NIOSH eNews - February 2026

[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]

NIOSH eNews

The Monthly Newsletter of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Volume 23 Number 4, February 2026

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From the Director's Desk John Howard, M.D., Director, NIOSH

Evaluating Health Hazards Where You Work

	Through the HHE Program, NIOSH has responded to more than 16,000 requests.

Workers and employers often wonder about potential health hazards on the job, asking questions like "Is it too noisy in here?" or "Are these chemicals harmful?" At NIOSH, we take these questions seriously. The Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) Program is a long-standing resource for anyone who wants help identifying and addressing workplace health hazards. Through the HHE Program, NIOSH has responded to more than 16,000 requests from employees, employers, and unions when they suspect a workplace hazard. Our team has experience with everything from heat and noise to mold, chemicals, infectious diseases, and work-related stress. HHEs are conducted at no cost to the requestor and offer practical recommendations to improve workplace safety and health.

Read More Research Rounds

Hazardous Exposures and Engineering Controls in the Landscaping Services Industry Study authors: Barbara M. Alexander, Pamela S. Graydon, Mirle Pena, H. Amy Feng, NIOSH; and Bryan R. Beamer, Indian Health Service Why is this study important? Although landscapers usually work outdoors, they are still at risk of breathing in harmful substances from the tools they use. In fact, landscaping is one of the more dangerous professions. Landscaping tools may produce excessive noise, carbon monoxide (CO), and dust from stone and other natural materials. This dust includes respirable crystalline silica, which is harmful to breathe. To prevent these exposures, NIOSH recommends using engineering controls. These include battery-powered tools and methods to capture or wet dust generated by landscaping tools. However, few studies compare exposure levels between workers who use engineering controls and those who do not or examine long-term exposures in different workplaces. How did you do the study? We measured exposure to noise using devices called personal dosimeters. CO, dust, and respirable crystalline silica exposures were measured using small air-sampling devices worn on clothing. Eighty landscapers across 11 worksites wore the devices while working for 1 to 3 days. We then used statistical methods to identify exposure levels.

Read More

Highlights

NIOSH Science Blog Update The NIOSH Science blog has moved! Please update your bookmarks to our new URL: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/blogs/index.html. If you bookmarked past blogs, you'll be redirected to the Science blog homepage. There, you can use the search function to update those links. We hope you like the new format! Workplace Violence Against Healthcare Workers Cammie Chaumont Menendez, PhD, a NIOSH research epidemiologist, recently participated on a panel for the KQED Public Radio (San Francisco) program Forum to discuss workplace violence against healthcare workers. The panel discussed a recent workplace violence incident in a San Francisco hospital and strategies employers can take to better protect healthcare workers. New Report Focuses on Black Lung Deaths NIOSH scientists recently authored a CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on deaths associated with coal workers pneumoconiosis (or black lung). This is the first study by CDC to use data from the National Vital Statistics System to look at how coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) deaths relate to jobs and industries across the country. The study found that CWP-related deaths continue in certain jobs and industries. This shows the disease is still a public health problem that needs continual monitoring and prevention. Suicide in the Construction Industry The New York Times recently published an article bringing awareness to the suicide crisis in the construction industry. Pointing to NIOSH research, The Times reported that construction has one of the highest rates of suicide among major industries in the United States. These workers also die at a greater rate from drug overdoses than other American workers. CDC Reports Case of Welder's Anthrax Highlighted NIOSH researchers coauthored a CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report about welder's anthrax. This disease is a rare pneumonia in metalworkers caused by bacteria that produce anthrax toxin. A young, previously healthy welding apprentice in Louisiana was identified with welder's anthrax. The patient was treated in accordance with current CDC treatment guidelines for inhalation anthrax and survived. Researchers found anthrax toxin genes in the soil at the patient's worksite that were genetically very similar to bacteria in the patient's blood. This suggests the infection likely came from the worksite. Subscribe to Receive NIOSH Respiratory Protection Updates NIOSH has updated how we deliver our respiratory protection communications. Subscribe to NIOSH Respiratory Protection Updates to receive emails from NIOSH on new respiratory protection publications, initiatives, and changes in respirator approval status. Once you've signed up, check your email inbox for a confirmation request. Click the link in the email and then follow the instructions to accept your pending subscription.

Monthly Features

This monthly e-newsletter is published by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to inform members of the occupational safety and health community, including partners, employers, workers, and other stakeholders, of NIOSH-related news, new publications, and updates on programs, research, and initiatives.

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