Health Hazard 

Evaluation Program 

2019 Annual Report 

Photos by NIOSH

Ll.J':"'" HealthHazard rT1:. Evaluation Program 
International Presence

Location: Medellin, Colombia — Corporacion de Salud 

Ocupacional y Ambiental (Corporation of Occupational and 

Environmental Health) 

Topic: 1) Exposures to mercury during mining and 2) Hazardous 

noise exposures across multiple industries

Impact: Presented HHE and NIOSH work at this internationally

renowned conference — over 2,000 professionals in attendance

274 HHE Requests

& 32 Site Visits

27

Workplaces

17

States

26

Cities

approx. 25,700

Miles Traveled

-~·-·· 

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States visited 

in 2019
Outreach

HHE webpage viewed 49,804 times

HHE Reports downloaded 18,271 times

 36 New HHE reports

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205 Facebook posts

i

Reached 125,224 people

3 32,155 Page “likes”

l ) From 49 different

countries

 

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••• • • • 

67 Presentations

27 Peer-reviewed 

publications

New redesigned Occupational Medicine 

Rotation webpage viewed 2,879 times
Evaluation of Exposures to Styrene 

During Ultraviolet Cured-in-place 

Pipe Installation

Findings

• Tasks with the highest

exposure risks were grinding

cured pipe and cutting and

taping the liner.

• Levels of styrene were higher

when the manhole ventilator

blower fan was not used.

Photo by ©2020 iStock/Getty Images

Recommendations

 

 

Continue to immediately bag

excess liner material and 

contaminated gloves.

Continue to ventilate the 

manholes at all times during

tasks that could increase 

employees’ exposure.

Educate employees on potential 

hazards such as styrene exposure.

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Report work-related health and 

 safety concerns to your doctor 

and health and safety officer. 

HHE report available here: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/

pdfs/2018-0009-3334_revised032019.pdf
Evaluation of Waste Anesthetic Gas 

Exposures and Miscarriages at a 

Veterinary Hospital

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Findings

• One of six employees was

exposed to high levels 

of isoflurane.

• Seven of 34 employees reported

12 miscarriages while employed

at the veterinary hospital.

• Our evaluation could not link

the reported miscarriages to

work at the veterinary hospital. 

• Other potential

reproductive hazards

should be evaluated at

this workplace.

Photo by ©2020 iStock/Getty Images

Recommendations

Replace the passive scavenging

systems with active 

scavenging systems. 

Consult with a 

ventilation engineer. 

Consider alternatives to 

ethylene oxide sterilization.

Store misoprostol and other

drugs that pregnant women 

should not handle in separate 

areas which are well-marked. 

HHE report available here: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/

reports/pdfs/2017-0077-3336.pdf

 
Investigators Work to Improve 

Firefighter Health and Safety

Take a look at some of the firefighter related 

HHEs from 2019!

 

 

 

Evaluation of Fire Debris Cleanup and 

Employees’ Exposure to Silica, Asbestos,

Metals, and Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons 

Employee using a boot wash. Photo

by NIOSH.

Two employees working inside the lot footprint 

with no dust suppression, surrounded by dust that 

may contain silica. Photo by NIOSH. 

HHE report available here: 

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/

hhe/reports/pdfs/2018-0094

-3355.pdf

Evaluation of Rhabdomyolysis and Heat

Stroke in Structural Firefighter Cadets 

HHE report available here: https://www.cdc.gov/

niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2018-0154-3361.pdf
 

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Evaluation of Wildland Firefighters' 

Exposures to Asbestos During a 

Prescribed Burn

Firefighters using tools to construct a fire line by diggin

into the forest floor to create a break in the fuel. Photo

provided by employer.

HHE report available 

here: https://

www.cdc.gov/niosh/

hhe/reports/pdfs/2017

-0076-3352.pdf

Fire moving along the planned burn area along the fire 

line. Photo provided by employer.

Evaluation of Wildland Firefighter 

Exposures during Fuel Reduction Projects

HHE report available 

here: https://

www.cdc.gov/niosh/

hhe/reports/pdfs/2015

-0028-3330.pdf

Sawyer cuts slices from logs while the vibration is 

measured at the hand-handle interface. Photo by NIOSH. 
Evaluation of Metal and Noise Exposures 

at an Aircraft Powerplant

Parts Manufacturer

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Findings

• One of seven employees was

exposed to high levels of

airborne nickel.

• Employees were exposed to

high noise levels.

• Work practices and conditions

contributed to noise exposures.

Photo by ©2020 iStock/Getty Images

Recommendations

Reduce welders’ exposures to 

noise from compressed air. 

Include welders and welding

supervisors in the company

hearing conservation program.

Install local exhaust ventilation 

systems in the welding booths. 

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Include welders in the company

respiratory protection program.

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HHE Report available here: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/

reports/pdfs/2018-0001-3349.pdf
Evaluation of Push and Pull Forces and

Musculoskeletal Symptoms Among 

Employees at an Automobile Manufacturer

Findings

• The prototype aluminum

dolly decreased push and pull

force requirements by 48%

when fully loaded.

• Handholds were not within

recommended guidelines.

• More than half of interviewed

employees reported workrelated musculoskeletal pain.

• On average, employees

reported a moderate level

of job stress.

Photo by ©2020 iStock/Getty Images

Recommendations

Replace steel dollies with 

aluminum dollies where they

are used to transport 

panoramic roofs. 

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Require employees to use the 

provided air assist to help start 

movement of the dolly. 

Improve communication 

between managers 

and employees. 

Include team members in 

decisions regarding changes to 

work processes and procedures.

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HHE Report available here: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/

reports/pdfs/2019-0004-3363.pdf
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Indoor Environmental 

Quality (IEQ) Concerns 

In 2019, HHE investigators completed 115 remote and 

three in-person HHEs related to IEQ issues in 36 states.

General Findings

• Thousands of workers were employed

at the facilities.

• Indoor dampness and visible mold

were frequently reported.

• Common complaints included

headache and respiratory

symptoms while at work that

improved when away 

from work.

Lack of communication 

about IEQ issues between 

management and staff

occurred frequently.

Photo by ©2020 iStock/Getty Images

General Recommendations

•

Perform visual inspections to 

identify any potential sources 

of dampness or mold. 

Clean or remediate waterdamaged and mold 

contaminated materials.

Make proper repairs to prevent 

further indoor dampness and 

mold problems. 

Encourage employees to report

work-related health and safety

concerns to their doctor or 

health and safety officer. 

Visit the NIOSH IEQ page https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/

topics/indoorenv/mold.html
Coffee Roasting HHEs

In 2019, HHE investigators completed HHEs at three coffee

roasting and packaging facilities.

General Findings

• Roasted coffee is known to

emit volatile organic 

compounds and 

carbon monoxide.

• Roasting, grinding, 

flavoring, and packaging

roasted coffee are sources

of diacetyl and

2,3-pentanedione exposure.

• Employees commonly 

reported eye and nose

symptoms. These symptoms

were sometimes caused or

aggravated by coffee dust.

Photo by ©2020 iStock/Getty Images

General Recommendations

• Use local exhaust ventilation to remove diacetyl and

2,3-pentanedione where they are produced or released.

• Consult a qualified ventilation engineer.

• Enclose and automate processes as much as possible.

Reports available here:

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2016-0164-3341.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2018-0071-3342.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2016-0109-3343.pdf

Visit the NIOSH Coffee Roasting and Packaging Facilities page

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/flavorings/intervenions.html
New Specialty Publications

New Workplace Solutions document: 

 Preventing Occupational Exposure to Legionella

View online: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2019-131/

I From the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

Preventing Occupational Exposure 

to Legionella 

New Scientific Journal Article: 

 American Journal of Industrial Medicine - “Severe lung 

disease characterized by lymphocytic bronchiolitis, alveolar

ductitis, and emphysema (BADE) in industrial machine‐

manufacturing workers” 

View online: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23038

Rece ived: 20 June 2019 I Revised: 25 July 2019 I Accepted: 1 August 2019 

001: 10.1002/ ajim.23038 

RESEARCH ARTICLE IH.lfllIII WI LEY 

Severe lung disease characterized by lymphocytic 

bronchiolitis, alveolar ductitis, and emphysema (BADE) in 

industrial machine-manufacturing workers 
.. HealthHazard® - Evaluation Program 

-Our MissionThe 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 healthier workplaces.

cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/

D 

HHERequestHelp@cdc.gov

Facebook.com/

health.hazard.evaluation.program/

1-513-841-4382

Monday—Friday

9 a.m. — 4:30 p.m. EST

NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Program

1090 Tusculum Ave, Mail Stop R-9

Cincinnati, OH 45226-1998