National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH)

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. NIOSH objectives include conducting research to reduce work-related illnesses and injuries, promoting safe and healthy workplaces through interventions, recommendations and capacity building and enhancing global workplace safety and health through international collaborations.

NIOSH’s Water-Related Activities

Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies (DSHEFS)

• Collaborating with the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) on a health hazard evaluation to investigate the effects of indoor air and water quality on worker-related illnesses at an indoor waterpark.
  • For more information, visit NIOSH’s Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-2007-0163-3062, investigation of employee symptoms at an indoor waterpark, Great Wolf Lodge, Mason, Ohio [PDF - 1.27MB]
• Developing recommendations for pool designers, pool managers, and local health officials that will be included in NIOSH’s Workplace Solutions series. These research-based recommendations aim to reduce the chances of worker-related illnesses at indoor pools and waterparks.

Division of Applied Research and Technology (DART)

• Researching environmental non-tuberculosis mycobacteria and tuberculosis mycobacteria contamination.
  • For more information, visit Rapid Detection and Determination of the Aerodynamic Size Range of Airborne Mycobacteria Associated with Whirlpools