The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on New York City's World Trade Center (WTC) resulted in intense fires, and the subsequent collapse of the structures released tons of dust on lower Manhattan. The NIEHS Worker Training Program (WTP) responded immediately, delivering 3,000 respirators to the site and providing expert support to coordinate occupational health issues during the recovery and cleanup processes. NIEHS-supported researchers were also on-site, collecting environmental and air samples shortly after the disaster. NIEHS responded by providing funds to support these efforts. Early in 2002, Congress appropriated $10.5 million to NIEHS for worker training and research support. The WTP awarded $6 million in WTC supplemental grants to WTP award recipients to train new and existing New York City Fire Department hazardous material teams, environmental remediation workers, and site cleanup workers.
Training Resources
WTP Response
The following documents describe WTP training priorities and activities at the WTC site.
- Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Training Priorities for Emergency Responders and Remediation Workers in the Aftermath of the WTC Terrorist Attack(74KB)
- NIEHS WTC Response Brochure(454KB)
- Relevant NIEHS Training Courses for WTC Cleanup(52KB)
- WTP Response to the WTC Disaster: Initial WTP Grantee Response and Preliminary Assessment of Training Needs(1.7MB)
WTP Award Recipient Response
The following documents describe WTP award recipients’ roles in WTC response and cleanup efforts.
- California/Arizona Consortium: WTC Response and Cleanup Activities(33KB)
- George Meany Center for Labor Studies: WTC Response and Cleanup Activities(37KB)
- International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE): WTC Response and Cleanup Activities(60Kb)
- IUOE WTC Air Quality Presentation(90KB)
- Midwest Consortium for Hazardous Waste Worker Training: WTC Response and Cleanup Activities(33KB)
- University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB): WTC Response and Cleanup Activities(33KB)
Other NIEHS Resources
Federal Links and Documents
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
State/Local Links and Documents
- New York City Department of Health: 9/11 Health Page – Resources for Rescue and Recovery Workers
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Clinical Guidelines for Adults Exposed to the World Trade Center Disaster(555KB)
Other Links and Documents
- National Resources Defense Council Report: The Environmental Impacts of the World Trade Center Attacks(210 KB)
- Worker Health Implications from WTC Site(88KB)
- WTC Resources: Equipment Providers(31KB)