Weekly E-Newsbrief
May 24, 2024
The E-Newsbrief of the National Clearinghouse is a free weekly newsletter focusing on new developments in the world of worker health and safety. Each issue provides summaries of the latest worker health and safety news from newspapers, magazines, journals, government reports, and the Web, along with links to the original documents. Also featured each week are updates from government agencies that handle hazmat and worker safety issues such as DOE, EPA, OSHA and others.
Subscribing to the National Clearinghouse Newsbrief is the best way to stay on top of the worker health and safety news.
- Top Stories
- Calendar Features
- On The Web This Week
- Federal Agency Update
- Awardee Highlights/Online Learning
- Job Openings
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| Top Stories | Back to Top |
2024 NOFO- HAZMAT Training at DOE Nuclear Weapons Complex (UH4 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
The NIEHS Worker Training Program has released a notice of funding opportunity announcement (NOFO) for cooperative agreements to support the development of model programs for the training and education of workers engaged in activities related to hazardous materials and waste generation, removal, containment, transportation, and emergency response within the Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear weapons complex. The goal of this training is to help reduce the risk of workers being exposed during work activities to hazardous materials and hazardous waste products. The NIEHS/DOE Nuclear Worker Training Program enhances training capabilities at these sites. An informational webinar will be held on June 3, 2024, from 1 – 3 p.m. EDT. Letters of intent are due on June 8, 2024, and applications are due on July 22, 2024. Please note that applications must be submitted via the Application Submission System & Interface for Submission Tracking (ASSIST). Applications cannot be submitted through grants.gov. See the link below for a tutorial for using ASSIST.
The Department of Health and Human Services Releases NOFO for SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT and Emergency Response
The notice of funding opportunity announcement (NOFO) from the Department of Health and Human Services encourages Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant applications from small business concerns that propose to further the development of Technology-Enhanced Training Products for the health and safety training of hazardous materials workers; waste treatment personnel; skilled support personnel associated with an emergency/disaster; emergency responders in biological hazard response, infectious disease response, and medical waste cleanup; emergency responders in disasters; and worker resiliency training.
2024 NOFO - Hazardous Materials Worker Health and Safety Training (U45 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed)
The NIEHS Worker Training Program has released a funding opportunity for Hazardous Materials Worker Health and Safety Training. Applications for this program should support the development and delivery of model programs for the training and education of workers engaged in activities related to hazardous materials and waste generation, removal, containment, transportation, and emergency response. The program will provide skills and knowledge to workers on how best to identify and protect themselves and their communities from exposure to hazardous materials. Letters of intent are due on June 8, 2024, and applications are due on July 8, 2024. Please note that applications must be submitted via the Application Submission System & Interface for Submission Tracking (ASSIST). Applications cannot be submitted through grants.gov. See the link below for a tutorial for using ASSIST.
Presentations from the Hazardous Materials Worker Health and Safety Training NOFO
Evaluation of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) E-Learning for HazMat Program
The WTP SBIR E-Learning for HazMat Program supports the development of technologies and applications that focus on occupational safety and health training for hazardous material workers, emergency response, and skilled support personnel. A new evaluation report describes the challenges and successes of the program and provides recommendations on how to improve it in the future.
Federal Initiative Empowers Communities with Career Creation
A collaboration between the federal government and local communities works to create new career opportunities. The Flint Environmental Career Worker Training Program is funded by the Biden Administration's Justice40 initiative. The program partners with community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities and apprenticeship programs, training more than 13,500 people. It claims a 70% job placement rate.
Public News Service [Author: Farah Siddiqi]
Tornado-Spawning Storms Left Multiple People Dead in Iowa and Now Threaten Cities from Texas to Vermont
Multiple fatalities and some injuries have been reported in the small city of Greenfield, Iowa – about 50 miles southwest of Des Moines – after a tornado, at least EF3 in magnitude, carved a devastating path through the community. Officials would not elaborate on the number or nature of the deaths because of the active search and rescue, but more than 100 first responders were combing through the wreckage of the town. The city’s hospital sustained damage and some patients were moved to other facilities in surrounding areas. At least four medical airlift flights occurred.
CNN [Author: Elizabeth Wolfe, Robert Shackelford, Joe Sutton, Mary Gilbert]
Fire Fighters May Have Higher Prostate Cancer Risk
Prostate cancer is the leading incident cancer among US males. Firefighters are diagnosed with prostate cancer at a rate 1.21 times higher than the general population, possibly because of chemical exposures including smoke and firefighting foam during firefighting.
Futurity [Author: Shipherd Reed-Arizona]
Move Over, Wastewater – Store-Bought Milk Could Be Another Way to Track the Bird Flu Outbreak in Cows
Scientists from the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center have managed to generate a full genetic sequence of H5N1 virus from milk, a development they suggest means commercially purchased milk products could be used to monitor the progress of the bird flu outbreak in dairy cattle and to check for important changes in the virus over time.
STAT [Author: Helen Branswell]
High Price of Popular Diabetes Drugs Deprives Low-Income People of Effective Treatment
Supply shortages and insurance hurdles for this powerful class of drugs have left many people who are suffering from diabetes and obesity without the medicines they need to stay healthy. One root of the problem is the very high prices set by drugmakers. In the United States, Novo Nordisk charges about $1,000 for a month’s supply of Ozempic, and Eli Lilly charges a similar amount for Mounjaro.
KFF Health News [Author: Renuka Rayasam]
Black Men Are a Hidden Segment of Caregivers. It’s Stressful but Rewarding, too.
Almost 40% of caregivers of older adults are men, and a third of that group is Black. But Black men face some issues other guys don't. One is their health: African-American men have the worst health outcomes of any group in the U.S. They are less likely to be married than other caregivers, and more likely to be taking care of someone by themselves.
NPR [Author: Ashley Milne-Tyte]
| Calendar Features | Back to Top |
Free Training via Zoom: E-Battery Fire Mitigation
Join the World Cares Center and Darius Sivin, Ph.D., to discuss the importance of e-battery fire mitigation techniques, potential hazards, and new research. Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly found in devices and systems that the public and first responders use or interact with daily. While these batteries provide an effective and efficient source of power, the likelihood of them overheating, catching on fire, and even leading to explosions increases when they are damaged or improperly used, charged, or stored. Learn more about how you can stay safe. The free training will take place over Zoom on June 6, 2024, from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Methods for Enhancing Additive Manufacturing Qualification and Certification for Defense Applications: A Workshop
This workshop, following the workshop on statistical and data-driven methods for additive manufacturing qualification, is intended to highlight methods for enhancing additive manufacturing qualification and certification for defense applications. The event will take place from May 29 – 30, 2024, at the National Academy of Sciences, Engineer, and Medicine Keck Center.
Research Agenda for Reducing the Climate Impact of Aviation-Induced Cloudiness and Persistent Contrails from Commercial Aviation
The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will convene an ad-hoc committee to develop a national research agenda to understand better, quantify, and support the development of technical and operational solutions to significantly reduce the global climate impact of aviation-induced cloudiness and persistent contrails from commercial aviation. The event will be hosted online on May 28, 2024, from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. EDT.
Free Webinar: Mental Health in the Workplace
A webinar titled Mental Health in the Workplace will be offered through a collaboration with the American Public Health Association Mental Health and Occupational Health and Safety sections. In this free webinar, learn about how different facets of mental health affect productivity in the workplace. The webinar will be hosted online on May 30, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. EDT.
| On The Web This Week | Back to Top |
EPA Announces $300 Million to Revitalize Polluted Sites
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it would dole out $300 million to revitalize contaminated sites. That money is part of a larger $1.5 billion tranche that was part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The funds will go to 178 communities for new cleanup grants and an additional 31 communities to supplement existing projects. The polluted sites in question are known as Brownfield sites.
The Hill [Author: Rachel Frazin]
Scorched States: A Report Card on State Laws Protecting Workers from Heat
Fifty million workers in the U.S. will face excruciating heat in the coming months. For some, that heat will be fatal. As many as 2,000 workers die and 170,000 workers are injured from laboring in extreme heat every year in the United States. Unfortunately, worker heat-stress tragedies disproportionately strike workers who are poor, Black and Brown.
Public Citizen [Author: Juley Fulcher]
Maui Community Mobilizes to Protect Water Quality from Runoff After Lahaina Fires
Debris from hundreds of buildings destroyed by wildfire in Lahaina, Maui still need to be cleared. The community is making a slow recovery from the August 2023 fire, which claimed more than 100 lives. And concerns have been high that the disaster could also damage another valued part of Lahaina: the ocean. An urban fire of this magnitude has never been seen directly next to a sensitive marine ecosystem. A big question has been: is the water safe?
NPR [Authors: Lauren Sommer and Ryan Kellman]
New Clinic on a Reservation in Oregon Advances Tribal Sovereignty
A new public health clinic on the Grand Ronde reservation in rural Polk and Yamhill counties, Oregon, promises to address healthcare gaps and advance tribal sovereignty for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. The clinic, which opened in May 2024, will offer preventative services like vaccines, dental care, and nutrition classes to bolster the overall wellbeing of tribal members.
The Daily Yonder [Author: Claire Carlson]
| Federal Agency Update | Back to Top |
Federal Register: Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All
The Federal Register reported new environmental justice strategic plans. In this new plan, each agency shall submit and make an online, publicly available, environmental justice strategic plan. The strategic plans shall identify and address opportunities through regulations, policies, and permits to improve accountability and compliance. Some of these measures may include, increasing public reporting by regulated agencies, expanding pollution measurement and other environmental impact indicators, as well as improving the effectiveness of support for communities affected by environmental justice concerns.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Mental Health Accomplishments by the Numbers
Under this administration, HHS has invested more than $1.5 billion, improved answer rates to more than 90% across all modalities, launched nationwide text and chat in English and Spanish, launched specialized services for LGBTQI+ individuals, launched deaf and hard of hearing videophone services, and is now partnering with the Federal Communications Commission to advance geo-routing and connect crisis calls to local resources.
Biden-Harris Administration Launches New Option to Report Potential Violations of Federal Law and Continue to Promote Patient Access to Stabilizing Emergency Care
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched a new option on CMS.gov to allow individuals to more easily file an Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act complaint. This new web resource is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s comprehensive plan to educate the public and promote patient access to the emergency medical care to which they are entitled under federal law.
| Awardee Highlights/Online Learning | Back to Top |
EPA Seeks Applications for Fiscal Year 2025 Brownfields Job Training Grants
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeks applications for the Brownfields Job Training Grant. The application is open and the closing date and time for recipient applications is August 15, 2024, 11:59 p.m. EDT. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Frequently Asked Questions page.
Annual Refresher on Health and Safety for Hazardous Waste Personnel
The Atlantic Center for Occupational Health and Safety Training is offering an annual refresher on health and safety for hazardous waste personnel. Training is offered monthly, including a combination of lectures, group exercises, and a selected case study, but only for individuals who have completed their 40-hour Health and Safety for Hazardous Materials course. The course is offered through Zoom and will take place on June 26, 2024, from 7:45 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Wayne State Researchers Find Connection Between PFAS Exposure in Men and the Health of their Offspring
Supported by NIEHS funding, Wayne State University researchers are reporting new findings that demonstrate a link between exposure to per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in males and health issues in their offspring. The researchers exposed animal models to concentrations of PFAS that align with those observed in occupational settings.
| Job Openings | Back to Top |
Midstate Council for Occupational Safety and Health (MCOSH) Seeks Program Director/Health and Safety Instructor
The Midstate Council for Occupational Safety and Health seeks a program director/health and safety instructor based out of Ithaca, New York. The hired program director will provide training on core program modules, including training for trainers. The position will include grant writing and fundraising to ensure maintenance of MCOSH programming and finances. They will also work with the outreach director and youth coordinator to initiate and facilitate outreach to current and prospective training partners.
U.S. Department of Labor Seeks Supervisory Safety and Occupational Health Specialist
The U.S. Department of Labor seeks a supervisory safety and occupational health specialist in Region 4. The position will serve as a supervisor to multi-disciplinary groups of industrial hygienists, safety and occupational health specialists, and safety engineers. They will conduct assessments of workload progress, provide written performance appraisals, and oversee and monitor the Regional Federal Enforcement Program by providing expert guidance.
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