2011 NOHC Student Research Forum Winners

(Pictured Above from left to right: Marie-Anne Sanon, Janessa Graves, Allison Crollard, Caitlin Demsky)
NWCOHS is pleased to announce the 2011 NOHC Student Research Forum Winners!

Premier Award
Graves, Janessa M. University of Washington
Co-authors: Fulton-Kehoe, D., Jarvik, J. G., Franklin, GM. "Washington
State workers with low back pain: one-year health and disability outcomes associated with early imaging".

Honorable Mentions
Sanon, Marie Anne. University of Washington
Co-author: de Castro, A. B.
"Nurses take home exposure: what can their scrubs tell us to help prevent the spread of infection into communities?"

Crollard, Allison. University of Washington
Co-authors: de Castro, A. B., and Tang, J.
"Occupational downgrading among immigrant workers"

Travel Award
Demsky, Caitlin. Portland State University
Co-authors: Ellis, A., and Fritz, C.
"The big five as moderators of the relationship between work-family
conflict and life satisfaction"

About the NOHC Student Research Forum
The Northwest Occupational Health Conference (NOHC) is held yearly in the fall by the Industrial Hygiene (IH), Occupational Medicine (OM), and Occupational Health Nursing (OHN) communities. An event organized by PNSAIHA, the NOHC is among the largest and most successful regional multidisciplinary conferences, attracting 250-300 attendees from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Montana, and British Columbia.

Each Year, the Northwest Center for Occupational Health & Safety (NWCOHS), in collaboration with the NOHC, hosts a 'Student Research Forum' open to graduate students and recent alumni of the northwest regional institutions and within the professional categories of IH, OM, OHN, OS and other related disciplines such as epidemiology, engineering, occupational health psychology, policy, and management. Graduate students and recent alumni are invited to submit research papers for presentation at the conference. Three exceptional papers are chosen to receive an award and scholarship to attend and present their work at the conference. All submissions are judged by a panel of OH&S professionals.

Record UW turnout at 2011 NOHC Conference

Pictured above: Back row from left to right - Janessa Graves (OHSRT), Marie-Anne Sanon (OHN), Vanessa Galavez (IH/ES), Lindsey Banks (IH/ES), Molly Halverson (IH/ES), Andrew Forbes (IH/ES), Steve Jeka (IH/ES). Front Row - Lea Duffin (IH/ES), Allison Crollard (OHN), Abigail Sutphen (IH/ES).
The University of Washington had a record turnout at the annual Northwest Occupational Health Conference (NOHC). The 2011 NOHC was held in Pasco, WA and along with award-winning papers being presented, current and former UW ERC trainees took part in many of the sessions and activities.

Secretary Solis Comments on Decline in 2010 Workplace Injuries and Illness

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis recently released comments on the decline in workplace injuries and illnesses in 2010. As reported in the 2010 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses among private industry employers declined in 2010 to a rate of 3.5 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers, down from a total case rate of 3.6 in 2009. Nearly 3.1 million injuries and illnesses were reported among private sector industry employers in 2010, down from 3.3 million reported in 2009.

Solis stated,

"We are encouraged by the reported decline in incidence rates for workplace injuries and illnesses, which is reflective of the joint effort of government, business, unions and other organizations. Nevertheless, 3.1 million injuries and illnesses in the workplace is too high. Serious injuries and illnesses can knock a working family out of the middle class. Workers should not have to sacrifice their health and safety to earn a paycheck.

We remain concerned that more workers are injured in the health care and social assistance industry sector than in any other, including construction and manufacturing, and this group of workers had one of the highest rates of injuries and illness at 5.2 cases for every 100 workers. The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration will continue to work with employers, workers and unions in this industry to reduce these risks.

Illness and injury rates for public sector workers also continue to be alarmingly high at 5.7 cases for every 100 workers, which is more than 60 percent higher than the private sector rate. We must continue to work with state and local governments to ensure the safety of our public employees.

A report like this also highlights the importance of accurate record keeping. Employers must know what injuries and illnesses are occurring in their workplaces in order to identify and correct systemic issues that put their workers at risk. We are concerned with poor record-keeping practices and programs that discourage workers from reporting injuries and illnesses. That’s why OSHA is working hard to ensure the completeness and accuracy of these data, which are compiled by the nation’s employers.

As our economy continues to rebound and grow, we must ensure that safety and health are a part of that growth. Let’s all remember that no job is a good job unless it is also a safe job.”

NIOSH Releases OHS Workforce Assessment

The National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) recenty commissioned a National Survey of the Occupational Safety and Health Workforce to respond to growing concern and debate over the supply and demand for occupational safety and health professionals in the United States. The final assessment, released in October 2011, found that based on current trends, future national demand for occupational safety and health services will significantly outstrip the number of professionals with the necessary training, education, and experience to provide such services. The full report provides the findings of the assessment in detail, and discusses the methodology and process used in the assessment. Refer to the Executive Summary section of the Westat report for key findings.

Through university-based Education and Research Centers (ERCs), like the NWCOHS, NIOSH supports the development of occupational safety and health professionals. ERCs offer academic degree programs short-term continuing education (CE) programs for occupational safety and health professionals and research training opportunities in the core areas of industrial hygiene, occupational health nursing, occupational medicine, and occupational safety, plus specialized areas relevant to the occupational safety and health field. For more information on ERCs, go to http://www.niosh-erc.org.

NIOSH has plans to continue to work with partners and stakeholders to identify and pursue ways to meet this critical training need in occupational safety and health for the 21st Century. The need for an adequate supply of trained professionals is particularly great as we anticipate that growing numbers of older professionals will retire over the next decade. As new technologies continue to enter the workplace, occupational safety and health professionals will require specialized skills and knowledge to meet the OSH needs of workers in new work environments. In addition to providing the survey instruments on this webpage, NIOSH plans to make this unique database publically available, to help guide action and policy development in occupational safety and health.

Related Stories

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10.24.11. Montgomery, D. Looking for a Career: How about industrial hygiene?. CROET Blog.

10.25.11. MAPS ERC. Universities in Colorado Work to Address Projected Significant Shortfalls of Occupational Health and Safety Professionals. CSU News & Information Website.