NIOSH eNews

The Monthly Newsletter of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Volume 10 Number 11 March 2013
From the Director’s Desk John Howard, M.D., Director, NIOSH A Sound Investment Hearing is important and hearing loss, with implications on communication, employment opportunities, job performance, injury-risk, depression, and anxiety, places a significant burden on society. Occupational hearing loss represents a substantial portion of all hearing impairments and is nearly always permanent. It is also nearly always preventable. Reducing worker exposure to hazardous noise is a sound investment. Concern about occupational hearing loss was highlighted recently when the NIOSH study "Prevalence of Hearing Loss in the United States by Industry" was ranked as one of the Top Read Articles of 2012 on MDLinx.com . This report was a result of our ongoing effort to inventory audiometric datasets and analyze the epidemiology of occupational hearing loss in collaboration with industry partners and health services providers. While this study confirmed the continuing epidemic of occupational hearing loss, other NIOSH efforts provide hope that investing in simple but innovative strategies can yield high return in hearing loss prevention. Aware that noise control initiatives such as Buy-Quiet and Quiet-by-Design have demonstrated a strong return on investment, NIOSH created an award program to recognize effective and innovative initiatives, share success stories, and encourage others to follow suit. In partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association, NIOSH awarded the first Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards™ in 2009. On February 22, I had the pleasure to present the fifth round of awards at the 38th Annual Hearing Conservation Conference in St. Petersburg, Florida. This year’s recipients confirm that the benefits of noise control go far beyond the prevention of hearing loss and make good business sense. Read More... Avoiding the Dangers of Bathtub Refinishing In February, NIOSH and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a joint hazard alert titled Methylene Chloride Hazards for Bathtub Refinishers. At least 15 workers have died since 2000 as a result of using stripping agents containing methylene chloride during bathtub refinishing. One death was identified this past month by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and NIOSH. Many stripping products (including those that may also be available to consumers) contain high percentages of methylene chloride. Methylene chloride is extremely dangerous when not used properly. Alternative products and processes exist for bathtub refinishing. Products containing methylene chloride should be avoided when possible. To learn more about the dangers, download the Alert, or provide comment, visit our blog or contact Ron Hall at rmh2@cdc.gov. NIOSH Announces the 1st Release of the NIOSH Industry and Occupation Computerized Coding System The NIOSH Industry and Occupation Computerized Coding System (NIOCCS) is a web-based software tool designed to efficiently, accurately, and uniformly translate industry and occupation text found on employment, vital statistics, and health records to standardized industry and occupation codes. This system is used by organizations that collect and/or evaluate information using industry and occupation data. NIOCCS is available free of charge and requires only Internet access and a web browser for use. Users are required to register for a NIOCCS account if they wish to upload files of records for coding. For more information go to www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/coding/overview.html. Journal Highlights Significant Occupational Injury Research Accomplishments NIOSH has joined with the Journal of Safety Research to release a special issue highlighting research projects presented at the 2011 National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS). The special issue provides readers with a broad spectrum of the research projects presented during the symposium, ranging from surveillance work to intervention evaluation projects. For more information, go to www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/upd-02-11-13.html. NIOSH Announces Meeting on Respiratory Protection for Healthcare Workers On June 18, 2013, NIOSH will hold a meeting for stakeholders in Atlanta on respiratory protection for healthcare workers. This meeting will focus on a theme of improving healthcare worker compliance with respiratory protection and this gathering provides an opportunity to exchange knowledge and ideas between professionals, policy makers, and manufacturers involved in the field of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/resources/certpgmspt/meetings/06182013/ HealthcareInvitationLttr06182013.html New Flu Transmission Study Published Why is influenza more prevalent in the cold and dry months than in the warmer and more humid months? Some studies suggest that the degree of humidity may influence the transmission of flu. In new findings that add to the scientific evidence needed to assess those questions, NIOSH researchers used “coughing” and “breathing” manikins in a controlled environment to investigate whether humidity contributes to the risk of airborne transmission of influenza on aerosols from coughs. Under these conditions, the study found that at a higher relative humidity, the influenza virus inactivated rapidly after coughing occurs. The study was part of NIOSH’s program of research to understand and mitigate health care workers’ potential occupational risks for flu. The new study is posted online in the journal PLOS ONE at: www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0057485