EVALUATION OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENTS’ POTENTIAL
EXPOSURES DURING A RAID OF A
CLANDESTINE “SPICE” LAB

Spice labs manufacture chemical mixtures
that produce cannabis-like highs ‘A designer synthetic cannabinoid.

Photo by G.W. Pomeroy

Looked for AB-PINACA (a
synthetic cannabinoid) and Examined personal
mitragynine (a plant material 2) protective equipment use

WHATWE DID fy

with opium-like effects) in:

ents’ urine before and

Surveyed agents about
ate xrmd peo hinesiin aris
© Surface wipe samples in the related symptoms
spice lab and agency office
a cams Checked the ventilation
@Air pauls during the raid system at the agency office
and at the agency office for evidence processing

WHAT WE FOUND

© 6 agents had AB-PINACA, its metabolites, @ Most agents did not wear gloves while
and mitragynine in their urine after the raid handling evidence, and the agency did not
provide hand-washing supplies for the field
@ AB-PINACA was detected on surfaces in the

spice lab © The ventilation system in the agency office

. . . . was not designed to control exposure to

© No airborne AB-PINACA or mitragynine was contaminated items brought in from the field
detected in the spice lab or agency office

RECOMMENDATIONS

@ Store and handle evidence in an area with separate ventilation

@ Provide disposable protective clothing for agents working in potentially contaminated areas
‘or when handling potentially contaminated items

© Provide hand-washing supplies for agents during field assignments, and have employees
wash their hands after handling potentially contaminated items, even if gloves are used

© Train agents in work practices, hygiene, and use of personal protective equipment that will
prevent exposure to potentially contaminated items


back Program

Our Follow

After an evaluation, we follow up with the workplace to see how
we did and learn how things changed in the workplace. We do
this through mailed surveys, phone calls, and return visits.
Here's what some people had to say:

"Everyone at this worksite — both union and management
— was impressed with the professionalism, knowledge,
and cooperation of the NIOSH team. This is a tremendous
service to workers, employers, and taxpayers. Thank you
for the opportunity to work with NIOSH."

-Union representative

“The team was exceptionally knowledgeable and explained
all processes in detail. Taking the time to ensure our
personnel understood what was completed and why. The
followup was exceptional and we are working to
implement the recommendations.”

-Management representative

"The final result was excellent. It even improved labor-
management relations. Management learned that
employees who are healthy get more done.”

-Union representative


Allison Tepper (left) and Jennifer Tyrawski (right) with U.S.
‘Surgeon General Vivek Murthy (middle); Photo by Chris Smith

Out of 82 applications, Jennifer Tyrawski and Allison Tepper were
accepted into the Ignite Accelerator Program, a Department of
Health and Human Services (DHHS) innovation program designed

to help programs improve their work.

‘They received human-centered design training and coaching from
Ignite Accelerator staff and University of Maryland faculty.

aah

‘Their project focused
on answering the
following question:
how can we best

hrough interviews, the | ‘The HHE team developed
HHE team found the Project CURE: Clear, Useful
type and amount of Reports for Everyone.

information these Project CURE

communicate audiences need varies. having 2 main
technical health and For some, the current HHE reports: the 1st
safety information in report is too technical includes the information

HHE reports to a

and the most useful that everyone wants, in an
diverse audience?

information is buried | easy-to-understand format.
deep within the report. The 2nd contains additional
information that only
some readers need.

At HHS Innovation Day on July 14th, Project CURE won
an Innovation Award, as one of the top 4 projects from
the Ignite Accelerator Program.


Sonja Rasmussen (left), DPHID director, presents Kendra Broadwater (right) with
the 2016 CDC Technology Challenge award. Photo by: Khongbeng Lue Xiong

Kendra Broadwater and Eric Glassford, industrial hygienists with the
HHE Program, won the first ever CDC Technology Challenge.

Hosted by the CDC’s Informatics Innovation Unit (ITU), the competition
focused on solving public health problems with innovative uses of technology.

R Lt

‘The HHE Program ‘The HHE team Out of 61 applications,
currently mails personal | proposed delivering | our proje the grand
sampling and medical this information | prize winner. The IIU will
test results to workers. | electronically through | build the proposed web-
Wewanted aquick, | a secure and private based tool with an
efficient way to get web-based system. _ expected completion date
people their information 7 of August 2017.

wherever they are,


EVALUATION OF IMPACT AND CONTINUOUS NOISE
EXPOSURE, HEARING Loss, HEAT STRESS, AND WHOLE
BobDy VIBRATION AT A HAMMER FORGE COMPANY

WHATWEDID

v

Measured employees’ noise
exposure

Measured impact noise levels and
noise frequencies at forge hammers,
upset press, shear, and grinder

Evaluated effectiveness of
hearing protectors

Analyzed previous hearing
test results

¥ Assessed heat stress

v
¥

Interviewed employees about noise
exposures, hearing loss, and heat stress

Measured whole body vibration at the
hammers and hand-arm vibration at
the grinders

WHAT WE FOUND

47 Noiselevels were very high

4g (Gometimes over 100 decibels) and
a 2 caused by metal-to-metal contact,

compressed air, equipment

vibration, and grinders

148 The peak sound pressure level

reached during hammer strikes
(NIOSH recommended ceiling
limit is 140 decibels)

Hammer, trim press, and heater

operators had noise exposures
al

ove 100 decibels (well over
noise exposure limits)

Many employees had hearing loss and
some had permanent ringing in their ears

Hearing loss worsened with length of
time on job and age

iT

Some employees did not wear hearing
protection properly

Whole body and hand-arm vibration
levels were above recommended
guidelines and limits

Exposure to heat stress was below
exposure limits

RECOMMENDATIONS

@ Reduce metal-to-metal contact and maintain @ Test employees’ earine prsteston to make

equipment to lower noise levels

@ Require employees who work in the noisiest
areas to wear ear plugs and earmuffs

@ Improve training on how to use hearing
protection and make sure employees wear
protection properly

sure it fits well and works properly

@ Install vibration isolation pads or mats on.
the hammer work platforms

@ Advise employees to report any hearing
problems or problems from vibration
exposure to their doctor


HH HealthHazard
Evaluation Program

2016 |
Annual Report | %



~ HealthHazard

Evaluation Program

The mission of the NIOSH Health Hazard
Evaluation Program is to respond to requests
from employees, employers, and union
representatives to evaluate potential health
hazards in their workplace. These evaluations
are done at no cost to the requestor. Once the
evaluation is complete, recommendations
are made on ways to reduce or eliminate
identified hazards. Health Hazard
Evaluations can help reduce hazards and
create more healthful workplaces.

ba

ede.gov/niosh/hhe/ HHERequestHelp@cde.gov
facebook.com/health.hazard. 1-513-841-4382
evaluation.program/ Monday—Friday
9 a.m. — 4:30 p.m. EST
TM

NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Program
1090 Tusculum Ave, Mail Stop R-9
Cincinnati, OH 45226-1988


ZIKA
RESPONSE

2016

Photo by James Gathany

Four member ofthe HHE Program were deployed to help with CDC's Zia response in

2016. They used their HHE

ills and experience to provide vital assistance to the

emergency response, and the lessons they learned will help them in their work.

AMERICAN
SAMOA

PUERTO
RICO

U.S. VIRGIN
ISLANDS

"In my clinical outreach role, I worked with the island’s
healthcare providers at all of the clinical sites. I gave training on
the basies of Zika and the CDC guidelines for testing and
management of infants born to Zika positive mothers and helped
set up the protocols. I drew upon my infectious diseases expertise,
my clinical experience, and my risk communication skills that
have been so valuable to me in my HHE work."

-Marie de Perio

"When public health professionals are deployed to field locations
during emergencies, they are confonted with new health and
safety challenges in addition to doing important work in high-
stress situations. As the field safety officer, I supported CDC staff
by orienting them to their temporary work location, providing
important health and safety information and resources, and
maintaining situational awareness. I realized how valuable our
work was when I saw firsthand how the support we provided
helped deployers be more effective in their role in the emergency."

-Kendra Broadwater

"I spent 29 days offering interview and focus group training and
support to local Department of Health staff. Our mission was to
gather community member perspectives about the Zika virus and
various vector control strategies, so that this information could
inform decision making about how best to protect the public from
the Zika virus. My experience in conducting many confidential
medical interviews and focus groups in my role in the HHE
Program prepared me well to address the challenges of this
mission while establishing a positive working relationship with
our CDC partners in the USVI." -Douglas Wiegand


EVALUATION OF STYRENE AND DUST EXPOSURES AND
HEALTH EFFECTS DURING FIBERGLASS-REINFORCED
WIND TURBINE BLADE MANUFACTURING

WHATWEDID WIND TURBINES
ff Took air samples for
styrene, dust, and xylene

Sui

yed employees about
th

alth and work history

Y itemise icaties

Tested employees! urine for
styrene exposure

Photo by United States Department of Energy

WHAT WE FOUND

Or vV@eO @

Styrene Sanding and —_Urinestyrene Color blindness was Employees with
concentrations in grinding levels were much more common in_ higher long-term
the air were above departmentshad below employees thaninthe exposure to
exposure limits airborne dust exposure general population, _ styrene had more
inthe blade cut concentrations limits and panies with chest symptoms
and trim area much greater than higher styrene and lower
exposure limits exposure on testing lung function
day had more contrast problems

vision problems

RECOMMENDATIONS

©@ Limit the need for work that generates @ Offer color and contrast vision testing and
styrene and dust exposures Wy improving annual lung function testing to employees
mold designs and the blade closing process

s ys : © Use signs in the workplace that employees
@ Use sanding and srinding tools with exhaust ith color and contrast deficiencies can see
ventilation shrouds that conform more
closely to the shape of the blade surface © Store respirators so they do not get
crushed, misshaped, or contaminated
with dust


EVALUATION OF CRYSTALLINE SILICA EXPOSURE
DURING FABRICATION OF NATURAL AND
ENGINEERED STONE COUNTERTOPS

WHAT WE DID
v eae | v EEN ues Vv Examined
crystalline silica about eir Wor! ventilation systems
LM intheair =. and health u

WHAT WE FOUND

Employees using Employees working in
grinders with diamond material handling and
wheels had the lamination were
high s exposed to crystalline
erystallii silica levels below OSHA
(above OSHA Timits) limits but above other

Photo by NIOSH

recommended limits

Employees reported

shortness of breath,

chest pain, and loss
of appetite

Some employees
incorrectly used their
personal protective
equipment

RECOMMENDATIONS

@ Use a dust collector and enclosure that captures silica when using the grinders
with diamond cup wheels

© Use local exhaust ventilation for cutting, grinding, and polishing tasks in
addition to wet cut methods.

© Maintain the ventilation systems to ensure that they work properly, filters are
changed regularly, and ductwork is not damaged or broken

© Develop a medical surveillance program for employees exposed to silica

© Review employee training on the proper use of personal protective equipment


Outreach

http://| HHE website viewed 65,329 times

19 New HHE Reports
A038 downloaded

Re 23,845 times

Ll 823 Downloads of lead and noise databases

Reached 480,126 people

re, 28,659 Page "likes"
Ly From 49 different

countries



247 HHE Requests

Shhh eee Most requests came from
she eeeeeee private sector businesses
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6 out of every 10 requests
were from businesses with
less than 100 employees

Public Sector Private Sector

afin >of

39 22 63,689
Workplaces _—_ States cites Miles Traveled

States
Wi visited in
2016