Category: Observances
Beards 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 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 commentLabor Day Message 2024
Each Labor Day we honor workers and the role they play in building a strong and prosperous nation. Much like the first Labor Day more than a century ago, many of us mark this federal holiday with festivities such as parades or picnics. This year, as you head out to celebrate the end of summer Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsNational Safety Month 2024
Each June, we bring a little extra attention to safety issues by highlighting National Safety Month®. For each week of the month, the National Safety Council (NSC) identifies a theme to focus on. This blog highlights select research and prevention efforts from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and NSC in this year’s Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsWorkers’ Memorial Day 2024: Statement by NIOSH Director
Each year, on April 28, we pause to recognize Workers’ Memorial Day and honor those whose death or suffering resulted from exposure to hazards at work. Words are not enough when it comes to change. Research has shown that the health and safety of workers relies on active and intentional involvement in ways that take Read More >
Posted on by Leave a comment2024 NIOSH Science and Service Awards
Exemplary science is the foundation for all National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) research and prevention activities. Each year, NIOSH recognizes outstanding science and service from our employees. This year’s Science and Service Awards took place on April 25, 2024. The awards booklet contains the finalists, awardees, and honorable mentions as well as information Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentWomen’s History Month Reflections on Occupational Exposures and Health Equity
March was Women’s History Month and this year’s theme was “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” This theme urged us to think about the diversity of U.S. women workers and how NIOSH is addressing health equity. Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentDispelling Myths to Make Healthy Hearing a Reality
This World Hearing Day, March 3, 2024, the World Health Organization is promoting awareness of hearing loss to reduce societal misperceptions and stigma and is encouraging you to do the same. Over 80% of ear and hearing care needs are not met worldwide.[1] Hearing care has an annual cost of nearly $1 trillion (US) globally.[2] Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentChanging Mindsets on Hearing Disorders Associated with Work Hazards
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Hearing Loss Prevention Program has been an official member of the World Hearing Forum (WHF) since it was launched in 2019. The Forum was assembled by the Office of Ear and Hearing Care of the World Health Organization to promote ear and hearing care worldwide. Read More >
Posted on by 2 Comments2023 Day of Service and Remembrance: Statement from Program Administrator, John Howard, MD
The events of September 11, 2001 devastated Americans 22 years ago. However, in the face of this tragedy we saw bravery, resilience, and hope in the actions of responders and survivors of those events. Today, the nation gathers together to observe this solemn National Day of Service and Remembrance. The World Trade Center Health Program Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsLabor Day 2023: Statement by NIOSH Director, John Howard, MD
Labor Day often evokes thoughts about the end of summer and start of a new school year. It can be easy to forget that the origins of the holiday lie in the labor movement of the late nineteenth century when workers fought for their rights, including safer working conditions. A lot has changed since then Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsInternational Women in Engineering Day
June 23, 2023 is International Women in Engineering Day. In the United States, women make up 14% of the engineering workforce (15% internationally).[1] In 2020, 24% of bachelor’s degrees in engineering were earned by women, and women of color earned 10% of the total engineering degrees.[1] The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Read More >
Posted on by 5 CommentsSharing quality information on all things related to hearing: Wiki4WorldHearingDay2023
Background The U.S. workforce is ethnically diverse. Lack of safety and health training and language barriers are among the most frequently cited challenges companies face in promoting safety among immigrant workers (Flynn, 2014). Contributing quality, plain language health information in multiple languages to Wikipedia increases its accessibility and reach. Unaddressed hearing loss is a serious Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsNational Safety Month 2023
Each June, we celebrate National Safety Month. Safety matters every day of the year, but during June it gets the extra attention it deserves so we can all stay safe from the workplace to anyplace. As part of the celebration of safety, the National Safety Council (NSC) selects themes for each week of the month. This Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsWorkers’ Memorial Day 2023: Statement by NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D.
Each year, NIOSH pauses on April 28th, Workers’ Memorial Day, to honor those who were killed or injured on the job. While tremendous progress has been made since Congress enacted the Occupational Safety and Health Act on this day in 1970, much still needs to be done. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsHonoring Science and Service at NIOSH
Exemplary science is the foundation for all National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) research and prevention activities. Each year, NIOSH recognizes outstanding science and service from our employees. This year’s Science and Service Awards took place on April 27, 2023. The awards booklet contains the finalists, awardees, and honorable mentions as well as Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsLaw Enforcement Appreciation Day
January 9th is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Law enforcement officers (LEO) place their lives and their health and safety at risk while protecting the public. While some of the risks may be obvious, there are many hazards officers face in the line of duty including: motor vehicle incidents, needlestick injuries, noise and lead Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentThe Risk of COPD is Increased for Workers in Certain Industries and Occupations and with Certain Occupational Exposures
November is National COPD Prevention Month. COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – is characterized by airflow obstruction and breathing-related problems. The term COPD includes the conditions of emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD is a major cause of illness in the United States. It affects at least 15 million US adult men and women Read More >
Posted on by 5 CommentsStatement From WTC Health Program Administrator John Howard, M.D. Commemorating 21 Years Since September 11, 2001
Each year the country observes a National Day of Service and Remembrance to reflect on the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the lives lost, and the bravery and resilience shown on that day and in the years after. Twenty-one years later, we honor the thousands more who have tragically lost their lives to Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentRespiratory Protection Week 2022: Staying Committed to Proper Respiratory Protection Practices
Happy Respiratory Protection Week! Our commitment to respiratory protection runs deep for us here at NIOSH. In fact, we’ve been dedicating an entire day or week to promoting proper respiratory protection practices since 2012. Our goal since the beginning has always been to highlight the importance of respiratory protection in the workplace and provide resources Read More >
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