NIOSH into the future as the organization adapts to the ever-evolving nature of work. Read more about Dr. John Howard’s reappointment as NIOSH director.
Pope Francis I Offers Prayer of Remembrance For The Victims of 9/11
In his Prayer of Remembrance on September 25 at the Ground Zero Memorial in New York City, Pope Francis I embraced the victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and their loved ones: “We ask you in your goodness to give eternal light and peace to all who died here: the heroic first-responders: our fire fighters, police officers, emergency service workers and Port Authority personnel, along with all the innocent men and women who were victims of this tragedy simply because their work or service brought them here on September 11. We ask you, in your compassion, to bring healing to those who, because of their presence here fourteen years ago, continue to suffer from injuries and illness.” The World Trade Center Health Program extends warm appreciation to His Holiness for his words of consolation to those still suffering or sick from the effects of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. His prayer is welcome encouragement for the Program in our ongoing commitment to serving our members by providing monitoring and treatment. Thanks too, to Dr. Roberto Lucchini, Director, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, one of the clinics participating in the Program, for providing information to the Papal staff for the prayer.
The NIOSH Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS) Is Now The RESPIRATORY HEALTH DIVISION(RHD)!
On September 22, the NIOSH Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS) officially became the NIOSH Respiratory Health Division (RHD). The DRDS name originated in 1976, when operations based in the NIOSH-Morgantown facility were reorganized. The DRDS name reflected its focus on studying how respiratory hazards such as coal, silica, asbestos, and endotoxin caused occupational respiratory disease. Over the next 40 years, DRDS studied these and many other respiratory hazards. DRDS also provided important public health services, including the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program, Health Hazard Evaluations primarily focused on respiratory issues, and the Spirometry Course Certification Program. RHD will always retain at its core the DRDS mission of protecting workers from diseases caused by respiratory hazards. But the RHD name also reflects its public health service mission and NIOSH’s desire to do more than just prevent disease. We want to optimize health, enabling the people we serve to enjoy their lives to the fullest. Details about RHD can be found in a recent Federal Register Notice.
#PlanAhead with Drive Safely Work Week, October 5–9
The NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety is celebrating Drive Safely Work Week, October 5–9. This year’s campaign, #PlanAhead: Your Key to Driving Safely, underscores the fact that planning may be the most critical leg of any journey, whether that journey takes place on the job or off. Whether you are a business owner or an employee, the campaign will help you to minimize risks on the road and offer resources to help you become a better planner for both business and personal travel. Find more information on traffic safety, or follow@NIOSH_MVSafety on Twitter for daily #PlanAhead tips.
NIOSH and Partners Develop Design Guidelines for Ambulance Patient Compartments
NIOSH research on ambulance design was cited in a September 22announcement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which also was posted on EurekAlert!, a science news website. The release explained that to maximize safety for paramedics and other first responders without compromising effectiveness of ambulances, NIOSH, NIST, , and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) developed design guidelines for ambulance patient compartments.
NIOSH Research Contributes to Proposed EPA Revised Regulations
On August 24, the Environmental Protection Agency published a Federal Register announcement on revised regulations for certification and training of pesticide applicators to ensure the competent use of “restricted use” pesticides. These are pesticides that can be purchased by competent pesticide applicators only. This is the first major revision to this regulation in 40 years. The EPA stated that the proposed new requirements would provide health benefits to pesticide applicators, agricultural workers, and the public. Findings from SENSOR-Pesticides, a NIOSH program led by Geoff Calvert of NIOSH, are extensively cited in the announcement as justification for the revisions. These findings provide the crucial evidence showing that the benefits of the revised regulations outweigh the costs. For more information, contact Geoff Calvert at jac6@cdc.gov.
NIOSH Study Finds Measures Lacking for Compounding Antineoplastic Drugs
A new NIOSH research article found that recommended safe handling practices for compounding antineoplastic (chemotherapy) drugs are not always followed in healthcare settings. This study was published in the September issue of theJournal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene and is available online. This paper presents findings on current engineering and administrative control practices, personal protective equipment (PPE), and barriers to using recommended PPE for nurses, pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians as they prepare antineoplastic drugs.
NIOSH Awards 26 Cooperative Agreements to States for Worker Injury Surveillance
In September, NIOSH announced funding for cooperative agreements with 26 organizations for occupational injury and illness surveillance. The awards include renewals for 23 previously funded state programs, and new awards to three additional state programs.
Celebrating Health Literacy Month!
Did you know October is Health Literacy Month? Learn more about health literacy, and find resources and training links on health literacy, plain language and more on the web.
NIOSH Seeks Director Western States Division
NIOSH has opened the search for Director of the Western States Division (WSD) based in Spokane, Washington. The WSD is a geographically diverse Division comprised of staff in Spokane, Washington; Anchorage, Alaska; and Denver, Colorado. The WSD will conduct research and provide technical assistance for the prevention of work-related illness, injury, and death, with an emphasis on the special occupational safety and health needs in the western United States. The vacancy announcement is opened through October 9, 2015.
NIOSH Researcher Interviewed by “Marketplace” Radio
Kyla Retzer of NIOSH was interviewed on America Public Media’s “Marketplace” radio program for a segment about risks of serious injury and death in oil and gas extraction. The segment aired on Sept. 18.
NIOSH’s Dr. Mark Hoover Featured Speaker for Nanoinformatics Webinar
Dr. Mark Hoover a NIOSH senior research scientist, will present at the upcoming webinar, “Introduction to Nanoinformatics” hosted by the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative. Designed for non-specialists, the webinar will introduce basic nanoinformatics concepts, as well as the benefits and applications of nanoinformatics. The webinar will take place Friday, October 2, from noon to 1 pm EDT. Register for the event
Join Us For A Occupational Research in Motor Vehicle Safety Webinar Nov. 10
NIOSH and the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research will host the Occupational Research in Motor Vehicle Safety webinar from 3-4 p.m. EST on November 10. The webinar will feature motor vehicle research presented at the National Occupational Injury Research Symposium held in May. It will focus on national and international research in occupational road safety, including organizational-level approaches to influencing driver behaviors and performance, a naturalistic driving intervention study to reduce risky driving behaviors among truck drivers, and use of statewide data to examine occupational motor vehicle injuries. Register online here.
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