National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH)

Fall Protection | Highway Work Zones | Lead Exposure | Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) | Respiratory Protection | Silica Exposure

Fall Protection

NIOSH recommends strategic precautions against fatal falls on the job. (1/15/01)

Highway Work Zone

NIOSH Seeks Contractor Participation in Roadway Injury Reduction Project (4/26/04)

Work zone safety for flaggers outlined at safety council's annual meeting. Session supports adopting stricter NIOSH visibility requirements. (10/19/01)

NIOSH recommends methods for preventing injuries and fatalities in highway work zones. (5/25/01)

Lead Exposure

Number of American workers with elevated blood lead levels declining. (12/30/02)

NIOSH report summarizes investigations of workers at risk of exposure to harmful levels of lead. (7/2/01)

NIOSH has published a booklet for workers entitled Reduce Contamination at Home, which discusses how to avoid taking home hazardous substances on their clothing, bodies and tools. For a copy, call 1-800-356-4674. (5/98)

NIOSH publishes study of worker take-home lead. (12/97)

NIOSH 1992 Alert on Preventing Lead Poisoning in Construction Workers is now online. (12/97)

Personal Protective Equipment

National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) updates Hearing Protector Device Database. (8/19/03)

Knee pads protect knees, improve production, says NIOSH. (10/4/00).

Respiratory Protection

NIOSH to Hold Meeting on Half-Mask Respirators (8/9/04) more...

NIOSH notice may affect paint spray respirators. (11/5/02)

Joint Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) / NIOSH survey results on respirator use are issued. The two organizations conducted a voluntary survey that estimated the number of establishments and employees who used respirators in a recent 12-month period. For technical information about the BLS survey, "Respirator Use and Practices," call (202) 691-6170. (3/20/02)

Website:The National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory has links to a certified equipment database, suggested respirator cleaning and sanitation procedures, user notices, and more.

NIOSH issues Suggested Respirator Cleaning and Sanitation Procedures. This document gives detailed instructions on how to properly clean both single-user and multi-user respirators. (10/16/01)

NIOSH report contains recommendations for workers spraying isocyanate-containing paints. (2/19/00)

Silica Exposure

NIOSH issues hazard review for respirable crystalline silica. (5/29/02)

In-Depth Study Report: Control Technology for Crystalline Silica Exposures in Construction: Wet Abrasive Blasting (Report Number ECTB 247-11) Worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica was monitored during a wet abrasive blasting on the exterior walls of a parking garage. Report was published in December 1999. (5/7/02)

Substitute Materials for Silica Sand. NIOSH published "Evaluation of Substitute Materials for Silica Sand in Abrasive Blasting." This report covers 40 abrasive products representing 13 different types of abrasives used to blast clean steel. (12/03/99)