Occupational exposures facing modern workers are more challenging than ever before – and require more from safety professionals.That point was made by L. Casey Chosewood, MD, of NIOSH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the third day General Session at AIHce 2013.

The short answer, according to agency chief Dr. David Michaels, who was asked the question in a Q&A session Tuesday morning, is NO.  Dr. Michaels was emphatic on that point. “We have too much on our plate now,” he said.

Dr. L. Casey Chooswood, MD’s presentation at the Wednesday morning kick off session was an introduction to one of NIOSH’s prized projects, in line with NIOSH boss Dr. John Howard’s vision for the future, namely Total Worker Health™. What is it?

L Casey Chooswood, MD, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and NIOSH, is this morning’s keynote speaker at the AIHce. Dr. Chooswood is in the midst of an interesting experiment. Recently, NIOSH launched an internal NIOSH pilot program to explore the use of sit and stand work stations as part of a workplace health and wellbeing initiative to reduce sedentary work in U.S. workplaces.

A study of the lung tissue of miners killed in the 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine disaster has determined that most of the victims had black lung disease – adding evidence to the belief that the deadly disease is experiencing a resurgence in the U.S.

AIHA does a solid job of appealing to and catering to the needs of young professionals. This year’s CareerAdvantage in Montrealfeatures sessions designed to help those in the occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) field advance their current careers and find and maintain positions in the industry. 

AIHA calls its members “occupational and environmental health and safety professionals.” That about covers it all. The organization says “members play a crucial role on the front line of worker health and safety every day.” Note the inclusion of safety.

Employers and workers who need information about the health risks of chromium can find numerous resources on a new page on OSHA’s website that’s dedicated to the topic. The Chromium Safety and Health Topics Page provides details about the health risks of various forms of chromium.

The NIOSH Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP) has launched its new Facebook page. NIOSH uses the page to keep coal miners apprised of when and where its Mobile Occupational Safety and Health Unit will be in various areas to conduct health screenings.