REPORT

ofACTIVITIES

for FISCAL

YEAR 1997

prepared by the

NATIONAL INSTITUTE for

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

and HEALTH

APED TR MENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES • USA

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL

AND PREVENTION

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
REPORT

ofACTIVITIES

for FISCAL

YEAR 1997

prepared by the

NATIONAL INSTITUTE for

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

and HEALTH

APED TR MENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES • USA

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL

AND PREVENTION

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

March 1999
25

TABLE

 CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..............................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................3

STRATEGIC GOAL 1 ......................................................................................................5

The National Occupational Research Agenda.....................................................................5

1997 Research Activities......................................................................................................5

Laboratory Research .................................................................................................5

Field Research ..........................................................................................................6

New Technologies......................................................................................................7

Extramural Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements ...............................................8

Agriculture ...........................................................................................................................8

Construction ........................................................................................................................9

Mining............................................................................................................................... 10

Small Business .................................................................................................................. 11

STRATEGIC GOAL 2 ................................................................................................... 13

Surveillance ...................................................................................................................... 13

STRATEGIC GOAL 3 ................................................................................................... 17

Health Hazard Evaluations .............................................................................................. 17

Control Technologies........................................................................................................ 17

Recommendations............................................................................................................. 18

STRATEGIC GOAL 4 ................................................................................................... 19

Information ....................................................................................................................... 19

Training ............................................................................................................................ 20

Capacity Building ............................................................................................................. 22

CONCLUSION................................................................................................................... 23

of
1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health (NIOSH) is part of the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of

Health and Human Services (DHHS). NIOSH, the

federal agency responsible for research and prevention

of workplace hazards, is headquartered in Washington,

D.C., and has facilities in Anchorage, Alaska; Atlanta,

Georgia; Cincinnati, Ohio; Morgantown, West Virginia;

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Spokane, Washington.

Currently, there are 127 million individuals, 16 years

of age or older, in the United States workforce. The

workforce is aging, becoming more ethnically and

racially diverse, and includes more women. Safety and

health hazards experienced by workers have implications

for their personal lives, their productivity, and the

productivity of the nation as a whole. According to a

NIOSH-funded study published in 1997, work-related

injuries cost the nation more than $145 billion and workrelated diseases cost an additional $26 billion, making

the total financial burden a staggering $171 billion

(1992). While occupational health research has

improved worker protection against many hazards and

diseases, much remains to be done. Workers are still at

risk for noise induced hearing loss and exposed to lead

and silica, two long-recognized occupational hazards

that cause chronic lung disease. As the workplace and

workforce change, new hazards emerge. Violence is

now a threat in the workplace, latex allergies are

increasing among health care workers, new chemicals

and processes place workers in danger, and the longterm effects of many exposures remain unknown.

NIOSH continues to reduce work-related injuries

and illnesses by conducting research, publishing

recommendations for preventing work-related injuries

and illnesses, and training professionals in occupational

safety and health.

NIOSH significant accomplishments for FY 1997

include:

Institute Infrastructure

■ Completed assimilation of the former Bureau of

Mines creating a dynamic mining research

component within the Institute.

Scientific Findings

■ Identified the molecular events responsible for

occupational cancers caused by metals such as

arsenic and cadmium, the early gene

environmental reactions responsible for particle

induced inflammatory lung disease, and a

molecular biomarker for chronic arsenic exposure.

■ Developed a home test for determining the level

of certain pesticides in urine.

■ Derived a lifting equation to identify both jobs

with increased risk of lower back pain and

changes in lifting practices that will help prevent

future injuries.

New Technology

■ Developed, tested, and deployed engineering

controls for highway-class asphalt paving

equipment in cooperation with equipment

manufacturers. As a result of this collaboration,

the Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA) and the paving

equipment manufacturers signed a voluntary

agreement to incorporate engineering controls on

all highway-class paving equipment manufactured

after July 1, 1997.

■ Increased performance capabilities and cut by

one-half the size and weight of a gas

chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS). The

instrument has been granted two U.S. patents.

The GC/MS is the only portable analytical

instrument capable of providing an immediate,

positive identification of a hazardous gas or vapor

at the work site.
2

■ Developed the technology to classify hazardous

fibers, such as asbestos and fiberglass, according

to their length. Laboratory studies involving

fibers classified using this new technology

confirm the role of fiber length on cellular

damage in the lungs.

Policy and Recommendations

■ Published the NIOSH Latex Alert highlighting the

potential for serious allergic reactions to latex in

health care workers which provided

recommendations for minimizing latex exposure.

■ Published two documents to further the science

and understanding of the relationship between

work and musculoskeletal disorders. One

document establishes the scientific basis for the

association between known risk factors in the

workplace and musculoskeletal disorders, the

second gives practical solutions for preventing or

reducing musculoskeletal disorders.

■ Collaborated with the Department of Energy, the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s

National Center for Environmental Health

(NCEH), and the Agency for Toxic Substances

and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to develop a

coordinated Public Health Plan for Department of

Energy (DOE)-site workers and communities.

Partnering

■ Increased NIOSH resources in support of the

National Occupational Research Agenda

(NORA). NIOSH’s FY1997 NORA investment

of $28.1 million was nearly double that of

FY1996.

■ Established 20 teams, one each to address

research priorities established within NORA.

These implementation teams are made up of

experts from government, industry, labor,

professional societies, and academia.

■ Completed the first ever survey of Federal

partners to determine funding levels and research

interests in occupational safety and health.

Education and Outreach

■ Awarded 222 grants and cooperative agreements

for $45.1 million in 35 states.

■ Added a new Education and Research Center

(ERC) at the University of South Florida at

Tampa to serve the Southeast region of the

country. ERCs provide occupational safety and

health training and other resources for

professionals in industry, labor, government, and

academia. This brings the total number of ERCs

to 15 in 14 states.

■ Worked closely with state health departments, the

regional Federal Emergency Management

Agency, and the American Red Cross to help

flood victims along the Ohio River and ensure the

safety of workers involved with the rescue, cleanup, and reconstruction operations.

■ Established the National Center for the Prevention

of Childhood Agricultural Injuries in Marshfield,

Wisconsin, to serve as a national resource for

raising awareness of childhood agriculture injuries

and coordinating prevention efforts.

Services

■ Conducted 335 Health Hazard Evaluations at the

request of employers, employees, and federal,

state, and local agencies, to examine potential

hazards in the workplace.

Awards

■ NIOSH’s Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (PRL)

was awarded the prestigious R&D Magazine

annual award for one of the top 100 innovative

technological advancements of the year. PRL

received the award for the design of a portable

device for measuring methane in rock samples.

This device has the potential to reduce the risk of

mine explosions and improve the safety of

underground mine workers.

■ Albert Munson, Ph.D., Division Director of the

Health Effects Research Laboratory, received the

1997 Education Award from the Society of

Toxicology. This award is given annually to an

individual whose contributions to the teaching and

training of toxicologists have significantly

advanced the field of toxicology.

■ Two NIOSH scientists from the Division of

Physical Sciences and Engineering (DPSE),

Kevin Ashley, Ph.D. and Paul Schlecht, were

included in “Who’s Who in the Lead Hazard

Control Industry.”
3

INTRODUCTION

An unhealthy working environment affects workers’

health and productivity, and may even render them

unable to work. The consequences of occupational

safety and health hazards are reflected in the following

statistics:

■ In 1996 on a typical day in the United States, 16

workers died from injuries.

■ Each day, an average of 137 workers died from

work-related diseases.

■ According to the National Safety Council, the

costs for occupationally-related injuries exceeded

$121 billion in 1996.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health (NIOSH) is committed to making the workplace

a safer environment for all people. NIOSH is constantly

faced with new challenges as the workforce grows older

and changes in demographic composition, as individuals

work longer hours, and as issues facing workers evolve.

NIOSH has been conducting health research and

making recommendations for preventing occupational

illness and injury since its inception in 1970. The

Occupational Safety and Health Act created both NIOSH

and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA), giving each unique responsibilities and

placing them in different governmental departments.

Charged with conducting research and implementing

prevention activities, NIOSH is located in the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

OSHA is required to promulgate regulations and enforce

health and safety standards in the workplace and is part

of the Department of Labor. FY 1997 marked

completion of the transfer of the health and safety

research programs from the former U.S. Bureau of

Mines to NIOSH. In FY 1997, NIOSH’s total operating

budget was $173 million and NIOSH staff numbered

1,364.

As required by the Government Performance and

Results Act (GPRA), NIOSH developed four Institutewide strategic goals in FY 1997. The complete version

of the NIOSH Strategic Plan is available on the NIOSH

Home Page at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh. These goals

complement the goals set out by both DHHS and CDC.

The four NIOSH goals--targeting of research,

surveillance, prevention, and information dissemination

and training-- represent the broad spectrum of NIOSH’s

work. It is the interplay of these goals that has and will

make the vision of this Institute--safer and healthier

workplaces--a reality.

To best describe NIOSH’s accomplishments during

FY 1997, this Report of Activities has been organized

around the Institute’s four strategic goals. This Report

highlights the work of the Institute during FY 1997 and

it is not an exhaustive account of Institute-wide activity.
4
5

STRATEGIC GOAL 1

Conduct a targeted program of research to reduce morbidity, injuries, and mortality among workers in high

priority areas and high-risk sectors.

THE NATIONAL

OCCUPATIONAL RESEARCH

AGENDA

In April 1996, NIOSH released the National

Occupational Research Agenda (NORA), a national

framework to guide occupational safety and health

research activities into the 21st century. NORA was

developed with extensive input from more than 500

organizations and individuals outside of NIOSH. These

included members of the occupational safety and health

community, other government organizations,

universities, industry, labor and professional societies,

who worked together to identify research gaps and target

future research resources.

NORA includes 21 research priorities that drive

coordinated national research aimed at protecting the

health and safety of workers, as well as helping to reduce

the heavy economic costs imposed on the United States

by job-related injuries and illnesses. Examples of these

priority areas include traumatic injuries, work-related

allergies, special worker populations at risk,

musculoskeletal disorders, reproductive abnormalities,

infectious diseases, and emerging workplace

technologies. Twenty teams were formed, one to

address NORA implementation in each of the research

priority areas (two priority areas involving

musculoskeletal disorders were combined).

NIOSH held its first national conference with

NORA partner organizations on July 1, 1997 at the

National Academy of Sciences. The purpose of this

conference was to review progress and discuss further

opportunities for implementing NORA. At the event

were representatives from more than 200 business, labor,

government, health, and science organizations that have

partnered with NIOSH to develop and implement the

agenda over the past year. During the conference

NIOSH issued a report describing first-year successes

under NORA which included: increasing NIOSH’s

investments in NORA priority areas; creating systems

for assessing the effectiveness of NORA in the long

term; establishing new research partnerships; and using

NORA working teams to stimulate projects on

preventing job-related latex allergy. For a complete

report of FY 1997 NORA activities, visit the NIOSH

Home Page at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh.

1997 RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Laboratory Research

New Laboratory Opened

In October 1996, NIOSH dedicated its new

laboratory facility that houses the Health Effects

Laboratory Division, located in Morgantown, West

Virginia. The new laboratory provides state-of-the-art

facilities for conducting advanced research in key health

disciplines and developing new methods to communicate

health and safety information meaningfully to workers

and employers. Disciplines represented at the laboratory

include immunotoxicology, microbiology, and

biochemistry.

History provides evidence that medical progress has

not occurred without the sustained pursuit of basic

science. Occupational health issues are no exception.

Thus, priority was given to the hiring of talented,

experienced researchers at the new laboratory who will

produce information, methodologies, and tools for

identifying early signs of job-related diseases,

understanding the complex effects of exposures on the

body’s fundamental systems (including the reproductive

and central nervous systems, vital organs, and skin),

designing better diagnostic and warning devices, and

spurring other advancements to keep pace with rapid

changes in today’s workplaces and working populations.
6

Significant Toxicological and Molecular Biological

Findings

NIOSH laboratory research has identified (1) the

molecular events responsible for occupational cancers

caused by such metals as cadmium and arsenic; (2) the

early gene environmental reactions responsible for

particle induced inflammatory lung disease; and (3) a

molecular biomarker for chronic arsenic exposure.

These findings are being used in risk assessment and can

lead to improved prevention strategies.

Time-Saving Breakthrough

Histoplasmosis is an infectious disease that affects

the lungs and is caused by the inhalation of Histoplasma

capsulatum spores from soil contaminated by avian or

bat excreta. NIOSH researchers developed a polymerase

chain reaction (PCR) method that reduces the time

needed to detect soil contamination from two months to

two days. This method is a potential breakthrough for

both the agricultural and construction industries, where

workers often risk exposure to Histoplasma capsulatum.

Home Tests for Pesticide Exposures

NIOSH developed a direct-reading kit for

determining the level of agricultural chemicals in urine.

The kit does not require instrumentation and is simple

enough to be used by persons without laboratory

training. It is the first kit which permits workers to

determine their own pesticide level. In the future, the

use of this testing procedure may be combined with

other interventions, such as the use of protective

clothing, to determine the effectiveness of the

intervention.

Assessing Workers’ Risks

During FY 1997, NIOSH conducted risk

assessments that supported work within NIOSH as well

as other agencies, such as the Occupational Safety and

Health Administration (OSHA), the Mine Safety and

Health Administration (MSHA), and the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA). Risk assessment projects

were conducted in the following areas: 1,3-butadiene,

chrysotile asbestos, diesel exhaust, electromagnetic

frequencies, noise, safety hazards, and silica.

The purpose of these projects is to measure the

relationship between exposure levels and disease

development. Results of the diesel exhaust risk

assessment described the risk of lung cancer associated

with varying levels of diesel exposures. The risk

assessment of asbestosis provides evidence of a

significant risk for lung cancer and nonmalignant

respiratory disease at the previous OSHA standard (1

fiber/cc) and supports OSHA’s recent lowering of the

standard (0.1 fibers/cc) for all forms of asbestos. The

results of these projects have been published in the

scientific literature.

Field Research

Protecting Workers in Marion, Indiana

At the request of workers, NIOSH evaluated

potential exposures to nitrosamines at an automotive

rubber sealant plant in Marion, Indiana. A suspected

human carcinogen, nitrosamines bind or attach to DNA,

leading to the formation of DNA adducts, which, if left

unrepaired, may result in a genetic mutation. NIOSH

measured DNA adducts in workers’ blood and urine.

Results revealed that workers exposed to nitrosamines

were more likely to have a specific DNA adduct in their

blood than those with no nitrosamine exposure. This

data will help the company evaluate the need for changes

in the ventilation of the plant to reduce nitrosamine air

levels and will help prevent similar exposures in other

plants using nitrosamines.

NIOSH Improves Transportable Equipment

NIOSH scientists redesigned a piece of laboratory

equipment, the gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer

(GC/MS), for use in field industrial hygiene studies.

The GC/MS units presently available are fairly large and

heavy, weighing approximately 210 pounds, and are best

described as “transportable” rather than “portable.”

Both the weight and volume of the redesigned GC/MS

were reduced by 50%, resulting in a weight of

approximately 100 pounds for the new instrument. The

size reduction was accompanied by increased

performance capabilities compared to other portable

units. This instrument was used to help reduce

exposures to printing solvents at a vinyl printing

company in Ohio. The NIOSH instrument has been

granted two patents, and two articles describing its

utility have been published in the scientific literature.
7

A Formula for Low Back Pain Prevention

The NIOSH lifting equation is a scientificallyderived mathematical equation designed to identify

lifting jobs that could place workers at risk for low back

pain (LBP). The formula takes into account a variety of

conditions for a lifting event as it provides the “lifting

index” for a specific task. The formula has been revised

and a 50-job study was conducted to evaluate its utility.

Analysis of the data revealed that as the lifting index

increased, so did the amount of LBP experienced by the

workers. The study concluded that the NIOSH lifting

equation is effective in identifying jobs with increased

risk of LBP and for identifying changes in lifting

practices that will help prevent future injuries.

NIOSH Develops Long Sought-After Method to

Measure Fibers

Asbestos fibers have demonstrated potential for

causing asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, with

the dimensions of these fibers serving as a major

determining factor in causing these diseases. Before the

Fiber Length Classifier was developed by NIOSH, there

had been no useful way of separating commercial fibers

according to their length. Laboratory studies involving

length-classified fibers using this new technology

confirm the role of fiber length on cellular damage in the

lungs and may have implications for future standards on

fibers.

NIOSH Develops a Life-Saving Carbon Monoxide

Sensor

NIOSH researchers developed a new application for

a chemical sensor to monitor worker exposures to toxic

gases and vapors, specifically, carbon monoxide. The

sensor is designed to be used with small gasolinepowered engines. The sensor mechanism is linked to the

engine, and when the sensor “sees” a predetermined

quantity of carbon monoxide it causes the engine to shut

down. A patent application has been submitted for this

instrument and it has been described in the scientific

literature.

Helping Health Care Facilities Detect TB Bacteria

Early

NIOSH researchers have developed a technique that

incorporates a sensitive DNA analysis with indoor air

monitoring. The resulting technology will have the

ability to quickly detect a small number of tuberculosis

bacteria in the air and will enable health care facilities to

monitor and control the spread of tuberculosis from

infected patients. In addition, the efficacy of

environmental control measures, such as increased

ventilation and negative pressure rooms, could be

monitored with this technology.

40

30

20

10

0

Percent Workers Reporting LBP

1 yr Prevalence

Lifting Index Category Non-Lifting Job

0 < LI < 1

1 < LI < 2

2 < LI < 3

LI > 3

New Technologies

A Medical Diagnostic Tool

NIOSH researchers at the Health Effects Laboratory

Division (HELD) developed a system to accurately

record the sound pressure waves created when an

individual coughs. Coughs are associated with over 100

different pulmonary diseases, and the NIOSH technique

for cough analysis has the potential to become a useful

non-invasive tool for screening large populations of

workers to obtain information concerning their

pulmonary function. In a preliminary study, results

showed agreement between the cough sound index and

the clinical pulmonary diagnosis.
8

EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH

GRANTS and COOPERATIVE

AGREEMENTS

NIOSH sponsors innovative extramural research that

complements and supplements its intramural research

program. Through a competitive process, proposals

judged to be scientifically sound and related to program

priorities are supported through a network of research

grants and cooperative agreements.

In FY 1997, NIOSH supported an extramural grants

program of approximately $17.5 million. With these

funds, NIOSH supported 94 grants in laboratory and

field studies. NIOSH receives research grant

applications through the Division of Research Grants in

the National Institutes of Health. Major categories of

research grants include investigator-initiated (R01

grants), Small Business Innovative Research, and

targeted requests for proposals in health services

research, construction, agriculture, and child agriculture.

Cooperative agreements permit NIOSH to arrange

collaborative surveillance and research opportunities

with state health departments, universities, labor unions,

and nonprofit organizations. In FY 1997, NIOSH

awarded $27.6 million for 128 cooperative agreements

in 35 states and four international organizations. These

funds supported research efforts primarily in agriculture,

construction, fatal and nonfatal occupational injury, and

surveillance of adult blood lead levels. In the area of

agricultural research, NIOSH awarded $9.2 million to

34 cooperative agreements in 15 states and, in

construction, NIOSH awarded $5 million in cooperative

agreements. In occupational radiation and energyrelated health research, NIOSH awarded $1.6 million to

six cooperative agreements.

AGRICULTURE

The agriculture industry in the United States

employs approximately 3.5 million workers; when

including part-time help, about 8 million individuals

work in agriculture. According to data from the

National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities (NTOF)

surveillance system, the agriculture industry has the

second highest rate of occupational fatalities in the

country. Farmers are at high risk for fatal and nonfatal

injuries, work-related lung diseases, noise-induced

hearing loss, skin diseases, and certain cancers

associated with chemical use and prolonged sun

STATES with NIOSH COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FY 97

NIOSH has 128 Cooperative Agreements with 36 States and 4 international organizations for $27,604,163
9

exposure. Farmers also experience chronic diseases

such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, hearing

loss, and asthma.

In addition to the safety and health of adults working

on farms, NIOSH is also concerned with occupational

safety and health issues surrounding child farmworkers.

Farming is one of the few industries in which the

families (who often share the work and live on the

premises) are also at risk for injuries, illness, and death.

Every year approximately 100 children are killed in

farmwork-related incidents, and another 100,000 are

injured. More than 900,000 children under the age of 15

years and 346,000 children 15-19 years of age lived on

U.S. farms and ranches in 1991. Another 800,000 are

children of farmworkers, including migrants and hired

laborers, and may be exposed to hazards that are carried

home or may themselves work in a farm setting.

Agricultural Research and Prevention Centers

The eight Centers, funded by NIOSH at $5.1 million

in FY 1997, provide a multi-disciplinary approach to

agricultural safety and health through a network of

regional centers throughout the United States.

Agricultural Research and Training Centers are located

in California, Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, New York,

Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Agricultural Child Research Grants

NIOSH distributes an additional $2.7 million to

independent researchers to study the prevention of

agricultural injuries in children. Research grants were

funded in California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky,

Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon,

Washington, and Wisconsin.

Community Partners for Healthy Farming

NIOSH funded $1.9 million in FY 1997 for

community-based programs that include both actionoriented surveillance and intervention research projects.

This set of projects is built on the strengths of the former

Occupational Health Nurses in Agricultural

Communities. Community Partners projects include

migrant and seasonal workers in their study populations,

and involve collaboration between researchers and

stakeholders in the communities. Community Partners

funded surveillance projects and intervention research

projects in nine and six states, respectively.

Farm Family Health and Hazard Surveys

Farm Family Health and Hazard Surveys assessed

the health status and hazards faced by farmers and farm

families in California, Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, New

York, and Ohio. Field surveys are completed, and the

data collected are being analyzed by state survey teams

for state and local uses. Using the data, several

publications were completed in FY 1997 on topics

including prevalence of respiratory symptoms in

Colorado, analyses of depression and stress-related

injuries in Iowa, and prevalence of tractor and machinery

hazards in New York.

The National Center for the Prevention of Childhood

Agricultural Injuries

In FY 1997, NIOSH implemented recommendations

for the prevention of childhood agriculture injury which

included the establishment of a national center dedicated

to the prevention of childhood agricultural injuries.

NIOSH awarded a cooperative agreement to the National

Farm Medicine Center in Marshfield, Wisconsin, to

establish this Center which will serve as a national

resource for raising awareness of childhood agricultural

injuries and coordinating prevention efforts. Activities

will include health communications campaigns, outreach

to stakeholders and partners, and training of health and

safety professionals.

CONSTRUCTION

There are almost eight million construction workers

in the U.S., of whom 1.5 million are self-employed.

Ninety percent of the 636,000 construction companies

employ less than 50 workers, and few construction

companies have formal health and safety programs.

According to data from the National Traumatic

Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) surveillance system for

the years 1980-1993, the construction industry had the

highest number of fatalities in the country. In 1995,

1,000 workers were killed on the job, more than in any

other industry. Construction injuries are responsible for

15% of all workers’ compensation costs. NIOSH is

collaborating with the construction industry and unions

to develop new strategies to reduce worker injuries and

illnesses. In FY 1997, NIOSH funded $1.2 million in

research grants for the study of construction safety and

health.
10

Collaborations With Labor

Scientists from NIOSH have worked extensively

with several labor unions to study the health hazards

faced by construction workers. NIOSH collaborated

with unions representing carpenters, electrical workers,

sheet metal workers, and bricklayers. Results of these

projects have been presented to workers and scientists at

national conferences and have been published for

scientific, technical, and lay audiences. These findings

will further be used to develop educational materials and

to conduct focus groups for intervention/prevention

programs.

Increased Mortality Among Construction Workers

NIOSH conducted a national study to investigate the

mortality among 13,301 members of the International

Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental

Ironworkers. The study found that union members who

had died between 1984 and 1991 experienced a higher

number of deaths from falls and other injuries when

compared to the U.S. population. In addition, this group

of workers had higher mortality from lung cancer,

mesothelioma, pneumoconiosis, and other respiratory

diseases. The results are applicable to all workers in

similar jobs. Additional studies need to be conducted to

learn which potential exposures, such as ionizing

radiation, diesel exhaust, asphalt and welding fumes, are

associated with these disease risks.

Reducing Exposures to Welding Fumes

Welding operations pose safety and health risks to

over 500,000 workers in a variety of industries. Metal

fume fever and lung cancer are two examples of health

hazards associated with exposures to welding fumes and

gases. NIOSH evaluated welding operations using both

walk-through surveys and in-depth field studies in

California, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio,

and Pennsylvania. This study provides an independent

evaluation of welding control technologies, enabling

employers and welders to choose the most appropriate

control option for their operations.

MINING

Reorganization and Programmatic Transitions

FY 1997 witnessed the transfer of health and safety

research programs from the former U.S. Bureau of

Mines (Department of the Interior) to NIOSH. With the

transfer, NIOSH became the new home of the Pittsburgh

and Spokane Research Laboratories (PRL and SRL).

The two laboratories deal with mining issues unique to

their regions, with the PRL focusing on Eastern mining,

particularly underground coal mining, and the SRL

focusing on the Western mining industry, particularly

those safety hazards found in metal/nonmetal mining and

surface mining.

The reorganization of the Pittsburgh and Spokane

research laboratories resulted in the establishment of

four branches and two activities for research at PRL and

two branches and two activities for research at SRL.

SRL has an administrative support unit, while PRL has a

substantial administrative and management services

branch.

Associate Director of Mining Named

In October 1997, Robert L. Grayson, Ph.D., was

named the first permanent Associate Director of Mining.

Dr. Grayson has responsibility for activities at NIOSH’s

mining research laboratories in Pittsburgh and Spokane

and for the coordination of mining research throughout

the Institute. Prior to his appointment to NIOSH, Dr.

Grayson was professor of mining engineering at the

School of Mines and Metallurgy, University of Missouri

at Rolla. He has also served as a professor of mining

engineering at the College of Engineering and Mineral

Resources, as Dean of the College of Mineral and

Energy Sources, West Virginia University, and as chair

of the West Virginia Mine Inspectors’ Examining Board.
11

Protecting Miners’ Hearing

NIOSH researchers, in collaboration with the Mine

Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), conducted

analyses of over 42,000 hearing tests obtained from

9,000 miners. The study showed that by age 50, 49% of

the male miners had hearing impairment that affected

daily communication, as compared to 9% of the males in

the control group. This information is being used to

alert miners, mine safety professionals, and the mining

industry of the severe consequences of noise exposure

for metal/nonmetal miners, and of the need for more

diligent efforts to minimize exposures.

SMALL BUSINESS

Metal-Working Fluids in Small Businesses

Metal-working fluids (MWFs) is a generic term

which applies to fluids used for cooling, flushing, and

lubricating metal parts and tools during metal

machining. An estimated 1.2 million workers in the

United States are potentially exposed to MWFs.

Exposure to MWFs has been strongly associated with

dermatitis and nonmalignant respiratory health effects

including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, airways

irritation, and chronic bronchitis.

NIOSH and OSHA signed an interagency agreement

beginning in FY 1997 to characterize MWF exposures in

small businesses. Field investigations were completed in

California, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Oregon, and

Washington. The collected data will be used by OSHA

to help determine the need to regulate occupational

exposures to MWFs and to help determine industry-wide

needs for future evaluation and control of MWFs.

NIOSH is also investigating the microbial component of

MWFs, the selection of air cleaners to control MWF

mist exposures, and a procedure to separate MWFs from

other components that may be present.

Reducing Hazards in the Dry-Cleaning Industry

There are between 30,000 and 40,000 dry-cleaning

establishments and 250,000 workers employed in

dry-cleaning in the United States. Seventy percent of the

shops have ten or fewer employees. Perchloroethylene,

used by approximately 90% of U.S. shops, is a known

animal carcinogen and a suspected human carcinogen.

NIOSH investigators evaluated available technology to

control worker exposure to this substance. In addition to

evaluating state-of-the-art machines, NIOSH

investigators evaluated the effectiveness of retrofitting

controls on older equipment. These studies are

important because there is a tremendous impact on the

community via exposures to perchloroethylene

occupationally, environmentally, and even in the home.

Each year in the U.S. there are about 1,500

perchloroethylene dry-cleaning machines sold, and 80%

of those machines are equipped with older technology

that causes extremely high worker exposures. NIOSH’s

control technology/intervention research has shown that

state-of-the-art dry-cleaning machines can substantially

reduce these high exposures. NIOSH has produced

seven Hazard Control documents to provide drycleaning shop owners with information concerning

effective, low-cost control options to reduce worker

exposures.
12
13

STRATEGIC GOAL 2

Develop a system of surveillance for major occupational illnesses, injuries, and health hazards.

SURVEILLANCE

Monitoring Fatal Injuries

NIOSH conducts Fatality Assessment and Control

Evaluation (FACE) investigations to understand factors

that contribute to or cause deaths from work injuries.

During FY 1997, the FACE program conducted field

investigations of work-related fatalities in three primary

targeted areas: falls from elevations, machine-related

injuries, and logging injuries. The goal of the NIOSH

FACE program is to prevent fatal work injuries by

identifying work situations at high risk for fatal injury

and to formulate prevention strategies. During FY 1997,

NIOSH conducted 20 FACE investigations in nine states

(Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, New York,

Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, West

Virginia). Through scientific research and analyses,

recommendations are developed based on FACE

investigations to alert employers, workers, safety and

health professionals, and other government agencies to

potentially hazardous situations that could lead to fatal

injury.

A second surveillance system, the National

Traumatic Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) surveillance

system, allows NIOSH to determine the causes and

nature of workplace deaths occurring from traumatic

injury. NTOF data analyzed in FY 1997 indicate that

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Number of Fatalities

North Carolina

South Carolina

Virginia

Pennsylvania

Texas

New York

Kentucky

Indiana

West Virginia

7

3

3

2

1

1

1

1

1

FACE INVESTIGATIONS by

STATE of OCCURRENCE 1997

during the 14-year period from 1980 to 1993, 82,696

workers died as a result of injuries sustained at work, a

reduction, over this time period, of 45% in the annual

rate of work-related deaths.

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93

Rate per 100,000 Workers

Year

RATE of TRAUMATIC OCCUPATIONAL FATALITIES by YEAR, 1980-1993
14

NTOF data further indicate that for the most recent

ten years of data, 1984-1993, the states with the greatest

number (rather than rate) of fatal occupational injuries

were California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, and

Pennsylvania respectively. The states with the highest

rates include: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Mississippi, West

Virginia, and Wyoming.

Workers Still at High Risk for Lead Exposures

Lead exposure has been recognized as an

occupational problem since ancient times. Although

there have been indications of a decreasing trend among

adults since 1993, elevated blood lead levels (BLLs)

continued to be a significant problem for workers in

1997. Elevated BLLs can cause anemia, nervous

system, gastrointestinal, and reproductive disorders, and

may also affect children and spouses if lead is carried

home on clothing or other articles from the workplace.

NIOSH directs the Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and

Surveillance (ABLES) Program as a means of

identifying and preventing cases of elevated BLLs (those

above 25 μg/dL).

In FY 1997, ABLES programs were operating in 27

States and an additional 10 States not involved with the

ABLES program either had adult lead surveillance

capability or were in the process of developing that

capability. During 1996, 25 States reported 12,672

adults with blood lead levels equal to or greater than 25

μg/dL through this surveillance system. Of these

individuals, 751 (5.9%) had BLLs above 50 μg/dL, the

level at which OSHA requires medical removal from the

workplace. Surveillance activities enable States to target

intervention efforts to workplaces in need of control

technology, education, or other intervention activities,

including the prevention of take-home lead exposures to

children and spouses.

Monitoring States for Worker Health and Safety

NIOSH supports a network of surveillance systems

(referred to as SENSOR--Sentinel Event Notification for

Occupational Risks) that are operated by thirteen state

agencies across the country. Through cooperative

agreements with NIOSH, these state agencies conduct

surveillance of targeted occupational safety and health

conditions and provide follow-up investigations,

technical assistance, or intervention demonstrations at

work sites where problems are identified. During FY

1997, NIOSH awarded $2.1 million to 13 States for

surveillance of the following nine conditions:

amputations, asthma, burns, carpal tunnel syndrome,

dermatitis, injuries in children, noise-induced hearing

loss, the health effects of pesticide exposure, and

silicosis.

Very high (>9.5)

High (7.3-9.5)

high (4.9-7.2)

low (2.6-4.8)

Low (<2.6)

Rate per 100,000 Workers

5426

685

685

880

1142 252

426

997

269

312

605

1173

5930

2376

1542

651

1071

2545

1098

1883

1475

450 257

319

472

531

949

687

753

1088

842

1030 1236 1897

3479

917

1637

1513

1264

1361

655

216

127

149

613 132

206

963

655

130

146

District of Columbia

NUMBER and AVERAGE ANNUAL RATE of

TRAUMATIC OCCUPATIONAL FATALITIES by STATE, 1984-1993
15

In FY 1997 SENSOR data on carbon monoxide

(CO) poisonings resulted in the publication of a NIOSH

CO Alert. The Alert, addressing CO poisonings from

small gasoline-powered engines, was a collaborative

effort of NIOSH, OSHA, USEPA, and the Consumer

Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Tracking Nonfatal Injuries in Hospital Emergency

Rooms

Using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance

System (NEISS), NIOSH collaborates with the

Consumer Product Safety Commission to conduct

national surveillance of nonfatal occupational injuries.

This surveillance system provides national data for all

nonfatal occupational injuries for workers treated in

hospital emergency departments. NIOSH estimated that

during the 2-year period, from October 1995 through

September 1997, 6.7 million workers came to hospital

emergency departments for medical care due to an

occupational injury. According to a separate database,

the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

(NHAMCS) of 1996, it was estimated that 12% of all

injury visits to hospital emergency departments were

work-related. This is considered to be a conservative

estimate, however, because the occupational status of

more than one-quarter of the cases was unknown.

Pesticides

Pesticides

Pesticides

Burns

Silicosis

Amputations

Child Injury

Asthma

Silicosis

Noise/Hearing Loss

Asthma

CTS

Asthma

Pesticides

Dermatitis

Pesticides

Dermatitis

Burns

SENSOR (SENTINEL EVENT NOTIFICATION for OCCUPATIONAL RISKS)

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FY 97

Total 13 states with $2,114,301 in Cooperative Agreements

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0

Age Groups

Thousands

12-17 18-24 25-34 45-54 55-64 65+

NONFATAL

OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES

Treated in U.S. Hospital Emergency Departments

6.7 Million Injuries: October 1995 - September 1997
16
17

Increase occupational disease and injury prevention activities through workplace evaluations, interventions, and

recommendations.

STRATEGIC GOAL 3

NIOSH is in a unique position to improve the lives

of American workers through prevention policy,

research, and the translation of scientific findings. There

are four main avenues by which NIOSH engages in

prevention activities--health hazard evaluations,

intervention studies, control technology studies, and

recommendations to external partners to promote healthy

and safe workplaces.

HEALTH HAZARD

EVALUATIONS

During FY 1997, NIOSH conducted 335 health

hazard evaluations, at the request of employers,

employees, and federal, state, and local agencies, to

examine potential hazards in the workplace. To fully

investigate these situations, NIOSH assembles multidisciplinary teams that include physicians, industrial

hygienists, engineers, and other safety and health

professionals to conduct the evaluations. Once the

evaluations are complete, the findings and

recommendations, which are non-regulatory, are

provided to management, labor, and other interested

parties. These on-site visits encompass every

conceivable industry--from school rooms to auto

factories, and from hospitals to chemical manufacturers.

Topics investigated by the health hazard evaluation

program in FY 1997 included studies of exposures to a

suspected human carcinogen among automotive workers

in Marion, Indiana; lead exposures among workers at a

lead-acid battery manufacturing plant in San Antonio,

Texas; reports of headaches, discomfort, and irritability

among operating room personnel wearing surgical

isolation suits at a Cincinnati, Ohio orthopaedic center;

and occurrences of respiratory distress among employees

at a cement company in Union Bridge, Maryland.

CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES

Reengineering Ink Formulas and Improving Air

Flow for Printers at Risk

At a vinyl printing shop in Cincinnati, Ohio, NIOSH

scientists used innovative techniques to reduce solvent

exposures. At the shop, which specializes in printing

shower curtains, the existing controls were both

expensive and ineffective at protecting workers from

breathing in solvents. The first control suggested by

NIOSH was a system for enclosing the silk screen

process, thus containing the solvent vapors without

interfering with completion of the task. The second

control put in place was a new set of inks developed by

NIOSH. When using the reformulated ink with

increased ventilation rates, workplace concentrations

dropped to approximately 10% of those normally

experienced. The techniques employed by NIOSH

eliminated the use of hazardous chemicals, reduced

employee exposures by 90%, and reduced exhaust of

hazardous chemicals to the surrounding community.

Developing Engineering Controls to Reduce

Occupational Exposure to Asphalt Fumes

NIOSH worked with equipment manufacturers to

develop, test, and deploy engineering controls for

highway-class asphalt paving equipment. The

engineering controls are designed to reduce occupational

exposure to asphalt fumes during the paving process.

This collaboration resulted in the signing of a voluntary

agreement between OSHA and the paving equipment

manufacturers to incorporate engineering controls on all

highway-class paving equipment manufactured after

July 1, 1997.
18

Partnering of Manufacturers to Make Washing

Machines Ergonomically Friendly

NIOSH researchers collaborated with process

engineers at an appliance manufacturing facility in

Webster City, Iowa to design a new washing machine

manufacturing line that falls within ergonomic

guidelines. The purpose is to reduce/eliminate

musculoskeletal injuries occurring to workers during the

manufacturing process. The engineering control

findings will be transmitted to the rest of the industry

through the Association of Home Appliance

Manufacturers and two industry trade journals, enabling

plant engineers to implement the controls in other

facilities. A parallel effort at this facility involved a

longitudinal musculoskeletal epidemiology study to

examine associations between workplace ergonomic and

psychosocial stressors and disorders of the

musculoskeletal system.

RECOMMENDATIONS

NIOSH Alert: Preventing Allergic Reactions to

Natural Rubber Latex in the Workplace

The health care industry employs 7.7 million

workers. The prevalence of latex allergy among this

group has been estimated to be between 8 and 12%. The

NIOSH Latex Alert highlighted the potential for serious

allergic reactions to latex and provided

recommendations for minimizing latex-related health

problems. In FY 1997, NIOSH distributed more than

100,000 copies of this document to hospitals, health care

clinics, nursing homes, and dental offices. Informed

employers and workers will be taking steps to prevent

unnecessary exposure to natural rubber latex products.

NIOSH Technical Document: Engineering Control

Guidelines for Hot Mix Asphalt Pavers

The production of this document was the result of an

ongoing partnership between NIOSH and other federal

agencies, various paver manufacturers, and national

asphalt groups. The asphalt document presents

guidelines for implementing engineering controls that

reduce highway asphalt fumes at the source. Using these

guidelines, OSHA signed a Voluntary Agreement with

the paving equipment manufacturers to incorporate

engineering controls on all highway-class paving

equipment manufactured after July 1, 1997. More than

14,000 copies of this document were disseminated in FY

1997. Approximately 300,000 U.S. workers are

potentially exposed to asphalt fumes during highway,

road, street, and sidewalk construction. Use of

recommendations in this document will make the

workplace safer for these workers.

Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards

In June of 1997, NIOSH published a new edition of

the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, one of

the most popular documents published by the

Government Printing Office (GPO). The NIOSH Pocket

Guide is widely used by industry, labor and government

as a favorite source of reliable information on chemical

hazards and appropriate safeguards. The initial

distribution plan calls for NIOSH to distribute 41,000

copies, and the National Technical Information Service

(NTIS) and GPO, combined, to distribute 100,000.

NIOSH copies are already in short supply.

NIOSH Technical Document: Control of Health and

Safety Hazards in Commercial Drycleaners

This essential reference on safety and health in the

drycleaning industry represents the efforts of NIOSH

researchers in collaboration with industry, labor, and

other government organizations. The document presents

research findings and hazard control measures to

regulatory agencies and owners of drycleaning shops.

The document helps provide a safe and healthful

working environment for workers in the drycleaning

industry by describing the most effective control

technologies and procedures for reducing occupational

exposures to perchloroethylene (PERC) and for

controlling exposures to spotting chemicals, to fire, and

to ergonomic hazards.
19

Provide workers, employers, the public, and the occupational safety and health community with information,

training, and capacity to prevent occupational diseases and injuries.

STRATEGIC GOAL 4

INFORMATION

Health Communication Offices

Occupational safety and health information

translation and dissemination occurs primarily through

the Office of Health Communication, located in

Washington, DC, and the Education and Information

Division in Cincinnati, Ohio. A third branch, focusing

on health communication research, is part of the Health

Effects Laboratory Division in Morgantown, West

Virginia, which opened in October 1996. Health

communication activities at NIOSH ensure optimal

translation of science and dissemination to prevention

partners.

Publications

During FY 1997, NIOSH was involved in numerous

activities relating to the dissemination of occupational

safety and health information. These activities included

the publication of four technical documents, 11 Hazard

Controls, one Hazard Identification document, and three

Alerts. In addition to these NIOSH documents, NIOSH

scientists published nearly 300 journal articles and 125

book chapters and proceedings in the scientific literature.

For a complete listing of NIOSH publications, please

refer to the NIOSH home page (http://www.cdc.gov/

niosh).

CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports

(MMWR)

CDC publishes new and emerging public health

findings weekly in the MMWR which is distributed to

the general public health community, particularly those

in state and local health departments. During FY 1997,

NIOSH published the following in MMWR: 13 articles

on topics including lung diseases and agriculture-related

injuries; four quarterly reports of adult blood lead levels;

a reprint of an article on occupational liver cancer; a

surveillance summary on silicosis; and an announcement

of available surveillance information from the NIOSH

Report on Work-Related Lung Diseases.

Heavy Demand for Documents Addressing

Musculoskeletal Disorders

NIOSH developed two documents in FY 1997 to

further the science and understanding of the relationship

between work and musculoskeletal disorders.

Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Workplace: A

Critical Review of Epidemiological Evidence for WorkRelated Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Neck, Upper

Extremity, and Low Back establishes the scientific basis

for the association between known risk factors in the

workplace and musculoskeletal disorders. The second

document, Elements of Ergonomic Programs: A Primer

Based on Workplace Evaluations of Musculoskeletal

Disorders gives practical solutions for controlling

musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace.

Approximately 20,000 copies of this document were

requested by occupational safety and health

professionals and the labor and business communities.

Worker-Friendly NIOSH Educational Documents

NIOSH scientists and health communication

specialists collaborated to produce several non-technical,

easy-to-read pamphlets for distribution to workers. The

educational document, Plain Language About Shiftwork,

was developed to provide general information on safety

and health problems associated with shiftwork and

demanding work schedules. Written in plain language,

the document defines shiftwork and describes

occupations that use shift schedules. A second

document, Alternative Keyboards, assists people

interested in purchasing keyboards of differing design.

It provides information about common alternative

keyboard designs and their effect on work posture.

Finally, Reduce Contamination at Home, is a document
20

designed to address the potential problem of workers

unknowingly carrying hazardous substances into the

home from work on their clothes, bodies, tools, and

other items.

Increased Use of NIOSH 800-Number Service

The NIOSH toll-free 800-number is a service that

provides technical assistance to workers, employers, and

safety and health professionals. No comparable service

exists in the U.S. The 800-number served more than

97,000 callers during FY 1997 (approximately 266 calls

per day), a 16% increase over FY 1996. In addition,

more than 21,000 fax documents were transmitted to

callers by the automated fax-on-demand function of the

800-number, a 50% increase over FY 1996. The states

with the greatest number of calls included: California,

Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Illinois, and

Florida respectively. These states accounted for more

than 40% of all calls. The most frequently requested

information was related to: chemicals and solvents,

ergonomics, respirators and respiratory effects, sampling

and analytical methods, and NIOSH databases.

Call: 1-800-35-NIOSH (64674)

NIOSH 800-Number Saves Lives

In January 1997, a safety manager at a liquid bulk

storage terminal in South Carolina called the NIOSH

800-number to confirm that organic vapor respirators

were adequate to protect his workers from exposures to

hydrogen sulfide. A NIOSH expert warned the safety

manager that these types of respirators were not

sufficient and that exposures could be lethal. Checking

with the safety manager the following day, NIOSH staff

found that in place of workers, a remote-operated video

was used to complete the task. Had NIOSH not been

consulted, workers might have died.

NIOSH Home Page

The NIOSH Home Page provides public access to

NIOSH research and documents and provides links to

other occupational safety and health home pages. The

Home Page contains the full text of NIOSH Alerts,

criteria documents, current intelligence bulletins, hazard

controls, updates, and other NIOSH publications. Also

included is information regarding the National

Occupational Research Agenda, upcoming NIOSH

meetings and events, NIOSH grants activities, training

opportunities, the NIOSH state profiles, and the NIOSH

Strategic Plan. Presently, more than 7,000 pages of

information are available on the NIOSH Home Page

(http://www.cdc.gov/niosh).

NIOSH Documents Available on CD-ROM

NIOSH generated three major CD-ROM products

during FY 1997. The NIOSH Criteria Documents Plus

CD-ROM contains the full text of all NIOSH criteria

documents, Alerts, and current intelligence bulletins in a

searchable format. The second CD-ROM product,

Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) CD-ROM, contains

the full text of 505 HHE formal final reports completed

between 1990-1996. The third CD-ROM product, the

1997 Edition of the National Ag Safety Disc (NASD),

contains a collection of more than 2,300 agricultural

health and safety publications, video abstracts, slides,

safety training modules, posters, and regulatory

information from state, federal, and national

organizations.

TRAINING

Training Activities

The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires

NIOSH to assure that an adequate supply of qualified

personnel are available to carry out the mandates of the

Act. Since 1971, NIOSH training programs have

provided support for the majority of occupational safety

and health professionals trained in the U.S. Much of the

training that NIOSH provides takes place in universities

throughout the country and is administered via 15

Education and Research Centers and 40 Training Project

Grants. This program, modest compared to other health

professional training programs, is invaluable because it

enables universities to provide occupational safety and

health training to health professionals.

Education and Research Centers (ERCs)

Currently NIOSH provides partial funding for

university programs at 15 ERCs in 14 states with a total

budget of $9.2 million. These centers provide training

and other resources for professionals in industry, labor,

government, and academia. The number of graduate

students enrolled in ERCs during the 1995-96 school

year (the latest year for which data are available) was

1,099 and the number of academic graduates was 376 for

the same school year. In FY 1997, NIOSH added a new
21

Center at the College of Public Health, University of

South Florida at Tampa, to serve the Southeast region of

the country. Like other ERCs it will also provide

research training and continuing education. In addition

to outreach in their regions, the ERCs trained 37,000

students in continuing education programs. The Office

of the Inspector General reviewed the NIOSH ERC

program and found that 82% of the individuals trained

went on to pursue careers in occupational safety and

health.

Training Project Grants (TPGs)

NIOSH training project grants (TPGs) are grants

awarded to universities in 26 states to fund projects and

project activities in the area of occupational safety and

health. In FY 1997, NIOSH spent $2.8 million on 38

single-discipline TPGs that provide training in

occupational medicine and nursing, safety engineering,

industrial hygiene, marine safety, construction safety,

physician assistance, health promotion, and ergonomics,

and two lead based paint abatement projects. In the

academic year 1995-96, NIOSH-supported programs

graduated 360 occupational safety and health

professionals and provided training for 1,512 students.

Vocational Education Safety and Health Training

Curricula

In FY 1997, NIOSH hosted two meetings of national

vocational educators and occupational safety and health

professionals to solicit input for NIOSH’s vocational

education safety and health initiative. This initiative is a

large-scale effort to incorporate occupational safety and

health information into the nation’s vocational education

system. As part of the initiative, training modules

pertinent to occupational safety and health practices for

vocational education are being developed. These

modules are being completed through agreements with

universities and vocational educational associations.

NIOSH sponsored two $1,000 awards for high

schools participating in an Occupational Safety and

Health Skills Competition at the 1997 Annual Skill

U.S.A. Championships of the Vocational Industrial

Clubs of America. The awards were presented to the top

two schools submitting projects in the area of

occupational safety and health.

Training Budget: $12,898,000

15 ERCs in 14 States

40 TPGs in 26 States including Puerto Rico

TRAINING PROJECT GRANTS and

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE CENTERS FY97
22

CAPACITY BUILDING

Helping Flood Victims

The flooding of the Ohio River in March 1997

caused extensive damage and loss in Ohio and northern

Kentucky. Researchers from NIOSH were dispatched to

Lexington, Kentucky, to work with Kentucky State

health officials and ensure the safety of workers

involved with the rescue, clean-up, and reconstruction

operations. As part of this effort, NIOSH staff worked

closely with state health departments and the regional

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In

addition, approximately 20,000 copies of the NIOSH

Flood Update were distributed to sheriff’s offices, fire

departments, health departments, and local and county

government offices in areas affected by the flooding. By

creating a front page spotlight item (icon above) for the

hazards associated with flood clean-up work, the NIOSH

Home Page significantly increased its national visibility.

The NIOSH Home Page became a hotlink to several

other emergency information websites, including

FEMA, the American Red Cross, and OSHA.

Preventing Take-Home-Toxins

The Health Effects Laboratory Division led a

creative health information outreach project at a

machining plant in Alabama designed to protect

employees and their families from exposure to beryllium

dust. Workers can unknowingly transfer occupational

toxins to their homes and family members if practical

safeguards are not followed. Using customized

presentations and materials designed in a user-friendly

format, the importance of safeguards in preventing the

unintentional contamination of workers’ cars and homes

with beryllium dust was emphasized.

Occupational Safety and Health in Mining

Communities

Both the Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (PRL) and

the Spokane Research Laboratory (SRL) participated in

educational and community functions to teach members

of the community about mine safety and health issues in

FY 1997. The Silver Kid Mine at SRL is a mock-up

demonstration mine used to educate children about the

importance of mining, the dangers associated with

mining and milling processes and the dangers associated

with entering abandoned mines. While touring the

Silver Kid, children are given the opportunity to wear

and handle mine safety equipment, such as safety

glasses, hard hats, self-rescuers, mine lamps, and steeltoed boots. Each year the PRL holds an open house for

individuals interested in mine safety and health.

Typically, 1000 to 2000 people attend. Additionally, the

experimental mines at PRL are popular sites for school

field trips.
23

CONCLUSION

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health (NIOSH) continues to be committed to reducing

work-related disease, injury, and death. In FY 1997, the

Institute’s research programs resulted in significant

research findings, development of new technology, and

the issuance of recommendations to increase the

prevention of occupational disease and injury. Through

the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA),

NIOSH continues to foster partnerships with the

occupational safety and health broader research

community, public and private. The partnerships

augment resources available for funding research in

relevant NORA priority areas.

Detailed information about all of NIOSH’s research

programs and projects is available through the Institute’s

toll free number: 1-800-35NIOSH (1-800-356-4674) or

by visiting the NIOSH web site at http://www.cdc.gov/

niosh.
Contact NIOSH at:

1-800-35-NIOSH (1-800-356-4674)

or visit the NIOSH Homepage at:

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 99-116

Delivering on the Nation’s promise:

Safety and Health at work

for all people through research

and prevention