The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is seeking input on the progress and future direction of its Center for Motor Vehicle Safety
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Friday, August 19, 2016
Saturday, July 3, 2010
NIOSH Targets the Safety and Health of Oil Spill Workers
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) added further resources to its web page on occupational safety and health issues associated with the Deepwater Horizon Response in the Gulf of Mexico. This is an expansion of the Federal government' s plan to design an oil spill compensation fund. The new additions provide NIOSH's updated, science-based interim findings and recommendations to help protect the safety and health of Deepwater Horizon Response workers:
- “Interim Guidance for Protecting Deepwater Horizon Response Workers and Volunteers.”www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse/protecting/ This document recommends interim measures under a comprehensive approach for protecting the health and safety of the response workers in the Gulf. Recommendations will be updated as more information about exposures is collected and assessed in relationship to the incidence and prevalence of symptoms, illnesses and injuries. (Added June 25.)
- A table of respiratory protection recommendations for Deepwater Horizon Response workers – at a glance. (Added June 25.)www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse/pperecsumm.html
- “Staying Safe and Healthy on the Job” – concise tips for Deepwater Horizon Response workers, in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. (Added June 29.) www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse/dwhworkertips.html
- The first of a series of interim reports from the NIOSH health hazard evaluation of response workers. (Added June 25.)www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse/gulfspillhhe.html
- A NIOSH report of BP injury and illness data, updated as of June 30. This report is designed to provide a basic overview of illnesses and injuries reported by responders involved in the Deepwater Horizon response. It will be updated on a regular basis as new data becomes available. The data utilized to produce the report was provided to NIOSH by BP safety officials.www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse/data.html
- Also added on June 25 was a copy of a NIOSH presentation regarding the federal response to the Deepwater Horizon Response health issues, from a June 22-23 workshop by the Institute of Medicine.www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse/pdfs/IOMNIOSHPresentation.pdf
NIOSH also updated statistics from its work in developing a voluntary roster of Deepwater Horizon Response workers. With the roster, NIOSH will have a record of those who have participated in cleanup activities, and a mechanism to contact them about possible work-related symptoms of illness or injury, as needed. As of June 30, 2010, NIOSH had rostered 26,289 response workers.www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse/workerroster.html
Additional NIOSH information and resources about the Deepwater Horizon Response can be found atwww.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse/.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
NIOSH to Establish a National Workers' Compensation Data/Analysis Center
The long wait is over, the Federal government in getting into the workers' compensation data collection and analysis business. NIOSH (The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) has announced that it is entering into the arena, largely filled by the insurance industry and NISOH will establish the NIOSH Center for Workers' Compensation Studies (CWCS).
compensation data that are already being analyzed by NIOSH researchers in existing programs, such as the Economics Program, Surveillance Program, and the Center for Motor Vehicle Safety. This is important because coordinated workers’ compensation research has been conducted mostly at large commercial insurers, state-based insurers, or organizations such as the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI)
, which cannot always widely distribute their research findings.
In 2013,the NIOSH Center for Workers’ Compensation Studies (CWCS) was created to organize workers’
, which cannot always widely distribute their research findings.
We are conducting analyses across a wide range of industry sectors, including:
- Construction
- Healthcare and social assistance
- Manufacturing
- Public safety
- Services
- Mining
- Transportation
- Warehousing
- Wholesale and retail trade
The mission of the CWCS is to use workers’ compensation data to prevent and reduce the severity of workplace injuries and illnesses. We will work with public and private partners to maximize the use of their own workers’ compensation data.
Friday, September 30, 2011
How To Determine If A Substance Causes Cancer at Work
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is seeking public input to determine what substances cause cancer and at what level of occupational exposure.
"The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) intends to review its approach to classifying carcinogens and establishing recommended exposure limits (RELs) for occupational exposures to hazards associated with cancer. As part of this effort, NIOSH is requesting initial input on these issues (including answers to the 5 questions in the following section), to be submitted to the NIOSH Docket number 240, for a comment period lasting through September 22, 2011. This information will be taken under consideration and used to inform NIOSH efforts to assess and document its carcinogen policy and REL policy regarding occupational hazards associated with cancer. NIOSH has also created a new NIOSH Cancer and REL Policy Web Topic Page [see http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/cancer/policy.html] to provide additional details about this effort and progress updates."
"NIOSH is announcing a Request for Information on key issues identified and associated with the NIOSH Carcinogen and REL policies. Special emphasis will be placed on consideration of technical and scientific issues with the current NIOSH Cancer and REL Policies that require further examination including the following:Show citation box
(1) Should there explicitly be a carcinogen policy as opposed to a broader policy on toxicant identification and classification (e.g.carcinogens, reproductive hazards, neurotoxic agents)?Show citation box
(2) What evidence should form the basis for determining that substances are carcinogens? How should these criteria correspond to nomenclature and categorizations (e.g., known, reasonably anticipated,etc.)?Show citation box
(3) Should 1 in 1,000 working lifetime risk (for persons occupationally exposed) be the target level for a recommended exposure limit (REL) for carcinogens or should lower targets be considered?Show citation box
(4) In establishing NIOSH RELs, how should the phrase “to the extent feasible” (defined in the 1995 NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit Policy) be interpreted and applied?Show citation box
(5) In the absence of data, what uncertainties or assumptions areappropriate for use in the development of RELs? What is the utility of a standard ”action level” (i.e., an exposure limit set below the REL typically used to trigger risk management actions) and how should it be set? How should NIOSH address worker exposure to complex mixtures?
Public Comment Period: Comments must be received by September 22, 2011.
The concept of a compensable industrial disease has developed only recently and its acceptance has lagged far behind that of industrial accidents. The original Workers' Compensation Acts, as promulgated from the year 1911 forward by many of the states, did not provide for the recognition of occupational illness and disease as compensable events. As demands have been placed upon the medical system to treat and to prevent occupational illness, the legal system, under social, economic, and political pressure, has sought to provide a remedy for the thousands of injured workers who have suffered and who are continuing to suffer from occupational illness and disease.
"The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) intends to review its approach to classifying carcinogens and establishing recommended exposure limits (RELs) for occupational exposures to hazards associated with cancer. As part of this effort, NIOSH is requesting initial input on these issues (including answers to the 5 questions in the following section), to be submitted to the NIOSH Docket number 240, for a comment period lasting through September 22, 2011. This information will be taken under consideration and used to inform NIOSH efforts to assess and document its carcinogen policy and REL policy regarding occupational hazards associated with cancer. NIOSH has also created a new NIOSH Cancer and REL Policy Web Topic Page [see http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/cancer/policy.html] to provide additional details about this effort and progress updates."
"NIOSH is announcing a Request for Information on key issues identified and associated with the NIOSH Carcinogen and REL policies. Special emphasis will be placed on consideration of technical and scientific issues with the current NIOSH Cancer and REL Policies that require further examination including the following:Show citation box
(1) Should there explicitly be a carcinogen policy as opposed to a broader policy on toxicant identification and classification (e.g.carcinogens, reproductive hazards, neurotoxic agents)?Show citation box
(2) What evidence should form the basis for determining that substances are carcinogens? How should these criteria correspond to nomenclature and categorizations (e.g., known, reasonably anticipated,etc.)?Show citation box
(3) Should 1 in 1,000 working lifetime risk (for persons occupationally exposed) be the target level for a recommended exposure limit (REL) for carcinogens or should lower targets be considered?Show citation box
(4) In establishing NIOSH RELs, how should the phrase “to the extent feasible” (defined in the 1995 NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit Policy) be interpreted and applied?Show citation box
(5) In the absence of data, what uncertainties or assumptions areappropriate for use in the development of RELs? What is the utility of a standard ”action level” (i.e., an exposure limit set below the REL typically used to trigger risk management actions) and how should it be set? How should NIOSH address worker exposure to complex mixtures?
Public Comment Period: Comments must be received by September 22, 2011.
The concept of a compensable industrial disease has developed only recently and its acceptance has lagged far behind that of industrial accidents. The original Workers' Compensation Acts, as promulgated from the year 1911 forward by many of the states, did not provide for the recognition of occupational illness and disease as compensable events. As demands have been placed upon the medical system to treat and to prevent occupational illness, the legal system, under social, economic, and political pressure, has sought to provide a remedy for the thousands of injured workers who have suffered and who are continuing to suffer from occupational illness and disease.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Zadroga Fund Cancer Claims Info Sought by NIOSH
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number NIOSH- 227, by any of the following methods: Mail: NIOSH Docket Office, Robert A. Taft Laboratories, MS-C34, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226. Facsimile: (513) 533-8285. E-mail: nioshdocket@cdc.gov.
The Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) serves as the World Trade Center (WTC) Program Administrator for certain functions related to the WTC Health Program established by the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act (Pub. L. 111-347). In accordance with Section 3312(a)(5)(A) of that Act, the WTC Program Administrator is conducting a review of all available scientific and medical evidence to determine if, based on the scientific evidence, cancer or a certain type of cancer should be added to the applicable list of health conditions covered by the World Trade Center Health Program.
The WTC Program Administrator is requesting information on the following:
- (1) Relevant reports, publications, and case information of scientific and medical findings where exposure to airborne toxins, any other hazard, or any other adverse condition resulting from the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, is substantially likely to be a significant factor in aggravating, contributing to, or causing cancer or a type of cancer;
- (2) clinical findings from the Clinical Centers of Excellence providing monitoring and treatment services to WTC responders (i.e., those persons who performed rescue, recovery, clean- up and remediation work on the WTC disaster sites) and community members directly exposed to the dust cloud, gases and vapors on 9/11/01 and those living and working in the affected area; and
- (3) input on the scientific criteria to be used by experts to evaluate the weight of the medical and scientific evidence regarding such potential health conditions.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
WORK SCHEDULES: SHIFT WORK AND LONG WORK HOURS
A tired man, a man working in a hospital, and a taxi driver.
The International Labor Office in 2003 reports that working hours in the United States exceed Japan and most of western Europe. Both shift work and long work hours have been associated with health and safety risks. This page provides links to NIOSH publications and other resources that address demanding work schedules. NIOSHTIC-2 SearchNIOSHTIC-2 is a searchable bibliographic database of occupational safety and health publications, documents, grant reports, and journal articles supported in whole or in part by NIOSH.NIOSHTIC-2 search results on work schedules NIOSH Publications and GuidanceNIOSH DEEPWATER HORIZON RESPONSE Key Safety and Health Topics, Fatigue Preventionhttp://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse/ keytopics.html#fatigue NIOSH OSHA Interim Guidance for Protecting Deepwater Horizon Response Workers and Volunteers, Fatigue Prevention NIOSH Blog: Sleep and Work http://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2012/03/sleep-and-work/ NIOSH Blog: NIOSH Research on Work Schedules and Work-related Sleep Loss http://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2012/03/sleep/ Overtime and Extended Work Shifts: Recent Findings on Illnesses, Injuries and Health Behaviors DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-143 Presents a review of the methods... |
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Thursday, March 24, 2011
NIOSH Issues "Roadmap" Document Suggesting Asbestos Research Strategy
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announces the availability of “Current Intelligence Bulletin: Asbestos Fibers and Other Elongate Mineral Particles: State of the Science and Roadmap for Research.” The document contains NIOSH’s recommended framework for a national research strategy to address current scientific uncertainties about occupational exposure and toxicity issues relating to asbestos fibers and other elongate mineral particles.
The Current Intelligence Bulletin is available online at www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-159/.
It is well documented that asbestos fibers can cause lung cancer and other types of serious lung disease in workers when inhaled. Since the passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 1970, considerable progress has been made in preventing harmful exposures and protecting workers from risks of illness. However, many scientific uncertainties remain as to the health risks associated with exposure to other elongate mineral particles, including those with mineralogical compositions identical or similar to the asbestos minerals and those that have already been documented to cause asbestos-like disease, as well as the physical and chemical characteristics that determine toxicity.
The new NIOSH document incorporates extensive public comment and scientific peer review, including review by an independent committee of the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council. The document does not set any new NIOSH policy regarding asbestos fibers and other elongate mineral particles.
“The NIOSH roadmap outlines a strategic framework for designing, conducting, and applying the research that will best serve the need to address persistent scientific uncertainties about occupational health and elongate mineral particles,” said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. “We look forward to working with our partners to advance this research, building on today’s state-of-the-art scientific tools and methodologies.”
Priority areas for research, as proposed by the roadmap, include:
- Developing a broader understanding of the factors that determine the toxicity of asbestos fibers and other elongate mineral particles.
- Developing information and knowledge on occupational exposures to asbestos fibers and other elongate mineral particles, and related health outcomes.
- Development of improved sampling and analytical methods for asbestos fibers and other elongate mineral particles.
- Applying research outcomes to improve public policy.
NIOSH is the federal agency that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injury, illness, and death. NIOSH has a longstanding program of research and health surveillance to prevent asbestos-related disease, and its scientific findings and recommendations have contributed significantly to national policies for eliminating or minimizing harmful exposures. Further information is available at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/asbestos/.
For over 3 decades the Law Offices of Jon L. Gelman 1.973.696.7900 jon@gelmans.com have been representing injured workers and their families who have suffered asbestos related disease.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Now Available On-Line: Complete Letter Report On Incorporating Occupational Information in Electronic Health Records
Incorporating Occupational Information in Electronic Health Records: Letter Report
The National Academies Press
The National Academies Press (NAP) was created by the National Academies to publish the reports issued by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council, all operating under a charter granted by the Congress of the United States. The NAP publishes more than 200 books a year on a wide range of topics in science, engineering, and health, capturing the most authoritative views on important issues in science and health policy. The institutions represented by the NAP are unique in that they attract the nation’s leading experts in every field to serve on their award-wining panels and committees. The nation turns to the work of NAP for definitive information on everything from space science to animal nutrition.Author:
David H. Wegman, Catharyn T. Liverman, Andrea M. Schultz, and Larisa M. Strawbridge, Editors; Committee on Occupational Information and Electronic Health Records; Institute of Medicine
84 pages PAPERBACK $35
Each year in the United States, more than 4,000 occupational fatalities and more than 3 million occupational injuries occur along with more than 160,000 cases of occupational illnesses. Incorporating patients' occupational information into electronic health records (EHRs) could lead to more informed clinical diagnosis and treatment plans as well as more effective policies, interventions, and prevention strategies to improve the overall health of the working population. At the request of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the IOM appointed a committee to examine the rationale and feasibility of incorporating occupational information in patients' EHRs. The IOM concluded that three data elements - occupation, industry, and work-relatedness - were ready for immediate focus, and made recommendations on moving forward efforts to incorporate these elements into EHRs.
Recommendations:
Initial Focus on Occupation, Industry, and Work-Relatedness Data Elements
Recommendation 1: Conduct Demonstration Projects to Assess the Collection and Incorporation of Information on Occupation, Industry, and Work-Relatedness in the EHR
NIOSH, in conjunction with other relevant organizations and initiatives, such as the Public Health Data Standards Consortium and Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) International, should conduct demonstration projects involving EHR vendors and health care provider organizations (diverse in the services they provide, populations they serve, and geographic locations) to assess the collection and incorporation of occupation, industry, and work-relatedness data in the EHR at different points in the workflow (including at registration, with the medical assistant, and with the clinician). Further, to examine the bidirectional exchange of occupational data between administrative databases and clinical components in the EHR, NIOSH in conjunction with IHE should conduct an interoperability-testing event (e.g., Connectathon) to demonstrate this bidirectional exchange of occupational information to establish proof of concept and, as appropriate, examine challenges related to variable sources of data and reconciliation of conflicting data.
Recommendation 2: Define the Requirements and Develop Information Models for Storing and Communicating Occupational Information
NIOSH, in conjunction with appropriate domain and informatics experts, should develop new or enhance existing information models for storing occupational information, beginning with occupation, industry, and work-relatedness data and later focusing on employer and exposure data. The information models should consider the various use cases in which the information could be used and use the recommended coding standards. For example, NIOSH should consider how best to use social history templates to collect a work history and the problem list to document exposures and abnormal findings and diagnoses with optional work-associated attributes for possible, probable, or definite causes; exposures; and impact on work.
Recommendation 3: Adopt Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Coding Standards for Use in the EHR
NIOSH, with assistance from other federal agencies, organizations, and stakeholders (e.g., Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists [CSTE], National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Uniform Billing Committee, Health Level 7 International [HL7]), should recommend to the Health Information Technology (IT) Standards Committee the adoption of SOC and NAICS to code occupation and industry. Furthermore, NIOSH should develop models for reporting health data from EHRs by occupation and industry at different levels of granularity that are meaningful for clinical and public health use.
Recommendation 4: Assess Feasibility of Autocoding Occupational Information Collected in Clinical Settings
NIOSH should place high priority on completing the feasibility assessment of autocoding the narrative information on occupation and, where available, industry that currently is collected and recorded in certain clinical settings, such as the Dartmouth-Hitchcock health care system, Kaiser Permanente, New York State Occupational Health Clinic Network, Cambridge Health Alliance, and hospitals participating in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.
Recommendation 5: Develop Meaningful Use Metrics and Performance Measures
Based on findings from the various demonstration projects and feasibility studies, NIOSH, with the assistance of relevant professional organizations and the Health IT Policy Committee, should develop meaningful use metrics and health care performance measures for including occupational information in the meaningful use criteria, beginning with the incorporation of occupation, industry, and work-relatedness data, and later expanding as deemed appropriate to include other data elements such as exposures and employer.
Recommendation 6: Convene a Workshop to Assess Ethical and Privacy Concerns and Challenges Associated with Including Occupational Information in the EHR
NIOSH should convene a workshop involving representatives of labor unions, insurance organizations, health care professional organizations, workers’ compensation-related organizations (e.g., International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions, National Council on Compensation Insurance), and EHR vendors to
.. assess the implications for the patient and clinician of incorporating work-relatedness in the EHR, with respect to workers’ compensation; and
.. propose guidelines and policies for protecting the patient’s non-workrelated health information from inadvertent disclosure and to ensure compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, workers’ compensation, and other privacy standards.
Enhance the Value and Use of Occupational Information in the EHR
Recommendation 7: Develop and Test Innovative Methods for the Collection of Occupational Information for Linking to the EHR
NIOSH should initiate efforts in collaboration with large health care provider organizations, health insurance organizations, EHR vendors, and other stakeholders to develop and test methods for collecting occupational data from innovative sources. Specifically, NIOSH should evaluate collection methods that involve
.. patient input through mechanisms such as web-based portals and personal health records, and
.. other means such as health-related smart cards, health insurance cards, and human resource systems.
Recommendation 8: Develop Clinical Decision-Support Logic, Education Materials and Return-to-Work Tools
NIOSH, relevant professional organizations, and EHR vendors should begin to develop, test, and iteratively refine and expand
.. clinical decision-support tools for common occupational conditions (e.g., work-related asthma);
.. tools and programs that could be easily accessed for education of patients and caregivers about occupational illnesses, injuries, and workplace safety;
.. training modules for administrative staff to collect occupational information in different care settings; and
.. tools to improve and standardize functional job assessment and return- to-work documentation in EHRs, including standards for the transmission of these forms.
Recommendation 9: Develop and Assess Methods for Collecting Standardized Exposure Data
NIOSH should continue to work with occupational and environmental health clinics and other relevant stakeholders to develop and assess methods for collecting standardized exposure data for work-related health conditions. NIOSH should explore the feasibility of
.. listing possible or probable exposures in the problem list or elsewhere in the EHR;
.. linking occupational information in the EHR to online occupational, toxicological, and hazardous materials databases, such as the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics, and Haz-Map, to enhance diagnosis and treatment of work-related illnesses and injuries; and
.. automatically generating codes for exposures based on narrative text entries.
Recommendation 10: Assess the Impact of Incorporating Occupational Information in the EHR on Meaningful Use Goals
NIOSH, in conjunction with relevant stakeholders (e.g., Public Health Data Standards Consortium, CSTE, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials), should
.. develop measures and conduct periodic studies to assess the impact of integrating occupational information in EHRs, and
.. estimate the economic impact of EHR-facilitated return-to-work practices for both work-related and non-work-related conditions.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Health Hazard Alert: Hydraulic Fracking Workers Suffer Silica Expopsure
OSHA and NIOSH issue hazard alert on ensuring workers in hydraulic fracturing operations have appropriate protections from silica exposure
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health today issued a hazard alert on ensuring that employers in hydraulic fracturing operations take appropriate steps to protect workers from silica exposure. Today's action, which is taken after consultation with stakeholders, including industry, meets the Obama administration's focus on ensuring that this important resource continues to be developed safely and responsibly.
The hazard alert follows a cooperative study by NIOSH and industry partners that identified overexposure to silica as a health hazard to workers conducting hydraulic fracturing operations.
As noted in the alert, respirable silica is a hazard common to many industries and industrial processes.
Because large quantities of silica sand are used during hydraulic fracturing, NIOSH began a cooperative effort in January 2010 to collect data regarding silica exposure at hydraulic fracturing operations. NIOSH worked in cooperation with oil and gas industry partners to sample the air at 11 sites in five states where hydraulic fracturing operations were taking place. NIOSH identified seven primary sources of silica dust exposure during fracturing operations and found that workers downwind of sand mover and blender operations, especially during hot loading, had the highest silica exposures.
Because large quantities of silica sand are used during hydraulic fracturing, NIOSH began a cooperative effort in January 2010 to collect data regarding silica exposure at hydraulic fracturing operations. NIOSH worked in cooperation with oil and gas industry partners to sample the air at 11 sites in five states where hydraulic fracturing operations were taking place. NIOSH identified seven primary sources of silica dust exposure during fracturing operations and found that workers downwind of sand mover and blender operations, especially during hot loading, had the highest silica exposures.
Workers who breathe silica day after day are at greater risk of developing silicosis, a disease in which lung tissue reacts to trapped silica particles, causing inflammation and scarring, and reducing the lungs’ ability to take in oxygen. Silica also can cause lung cancer and has been linked to other diseases, such as tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney and autoimmune disease.
Today’s action responds to the NIOSH findings. The alert states that employers must ensure that workers are properly protected from overexposure to silica. The alert describes how a combination of engineering controls, work practices, protective equipment and product substitution, where feasible, along with worker training, can protect workers who are exposed to silica. Engineering controls and work practices provide the best protection for workers. According to the alert, transporting, moving and refilling silica sand into and through sand movers, and along transfer belts and into blender hoppers, can release dust into the air containing up to 99 percent silica that workers breathe.
“Hazardous exposures to silica can and must be prevented. It is important for employers and workers to understand the hazards associated with silica exposure in hydraulic fracturing operations and how to protect workers,” said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. “OSHA and NIOSH are committed to continuing to work with the industry and workers to find effective solutions to address these hazards.”
“Through partnerships, both businesses and safety professionals are able to collaborate on assessing and managing occupational safety and health risks,” said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. “The recommendations for protecting workers in the hazard alert are practical, evidence-based and effective solutions to help support the safe growth of American-made energy.”
“We applaud the efforts of the NIOSH NORA Council for Oil and Gas Extraction, OSHA and our partners from industry for helping to raise awareness of this hazard,” said Kenny Jordan, executive director of the Association of Energy Service Companies. “We are proud of the development of an industry focus group in cooperation with those agencies which will further explore this issue, share best practices and continue to build upon the many engineering controls currently in place and those under development over the last several years. The safety and health of our workforce is a top priority, and the industry strives to follow and improve best practices for safe operations and works closely with OSHA and NIOSH to help ensure a strong culture of safety. We look forward to sharing improvements not only within our industry, but with others as well.”
AFL-CIO Health and Safety Director Margaret Seminario stated, “The AFL-CIO strongly supports this hazard alert that provides important information to employers and workers involved in hydraulic fracturing operations regarding the serious health threat from silica exposures. It is critical that OSHA and NIOSH disseminate this information, so that immediate action can be taken to protect workers from silicosis and other silica-related diseases.”
The hazard alert can be viewed at http://www.osha.gov/dts/hazardalerts/hydraulic_frac_hazard_alert.html.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.
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For over 3 decades the Law Offices of Jon L. Gelman1.973.696.7900 jon@gelmans.com have been representing injured workers and their families who have suffered work related accident and injuries.
More about fracking
Related articles
....
For over 3 decades the Law Offices of Jon L. Gelman1.973.696.7900 jon@gelmans.com have been representing injured workers and their families who have suffered work related accident and injuries.
More about fracking
May 19, 2012
Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin signed into law on Thursday a bill [H 464 materials] outlawing hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, making Vermont the first US state to ban the controversial technique used to extract natural gas ...
May 24, 2012
While focus has been on environmental concerns with the advent of fracking, a process to release oil and gas, a new concern has emerged over the potential occupational exposure to silica by workers who are involved in the...
Oct 22, 2011
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a schedule to develop standards for wastewater discharges produced by natural gas extraction from underground coalbed and shale formations.
Oct 12, 2011
Related articles. How To Determine If A Substance Causes Cancer at Work (workers-compensation.blogspot.com); 'Fracking' fluid pitch stirs Great Lakes pollution fears (ctv.ca); Doctors Urge N.Y. to Weigh Health Risks of ...
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Thursday, March 10, 2011
NIOSH Seeks Information About World Trade Center Cancer Claims
Image via WikipediaThe Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) serves as the World Trade Center (WTC) Program Administrator for certain functions related to the WTC Health Program established by the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act (Pub. L. 111-347).
In accordance with Section 3312(a)(5)(A) of that Act, the WTC Program Administrator is conducting a review of all available scientific and medical evidence to determine if, based on the scientific evidence, cancer or a certain type of cancer should be added to the applicable list of health conditions covered by the World Trade Center Health Program.
The WTC Program Administrator is requesting information on the following:
- (1) Relevant reports, publications, and case information of scientific and medical findings where exposure to airborne toxins, any other hazard, or any other adverse condition resulting from the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, is substantially likely to be a significant factor in aggravating, contributing to, or causing cancer or a type of cancer;
- (2) clinical findings from the Clinical Centers of Excellence providing monitoring and treatment services to WTC responders (i.e., those persons who performed rescue, recovery, clean- up and remediation work on the WTC disaster sites) and community members directly exposed to the dust cloud on 9/11/01; and
- (3) input on the scientific criteria to be used by experts to evaluate the weight of the medical and scientific evidence regarding such potential health conditions.
DATES: Comments must be received by March 31, 2011. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number NIOSH- 227, by any of the following methods:
- Mail: NIOSH Docket Office, Robert A. Taft Laboratories, MS-C34, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226.
- Facsimile: (513) 533-8285. E-mail: nioshdocket@cdc.gov. All information received in response to this notice will be available for public examination and copying at the NIOSH Docket Office, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226. The comment period for NIOSH-227 will close on March 31, 2011.
For over 3 decades the Law Offices of Jon L. Gelman 1.973.696.7900 jon@gelmans.com have been representing injured workers and their families who have suffered asbestos related disease. Please contact our office if you require assistance in filing a claim under the newly enacted James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
NIOSH Proposes Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia As Compensable
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The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is proposing to treat Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) as a radiogenic cancer under EEOICPA. Under the current final rule on Guidelines for Determining the Probability of Causation Under EEOICPA (42 CFR Part 81) published in 2002, all types of cancers, except for CLL, are treated as being potentially caused by radiation and therefore, as potentially compensable under EEOICPA. HHS proposes to reverse its decision to exclude CLL from such treatment.
(March 21, 2011)
PDF 270 KB (8 pages)HHS invites written comments on this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking from interested parties. Comments must be received by June 20, 2011.
Persons or organizations interested in participating in this rulemaking by submitting written views, arguments, recommendations, and data can submit comments by e-mail or mail. Comments should be addressed to the NIOSH Docket Officer, titled "NIOSH Docket #209," and should identify the author(s), return address, and a phone number, in case clarification is needed.
- E-mail: NIOSH Docket Officer, nioshdocket@cdc.gov. Include "NIOSH Docket #209" and "42 CFR 81.30" in the subject line of the message.
- Mail: NIOSH Docket Office,Robert Taft Laboratories, MS-C344676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226
All communications received on or before the closing date for comments will be fully considered by HHS.
All comments submitted will be available for examination in the rule docket (a publicly available storage of the documents associated with the rulemaking) both before and after the closing date for comments.
A complete electronic docket containing all comments submitted will be available athttp://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docket/archive/docket209.html or comments will be available in hard-copy by request.
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