Health Hazard Evaluations: Tuberculosis

The Health Hazard Evaluations and Technical Assistance (HETA) Program responds to requests from employers, employees, employee representatives, other Federal agencies, and State and local agencies. Through a staff of industrial hygienists, engineers, occupational physicians, epidemiologists, other health professionals, and support personnel, the Hazard Evaluations and Technical Assistance Branch (HETAB) collaborates with appropriate personnel in other divisions of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to respond to approximately 400 requests for assistance each year. The typical HETA response to a request for assistance results in (1) an evaluation of whether chemical, physical, biological, or other agents are hazardous as used or found in the workplace and (2) the development of recommendations for control procedures, improved work practices, and medical programs to reduce exposure levels and prevent adverse health effects. The results of individual evaluations may trigger wider studies of similar exposures in other settings or may stimulate recommendations for implementation or modification of health standards. More than 10,000 evaluations have been completed since the inception of the HETA Program in 1972. Requests received by the HETA Program tend to reflect emerging occupational problems, such as tuberculosis (TB) in the workplace and other National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) priority areas.

This document presents titles and summaries of HHEs related to TB, organized by type of facility. In most cases TB exposure was just one of several exposures that NIOSH researchers investigated at a work site. In many cases, corrective measures were made in response to the evaluation and recommendations made by NIOSH investigators.

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