Environmental Health and Safety

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TOM FRIEDEN: First, we had the potential exposure to anthrax at CDC’s laboratory. Second, earlier this week, we learned about an incident in CDC’s influenza laboratory. And third, we had the discovery of vials labeled as smallpox in a storage room on the NIH campus and CDC’s work to secure and to characterize these materials.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a report that reviews the early June incident that involved the unintentional exposure of personnel to potentially viable anthrax at the CDC’s Roybal Campus. The report identifies factors found to have contributed to the incident; and highlights actions taken by the agency to address these factors and prevent future incidents.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Office for Total Worker Health (TWH)™ recently launched an Affiliate Program in order to increase the number of work environments that support the overall safety, health and well-being of workers. Inaugural members of the NIOSH TWH Affiliate Program include the University of Colorado, School of Public Health and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

When workers enter the hazardous and historic McCluskey Room at the Hanford Site this summer, they will be safer due to their preparation and involvement in planning and training for the job.

The seeds have been planted and are being cultivated for the development of a global occupational health and safety standard. I am participating as a U.S. delegate and member of the U.S. leadership team on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to develop the new OH&S standard – ISO 45001.

The EPA has released a final risk assessment for trichloroethylene (TCE) that identifies health risks to workers in shops and dry cleaners that use the chemical as a degreaser or a stain removing agent. Consumers may also be exposed to TCE when using spray aerosol degreasers and spray fixatives.