NIOSH eNews - April 2026

[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]

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

Volume 23 Number 6, April 2026

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

Workers Memorial Day: A Time to Remember

Workers Memorial Day honors workers who have died or suffered injury or illness in the workplace.  On this Workers Memorial Day, please join me in remembering and honoring workers who have died or suffered injury or illness in the workplace. At NIOSH, we recognize that the burden of workplace death, injury, and illness is tremendous. When a worker dies, their family, friends, and community carry this lifelong burden. In keeping with the NIOSH vision of Safer, Healthier Workers, our research focuses on preventing work-related death, injury, and illness. Whether in the laboratory or in the field, our research is guided by the health and safety needs of the U.S. workforce.

Read More Research Rounds

Prevalence of Reduced Mid-Expiratory Flow Among Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program Participants By Laura Kurth, Noemi B. Hall, Brian Ansell, A. Scott Laney, and David J. Blackley, NIOSH Why is this study important? Coal miners who breathe in coal mine dust are at risk of lung disease. Symptoms may be mild to severe, depending on exposure amount and length. An early sign of obstructive lung disease is reduced airflow during the middle part of exhaling, caused by limited airflow through the small airways of the lung. Early detection of lung damage from breathing in coal mine dust is important to prevent more serious disease. To this end, the NIOSH Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program provides lung function testing and chest X-rays to coal miners throughout the United States. How did you do the study? We calculated the number of coal miners with possible small airways disease based on their lung function testing results. We analyzed lung function, chest X-ray, and survey results from more than 7,000 coal miners who did not have obstructive lung disease based on standard lung function tests (spirometry). The miners participated in the program from August 2014 through December 2022. We defined signs of small airways disease as mid-expiratory airflow less than 65% of the predicted value when exhaling forcefully.

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Highlights

NIOSH Seeks Members for Federal Mine Safety and Health Committee NIOSH is seeking three members for the Mine Safety and Health Research Advisory Committee. This committee, required by federal law, has up to 10 experts in mine safety and health research, occupational safety and health, engineering, industrial hygiene, epidemiology, medicine, or related scientific and technical disciplines. NIOSH announced the vacancies in a Federal Register Notice that was published on March 24. Nominations are due by April 22. Call for Nominations Open for Prevention Through Design Award NIOSH is excited to call for nominations for the 2026 Prevention through Design (PtD) Award. This annual award recognizes individuals, teams, and organizations that make workplaces safer by removing or reducing hazards through design. The award also recognizes those who have helped build knowledge that supports PtD solutions. Participants are encouraged to submit new or previous nominations for projects that improve workers' health and safety. Nominations are due June 1. Request for Public Comment: Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Value Profile Draft Document NIOSH is asking for public comments on a draft Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) Value Profile for the chemical lewisite. NIOSH develops IDLH values for workplace chemical concentrations and conditions that can cause immediate and serious health risks. Comments will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on May 18. To read the draft and learn how to submit comments, visit the docket website. NIOSH Adds Four Organizations to Total Worker Health Affiliate Program NIOSH's Total Worker Health® Program has added four new affiliates: BETA Healthcare Group, Interactive Community Alliance, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, and Oregon State University. The NIOSH Total Worker Health Affiliate Program works with government and nonprofit groups to advance the safety, health, and well-being of America's workers. These new affiliates show the breadth of the affiliate network, ranging from employers using Total Worker Health approaches to groups promoting worker well-being. Visit the NIOSH website to learn more, including how to become an affiliate.

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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