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From the Director’s Desk
John Howard, M.D., Director, NIOSH
I am pleased to announce that NIOSH and its partners met in Denver on Sept. 26–27 at the Western States Occupational Network (WestON) Sixth Annual Meeting. This was a valuable opportunity, with representation from NIOSH and its partners in the Western United States, to assess our mutual progress in the work that we are performing together in that economically important region and to identify priorities and strategies for continued teamwork ahead.
The issues and challenges addressed at WestON reflect our larger purpose to better understand critical needs and opportunities in occupational safety and health in the Western United States, to have a physical presence in that region, and to develop a network of local partners with whom we can conduct research and move the products of research into practice. The need for this level of service became apparent to us early in the last decade, as economists predicted that a rising demand for domestic energy would spur new economic growth, industry expansion, and job creation in the West.
The issues and challenges addressed at WestON reflect our larger purpose to better understand critical needs and opportunities in occupational safety and health in the Western United States, to have a physical presence in that region, and to develop a network of local partners with whom we can conduct research and move the products of research into practice. The need for this level of service became apparent to us early in the last decade, as economists predicted that a rising demand for domestic energy would spur new economic growth, industry expansion, and job creation in the West.
NIOSH Offers Flood Resources for Responders
As responders aid communities affected by the flooding in Colorado, NIOSH offers informational resources for minimizing risks of work-related injury or illness from recovery activities, including disaster site management, generator safety, flood clean-up, and other issues.
New Factsheets Provide Tips for Young Drivers
A new set of factsheets is now available from NIOSH to help young drivers stay safe on the job. One of the factsheets is for employers and another one is for parents and young workers. Both provide recommendations on how to prevent motor vehicle crashes on the job. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/upd-09-04-13.html
Workplace Safety and Health on Pinterest!
Follow NIOSH on our Pinterest board to see the newest products including videos, apps, and factsheets on workplace safety and health issues. http://www.pinterest.com/cdcgov/workplace-safety-and-health/
NIOSH Releases Data and Statistics Gateway
The NIOSH Data and Statistics Gateway is a NIOSH scientific data repository where NIOSH-generated public-use research datasets valuable for the public, industry, and the scientific community are available for download. The Gateway also provides convenient access to surveillance, statistics, and other collections of NIOSH data focused on occupational safety and health. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/data/
PTSD Treatment for Flight 93 Responders
In September, Laurie Breyer of NIOSH and manager of communications & outreach for the World Trade Center Health Program gave an interview with a Pittsburgh NPR affiliate on coverage offered by the program. She explains in the interview that responders can receive coverage for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Coverage even extends to airway diseases, digestive disorders, and more than 50 forms of cancer. Hear the full interview at http://wesa.fm/post/ptsd-treatment-flight-93-responders.
