Volume 13 Number 7 November 2015 | ||||
From the Director’s Desk
John Howard, M.D., Director, NIOSH
NIOSH National Center for Productive Aging and Work Seeks to Understand the Issues and Implications of an Aging WorkforceAs we move further into the 21st century, converging demographic, economic, and cultural trends have made population aging one of the most important issues facing U.S. workers and businesses. In this context, however, far less attention has been paid to the safety and health needs of older workers. Today, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1 in 5 American workers is over 65. In 2020, 1 in 4 American workers will be over 55. The increased and projected labor participation rates of older workers show the substantial role of older workers in the workforce today and in the future. At this critical juncture, forming the NIOSHNational Center for Productive Aging and Work is more relevant today than ever before.NIOSH Helps Fund Workplace Safety and Health Projects for Low- and Middle-income Countries
The National Institutes of Health and other U.S. (including NIOSH) and Canadian partners are investing $20.9 million over 5 years to establish seven regional research and training centers in low- and middle-income countries. The Global Environmental and Occupational Health (GEOHealth) Hubs will consist of multidisciplinary groups of researchers and partner organizations collaborating on common research and training topics that address environmental or occupational health issues.
NIOSH Researcher to Present at Occupational Risk Prevention
At the upcoming International Conference on Occupational Risk Prevention, NIOSH senior scientist Vladimir Murashov, PhD, will discuss World Health Organization guidelines on protecting workers from potential risks of manufactured nanomaterials. The conference will be Nov. 23–26, 2015, in Santiago, Chile. In avideo on the conference website, Dr. Murashov shares what he will present at the meeting.
NIOSH to Cohost Motor Vehicle Safety Webinar
NIOSH and the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research will cohost a webinar on Occupational Research in Motor Vehicle Safety from 3 to 4 p.m. EST on November 10. This webinar will feature motor vehicle research presented at the 2015 National Occupational Injury Research Symposium. It will focus on research in occupational road safety, including organizational-level approaches to influence 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 here.
Help for Small Businesses
Do you own or manage a business? The NIOSH Small Business Resource Guideprovides plans, tools, tips, and information from across the web on how to keep your workers safe and well from job-related injury and illness while managing time and cost investments. This guide is intended to help small business owners, employers, and managers.
NIOSH/AIHA Kick-off ‘Safety Matters’ Initiative
NIOSH and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) are launching a new initiative called Safety Matters. The program’s goal is to equip young people with the skills and knowledge they need to participate in safe and healthy work environments throughout their working lives. Safety Matters is a free, 1-hour interactive teaching module and slide presentation for students in grades 7 through 12. Volunteers can use the materials to do outreach at schools to build awareness of occupational safety and health. Contact Rebecca Guerin, NIOSH, for more information.
Noise Hazards in Construction: Infographics Available
NIOSH and CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training, have created a series of infographics that drive home the danger of noise-induced hearing loss in the construction industry. The infographics were developed through the OSHA-NIOSH-CPWR Research to Practice (r2p) working group. The infographics cover the risk of hearing loss, steps to prevent hearing loss, and the benefits of buying quieter equipment. They use information from the NIOSH Buy Quiet initiative and data from CPWR’s The Construction Chart Book. They can quickly and easily be used in websites, social media posts, slideshows, and other materials. The infographics are available from NIOSH through the Buy Quiet website, the Hearing Loss Prevention website, and through CPWR.
President Obama Recognizes USPHS Ebola Service
On September 24, President Obama presented the first Presidential Unit Citationto the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. President Obama recognized the Commissioned Corps work as a uniformed service working on the frontlines of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Commissioned Corps officers at NIOSH, alongside their civilian counterparts, have participatedin the Ebola response both domestically and internationally as a part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC). NIOSH officers have served by deploying domestically on hospital assessment teams and quarantine stations, and from their respective agency duty stations. NIOSH officers also have deployed as safety officers internationally on CDC infection control, epidemiology, health education, and vaccine teams. They have deployed as technical consultants to several countries in West Africa and as participants on the U.S. Public Health Service’s Monrovia Medical Unit mission to Liberia.
Slips, Trips and Falls Prevention Webinar Nov 3
On Tuesday, November 3, 2015, ISSA, the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, will host a free webinar with the NIOSH Office for Total Worker Health® “Advancing Total Worker Health®: Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls at Work and Beyond.” The webinar will discuss the major causes of slip and fall incidents; how to prevent slips, trips, and falls at work and home; and the critical role cleaning and maintenance plays in promoting safe walking surfaces. The webinar will take place at 9 a.m. Pacific / 11 a.m. Central / 12 p.m. Eastern. Clickhere for more information and to register.
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