viernes, 29 de agosto de 2014

NIOSH eNews - September, 2014

NIOSH eNews - September, 2014

NIOSH eNews

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The Monthly Newsletter of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health


In This Issue



Monthly Features



Did you know?

Did you know that September 5 is N95 Day? N95 Day is a time to recognize the importance of respiratory protection in the workplace and familiarize yourself with the resources available to help you make educated decisions when selecting and wearing a respirator. Learn more athttp://www.cdc.gov/niosh
/npptl/N95Day.html
.

From the Director’s Desk

John Howard, M.D., Director, NIOSH

Recognizing N95 Day

For many workers, personal protective equipment (PPE) is a daily partner in getting the job done safely and successfully. Many confidently rely upon their PPE, assured that manufacturers, the government, and their employers have fulfilled their diverse responsibilities in validating that the technology will protect them. In the case of respiratory protection equipment, this confidence relies in part on a critical role served by NIOSH.

By law, in order to meet requirements for use in the workplace, respirators must be certified by NIOSH. NIOSH does this after conducting tests and executing other procedures that affirm that the device, as designed and manufactured, will provide the expected protection for its intended use when properly fitted and maintained. If you are a worker who uses a respirator on the job, you also depend on training, education, and other services provided by the employer for proper selection, use, and care of your device and on your ability to understand and apply that knowledge.

Labor Day Message from NIOSH Director

Whether on the job or interacting with others who are, members of all communities depend on safe, healthy, and secure workplaces to keep things moving and growing. Research in occupational safety and health has been, and remains, a necessary contribution as the world becomes globalized and diversity in the workforce increases. Please see this year’s 2014 Labor Day Message from NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D., to help reflect on the importance and urgency of occupational safety and health research and the benefits to workers, their families, and their communities.http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/upd-8-28-14.html

Call for Abstracts—National Occupational Injury Research Symposium

NIOSH, in partnership with the American Society of Safety Engineers, the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, the National Safety Council, and the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research, will host the National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS) on May 19 to 21, 2015, at the Camp Dawson Training Center in Kingwood, West Virginia. NIOSH is pleased to announce a Call for Abstracts for oral and poster presentations for NOIRS 2015. For more information about NOIRS 2015 and to submit an abstract, visit the NOIRS 2015 website athttp://www.cdc.gov/niosh/noirs/2015/. The abstract deadline is December 1, 2014.

Acting Surgeon General Authors NIOSH Blog

A recent NIOSH science blog, “Preventing Skin Cancer,” was authored by RADM Boris D. Lushniak, M.D., M.P.H., acting U.S. surgeon general. Read the blog at http://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2014/08/13/skin-cancer/.

New NC Law Protects Healthcare Workers Who Work With Hazardous Materials

On July 22, the governor of North Carolina signed into law House Bill 644, which requires the North Carolina Department of Labor to develop and enforce regulations that conform to NIOSH recommendations that protect healthcare workers who work with or near hazardous materials and antineoplastic agents from disease and injury caused by exposure. The bill is based on the 2004 NIOSH Alert: Preventing Occupational Exposures to Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous drugs in Healthcare Settings, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2004-165 (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-165/). Thomas Connor of NIOSH led the interdivisional team that prepared the Alert.

National Plan for Detection, Prevention, and Management of Fertility Released

On July 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released theNational Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention and Management of Infertility (http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/Infertility/PublicHealth.htm). This plan was created in consultation with many governmental and nongovernmental partners. NIOSH’s contribution to this action plan is specifically related to reducing exposures to occupational agents that can harm reproductive health and fertility in women and men. The release was featured in the NIOSH Science Blog article, “Workplace Exposures and the National Action Plan for Infertility” (http://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2014/07/16/infertility/), prepared by Steven Schrader and James Kesner, both of NIOSH.

Shift Work Article Cites NIOSH Resources

A recent article from The Huffington Post, titled “8 Ways Working the Night Shift Hurts Your Health,”cites NIOSH data and resources. The article states that those who work shift work are at a higher risk for a host of health problems that daytime workers may not necessarily face to the same degree.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/14/shift-work-health-risks_n_5672965.html?utm_hp_ref=healthy-living

Public Comment Sought on Draft Document for Workplace Tobacco Policies

NIOSH is seeking public comment on a draft Current Intelligence Bulletin,Promoting Health and Preventing Disease and Injury through Workplace Tobacco Policies. The public comment period is open for 30 days, closing on September 15. Occupational safety and health practitioners, healthcare professionals, and the general public are encouraged to review the document and provide comments. https://federalregister.gov/a/2014-19384.

Call for Nominations 2015 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention AwardsTM

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2015 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards.™ The awards are given by NIOSH in partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association to recognize excellence in hearing loss prevention. The deadline for self-nominations is September 8. Additional information is available at www.safeinsound.us.

NIOSH Scientist Appointed Convener of International Nanotechnology Working Group

An international committee has unanimously selected Dr. Vladimir Murashov, special assistant for nanotechnology to the NIOSH director, to lead an international working group on the health, safety, and environmental aspects of nanotechnologies. The working group is part of a larger initiative by the International Organization for Standardization to develop standardization in the nanotechnologies field. As convener, Dr. Murashov will guide the working group as they develop science-based standards to improve worker, consumer, and environmental protections by promoting good practice in the production, use, and disposal of nanomaterials and nanotechnology products.

NIOSH/OSHA Release Document for Temp Workers

NIOSH and OSHA have released a new joint document on protecting temporary workers. The document provides recommended practices to staffing agencies and host employers of these temporary workers so that they may better protect temporary workers through mutual cooperation and collaboration. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3735.pdf

Healthier Federal Workers 2014

Attend the only national meeting dedicated to the health, safety, and well-being of America’s federal workforce! You’ll hear from more than 25 leading national experts, including opening remarks from Acting U.S. Surgeon General RADM Boris Lushniak and NIOSH Director John Howard, MD, as they share the latest in-depth science, the most promising practices, and ready-to-use tools for delivering better workplace health, safety, and well-being. To view the full detailed agenda and to register, visit www.eagleson.org/HFW.

Building Professional Development for Total Worker HealthTM

Over the past 40 years, NIOSH and other organizations, such as the World Health Organization and the Institute of Medicine, have examined issues related to workforce development for professionals in occupational safety and health protection and health promotion. These organizations have found a strong need in almost all healthcare disciplines to develop competent professionals with the skills and abilities to more comprehensively improve global and workplace health and well-being. This finding demonstrates an urgent, essential need to develop and support a more integrated approach to training and professional development. Read more about existing and future development of a Total Worker Health workforce in TWH in Action!http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/TWH/newsletter/TWHnewsv3n3.html

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