NC OSHERC Website
Hazardous Substance Training
Academic Programs
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Kathleen Buckheit, MPH, RN, COHN-S/CM/SM, FAAOHN
Continuing Education Director
NC OSHERC Continuing Education and Outreach Programs
Phone 919-962-2101 | Toll free 888-235-3320 | Fax 919-966-7579
32st Annual Occupational Safety and Health Summer Institute
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 Check
out our Certification Review courses:
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 Fundamentals
of Industrial Hygiene course available onlineApproved for Technician Certificate Program Credit. |
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 EPA-Approved
AHERA Asbestos Training Held throughout the year in Chapel Hill, NC |
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Continuing Education Presents Certification Review Courses
Professional certification courses currently presented include: Comprehensive Industrial Hygiene (CIH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), Certified Occupational Health Nurse (COHN) and Specialist (COHN-S), and Certified Occupational Health Nurse/Safety Management (COHN/SM). The Lab Safety course is a review for the Chemical Safety Officer (CSO). Please see the Continuing Education website at: http://osherc.sph.unc.edu/cert_review.htm
Ethics course is a NEW requirement for new and
recertified Industrial Hygienists
Beginning in 2010, new applicants and CIHs/CAIHs due to
recertify will be required to document that they have completed at
least two (2) hours of ethics training. For certification maintenance,
the ethics training is part of the requirement to show a minimum of 10
CM points per cycle in IH rubrics (during the 5 year cycle). For
certification applicants, the ethics training will be part of the
current IH coursework requirement. This new ethics requirement does NOT
affect those CIHs recertifying for the 2005-09 CM cycle.
In response to this certification requirement, The NC OSHERC
Continuing Education Program has added an extra hour into the CIH
Review Course directed by Dr. Nelson Couch and presented by Bob
Uhorchuck. The expanded course segment has received approval to
count toward the ABIH points in maintaining CIH certification. NC
OSHERC has also received approval from ABIH to offer this as a
stand-alone, two-hour Ethics course for CM points. Plans for
implementing an online course are being developed.
The newly revised ABIH Code of Ethics, and the ACGIH/AIHA Member Ethical Principles, clearly state that industrial hygienists shall "properly use professional credentials, and provide truthful and accurate representations concerning education, experience, competency and the performance of services." See ABIH Code of Ethics, Section II.A.5. Therefore, the misrepresentation of a certificant’s, applicant’s or examinee’s education and training, including CM courses, may violate these important ethics rules. Thus, the Ethics Review Committee cautions that if a full course is not attended and completed, it should not be listed on a resume or otherwise represented to ABIH, professional associations, government agencies, clients, employers, employees, or the public. See the website at: http://www.abih.org/documents/EthicsRequirements-Webversion.pdf
Where can I get more information?
- Visit the web sites for ABIH, AIHA (JIHEEC). www.abih.org/ , www.aiha.org
- See the ABIH online course database for CM-approved ethics courses.
- Contact JIHEEC. http://www.aiha.org/content/insideaiha/volunteer+groups/jointindustrialhygieneethicseducation.htm
- See The Synergist to further understand the concepts and issues of ethics. Several articles were published in 2008. http://www.aiha.org/Content/AccessInfo/synergist/synergist.htm
New and exciting short Occupational Safety
Continuing Education (CE) courses are offered
by NC OSHERC for CE and professional certification credits
New and exciting Occupational Safety courses are offered by NC OSHERC for CE and professional certification credits. Needs Assessments indicate students want more short safety courses. This Fall 2009 in association with CTJ Safety Associates, we are offering several sections of short courses lasting 4 or 7 hours, over a span of 3 and 4 days, in Chapel Hill, NC. Remember, as with all the Continuing Education and Professional Certification Review Courses, these short courses can be offered as contract courses at your site.
Needs Assessments indicate students want more short safety
courses. This Fall 2009 in association with CTJ Safety
Associates, we are offering several sections of short courses in Chapel
Hill, NC. These courses last 4 or 7 hours and are offered over a
span of 3 to 4 days per week. Titles of the five sections of
courses are:
Section I: Safety Management and Inspections
Section II: OSHA and More to Remain in Compliance
Section III: The Safety Process and OSHA Star
Section IV: Supervisors and Safety Issues
Section V: Hazard Recognition and Fixing the Problems
Section I: Safety Management and Inspections (September 9-11, 2009)
Day 1 AM : Incident Investigations - 4 hrs
Day 1 PM: Conducting Inspections and Audits - 4 hrs
Day 2: How to be an Effective Safety Manager - 7 hrs
Day 3: How to Build a Business Culture - 7 hrs
Register for one course or all in any or all sections. Pick your choices and educational needs.
Seating is limited, so register early at: http://osherc.sph.unc.edu/ce.htm
Click below for more information!
This popular Occupational Health Nursing (OHN) course provides occupational safety and health topics with which OHNs need to be familiar to provide a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to occupational health and safety services. The final course day provides those OHNs who are interested or involved with respiratory protection programs with an optional 4-hour hands-on session on respirator protection. This course is taken by all levels of nurses - new to OHN and OHNs who would like a review or increased exposure to areas in which they have not been formally involved. Early registration is suggested as seating limited.
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OSHA Recordkeeping Interpretations sought by CE Program Faculty
OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping: Recent Interpretations
By Bill Taylor, CSP
www.ctjsafety.com
Maintaining the OSHA 300 injury and illness log is not an easy task. For this reason the consultants at CTJ Safety Associates get frequent questions from customers who are in need of guidance; therefore, we spend a great deal of time in contact with OSHA on behalf of those who come to us for assistance. When CTJ consultants request interpretations we go straight to those who write the rules at Federal OSHA. This helps to assure consistency in responses. Answers from regional offices may be different from those at Federal offices.
Recently there has been a change in personnel at the office which provides interpretations. For this reason we felt it necessary to have OSHA review some of the earlier interpretations we had gotten just to assure there had been no changes in philosophy. In very few cases has there been a change in information provided and we continue to get reliable and consistent interpretations from Federal OSHA.
Many of the interpretations that follow are not widely distributed or well known. Following are a few of the interpretations we have received since the beginning of the year and added to or updated on the CTJ Keyword Index.
Changing Flat Tire
Situation: An employee leaving work after his shift has ended
must change a flat tire on his personal vehicle in the company parking
lot. In the process he sustains an injury. Is the injury work related?
Interpretation: We brought this same question to Federal OSHA in January, 2002. The response was that changing a tire while in the company parking lot, even on a personal vehicle, is considered to be a work related activity. This, of course, makes the case work related. During a phone conversation on January 15, 2009, Federal OSHA confirmed the original interpretation, re-affirming the example given is still work related. And because recording criteria had been met the case would be recordable. The case would not be exempt as a motor vehicle accident [1904.5(b)(2)(vii)] because the exemption for motor vehicles applies only to moving vehicles. And because changing a tire has been ruled a work related activity the exemption on personal tasks outside assigned working hours [1904.5(b)(2)(v)] would not apply, even if it occurred outside assigned work hours.
Lost Days While Awaiting Drug Test Results
Situation: An employee sustains a minor injury at work
requiring only first aid. The employee undergoes a drug test which the
employer’s policy requires following all work related injuries. Company
policy prohibits the employee from returning to work until test results
are returned to the employer. Normal turn around for test results is
36-48 hours. Must these days be counted as days away from work?
Interpretation: An original interpretation dated April 16, 2007, stated the days must be counted as days away from work since the employer was prohibiting the employee from working. However, upon presenting the question more recently to Federal OSHA the original interpretation was reversed. In the revised interpretation, OSHA stated that classifying injuries or illnesses as cases involving days away from work and cases involving restricted work activity focuses on the employee’s need to recuperate, prevention of exacerbation of the injury or illness, and the inability of the employee to do work. The preamble states that both the count of days away from work and the count of days of restricted work activity are severity measures of the injury or illness.
If days away are assigned entirely for administrative reasons associated with formal company policies, classifying the injury as a case involving days away would not reflect the true severity of the case. If it is clearly stated that the employee in no way needed the time to recuperate and would have been able to perform all of his or her routine job functions, the case should not be recorded as one involving days away from work.
Chemical Inhalation
Situation: An employee breathed chemicals for a moment or two
and felt nauseous. He relaxed for about 15 minutes and felt fine
and went back to work. About 6 hours later, other employees began
to feel anxious because they heard this employee was "overcome" by
hazardous chemicals. The LHCP provided oxygen by mask “just for
comfort and relaxation" for these employees, including the one who felt
nausea earlier in the day.
Would OSHA consider this medical treatment for a work related event for the employee who was initially exposed to the chemical? What about the employees who experienced anxiety because of the event?
Interpretation: In the case of the employee who experienced the nausea OSHA has left no doubt the case is recordable. If an employee who experiences symptoms from a work related event is given oxygen the case is recordable. As for the employees who experienced the anxiety, at this writing the interpretation is that these are also recordable since the employees experienced symptoms. The question has been posed to OSHA again and we are awaiting a response.
Unused IV
Situation: An employee suffers a work related injury and is
taken to the hospital by ambulance. In route to the hospital the
ambulance attendant inserted an IV just in case intravenous medication
is required once he arrives at the hospital. Medication was not needed
so the IV was never used, but instead was removed by hospital staff. Is
this medical treatment which would make the case recordable?
Interpretation: As long as no fluid is transferred then there has been no medical treatment.
Injury While Treating an Injury
Situation: An employer injured an arm and was given first aid
treatment with a bandage. The bandage caused an infection to that arm
injury. Would this be a new case or a continuation of the first?
Interpretation: Consider the worst outcome. In this case the first aid treatment that turned into an infection would be recorded as one case.
Tired Due to Hospital Visit
Situation: An employee was injured at work, taken to the
emergency room and spent the entire day and night there awaiting
treatment. Only first aid was given. The next day, the employee was so
tired he missed the day of work. Would the lost workday make the case
recordable?
Interpretation: If the employee was directed by the attending
physician or the employer to take the day off to recuperate, the case
should be recorded as one involving a day away from work. If however,
if it was the employee who decided he couldn’t work because he was
tired, the employer is not obligated to count that as a day away. As
discussed on page 5969 of the preamble to the recordkeeping rule, the
employee is not the decision maker in the recordkeeping process. The
employer and or the physician must decide. If the employer agrees with
the employee’s decision, then they should count the day.
Missed Work Due to Test Prep
Situation: An employee suffered a work related injury and
needed a CAT scan. The employee was required to take a bowel prep which
gave him severe diarrhea resulting in a day away from work. The CAT
scan and bowel prep were necessary as a diagnostic for the work related
injury. Would the bowel prep be a new case?
Interpretation: No, the original injury and bowel prep would be one case OSHA refers the reader to FAQ 7-3 which states: If an employee dies during surgery made necessary by a work-related injury or illness, is the case recordable? What if the surgery occurs weeks or months after the date of the injury or illness?
Answer to FAQ 7-3: If an employee dies as a result of surgery
or other complications following a work-related injury or illness, the
case is recordable. If the underlying injury or illness was recorded
prior to the employee's death, the employer must update the Log by
lining out information on less severe outcomes, e.g., days away from
work or restricted work, and checking the column indicating death.
Injury Due to Overcompensation
Situation: An employee hurt her left arm at work resulting in a
recordable injury because of restrictions. Her restrictions caused her
to favor the injured arm resulting in overuse of her right arm. She
was then placed on right arm restrictions. Is this a new case?
Interpretation: We asked this question in 2005 and were told
this would be two separate cases. This earlier interpretation was
confirmed recently by the following response from OSHA: The development
of an injury to the right arm is a new case, therefore this would be
considered two separate injuries because the employee has not previously
experienced a recorded injury or illness of the same type that affects
the same part of the body with in the meaning of 29 CFR 1904.6.
Summary
OSHA has been quite consistent with interpretations as can be
seen by the few examples provided. There are other interpretations
which may be useful to those charged with the responsibility of
maintaining OSHA injury and illness records. You can go to the OSHA web
site or contact the consultants at CTJ Safety Associates.
Interpretations are also available on the CTJ Safety Keyword Index for OSHA Recordkeeping.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Bill Taylor, CSP, Vice President, CTJ Safety Associates, has nearly 30 years of safety experience. He is a former director of safety and health programs in both industry and municipal government, with diverse safety and health managerial experience, including a concentration in ergonomics. He is the author of Effective Environmental, Health and Safety Management Using the Team Approach (2005, John Wiley & Sons) and has also published award-winning articles on ergonomics and training.
Bill assisted a variety of clients in manufacturing,
services, construction, and the public sector by conducting simulated
OSHA inspections, safety and OSHA compliance training, and developing
policies and safety management systems. He has visited a large variety
of plants and facilities throughout North America and overseas.
He is past-president of the North Carolina Chapter of ASSE, the North Carolina Association of Local Government Employee Safety Officials and the regional safety council. His specialties include safety management systems, OSHA standards training, and audits.
Click below for more information!
The North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Center provides Hazardous Substance Training (HST) courses as scheduled and contract courses that can be tailored to a particular group's needs. The target audiences for HST training include:
- State and local health and environmental agency personnel;
- Other professionals engaged in the management of hazardous substances; and
- Community residents, educators, and leaders with concerns regarding the environmental contamination and issues of public health arising from exposure to hazardous substances.
The training is intended to prepare professional personnel to properly carry out their responsibilities in the hazardous substance response and site remediation activities authorized by Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986. This workforce is in continuing need of training through continuing education courses with specialization in the occupational and environmental health and safety field.
Some HST courses include:
- HAZWOPER : 40 Hour initial; and 16 Hour and 8 Hour refresher courses
- HAZWOPER Incident Command
- Confined Space
- Clandestine Methamphetamine Lab Awareness Training
- Radon
- Mold Assessment and Remediation
- Health Effects of Pesticides
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Respiratory Protection
- Disaster Preparedness
- Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Disaster Preparedness
- DOT Regulations in Transporting Hazardous Substances
- Environmental Health
- Environmental Regulations
- Health Effects of Exposure to Heavy Metals
- Environmental Risk Assessment
For additional information on Hazardous Substances, go to the NIEHS Superfund Basic Research Program
Guidance on the Use of Chemical Countermeasures
on Inland Oil Spills: By Scott Harris, PhD, MPH
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recognizes the major role
of local government responders, such as firefighters, as the first
line of defense for mitigating threats to public health and the
environment from spills of oil and hazardous substances, and tries to
provide them with the tools necessary to safely and effectively
mitigate such incidents. Chemical countermeasures (CCMs) are one
of those tools, but their use must be authorized and carefully
managed. This article describes that process where countermeasures
are proposed for use on inland events such as fuel spills that may
affect navigable waters. These may include surface waters and
conduits to them, including road ditches and storm drains, though the
exact definition remains in flux.
EPA
defines CCMs as “any element, compound, or mixture that coagulates,
disperses, dissolves, emulsifies, foams, neutralizes, precipitates,
reduces, solubilizes, oxidizes, concentrates, congeals, entraps, fixes,
makes the oil more rigid or viscous, reduces the harmful effects or
otherwise helps remove the oil from the environment.” This
includes biological additives, dispersing agents, surface washing
agents, surface collecting agents, burning agents and any other
miscellaneous oil spill control agents.
For spills that have the potential to reach navigable waters,
either directly or by runoff, the CCM must be listed on the Product Schedule found at Subpart J of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). The Product Schedule Q&A
can answer many typical questions, and you can also verify that a
product is on the Schedule by calling 202-260-2342. The NCP Product Schedule Notebook contains detailed information on listed products.
For more on this topic, go to: http://iesollc.com/wordpress/2009/05/29/guidance-on-the-use-of-chemical-countermeasures-on-inland-oil-spills/
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Dr. Scott Harris, faculty for the Hazardous Substance Training Program, is the Senior Risk Manager for IESO, LLC.
His experience covers over 27 years of Environmental, Health and
Safety Management in Federal and State government, consulting, general
industry and University instruction. Before joining IESO, Scott
was a Federal On-Scene Coordinator for EPA Region 6 and a member of
their Emergency Readiness Team. He held DOD “Top Secret” and DOE
“Q” security clearances, and directed multi-agency emergency response,
planning and recovery activities for chemical, biological and
radiological releases and exercises within the five-state region.
Occupational Epidemiology Program
The program emphasizes research training at the doctoral level. Completion of the PhD typically requires three to five years following the master's or professional degree. Applicants who are interested in the PhD but do not have a graduate degree may be admitted to the doctoral program, but are expected to earn the Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) as an intermediate step. The MPH in epidemiology is also available as a terminal professional degree for physicians and others with prior doctoral-level professional degrees.
The PhD in epidemiology prepares students for careers in research and teaching. Students develop skills in occupational epidemiology through course work, involvement in research projects and practice opportunities.
David Richardson, PhD
Director, Occupational Epidemiology Program
Gillings School of Global Public Health
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Campus Box #7435
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435
Phone: 919-966-2675
Fax: 919-966-2089
david.richardson@unc.edu
For more information on the Occupational Epidemiology Program, visit: http://osherc.sph.unc.edu/academic/occ_epid.htm
Occupational Health Nursing Program
Bonnie Rogers, DrPH, COHN-S, LNCC, FAAN
Director, NC Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Center
Director, Occupational Health Nursing Program
Email: rogersb@email.unc.edu
Phone: 919-966-1765
Rogers elected Vice-President of
International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH)
Bonnie Rogers, DrPH, RN, FAAN, Associate Professor in the UNC
Gillings School of Global Public Health's Public Health Leadership
Program and Director of the North Carolina Occupational Safety and
Health Education and Research Center and the Occupational Health
Nursing Program, has been elected Vice-president of the International
Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH).
The Commission is an international, nongovernmental,
professional society whose aims are to foster the scientific progress,
knowledge and development of occupational health and safety in all its
aspects. It was founded in 1906 in Milan as the Permanent Commission on
Occupational Health.
ICOH is the world's leading international scientific society in
the field of occupational health, with a multidisciplinary membership
from 93 countries that includes occupational medicine physicians,
occupational health nurses, industrial hygienists, safety
professionals, ergonomists, and others.
The organization's most visible activities are the triennial
World Congresses on Occupational Health, usually attended by some 3,000
participants, and the international meetings held each year by the 35
scientific committees of the organization. The election results were
announced at the 2009 Congress in Cape Town, South Africa.
Dr. Rogers has practiced as a public health nurse, occupational
health nurse clinician and educator and is a widely recognized
researcher in the field of hazards to health care workers. She has
published more than 150 articles and two textbooks, and is associate
editor for a third text.
International Congress on Occupational Health Meeting
OHN Faculty Bonnie Rogers, Judy Ostendorf, Kathleen Buckheit, Susan Randolph, and Gary Greenberg and adjunct faculty members Elizabeth Lawhorn and Kay Campbell attended the 29th ICOH International Congress on Occupational Health meeting held March 22-27, 2009 in Cape Town, South Africa. The 2012 ICOH meeting will be held in Monterrey, Mexico.
Bonnie Rogers, DrPH, RN, COHN-S, FAAN gave a keynote address, “Training and Education Needs at All Levels in Occupational Health: Recognition and Response.” She also delivered a presentation on “From Research to Practice” during the SCOHN/South African Society of Occupational Health Nursing Practitioners Pre-Conference Workshop on March 21, 2009 in Belleville, South Africa.
Judy Ostendorf, MPH, RN, COHN-S, CCM, FAAOHN, presented, “Development of Distance Education Programs in Occupational Health Nursing: Meeting the Educational Needs of Practitioners.”
Kathleen Buckheit, MPH, RN, COHN-S/CM/SM, FAAOHN, OHN faculty and Director of Continuing Education, NC OSHERC, presented, “Interdisciplinary Continuing Education in Occupational Health and Safety: Growth Through Webcast.”
Susan Randolph, MSN, RN, COHN-S, FAAOHN, presented, “Comparison of OHN Competency Achievement—On-Campus and Distance Education, 2005 and 2008”. She also presented the same topic during the SCOHN/South African Society of Occupational Health Nursing Practitioners Pre-Conference Workshop on March 21, 2009 in Belleville, South Africa.
Gary Greenberg, MD, MPH hosted the UNC OEM-List Serve function to discuss the value and impact of the list-serve in providing cutting edge information on occupational health and safety topics that reaches around the world.
Kay Campbell RN, EdD, COHN-S, FAAOHN presented a poster on "Occupational Health Nurses: Considering Health Through the Life Span" and a speech, "Energy and Resilience Driving a Healthy, High Performance Culture".
Liz Lawhorn MSN, RN, COHN-S Co-Chaired the education session on Occupational Health Training and Research Needs.
ICOH officers:
From left to right: Suvi Lehtinen, Vice President (Finland); Sergio Iavicoli, Secretary General (Italy),
Kazutaka Kogi, President (Japan), and Bonnie Rogers, Vice President (USA).
OHN faculty enjoying Cape Town, South Africa:
From left to right: Bonnie Rogers, Judy Ostendorf, Susan Randolph, and Kathleen Buckheit
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OHN Student and Faculty Awards/Honors/Appointments/Recognitions
OHN Students
- Shawna Hutchins, BSN, RN, a student in the Distance MPH Program in Occupational Health Nursing, received the 2009 Imogene Pence Klingenfus Scholarship Award during the 2009 Public Health Leadership Program Award ceremony on April 1, 2009. She has proudly served our country for the past 15 years as an active duty member of the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Public Health Service. In her current position as a Health Services Administrator in the Division of Immigration Health Services, she is charged with the leadership and management of an immigration processing clinic overseeing 29 employees. Shawna writes, “My academic coursework in occupational health nursing is directly related to my mission of serving and protecting the public health of our nation, and has provided me with a thorough knowledge base to contribute to and complete my mission more effectively.”
- Enrique Henry Guevara, MSN, RN, COHN-S/CM, a student in the Distance MPH Program in Occupational Health Nursing, was one of two recipients of the 2009 Margaret Blee-Ruth Warwick Hay Scholarship Award during the 2009 Public Health Leadership Program Award ceremony on April 1, 2009. Henry has modeled, encouraged, and has been supported in leadership roles in occupational health nursing in various ways: as Global Health Services Manager; working as a graduate research assistant for key R01 projects; actively participating in leadership roles with the Epsilon Theta chapter of Sigma Theta Tau and with the Austin Texas Association of Occupational Health Nurses. In applying academic knowledge to practice, Henry writes, “I have been able to institute an influenza immunization program to the workforce population at my manufacturing setting. A cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis was presented to my management team and was accepted as a model program for the other regions of the U.S. for our corporation.” He shows commitment to occupational health nursing by presenting at American Public Health Association and Sigma Theta Tau meetings and co-authoring 13 articles for various peer-review journals.
- Kathy Dayvault, BSN, RN, COHN-S/CM, a student in the Distance MPH Program in Occupational Health Nursing, received $2,500 UPS Foundation Academic Scholarship from the AAOHN Foundation. She was also recognized during the AAOHN Awards Ceremony on April 21, 2009 in Orlando, FL.
OHN Faculty
- Susan Randolph, MSN, RN, COHN-S, FAAOHN, faculty in the Occupational Health Nursing Program, was appointed Secretary, Scientific Committee on Occupational Health Nursing (SCOHN) of the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH). She will serve 3 years from 2009-2012.
- Bonnie Rogers, DrPH, RN, COHN-S, FAAN, Director of the NC OSHERC, and Director of the Occupational Health Nursing Program, was elected Vice-President, International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH). In addition to other duties, Dr. Rogers will be responsible to work with the 35 Scientific Committees of ICOH. She will serve 3 years from 2009-2012.
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Master of Public Health Program May Graduates
Congratulations to two of our Master of Public
Health (MPH) students who graduated in May 2009 – Jennifer Borst Best
from Grimes, IA and Jason Tate from Albuquerque, NM. We have three new
students who will start the MPH Program this fall. They are
Laurie Heagy from Mertztown, PA, Karen Siemering from South Hadley, MA,
and Ken Uedoi from Mililani, HI. We welcome them to our
program.
Applications for the Master of Public Health (MPH) in the
Occupational Health Nursing (OHN) Concentration, spring (January)
semester will be accepted until October 1, 2009. Information about
the MPH Program in the OHN concentration may be accessed at http://www.sph.unc.edu/phlp/distance/ohn.htm
The Program provides partial funding for tuition through the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Training
Grant.
If you have questions about the program, please contact, Judy Ostendorf at 919-966-2597 or judy_ostendorf@unc.edu.
OHN Certificate Program May Graduates
The Occupational Health Nursing Program (OHN) is proud to announce that three of the second group of students in the Certificate in Occupational Health Nursing Program graduated in May. They are Denai Meyer from Albuquerque, NM, Dawn Scheessele from Concord, NC, and Carol Summey from Cliffside, NC. They completed the certificate program in nine months, by taking 2 courses during the fall and spring semesters. Five more from the second group will graduate in December.
We will be meeting our third group of Certificate students in
August, when they come to campus to attend Dr. Bonnie Rogers’
Occupational Health Nursing I class. There are ten students in the
third group; they are Lindsay Beckwith from No. Stonington, CT, Alma
Brewer from Oconomowoc, WI, Kim Dennison from Perry, MI, Charlotte
Giles from Salisbury, NC, Karla Hamblin from Celina, OH, Stephen Kalb
from California, Margaret McBride from Atlanta, GA, Vincent Pair from
Griffin, GA, Barbara Purcell from Southern Pines, NC, and Elaine
Williams from Twinsburg, OH. They’ll attend the NORA Seminar and
reception, attend class, visit several manufacturing sites in the
area, and give presentations during that week on campus.
Applications for the Certificate in Occupational Health Nursing
Program, fall 2010 semester (August) will be accepted until April 1,
2010. Information about the Certificate in Occupational Health
Nursing Program and the application can be accessed at http://www.sph.unc.edu/phlp/ohn_certificate_home_4796_4250.html.
If you have questions about the program, please contact, Judy Ostendorf at 919-966-2597 or judy_ostendorf@unc.edu.
Ms. Patricia Louie, MPH, COHN-S, FAAOHN
was selected as 2009 AAOHN Fellow
Congratulations to Ms. Patricia Louie, MEd, MPH, COHN-S, FAAOHN who was
selected as one of eleven 2009 Fellows of the American Association of
Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) April 2009. This honor recognizes
AAOHN members who, as nursing leaders, make a significant contribution
to the field of occupational and environmental health nursing. AAOHN Fellows comprise
a group of leaders who provide vision to advance the skills, knowledge
and abilities of occupational and environmental health nurses
influence policy, contribute to research and exemplify highly effective
management and clinical practices.Ms. Louie is a 1998 graduate of the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Master's of Public Health
(MPH) Program with the Occupational Health Nursing (OHN) concentration.
During her graduate program, Ms. Louie participated in a practicum at
the US Department of Labor, OSHA, in Washington, DC and was hired after
graduation to work in the Office of OHN. She served as the liaison
from OSHA to the Department of Energy (DOE) and led an OSHA team that
conducted comprehensive safety and health inspections at ten DOE R &
D facilities across the country. Currently, Ms. Louie works for
DOL's Ombudsman for the Energy Employees' Occupational Illness
Compensation Program, which provides outreach and education about the
program's benefits and assists claimants who developed illnesses due to
exposures while working at DOE facilities during the "Cold War."
The picture shows Ms. Louie receiving the AAOHN Fellow Award, flanked
on the left by Sue Randolph, OHN Assistant Professor and AAOHN Past
President and on the right by Kay Campbell, AAOHN President, and far
right by Judy Ostendorf, UNC OHN Assistant Professor and Deputy
Director of the NC OSHERC.
Leena Nylander-French, PhD
Director, Occupational Hygiene Training Program
Email: leena_french@unc.edu
Phone: 919-966-3826
For more information on Industrial Hygiene, contact Dr. Nylander-French at leena_french@unc.edu or visit http://www.sph.unc.edu/envr/focus_industrial_hygiene_2138_9181.html
SPH Spotlight on Student Research
The Office of Research was pleased to host the Spotlight on Student Research Poster Presentation Event for the School of Public Health. All students in the School of Public Health were invited to present a poster to showcase their research.
Winners of the 2009 Spotlight on Student Research Outstanding Poster Award, from left,
Mejs Hasan (ESE), Lucia Leone (NUTR), Michelle Sonia (HPM) and Regina Rutledge (MCH).
The Spotlight on Student Research event provides
students with the opportunity to enhance their professional potential
through interaction with other students and faculty, discovery of
research being conducted by their peers, and generation of new ideas
or collaborations. The event serves as a great opportunity for
the School of Public Health to disseminate information about the impact
of our students' research.
Click here for a listing of the poster presentations from the Spring 2009 Spotlight on Student Research.
Occupational Safety and Ergonomics
North Carolina
State University Department of Industrial Engineering
David B. Kaber, PhD, CHFP Associate Professor
Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering
Email: dbkaber@ncsu.edu
Phone: 919-515-3086
Click below for more information
Experimental Investigations of Ergonomic Interventions for
Scaffolding Operations at Nuclear Power Plant Facilities
In the previous News-E article, NC State Occupational Safety and Ergonomics Program reported on the methodology of an OSHERC-supported pilot project to assess the effectiveness of various ergonomic interventions in scaffolding operations conducted at nuclear power plants as part of maintenance. We planned to conduct multiple experiments to determine whether alternative designs of materials and equipment for securing scaffold planks to frames and for coupling tubes as part of scaffold frames might reduce operator exposure to ergonomic risk factors and increase task performance.
Previous scaffolding work analyses, conducted in collaboration
with personnel from the Ergonomics Center of North Carolina, revealed
such tasks to require extreme worker posture positions (spinal forward
flexion and kneeling) as well as high-forces at the hands and wrists in
repetitious movements.
In our experiments, we compared the current use of 9-gauge steel
wire for plank-to-frame tie-down (see Fig. 1(a)) with the use of
high-strength industrial zip ties (250 lbs. test). We also made
comparison of existing scaffolding tube couplers (see Fig. 1(b)),
integrating a nut and bolt for fastening, with a new tube coupler
integrating a lever clamping mechanism and handle lock. We expected the
zip ties to reduce the need for workers to assume kneeling postures
and to eliminate the need for high-force twisting of wires with pliers
when securing planks to frames. The ties were also expected to reduce
task time. Beyond this, we expected the new tube couplers to eliminate
repetitious hand motions, required in using a ratchet to fasten old
couplers, and that they would be quicker to apply to frames. Field
experiments were conducted at a nuclear power plant training facility
with actual scaffold builders and scaffolding materials. A three-day
test period was used to capture scaffold builder joint-angle data (with a
goniometer) in the plank tie-down and tube coupling tasks as well as
task completion time data. Extensive worker surveys were conducted
during test trials and at the close of the data collection period.
|
|
Fig. 1 (a). 9-gauge wire for |
Fig. 1 (b). Existing scaffold tube couplers. |
Preliminary results revealed the use of the industrial zip ties to dramatically reduce task time from approximately 8 min. (for securing eight plank ends with steel wire) to 4 min. The proportion of task time spent in a kneeling posture was also reduced and the ties eliminated extreme pronation and supination of the forearms relative to using steel tie-wire. The new scaffold tube couplers reduced task time by approximately 0.5-1 min. (over the course of completion of eight tube connections). There was also a substantial reduction in wrist flexion, extension, abduction and adduction as compared to using the old couplers requiring nut ratcheting. Finally, subjective surveys revealed the majority of participants to find the zip ties to be easier and faster to use and that the new couplers with a lever for clamping were quicker and required far less force to secure to frames. Detailed statistical analysis of this data and electromyography responses is to be conducted over the next several months.
Dr. Kaber will be offering a new Continuing Education Ergonomics course at the Winter Institute in St. Pete's Beach, FL, February 2010. Watch for it soon on the website.
The NC OSHERC Occupational Medicine Program
Duke University
Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinic
Dennis Darcey, MD, MSPH, FACOEM Program Director
Occupational Medicine Residency Program
Duke University Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinic
Email: darce001@mc.duke.edu
Phone: 919-286-1722 Ext. 226
For more information on the Duke Occupational Medicine Program and Residency, visit: osherc.sph.unc.edu/academic/occ_med.htm
Brian J. Caveney, MD, JD, MPH named Editor-in-Chief of
Occupational Injuries and Illnesses
Brian J. Caveney, MD, JD, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Duke University Medical Center, was named the Editor-in-Chief of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. OII is a three volume treatise published by Matthew Bender (Lexis-Nexis) targeted to occupational health professionals, the insurance industry, and attorneys dealing in workers' compensation claims, with particular focus on elements of causation, work-relatedness, and resulting impairment of occupational injuries and illnesses.
K01 Study Funded
Dr. Douglas Myers, an Assistant Professor in the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Community and Family Medicine at Duke University, was recently awarded funding for his K01 study, “Preventing Blood and Body Fluid Exposures during Surgical Procedures”. In this study, Dr. Myers will evaluate intervention efforts to reduce the risk of blood and body fluid (BBF) exposures in operating rooms. Dr. Myers also recently had an article accepted for publication in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine entitled “Informal Social Status among Coworkers and Risk of Work-related Injury among Nurse Aides in Long-term Care”. In that study, he utilized social network measures to study the risk of work-related injury as a function of one’s social rank in an informal hierarchy among nurse aides. As a part of his study of BBF exposures in the operating room, Dr. Myers will build upon his background in sociology to examine whether greater familiarity among surgical team members produced by repeatedly working together leads to greater coordination and lowers risk of BBF exposures.
Resident abstract presented at the
2009 American Occupational Health Conference
TITLE: Ocular and Musculoskeletal Illness Among Computer Professionals in India
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Presented at the 2009 American Occupational Health Conference
sponsored by the American College of Occupational and Environmental
Medicine, San Diego, CA,
April 26-29, 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHORS: Vipul Shah, MD, Resident and Dennis Darcey, MD, MSPH, Chief, Division of Occupational Medicine
Department of Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center,
Durham, NC and Program Director, NC OSHERC Occupational Medicine
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABSTRACT:
Introduction: Ocular and musculoskeletal illness among computer
professionals has been a topic in occupational health research for many
years. Computers are revolutionizing the workplaces of India, and their
use will continue to grow. Concerns have been expressed about the
potential health effects associated with computer use in this setting,
yet current prevalence data are lacking in India. The bulk of
literature available on this problem is in the West with few studies
done in India.
Methods: Two IT Industries of Vadodara were selected by random
sampling. Out of 200 computer professionals 160 consented and completed
an occupational and medical health questionnaire.
Results: The prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints in the upper
extremities and ocular complaints of pain and watering of the eyes
increased with increasing length of shift and duration (years) of
computer work.
Conclusions: Musculoskeletal and ocular illness among India computer
professionals increases with length and duration of employment.
Ergonomic intervention is critical to reducing illness and increasing
job satisfaction.
Practical ergonomic interventions are discussed.
Intervention for Reducing Musculoskeletal Disorders:
Evaluation of Physical Risk Factors for Ultrasound Technologists
TITLE: Intervention for Reducing
Musculoskeletal Disorders: Evaluation of Physical Risk Factors for
Ultrasound Technologists - Presentation for the poster session at the
2009 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Conference
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHORS: Tamara James, Occupational and Environmental Safety Office, Duke University & Health System
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABSTRACT:
Background: According to the BLS, diagnostic medical sonographers held about 37,000 jobs in 2002 in the US. Due to the upper extremity-intensive nature of this occupation, sonographers are at risk for developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders. A majority of the studies have identified the main factors leading to musculoskeletal disorders as forceful prolonged grip of the transducer, awkward upper body postures, and static contractions of the upper limbs.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the reduction in musculoskeletal disorder physical risk factors by using interventions when performing ultrasound scans. Sonographers at the host site frequently visited Employee Health with reports of pain. Researchers worked in concert with the host site’s ergonomics sonography committee and industrial designers to develop interventions. These consisted of transducer covers and elbow supports for the sonographers as well as breast and pannus supports for the patients.
Testing:. Field testing was designed with an intervention and control group with pre and post intervention measures. Approximately three months later, a follow-up exposure assessment was to be conducted. During this assessment, the experimental group was to perform their typical work tasks with the interventions. The control group was to perform their tasks as normal. Postures during scanning tasks were to be assessed using the PATH methodology and muscle activity was to be sampled using surface electromyography.
Participants: Employees at the host site, who work in the various sonography clinics were invited to participate in this study. Participants were informed of the benefits and risks to participating in this study and were assigned to the intervention or control group. Ten subjects were recruited in each group, respectively.
Results: Although many of the interventions did not meet the needs of the sonographers, this study led to other solutions using a participatory approach. The researchers have redesigned the interventions and developed a new intervention to assist with gripping the transducer – a flexible ring. The host site sonographers are pleased with the device and have requested nine more. A proposal to formally test the transducer ring as an ergonomic intervention has been submitted and is under review for funding.
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AdvertisementOSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping IndexA
keyword index of OSHA Recordkeeping interpretations and terms used in
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Guide to OSHA Recordkeeping
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NC Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Center
Bonnie Rogers, DrPH, COHN-S, LNCC, FAAN, Director
Supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
North Carolina Institute for
Public Health
Gillings School of Global Public Health, The
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Phone 919-962-2101 | Toll free 888-235-3320 | osherc@unc.edu