NIOSH Science Blog Posts
Native American Heritage Month: Honoring American Indian and Alaska Native Workers
There are currently 574 federally recognized tribes across the United States. American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) workers play a crucial role in the U.S. workforce and economy, yet little is known about the hazards that AI/AN workers face. This is the first in a series of blogs by the National Institute for Occupational Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentTransforming Construction: Automation and Robotics for a Safer Future
Introduction At its core, automation is the use of technology to perform tasks that were once done by humans. Technology includes software, tools to automate workflows, and machinery. Some of the early examples of automation in construction are power tools. As technology progresses, construction automation has seen rapid progress over the last decade with the Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentBeards and Respirators: Navigating No Shave November Safely
Introduction No Shave November is a great opportunity to grow out your beard for a good cause. But if you rely on a tight-fitting respirator for work, that extra facial hair could pose a safety concern. Respirators protect workers from harmful particles, but their effectiveness depends on forming a tight seal against your skin. So, Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentNIOSH-developed Tools for Monitoring Respirable Crystalline Silica in the Mining Environment
Respirable crystalline silica (RCS), most commonly in the form of quartz, is a known health hazard in many industries. Exposure to RCS can lead to debilitating and incurable diseases. To minimize the risk of health effects associated with exposure, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) released a final rule for lowering miners’ exposure Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsPerspectives on Forest Operations Safety
Forest operations, which include logging and other forestry activities (e.g., planting, thinning, fuels reduction, and wildland fire fighting), are a vital component of forest management. It is also one of the most dangerous places to work in the United States (U.S.). In 2022, there were 54 fatalities to logging workers. The work-related fatality rate for Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentCelebrating National Ergonomics Month
October is National Ergonomics Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of designing workplaces to fit people better. Ergonomics focuses on creating tools, tasks, and environments that improve comfort, reduce injuries, and promote the health and well-being of workers. Ergonomics research and interventions can help prevent common workplace musculoskeletal injuries, such as Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentA New Partnership Focuses on the Occupational Safety and Health Needs of Lone Workers
Working alone is common in many industries and may introduce safety and health risks for workers. In 2023, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) formed a partnership to improve safety and health for lone workers by developing and disseminating information about the risks Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsWorried About Lead in Your Workplace?
Our goal in public health is to keep people safe from the hazards around them including in the workplace. If you are worried about lead or other possible hazards in your worksite, there is something you can do about it. There’s a program for that The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s Health Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentProtecting Workers on the Roadways: The Use of Truck-Mounted Attenuators in the Fire and Emergency Services
Workers who respond to roadway emergencies, such as vehicle crashes, can face multiple hazards. Working at roadway incidents frequently exposes responders to potentially being struck by passing motor vehicle traffic leading to serious injury or death. These secondary crashes during responses to roadway incidents contribute to about 50 emergency responder fatalities and injuries annually.[1][2] Additionally, Read More >
Posted on by 14 CommentsPrimary Care and the Working Patient — Occupational Health Principles in Practice
What someone does for work, and where and when they do it, can have broad health impacts. This includes direct effects from physical job exposures and hazards. Many aspects of work also affect health in other ways such as through sleep and eating patterns, social connectedness, mental health stressors, and access to benefits like Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentHow Employers Can Advance the 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention
Suicide is a serious public health threat. In 2022 in the United States, nearly 50,000 adults died by suicide, 13.2 million adults seriously considered suicide, 3.8 million planned a suicide attempt, and 1.6 million attempted suicide.[1] In that same year, 267 adults died by suicide while at work in the United States.[2] That is Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentCelebrating 20 Years of the Nanotechnology Research Center: Measuring the Small Things
Nanotechnology uses science to create very small materials. Engineered nanomaterials are made to have properties that are different from a larger form of the same material. Usually, this change in properties happens when the material gets smaller, so most engineered nanomaterials have at least one dimension that measures less than 100 nanometers. Although this change Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentKeeping Emergency Responders Safe: NIOSH Efforts Since 9/11
On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 people lost their lives and thousands were injured during the events that occurred at the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City, New York, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and the plane crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It’s estimated that more than 400,000 people were exposed to harmful Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentJob Satisfaction in the Logging Industry
Operating heavy machinery, working long hours, and hitting the road before sunrise and returning after sunset are occupational pressures that loggers and log truck drivers face. These conditions also put them at high risk for injury and fatality. Researchers in the University of Washington Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center surveyed 45 loggers Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentPrevent Fungal Diseases in the Workplace
As part of Fungal Disease Awareness Week, we are highlighting fungal diseases that can affect workers. Coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever), blastomycosis, and histoplasmosis are fungal diseases caused by fungi that live in the environment in certain regions. Infections are caused by breathing in fungal spores that get into the air. Some jobs and work activities that Read More >
Posted on by Leave a comment2024 Day of Service and Remembrance Administrator Statement: Commemorating 23 years since September 11th, 2001
Today as a nation, we reflect on the events of September 11, 2001. It was a day of tragic national and personal loss, but also a day that displayed the strength and courage of those who were there. The National 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance is our chance to honor, in both memory and Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentNTRC Marks 20 Years of Studying Nanotoxicology: Highlights from the Toxicology and Internal Dose Team
Where It Started As the Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC) marks its 20th anniversary, we reflect on our achievements in the field of nanotoxicology. Within the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), one NTRC goal is to understand possible harm from nanomaterials in workplaces. Our work has its origins in earlier research. We started by Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsExploring Approaches to Keep an AI-Enabled Workplace Safe for Workers
Artificial intelligence (AI)—the field of computer science that designs machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence—has seen rapid advances leading to cutting‐edge innovations in language, vision, reasoning, and human‐machine collaboration across industries, economies, and labor markets.[1] [2] In the workplace, the adoption of AI technologies can result in a broad range of Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentTips for Managing Personal Protective Equipment in Your Stockpile: Respirator Selection and Purchase
Happy Respiratory Protection Week 2024! Another year provides another opportunity to highlight resources to support informed workplace respiratory protection practices. NIOSH has been at the forefront of this effort for decades, testing and approving respirators used in U.S. occupational settings while also striving to provide the science necessary to inform complex respiratory protection decisions. Respiratory Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentCOFE – The Future of Forest Operations
What does safety have to do with forest engineering? Everything. For the first time, Safety, Health, and Workforce Development was highlighted as a distinct track at the Council of Forest Engineering’s (COFE) Annual Meeting. Hosted by the University of Idaho’s College of Natural Resources and the University of Idaho Experimental Forest on May 21-24 in Read More >
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