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The impact of water consumption bolus volume and frequency on hydration biomarkers during work in the heat is unknown. In a randomized, crossover fashion, eight males consumed either 500 mL of water every 40 min or 237 mL of water every 20 min during 2 hr of continuous walking at 6.4 kph, 1.0% grade in a 34 °C/30% relative humidity environment, followed by 2 hr of rest. Hydration biomarkers and variables were assessed pre-work, post-work, and after the 2 hr recovery. There were no differences in body mass between trials at any time point (all p > 0.05). Percent change in plasma volume during work was not different when 237 mL of water was repeatedly consumed (−1.6 ± 8.2%) compared to 500 mL of water (−1.3 ± 3.0%, p = 0.92). Plasma osmolality was maintained over time (p = 0.55) with no difference between treatments (p = 0.21). When consuming 500 mL of water repeatedly, urine osmolality was lower at recovery (205 ± 108 mOsmo/L) compared to pre-work (589 ± 95 mOsmo/L, p < 0.01), different from repeatedly consuming 237 mL of water which maintained urine osmolality from pre-work (548 ± 144 mOsmo/L) through recovery (364 ± 261 mOsmo/L, p = 0.14). Free water clearance at recovery was greater with repeated consumption of 500 mL of water (1.2 ± 1.0 mL/min) compared to 237 mL of water (0.4 ± 0.8 mL/min, p = 0.02). Urine volume was not different between treatments post-work (p = 0.62), but greater after 2 hr of recovery when repeatedly consuming 500 mL of water compared to 237 mL (p = 0.01), leading to greater hydration efficiency upon recovery with repeated consumption of 237 mL of water (68 ± 12%) compared to 500 mL (63 ± 14%, p = 0.01). Thirst and total gastrointestinal symptom scores were not different between treatments at any time point (all p > 0.05). Body temperatures and heart rate were not different between treatments at any time point (all p > 0.05). Drinking larger, less frequent water boluses or drinking smaller, more frequent water boluses are both reasonable strategies to promote adequate hydration and limit changes in body mass in males completing heavy-intensity work in the heat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of new sensing technologies and robust field-deployable analyzers, monitoring approaches can now generate valuable hazard information directly in the workplace. This is the case for monitoring respirable dust and respirable crystalline silica concentration levels. Estimating the quartz amount of a respirable dust sample by nondestructive analysis can be carried out using portable Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) units. Real-time respirable dust monitors, combined with small video cameras, allow advanced assessments using the Helmet-CAM methodology. These two field-based monitoring approaches, developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), have been trialed in a sandstone quarry. Twenty-six Helmet-CAM sessions were conducted, and forty-one dust samples were collected around the quarry and analyzed on-site during two events. The generated data generated were used to characterize concentration levels for the monitored areas and workers, to identify good practices, and to illustrate activities that could be improved with additional engineered control technologies. Laboratory analysis of the collected samples complemented the field finding and provided an assessment of the performance of the field-based techniques. Only a fraction of the real-time respirable dust monitoring sessions data could be corrected with laboratory analysis. The average correction factor ratio was 5.0. Nevertheless, Helmet-CAM results provided valuable information for each session. The field-based quartz monitoring approach overestimated the concentration by a factor of 1.8, but it successfully assessed the quartz concentration trends in the quarry. The data collected could be used for the determination of a quarry calibration factor for future events. The quartz content in the dust was found to vary from 14% to 100%, and this indicates the need for multiple techniques in the characterization of respirable dust and quartz concentration and exposure. Overall, this study reports the importance of the adoption of field-based monitoring techniques when combined with a proper understanding and knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of each technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During 2001–2002, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, collaborated with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) at the United States Department of Labor to conduct a voluntary survey of U.S. employers regarding the use of respiratory protective devices. In 2003, the survey results were jointly published by NIOSH and BLS. This study highlights and evaluates the scientific impact of the 2001–2002 survey by using the Science Impact Framework which provides a historical tracking method with five domains of influence. The authors conducted interviews with original project management as well as a thorough document review and qualitative content analysis of published papers, books, presentations, and other relevant print media. A semi-structured and cross-vetted coding was applied across the five domains: Disseminating Science, Creating Awareness, Catalyzing Action, Effecting Change, and Shaping the Future. The 2001–2002 survey findings greatly enhanced understanding and awareness of respirator use in occupational settings within the United States. It also led to similar surveys in other countries, regulatory initiatives by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Mine Safety and Health Administration, and ultimately to a renewed partnership between NIOSH and BLS to collect contemporary estimates of respirator use in the workplace within the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on predicting the particulate respirator model which being the best fit in a particular population. Topics include using particulate respirators in healthcare increasing due to surgical masks providing barrier protection against droplets; and surgical masks not providing adequate protection against infectious respiratory diseases transmitting through droplets and aerosols.

Background: Occupational health professionals (OHPs) are in a unique position to impact the health and well-being of employees at work and outside of work. One way of achieving this holistic health goal is to integrate the concept of Total Worker Health® (TWH) into the organization's culture. It is critical for OHPs to develop the ability to incorporate TWH into their practices, yet there are gaps in our understanding of OHP's attitudes toward change and toward TWH, their level of TWH knowledge, and the number of OHPs who have adopted TWH. Methods: An electronic survey was administered to a national sample of 4,777. This cross-sectional study used Qualtrics to record survey responses measuring knowledge of TWH, attitude toward change, resistance to change, transformational leadership ability, perception of organizational readiness, and leadership commitment. Findings: The total sample size was 253 (5.3%). Most respondents were bachelors prepared nurses (75.1%) with greater than 10 years' experience (71.5%) and employed in manufacturing (42.6%). Approximately 74% (n = 125) of respondents knew about TWH, but did not have a program in place or were unsure of the existence of one. A high percentage (74.0%) were open to implementing TWH, had favorable attitudes toward change (M = 3.9 on a 5-point Likert-type scale), but needed education on how to move forward (56.0%). Conclusions/Application to Practice: Findings suggest that most OHPs know about TWH, but generally have not adopted the TWH concept at their worksites. However, they are open to implementing TWH programs and have favorable attitudes toward change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Workplace safety and health is a major public health concern, but largely absent from the school health curriculum. Little is known about teachers' perceptions of teaching workplace safety and health topics. METHODS: We administered a 41‐item questionnaire reflecting the theory of planned behavior, modified to measure knowledge, to 242 middle and high school teachers in career and technical education and academic subjects. We conducted confirmatory factor analysis to assess the measures' psychometric properties and factorial ANOVAs to compare differences among participants' knowledge, attitude toward, self‐efficacy, and intention (to teach) workplace safety and health by sex, prior work injury, and main subject taught. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses indicated the measures reflected the theory. Factorial ANOVAs suggested female teachers had statistically significantly lower mean self‐efficacy scores than did male teachers to teach workplace safety and health. Male occupational career and technical education teachers demonstrated higher mean knowledge scores than male teachers in other subjects. Participants not injured at work had higher knowledge scores than those who had been injured. CONCLUSION: Self‐efficacy (influenced by sex) and knowledge (influenced by subject taught and previous workplace injury) revealed factors that may affect teachers' provision of workplace safety and health education, a critical yet overlooked component of school health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in order to provide injury surveillance for youth on farms in the U.S., partnered with the USDA to conduct the Childhood Agricultural Injury Survey (CAIS). CAIS data for all farm youth less than 20 years of age have been collected intermittently since 1998. CAIS data from 2012 indicated that an estimated 25.9 million youth lived on, worked on, or visited U.S. farms. These youth experienced almost 14,000 injuries while on the farm. The majority of these injuries occurred to males (7,290) and youth between the ages of 10 and 15 years (5,766). Approximately 20% (2,739) of the injuries were related to work being done on the farm. Youth living on the farm incurred 56% (7,784) of the injuries. An additional 5,771 injuries occurred to hired and visiting youth. Although youth injuries on farms have declined, the numbers are still unacceptably high. Additional research and detailed assessments of subsets of the youth population would help to better direct safety intervention programs and focus future research activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental study was undertaken to optimize the placement of boxes on the shelves in a food product warehouse by minimizing joint loadings on the shoulders and on the lower back as criteria. A dynamic sagittal plane model was used to estimate net muscular moments on the shoulders, and a model of internal forces was used to estimate compression forces on the L5/S1 intervertebral disk. Lifting boxes of 6.4 kg or more produced compression forces at L5/S1 above the "action limit" of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, 1981). Regression methods were then used to estimate joint loadings for each product at each working height and for each task. Optimizing the placement of products by minimizing loadings on the lower back reduced overall loadings by as much as 15% for certain racks. For minimizing loadings on the shoulders, results indicated that this variable was not sensitive to different placements of boxes on the shelves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Falls are the second leading cause of work‐related fatalities among US workers. We describe fatal work‐related falls from 2003 to 2014, including demographic, work, and injury event characteristics, and changes in rates over time. Methods: We identified fatal falls from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and estimated rates using the BLS Current Population Survey. Results: From 2003 to 2014, there were 8880 fatal work‐related falls, at an annual rate of 5.5 per million FTE. Rates increased with age. Occupations with the highest rates included construction/extraction (42.2 per million FTE) and installation/maintenance/repair (12.5 per million FTE). Falls to a lower level represented the majority (n = 7521, 85%) compared to falls on the same level (n = 1128, 13%). Conclusions: Falls are a persistent source of work‐related fatalities. Fall prevention should continue to focus on regulation adherence, Prevention through Design, improving fall protection, training, fostering partnerships, and increasing communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that created to benefit workers and enhance worker wellbeing by encouraging the design of work and employment conditions, the Total Worker Health program was created by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2016.

Objective: The objective of this article is to evaluate the impact of the Revised National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Lifting Equation (RNLE).Background: The RNLE has been used extensively as a risk assessment method for prevention of low back pain (LBP). However, the impact of the RNLE has not been documented.Methods: A systematic review of the literature on the RNLE was conducted. The review consisted of three parts: characterization of the RNLE publications, assessment of the impact of the RNLE, and evaluation of the influences of the RNLE on ergonomic standards. The literature for assessing the impact was categorized into four research areas: methodology, laboratory, field, and risk assessment studies using the Lifting Index (LI) or Composite LI (CLI), both of which are the products of the RNLE.Results: The impact of the RNLE has been both widespread and influential. We found 24 studies that examined the criteria used to define lifting capacity used by the RNLE, 28 studies that compared risk assessment methods for identifying LBP, 23 studies that found the RNLE useful in identifying the risk of LBP with different work populations, and 13 studies on the relationship between LI/CLI and LBP outcomes. We also found evidence on the adoption of the RNLE as an ergonomic standard for use by various local, state, and international entities.Conclusion: The review found 13 studies that link LI/CLI to adverse LBP outcomes. These studies showed a positive relationship between LI/CLI metrics and the severity of LBP outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocution is among the ‘fatal four’ in US construction according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Learning from failures is believed to be an effective path to success, with deaths being the most serious system failures. This paper examined the failures in electrical safety by analysing all electrical fatality investigations (N= 132) occurring between 1989 and 2010 from the Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation programme that is completed by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. Results reveal the features of the electrical fatalities in construction and disclose the most common electrical safety challenges on construction sites. This research also suggests the sociotechnical system breakdowns and the less effectiveness of current safety training programmes may significantly contribute to worker's unsafe behaviours and electrical fatality occurrences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With estimates of a 51% growth in the number of nursing assistants needed by 2016, there is a critical need to examine workplace factors that negatively contribute to the recruitment and retention of nursing assistants. Studies have shown that high demands, physical stress, and chronic workforce shortages contribute to a working environment that fosters one of the highest workforce injury rates in the United States. Purposes: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between nursing assistant injury rates and key outcomes, such as job satisfaction and turnover intent, while exploring workplace environment factors, such as injury prevention training, supervisor support, and employee engagement, that can decrease the rates of workplace injury. Methodology/Approach: Data from the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey were used to examine the negative effects of workplace injury on nursing assistants and the workplace environment factors that are related to the rate of worker injury. Findings: Nursing assistants who experience job-related injuries have lower levels of job satisfaction, increased turnover intentions, and are less likely to recommend their facility as a place to work or seek care services. It was also found that nursing assistant injury rates are related to employee ratings of injury prevention training, supervisor support, and employee engagement. NAs with multiple injuries (>2) were 1.3-1.6 times more likely to report being injured at work than NAs who had not been injured when supervisor support, employee engagement, and training ratings were low. Practice Implications: Evidence that health care organizations can use to better understand how workplace injuries occur and insight into ways to reduce the current staggering rate of on-the-job injuries occurring in health care workplaces were offered in this study. The findings also offer empirical support for an extension of the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety/National Occupational Research Agenda Work Organization Framework for Occupational Illness and Injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article was to provide an overview of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Total Worker Health™ (TWH™) Program that was launched by the institute in 2011.This article describes the TWH™ concept, relevant issues, and the NIOSH Program. Examples of the concept are provided.Total Worker Health™ is a strategy integrating occupational safety and health protection with health promotion to prevent worker injury and illness and to advance health and well-being.The NIOSH TWH™ Program responds to demands for information and practical solutions to the health, safety, and well-being challenges that workers and their employers face. It also addresses issues related to the nation's need to sustain a globally competitive workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latino immigrants are 50% more likely than all workers in the United States to experience a fatal injury at work. Occupational safety and health (OSH) organizations often find that the approaches and networks they successfully use to promote OSH among U.S.-born workers are ineffective at reaching Latino immigrants. This article describes the collaboration between the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores) to promote OSH among Mexican immigrant workers. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs operates 50 consulates throughout the U.S. that provide four million discrete service contacts with Mexican citizens annually. The focus of this ongoing collaboration is to develop the internal capacity of Mexican institutions to promote OSH among Mexican immigrants while simultaneously developing NIOSH's internal capacity to create effective and sustainable initiatives to better document and reduce occupational health disparities for Mexican immigrants in the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on a study related to sound exposure levels of the jazz band members of the University in the Southeastern U.S. It mentions that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational safety and Health (NIOSH) have developed criteria which limit sound exposure to protect the hearing of industrial workers. The study reveals that the students participating in Jazz bands experiences Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).

Worker health and safety training is an important part of occupational health and safety programs. In the United States, governments, unions, employers, university programs, and health and safety advocacy organizations make training available. This article considers training effectiveness research conducted and supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and some done in collaboration with the Institute for Work and Health (Canada). Differing perspectives regarding the purpose of worker health and safety training are reviewed and critiqued. We assert that a focus on changing the working behaviors of workers exposed to hazardous conditions is less appropriate and scientifically rigorous than a focus on helping workers establish the power to reduce and eliminate workplace hazards. For training to lead to a decrease in morbidities and fatalities related to hazardous exposures, it needs to be integrated with workers' attainment of such power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1996 the US launched a National Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention Initiative, guided by an action plan generated by a 42-member multidisciplinary committee. A major update to the plan was released following the 2001 Summit on Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention. From the year 2010 through 2011 a comprehensive assessment of progress to date was conducted followed by the drafting, review and finalizing of a new action plan—“The 2012 Blueprint for Protecting Children in Agriculture.” This paper briefly describes the purpose and process for generating the new action plan then provides a listing of the 7 goals and 26 strategies within the plan. These goals and strategies account for trends in childhood agricultural injuries, changes in agricultural production and the demographics of its workforce, effectiveness of interventions, and the increasing use of social media, marketing and social networking. Primary funding for this project was provided by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which continues to serve as the lead federal agency for the national initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this paper is to review the background of key legislative and regulatory milestones of the initial laws and federal child labor provisions limiting hazardous work by children in agriculture up to the more recent developments contributing to the proposed updates to the agricultural hazardous occupations orders. A summary of the key changes are described and the significant differences between agricultural and nonagricultural regulations are highlighted. Recommendations for future policy are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on fall-related accidents as the main cause of fatalities in the construction industry in the U.S. It touches on the data analysis concerning fatalities by the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH). It emphasizes the effort of the NIOSH researchers to design a multifunctional guardrail system to help in avoiding fall-related injuries and fatalities of construction workers. Furthermore, it looks at how such design will be evaluated in a field study.

Industrial-grade talc deposits are complex mixtures of mineral particles and may vary substantially in composition across small geographical areas. Typical industrial-grade talc includes amphibole cleavage fragments, platy talc, serpentine minerals, talc in fibrous form, and a minor presence of transitional fibers. Industrial-grade talc was erroneously determined to be an asbestos-containing material due to an unintended consequence of Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA’s) method for measuring airborne asbestos mandated in 1972. This error was repeated, most notably, by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in, 1980 for talc mined in northern New York State (NYS) by RT Vanderbilt Company (RTV). Subsequent exposure studies of northern NYS talc conducted through the, 1980s and one study published after, 2000 relied on the conclusion that talc was an asbestos-containing material to infer a causal relationship between talc and mesothelioma. The present review included (1) publications concerning talc’s cancer-causing potential issued by organizations concerned with occupational and public health; (2) talc exposure studies and animal and cellular studies of RTV talc; (3) mesothelioma rates in northern NYS; and (4) mesothelioma mortality among RTV mining employees. The review indicated that failure to correctly identify the mineral characteristics of talc resulted in misleading reports concerning the carcinogenic potential of talc. However, the collective data from animal and cellular studies, mesothelioma rates in northern NYS, exposure studies, and a mortality analysis of RTV mining employees do not support a causal relationship between RTV talc and mesothelioma. This conclusion is applicable to all mineral components in RTV talc and to other industrial-grade talcs and mineral aggregates with the same components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the exposure of U.S. firefighters to antimony using urinalysis. It cites a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigation on antimony toxicity in firefighters who wore uniforms with antimony trioxide via hair analyses. In the study, 20 participants have urine antimony concentrations below or within the national reference range. It concludes that there is no risk for antimony toxicity in wearing antimony-containing uniforms.

The article offers news briefs related to professional safety in the U.S. The collaboration of Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) and Phillip Townsend and Associates aims to create a benchmarking program in industries safety. The Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (NPG) of National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) are now in iPhone and iPod Touch. The partnership of Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA) and (NIOSH) to cosponsor a conference.

The article focuses on the importance of localization techniques and navigation support for firefighters to effectively respond to emergencies. It notes that the use of positioning systems is critical to prevent the reoccurrence of the death reports of the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and other fire protection agencies. It adds that researchers are already underway to provide high-quality location information services to the navigation support systems.

Job tasks that involve exposure to work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) risk factors may impact both the risk of injury and production downtime. Common WMSD risks factors associated with mining tasks include forceful exertions, awkward postures, repetitive motion, jolting and jarring, forceful gripping, contact stress, and whole body and segmental vibration. Mining environments that expose workers to temperature/humidity extremes, windy conditions, and slippery and uneven walking surfaces also contribute to injury risk. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) researchers worked with powder crew members from the Bridger Coal Company to identify and rank routine work tasks based on perceived exposure to WMSD risk factors. This article presents the process followed to identify tasks that workers believed involved the greatest exposure to risk factors and discusses risk reduction strategies. Specifically, the proposed prill truck design changes addressed cab ingress/egress, loading blast holes, and access to the upper deck of the prill truck. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health researchers conducted a study to investigate the human response issues related to wearing a self-contained self-rescuer (SCSR). The goal was to develop training to educate miners on what they could expect from their units during an escape. Subjects included miners who had experience wearing SCSRs, manufacturers, and researchers. Results identified nine key areas of concern: (1) starting the unit, (2) unit heat, (3) induction of coughing, (4) unit taste, (5) difficulty in breathing while wearing the unit, (6) quality of the air supplied, (7) nose clips, (8) goggles, and (9) the behavior of the breathing bag. In addition, researchers reviewed the literature on human response under duress. This article describes the expectations training program, which comprises the findings of the SCSR study and what is known about the normal human response in an emergency. The authors present background on SCSRs and the SCSR switchover procedure mandated in the recent federal Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006, which provided the impetus for the expectations training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the concept of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH) Prevention Through Design (PtD) initiative, addressing occupational risk in the design and redesign processes in the U.S. The PtD aims to reduce the occupational risks by integrating decisions affecting safety and health in all stages of design process. It implies that the NIOSH initiative will lead to a fundamental shift in the practice of safety resulting in greater emphasis on the higher and more effective decision-making levels in the hierarchy of controls. Moreover, it highlights the impact of PtD on the knowledge needs of safety, health and environmental (SH&E) practitioners.

This study investigated the filtration performance of NIOSH-approved N95 and P100 filtering facepiece respirators (FFR) against six different monodisperse silver aerosol particles in the range of 4-30 nm diameter. A particle test system was developed and standardized for measuring the penetration of monodisperse silver particles. For respirator testing, five models of N95 and two models of P100 filtering facepiece respirators were challenged with monodisperse silver aerosol particles of 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 30 nm at 85 L/min flow rate and percentage penetrations were measured. Consistent with single-fiber filtration theory, N95 and P100 respirators challenged with silver monodisperse particles showed a decrease in percentage penetration with a decrease in particle diameter down to 4 nm. Penetrations less than 1 particle/30 min for 4-8 nm particles for one P100 respirator model, and 4-12 nm particles for the other P100 model, were observed. Experiments were also carried out with larger than 20 nm monodisperse NaCl particles using a TSI 3160 Fractional Efficiency Tester. NaCl aerosol penetration levels of 20 nm and 30 nm (overlapping sizes) particles were compared with silver aerosols of the same sizes by a three-way ANOVA analysis. A significant (p < 0.001) difference between NaCl and silver aerosol penetration levels was obtained after adjusting for particle sizes and manufacturers. A significant (p = 0.001) interaction with manufacturers indicated the difference in NaCl, and silver aerosol penetrations were not the same across manufacturers. The two aerosols had the same effect across 20 nm and 30 nm sizes as shown by the absence of any significant (p = 0.163) interaction with particle sizes. In the case of P100 FFRs, a significant (p < 0.001) difference between NaCl and silver aerosol (20 nm and 30 nm) penetrations was observed for both respirator models tested. The filtration data for 4-30 nm monodisperse particles supports previous studies that indicate NIOSH-approved air-purifying respirators provide expected levels of filtration protection against nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the authors' commentary and conclusions on the Radiation Dose Reconstruction Program of the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The authors assert that the program is a complex scientific effort that draws from most of the technical aspects of the health physics profession. These activities, according to the authors, involve the assessment of internal and external doses for individuals who were exposed to occupationally related medical sources of ionizing radiation at Atomic Weapons Employer (AWE) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facilities. The authors conclude that employees were potentially exposed to one or more of 15 defined categories of ionizing radiation.

The article discusses methods used to calculate organ doses from internally deposited radionuclides under the Radiation Dose Reconstruction Program of the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). During the initial phases of the program, calculations were performed using the Integrated Modules for Bioassay Analysis program. However, limitations associated with this program created inefficiencies in the processing of claims. As a result, NIOSH created a suite of tools to expedite the process. The first of these was the Chronic Annual Dose Workbook program, which permits a dose reconstructor to calculate, in a single step, an organ dose that involves up to 255 separate intakes in any combination of radionuclides, intake modes, and absorption types.

The article presents a summary of the development of the ambient environmental dose profile for the Savannah River Site (SRS) for specific time periods from 1951-2001. Dose profiles were developed under the Radiation Dose Reconstruction Program of the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Internal doses were estimated based on the radionuclide concentrations in the atmosphere, while external doses were estimated on the basis of releases of noble gases and contributions from ambient background radiation.

The article discusses various issues raised by stakeholders regarding the scientific basis of radiation dose reconstruction for compensation under the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH) Radiation Dose Reconstruction Program. These issues are divided into three broad categories: data issues, dosimetry issues and compensation issues. Those under data issues include demographic data of the worker, changes in site operations over time and the use of coworker data. Those related to dosimetry issues and compensation issues are also enumerated.

The article discusses the responsibilities and activities of the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health appointed by the president of the U.S. in October 2001. The activity of the Board is conducted with staff support provided by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The NIOSH establishes scientific guidelines for determining whether an employee's cancer is at least as likely as not related to occupational exposure to radiation. It is stated that during the first 5 years of operation, the Board has provided substantial input on the rulemaking activities of NIOSH.

The article identifies the challenges in managing the Radiation Dose Reconstruction Project of the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). From the initial stages of the project, there were many technical and managerial challenges that required continuous planning, integration, and conflict resolution. The most complex challenge, according to the article, has been to complete defensible, individualized dose reconstructions that support timely compensation decisions at an acceptable production level. The lessons learned from the project are also discussed.

The article presents an overview of the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH) Radiation Dose Reconstruction Program. The program was developed after epidemiologic research indicated associations between work-related exposures and illness at the facilities of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The claims management process as well as the dose reconstruction process are discussed. One of the objectives in developing the dose reconstruction program is to ensure that the processing of claims would be effective, efficient and timely.

The article focuses on the effectiveness of the combination use of a rollover protective structure in conjunction with a seatbelt in reducing fatalities in the agricultural industry in the U.S. According to a research, tractor overturns have been identified as the leading cause of death in the industry, with more than 100 fatalities continuing to occur per year. To address the problem, the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health has adopted a technology for used to protect drivers and passengers from overturn hazards when operating agricultural vehicles.

The article offers information on workplace hearing protection. It states that noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) has been addressed as the Rodney Dangerfield of industrial injuries, and despite its recognition as one of the top global occupational hazards, still it obtains little respect and attention. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimated that 30 million workers in the United States are exposed to hazardous noise levels while on the job. Moreover, the Center for Disease Control has identified noise-induced hearing loss as the primary hidden disability and the most common occupational illness in North America.

The article discusses the development of two training exercises by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to inform drillers about noise, hearing loss and proper use of hearing protection in the U.S. Field experiments found that both training exercises were effective for teaching workers in the drilling industry about the hazards of noise and the benefits of wearing hearing protection. Similar exercises developed effectively can help address some of the barriers to hearing conservation. The development of similar training exercises for other occupational settings can prevent hearing loss due to excessive workplace noise.

The article focuses on the Research to Practice (r2p) initiative of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the U.S. The campaign enables NIOSH to transform its research findings, technologies and information to preventive schemes which can be applied in the workplace. R2p likewise integrates the strategic goals of NIOSH to knowledge generation and knowledge transfer and involves the participation of partners and stakeholders throughout the research process. Meanwhile, some examples which illustrate methods of transferring research to practice are presented.

The article discusses important topics for parents and teenagers considering a first job and suggests some questions that may be helpful for job interviews in the U.S. It focuses on the six aspects of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) research including young workers' specific duties, training, supervision, suitability to the job, greatest possible harm acquired from the duties and hazardous occupation. It is emphasized that the preparation of a teenager for a job interview is a responsibility of the parents. INSET: So, What Did You Do Over the Summer?.

An editorial on the history of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is presented. It mentions the organization's purpose as a research agency to support the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, its work in safety education programs, and its adaptations to changes in workplace technology.

The article examines the ways of preventing occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs in health care settings in the U.S. Government agencies released safety guidelines to protect healthcare workers from the drugs' harmful effects. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health promoted a program that urged safe handling of the medications during their use.

The article presents a case study of a health hazard evaluation (HHE) of a steel ladder fabrication plant by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The inspection was to gauge employee exposures to hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) during spray painting operations in one of the largest heavy steel fabrication specialists in the Midwest.

The initial goal of occupational reproductive health research is to effectively study the many toxicants, physical agents, and biomechanical and psychosocial stressors that may constitute reproductive hazards in the workplace. Although the main objective of occupational reproductive researchers and clinicians is to prevent recognized adverse reproductive outcomes, research has expanded to include a broader spectrum of chronic health outcomes potentially affected by reproductive toxicants. To aid in achieving these goals, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, along with its university, federal, industry, and labor colleagues, formed the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) in 1996. NORA resulted in 21 research teams, including the Reproductive Health Research Team (RHRT). In this report, we describe progress made in the last decade by the RHRT and by others in this field, including prioritizing reproductive toxicants for further study; facilitating collaboration among epidemiologists, biologists, and toxicologists; promoting quality exposure assessment in field studies and surveillance; and encouraging the design and conduct of priority occupational reproductive studies. We also describe new tools for screening reproductive toxicants and for analyzing mode of action. We recommend considering outcomes such as menopause and latent adverse effects for further study, as well as including exposures such as shift work and nanomaterials. We describe a broad domain of scholarship activities where a cohesive system of organized and aligned work activities integrates 10 years of team efforts and provides guidance for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article emphasizes on the need of medical surveillance programs to reduce health risk rate of workers exposed to crystalline silica. The major adverse effects of exposure to crystalline silica include silicosis, chronic bronchitis, and lung cancer. The primary purpose of any medical surveillance program is the early detection of an adverse health effect. As per the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health specified Special Emphasis Program, components of the surveillance evaluation should include: occupational and medical history questionnaire; physical examination; purified protein derivative tuberculin skin test; chest radiography; and spirometry. The physical examination should be focused on the general condition and respiratory status of the worker. The workers should be properly informed about the hazards of silica exposure. A worker leaving a job with a potential for silica exposure should be offered an exit medical evaluation. The program must be under the direction of a physician with thorough knowledge of surveillance principles, health effects of silica. Although silicosis is irreversible and sometimes fatal, it is preventable if a proper medical surveillance program is implemented. Only when employers, workers, and physicians and other health professionals take the team approach to medical surveillance can exposures to silica be reduced or eliminated.

This article unveils the Steps to a Healthier U.S. Workforce campaign by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The campaign aims to encourage workplace safety and health programs that focus on preventing work-related illness, injury and disability. The benefits of integrated safety and health have been demonstrated by some forward-looking organizations and official endorsement of best practices by the NIOSH. The article describes how one organization integrated a physical conditioning program into the daily safety routine in order to prevent injuries into the daily safety routine.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigated the capabilities of noise dosimeters to measure personal exposure to impulse noise. The two leading types of commercially available dosimeters were evaluated in terms of their ability to measure and integrate impulses generated from gunfire during live-fire exercises at a law enforcement indoor firing range. Sound measurements were conducted throughout the firing range using dosimeters, sound level meters, and a measurement configuration that consisted of a quarter-inch microphone and a digital audiotape recorder to capture the impulse waveforms. Personal dosimetry was conducted on eight shooters, an observer, and the range master. Peak levels from gunfire reached 163 decibels (dB), exceeding the nominal input limit of the dosimeters. The dosimeters clipped the impulses by acting as if the gunfire had a maximum level of 146 dB. In other cases, however, peak levels (e.g., 108 dB) were below the dosimeter input limits, but the dosimeters still showed a peak level of 146 dB. Although NIOSH recommends that sound levels from 80 to 140 dB (A-weighted) be integrated in the calculation of dose and the time-weighted average, our present data suggest this criterion may be inadequate. These results showed that some instruments are incapable of providing accurate measures of impulse sounds because of their electroacoustic limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]