NIOSH 50th Anniversary

Here are a few or our recent NIOSH 50^th Blogs

December 3 – Musculoskeletal Disorders Research at NIOSH

December 8 – 30 Years of the NIOSH Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Program

December 10 –Respiratory Health Research at NIOSH

December 14 – Workplace Violence Research

December 14 – Learning from Workplace Fatality Investigations

December 16 – NIOSH in Cincinnati-A Pictorial History Part 1

December 20 – NIOSH in Cincinnati – 50 Years of OSH Research and Service

December 21 – Prevention Through Design

December 22 – NIOSH in Denver

December 28 – A Final Look at Our 50th Anniversary Commemoration

December 30 – The Secret Origins of NIOSH

View the full list of Blogs from the NIOSH 50^th Anniversary Blog Series

Notable Milestones in NIOSH History  1971-2021

eNews from the Director’s Desk: NIOSH Looks at 50

NIOSH Update: NIOSH Celebrates 50 Years

2021 NIOSH Bibliography celebrates NIOSH’s progress over the first 50 years, from its publication of the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards and evaluations of firefighter and other worker deaths to its administration of the World Trade Center Health Program and support of responder and workforce safety in crises such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Ebola outbreak, and COVID-19 pandemic.

Research Rounds: This limited time series, “NIOSH Then” where we look back at research efforts inside and outside of NIOSH from the past 50 years.

• Early Steps Toward Integrating Workplace Safety and Health: Origins of Total Worker Health^®
• Pioneering 1976 Guidelines Targeted Work-related Cancer
• Ongoing Study Furthers Understanding of Lung Disease in Textile Workers
• Anthropometric Research Improves Safety by Design
• Landmark Study of Benzene Risk Improved Worker Safety and Health
• Pivotal Study Links Lung Cancer Death to Diesel Exhaust
• Study Showing More Injuries Among Temporary Workers Helped Change Law
• High Risk for Workplace Homicide Led to Call for Increased Protection and Research
• Silicosis Implicated in Rising Cases of Black Lung
• Expanded Framework for Worker Well-being Leads to New NIOSH Survey Tool
• Back Belts Do Not Prevent Low Back Pain or Injury
• Decades Long Program Examines Emerging and Persistent Hazards and Solutions in Construction

Recordings Available from NIOSH 50th Webinar Series

• Looking Back: The Important Role of Science in Fulfilling the Occupational Safety and Health Act – Featuring current and past NIOSH leaders discussing key scientific accomplishments during their tenure for the NIOSH 50^th anniversary.
• Behind the Science: Spotlight on NIOSH Field and Laboratory Research Webinar – Highlights of three scientific research activities from field and laboratory researchers, which include the 30-year NIOSH involvement in mining-induced seismicity research; NIOSH research to identify a workplace hazard from inhaled butter flavoring vapors causing severe lung damage; and the research to practice story of the NIOSH respirator research and conformity assessment effort to advance technology, ensuring first responders are equipped with appropriate chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) protective respirators.
• Quantifying and Understanding Impact: NIOSH Epidemiologic and Surveillance Activitiesexternal icon – Topics included mortality studies of chronic disease, the NIOSH Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program, the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance program, and indoor environmental quality investigations. Speakers from the NIOSH extramural State Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program (in California and Texas) also discussed their activities.

• Follow #NIOSH50th on Twitter and Instagram for all the content related to the anniversary and history of NIOSH.
• Follow NIOSH on Instagram for #ThrowbackThursday for historic NIOSH photos. Throwback posts have included: first NIOSH Director, HHEs, Morgantown, WV lab groundbreaking, NIOSH Directors, OSH history, hard hats, construction stand-down, and United States Public Health Service.

As part of the 50th anniversary, NIOSH welcomes current and past partners to highlight successes and accomplishments, resulting from collaborations with our institute. Check out the information below from some of our partners who are recognizing this milestone and showcasing their NIOSH partnerships.

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association Share Collaboration Article for NIOSH 50^th
The National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) recently published an articleexternal icon related to the NIOSH 50^th anniversary. The article highlights just a few of the many collaborations between the NSSGA and its member companies and NIOSH on health and safety projects.

Oregon Healthy Workforce Center Features Dr. Howard in Podcast Recognizing the NIOSH 50^th
For the NIOSH 50^th anniversary, the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center recently released a podcastexternal icon, featuring our very own NIOSH Director, Dr. John Howard, reflecting back on the history of the institute and its important work and accomplishments. This podcast is a part of the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center’s (OHWC) What’s Work Got To Do With It?external icon podcast series, which is geared toward highlighting the ways in which work can affect our overall safety, health and well-being. The Oregon Healthy Workforce Center is one six NIOSH-funded Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health®.

National Toxicology Program Honors NIOSH 50th Anniversary
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) recently highlighted its common goals and collaborative research with NIOSH in recognition of the institute’s 50^thanniversary via a recent articleexternal icon in the Environmental Factor. Read more about NTP’s accomplishments and partnership with NIOSH in this newsletter published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. A recent NIOSH Science Blog and the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s The Synergist newswireexternal icon also featured this collaboration.

University of Iowa Recognizes 20-Plus Year Collaboration With NIOSH
NIOSH currently funds three centers at the University of Iowa – the Heartland Center for Occupational Health and Safety (Education and Research Center), the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (Center for Agricultural Safety and Health) and the Healthier Workforce Center of the Midwest (Center of Excellence for Total Worker Health®). In honor of the NIOSH 50^th anniversary, the university recently posted an articleexternal icon, highlighting its decades-long partnership with the institute and the research and education these centers provide to protect worker health and safety.

The Occupational Safety & Environmental Health Program Marks 40 Years at Millersville University
Millersville University held an online event April 28 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its Occupational Safety & Environmental Health Program—a program that is 1 of the 28 recipients of the NIOSH-funded Training Project Grant. The day-long program, which was recorded, featured presentations by leading safety professionals, as well as panel discussions, breakout sessions, tours, and interactions with current students. The program also recognized its partnership with NIOSH during this milestone event. You can view more on the Millersville University website.external icon

Texas ERC and AG Center Recognize NIOSH 50^th During Inaugural Research Symposium
Check out this video, featuring the 1st Annual Southwest Centers Occupational Health Research Symposium held in June 2021, recognizing the NIOSH 50th. This event featured pilot feasibility research studies from the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Healthexternal icon (SWCOEH) and the Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Educationexternal icon (SW Ag Center).

Southwest Ag Center Recognizes 25-Year Partnership With NIOSH
This year marks the 25^th anniversary of the Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Education (SW Ag Center) -one of 11 NIOSH-funded Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health (Ag Centers). The SW Ag Center, located at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, is recognizing this milestone and its long-standing partnership with NIOSH. The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler highlighted the center’s successes as a NIOSH grantee in its magazine, The Shieldexternal icon. The center also recognized the NIOSH 50^th in its SWAGbitesexternal icon newsletter and featured a timeline of its NIOSH-funded research over the past 25 years.

Texas Public Health Association Recognizes NIOSH’s Partnership with University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler
In celebration of the NIOSH 50^th anniversary, the Texas Public Health Association highlighted the institute’s collaboration with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler in its recent newsletterexternal icon (see page 8). Through the NIOSH Training Project Grant (TPG), the university’s Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences Department has trained many occupational medicine physicians for more than a decade.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler also recently created a videoexternal icon, highlighting the NIOSH 50th and its various accomplishments achieved through its partnerships with NIOSH including the TPG and the Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Education (SW Ag Center).

NIOSH’s 50^th Anniversary and Our Impact Through Partnership
Check out this blogexternal icon from the Center for Health, Work & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health, which recognizes its various accomplishments in occupational safety and health and worker well-being through its NIOSH-funded Education and Research Center and Center of Excellence for Total Worker Health^®. This blog was created in recognition of the NIOSH 50th anniversary.

Success of a Long-Term Partnership Focused on Workplace Violence
The University of Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center is highlighting its collaboration with NIOSH over the past few decades through a one-pagerpdf iconexternal icon on the achievements of this partnership in workplace violence. Through varied NIOSH grants, the center has been able to address this issue, which is the third leading cause of U.S. on-the-job deaths.

Reflecting Back: The Partnership between Oregon State University and NIOSH Western States Division
For the NIOSH 50th anniversary, Oregon State University captured its collaboration with the NIOSH Western States Division through a timelineexternal icon on its website. This university’s partnership with NIOSH, which is focused on commercial fishing, has been ongoing for nearly a decade.