Autumn 2010 ERC Research Seminar

The NWCOHS offers a quarterly seminar that features the work of ERC faculty and trainees. The Autumn 2010 quarter, held on November 12, 2010, featured 2009-2010 pilot projects that included faculty or projects from all four of the States served by NWCOHS - Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.


Dr. Noah Seixas, UW Professor and NWCOHS Director opened the seminar.


"Development & Evaluation of a 'Master Mercury Checklist for Schools'
(NIOSH Safety Checklist Program for Schools)"
Danielle Long, Boise State University
Advised by Dr. Kai Elgethun


"Development and Evaluation of a Safety Surveillance Tool for Homecare Workers"
Robert Wright, Portland State University and Layla Garrigues, Oregon Health & Science University
Advised by Dr. Ryan Olson and Dr. Brad Wipfli


"Organophosphorus pesticide oxygen analogs and worker exposure during and following agricultural spraying: are they present in air or an artifact of sampling"
Jenna Armstrong, University of Washington
Advised by Dr. Richard Fenske and Dr. Michael Yost


"Using new technologies to characterize and reduce whole body vibration exposures". Research conducted in Alaska and results presented at 29th Annual Alaska Governor's Safety and Health Conference.
Ryan Blood, University of Washington
Advised by Dr. Peter Johnson

NW Resource - TSWAN

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, NWCOHS wanted to showcase some of the exceptional resources available to the Native American community regarding occupational health and safety issues.

In 1997, several Pacific Northwest Tribes banded together to begin addressing solid waste and environmental issues in northwest Indian Country. Today, Tribal Solid Waste Advisory Network (TSWAN) is a nonprofit organization of 32 federally recognized Tribes throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska, working to make effective and environmentally responsible solid waste management a priority on our reservations and in our communities. One of TSWAN's primary goals is to work towards sharing technical expertise, information, and opportunities with one another. To date, TSWAN is the only united Indian consortium on solid waste policy and other environment-related matters.

NWCOHS works directly with TSWAN on health and safety issues around hazardous waste and also assists TSWAN with Annual Hazardous Waste Refresher and Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training.

NW Resource: Seattle Indian Health Board

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, NWCOHS wanted to showcase some of the exceptional resources available to the Native American community regarding occupational health and safety issues.

The Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB) has long been a vital health and wellness resource in the Seattle/King county area for American Indians and Alaska Natives. Among the many programs and services SIHB offers, they are a often the first place that agricultural and industrial Native American workers report work-related injuries.