Occupational Illnesses

Washington – NIOSH will offer free, confidential health screenings to coal miners in an effort to detect black lung, a group of deadly diseases caused by breathing coal mine dust.

Arlington, VA – Coal mine dust samples taken after the Mine Safety and Health Administration implemented a rule to prevent deadly diseases known as “black lung” suggest that compliance is “highly achievable,” the agency announced April 23 during a hearing of the House Workforce Protections Subcommittee.

New York – Emergency medical workers have endured chronic health conditions as a result of aiding victims of the 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attack, indicates a study from the New York City Fire Department and Montefiore Medical Center.

Atlanta – More than 15 percent of asthma cases among employed adults are work-related, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

New York – People who performed prolonged work at the site of the 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attack may have an increased risk for developing autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, according to a study from Yeshiva University’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Bologna, Italy – Reminding physicians of their legal obligation to report occupational illnesses is more effective than education efforts, according to a new study from the University of Bologna.

Washington – Spurred by post-9/11 illnesses suffered by first responders, the Environmental Protection Agency will examine its corrosive dust standard to determine whether it provides adequate protection for workers and the public.

Washington – The risk of work-induced hearing loss http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ohl/ may be declining, but efforts are still needed in industries such as mining, construction and health care, according to a new NIOSH study.

Washington – Firefighting exposures “modestly” increase the risk of death from cancer, according to a NIOSH study.

Washington – Employees who work with stone countertops are at risk of crystalline silica exposure, and employers should take steps to protect them, OSHA and NIOSH stated Feb. 18 in a joint hazard alert.