The NIEHS Worker Training Program (WTP) and its grant recipients have been involved in a number of infectious disease-related training and response efforts.

The following resources are aimed at protecting the health and safety of individuals who work in industries with the potential for exposure to infectious diseases. Please visit our Chemical and Biological Terrorism page for additional resources on bioterrorism agents/diseases and emergency responses to events involving the release of biological agents. For a list of resources applicable to a variety of natural and man-made disasters, please visit our All-Hazards Resources page.

Training Resources

WTP Resources

The following pages contain information and training resources on specific pathogens:

• COVID-19
• Ebola Virus Disease
• H1N1 (Swine), Pandemic, and Avian Influenza

In addition to resources on specific pathogens, WTP has developed a general guide on preventing respiratory infections and illness in the workplace:

In English:

• Respiratory Infections: An Overview for Workers and Employers(28MB)
• Respiratory Infections: An Overview for Workers and Employers(5.2MB)

The WTP has also developed a pathogen safety data (PSD) guide and training module and a new shortened version of the original training module, for WTP grant recipients and other occupational safety and health groups involved in infectious disease response.

In English:

• PSD Short Course
  • Pathogen Safety Data Short Course(7.6MB)
  • Pathogen Safety Data (PSD) Short Course Instructor Guide(346KB)
• PSD Glossary(3MB)
• PSD Guide(10.4MB)
• PSD Guide and Training Module Fact Sheet(997KB)
• PSD Guide Training Module
  • Agenda(485KB)
  • Instructor Guide(3.7MB)
  • Training Module(24.3MB)
  • Worksheet(498KB)
  • Worksheet Answer Key(500KB)
• PSD Guide Training Module Case Studies
  • Case Study 1: N. Meningitidis Transmission to a Police Officer and Respiratory Therapist(495KB)
  • Case Study 2: Potential Ebola Exposure to Non-Hospital Environmental Service Workers(493KB)
  • Case Study 3: Exposure to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) by Transportation and Healthcare Workers(492KB)
  • Case Study 4: Clostridium Difficile in a Healthcare Worker(493KB)

En Español:

• Módulo de capacitación sobre datos de seguridad para patógenos(14.6MB)

Visit our Infectious Disease Webinars page for additional resources related to WTP infectious disease preparedness and response training initiatives.

WTP Grant Recipient Resources

• International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)
  • Infectious Diseases Course Materials
• Midwest Consortium for Hazardous Waste Worker Training
  • 8-Hour Hospital-Based Decontamination Instructor Manual(775KB)
  • 8-Hour Hospital-Based Decontamination Student Manual(2.36MB)

WTP Technical Workshops

• WTP 2016 Infectious Disease Workshop

Federal Links and Documents

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Recent Outbreaks and Incidents

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

• Resources on Infectious Diseases and Injuries in the Workplace

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

• OSHA Fact Sheet: Monkeypox Virus

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

• EMS Infectious Disease Playbook

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

• Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration: Transporting Infectious Substances

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Monkeypox: Applying What We Know About Biological Agents to Prepare for Emerging Public Health Threats

U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM)

• Medline Plus: Resources on Infections

Other Links and Documents

General Infectious Disease Resources

• Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy, University of Minnesota: Infectious Disease Topics and Resources
• The American Federation of Teachers: What Healthcare Workers Need to Know to Be Protected from Monkeypox at Work
• World Health Organization (WHO) Global Alert and Response Page
• California Department of Public Health: COVID 19 & Improving Indoor Air Quality at Work Webpage

Research Articles and Reports

• Canadian Labour Congress: Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases in the Workplace(270KB)
• Do N95 Respirators Provide 95 Percent Protection Level Against Airborne Viruses, and How Adequate Are Surgical Masks?(212KB)
• Frameworks for Protecting Workers and the Public From Inhalation Hazards
• Systematic Review: Surveillance Systems for Early Detection of Bioterrorism-Related Diseases
• The Application of the Haddon Matrix to Public Health Readiness and Response Planning(110KB)
• World Health Organization (WHO) Global Technical Consultation Report on Proposed Technology for Pathogens that Transmit Through the Air(718KB)