This is the authentic, official Twitter account of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (
@NIOSH
). You can verify our identity by confirming our handle at:
@CDCgov
does not currently recommend the general public use respirators for
#COVID19
. This 2017 graphic is meant for workers who wear them for airborne hazard protection, as facial hair can cause the tight seal to leak. Learn about COVID-19 and
#PPE
:
Grocery workers should avoid touching their nose, mouth, or eyes after handling items or merchandise. Workers should regularly wash their hands for at least 20 seconds. Find more information:
#COVID19
Providing care to others during
#COVID19
can lead to stress, anxiety, fear, and other strong emotions.
@CDCgov
has tips to help you recognize what stress looks like, cope with stress, and know where to go if you need help.
#NursesWeek
During a crisis, fatigue among healthcare workers may be difficult, if not impossible, to avoid. A shared responsibility between managers and workers can reduce the risk of fatigue-related injuries or incidents. More tips on the
#ScienceBlog
.
#NursesWeek
New
@CDCgov
instructional videos for healthcare personnel who are caring for
#COVID19
patients show how to safely put on and take off recommended personal protective equipment (PPE). Watch the videos and learn more here:
Grocery and food retail workers may be at risk for exposure to
#COVID19
.
@CDCgov
’s new fact sheet provides steps and everyday actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory illness.
Whether you are going into work or teleworking,
#COVID19
has probably changed the way you work. Fear and anxiety about this disease, along with other strong emotions, can be overwhelming and workplace stress can lead to burnout.
@CDCgov
has ways to cope:
This holiday season we are visiting the North Pole with workplace safety and health tips for Santa and the elves. In preparation for the big day here are ergonomic tips to keep everyone safe while making, lifting, loading and delivering all those presents:
Long-haul truck drivers: While you may spend many hours alone in the cab of your truck, there are times you will be at an increased risk of exposure to
#COVID19
. Learn how to protect yourself from potential exposures in new
@CDCgov
guidance:
Office building employers, building owners and managers, and building operations specialists can create a
#COVID19
workplace health and safety plan to help protect workers and clients. Learn more:
When wildland
#firefighters
are traveling between assignments or during fire responses via large transport vehicles it is often not practical to implement social distancing measures.
@CDCgov
has actions that can be taken to prevent the spread of
#COVID19
How do N95s work, anyway? It’s all about filtration and fit. We’ve tried to make it straight forward in this new factsheet. Learn more:
#RespiratorWeek
The
#COVID19
pandemic has raised many questions about transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19. Aerosol scientists answer some of your most frequently asked questions on the
#ScienceBlog
.
If you are employing people to prepare and distribute meals in your school district, implement a plan for curbside pickup of meals or no-contact delivery service, if possible and encourage employees to wear cloth face coverings.
#COVID19
Farm owners and operators can help slow the spread of
#COVID19
. New
@CDCgov
and
@USDOL
guidance is available to help farm owners and operators protect workers and limit the impact of COVID-19 at their worksites.
If you are employing people to prepare and distribute meals in your school district, plan menus, production, and food preparation schedules to allow employees to maintain the recommended social distance of 6 feet while working when possible.
#COVID19
Workplaces can present unique challenges for
#COVID19
public health investigations.
@CDCgov
created a toolkit to help state and local health departments more effectively investigate and respond to COVID-19 cases in non-healthcare work settings.
As a bank employer, your workers could be exposed to the virus that causes
#COVID19
while doing their job. New information from
@CDCgov
on protecting your workers and customers:
As businesses reopen, many employers may consider
#COVID19
testing for employees. New
@CDCgov
guidance is available for testing in non-healthcare workplaces.
If you work in a hotel or resort, you may be exposed to
#COVID19
at your job through close contact with others or cleaning guest rooms. Find ways to protect yourself and others:
Carpooling or using other shared transportation like a shuttle or bus to get to work? Learn how to protect yourself and riders from
#COVID19
while on the move.
Are you a small business owner?
@CDCgov
’s new factsheet can help you prepare your business for disruption during the
#COVID19
outbreak and protect your employees’ health:
Cancer is a leading cause of death among firefighters. January is Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month. Learn more about firefighters’ cancer risk and what can be done to reduce the risk.
#FFCancerMonth
To prepare for tomorrow, we should plan today. Emergency responders need to be prepared to respond in the event of a hurricane this summer. Remember, disasters don’t plan ahead, but you can!
Before resuming business operations, office building employers, building owners and managers, and building operations specialists should check to make sure the facility is ready for occupancy. More information to keep workers safe and healthy:
#COVID19
New considerations for school staff have been developed with
@CDCgov
’s guidance for reopening schools. School administrators and staff should work to adapt their buildings and processes to reduce the threat of
#COVID19
. Learn more:
This week is the Trench Safety Stand Down. Take time this week to reinforce the importance of using trench protective systems and protecting workers from trenching hazards. Find resources to keep your workers safe:
#TSSD
#TrenchSafetyMonth
October is National Ergonomics Month. We continue to focus on protecting workers from musculoskeletal disorders. Learn more about our research and how to prevent MSDs in your workplace:
#ErgoMonth
June is National Safety Month. Find information and resources on each weekly theme: emergency preparedness, wellness, falls and driving on the
#ScienceBlog
. Also, learn how you can join NIOSH and
@NSCsafety
to make sure
#No1GetsHurt
.
Know the signs of heat exhaustion! They include heavy sweating, headache, nausea/vomiting, dizziness, weakness, thirst, irritability, elevated body temperature, and decreased urine output. Find more tips to help you stay safe in the heat:
#HeatSafety
It’s
#LadderSafetyMonth
! Falls are the leading cause of death in
#construction
. This hazard alert provides tips to keeping construction workers safe and preventing falls from ladders.
Workers who are exposed to extreme heat or work in hot environments may be at risk of
#HeatStress
. Those at a greater risk include those who are overweight, have heart disease, or take certain medications. Learn more:
#NIHHIS
#HeatSafety
#SummerReady
Are you a safety professional with concerns about heat and hot environments? Our Criteria Document provides detailed information about heat hazards and workplace recommendations.
#BeatTheHeat
#HeatSafety
New
@CDCgov
checklist helps agricultural employers create a
#COVID19
assessment and control plan to protect workers and help slow the spread and limit the impact of COVID-19 at agricultural worksites.
Protect
#construction
workers against
#COVID19
: Actively encourage sick employees to stay home and provide training on proper hand washing and other preventive measures. More tips:
Fire management agencies should encourage personnel to self-monitor for symptoms of
#COVID19
.
#Firefighters
who have symptoms should immediately notify their supervisor and self-isolate. Find answers to other frequently asked questions in
@CDCgov
’s new FAQ
If you employ public health inspectors, they may come into contact with someone who has
#COVID19
as part of their jobs. Learn how to protect your staff and others and help slow the spread:
If you employ waste collectors or recyclers, you should have a
#COVID19
health and safety plan to protect employees. CDC information to help you maintain a healthy work environment:
Warehouse managers and owners: Your employees could be exposed to
#COVID19
as part of their jobs. Create a COVID-19 Workplace Safety and Health Plan to protect your employees and others. Learn more:
Workers are exposed to a great deal of heat stress. We recommend that employers have a plan in place to prevent heat-related illness in outdoor workers. Learn more:
#NIHHIS
#HeatSafety
#SummerReady
Wildland
#Firefighters
: Do you have questions about safely responding to fires at different geographic locations during
#COVID19
? Find answers to your frequently asked questions:
.
@CDCgov
’s new tool helps healthcare and non-healthcare systems, such as correctional facilities, track how quickly
#PPE
is being used. The PPE Burn Rate Calculator is available free; see
#COVID19
Happy Respiratory Protection Week! We’re back to highlight the importance of proper respiratory protection practices in the workplace. For our new products, visit:
#RespiratorWeek
October is National Ergonomics Month. We continue to focus on protecting workers from musculoskeletal disorders. Learn more about our research and how to prevent MSDs in your workplace:
#ErgoMonth
Are you sitting down? Stand up! Prolonged sitting is associated with back and shoulder pain, premature mortality, diabetes, chronic diseases, metabolic
syndrome, and obesity. Learn more about sedentary workplaces:
Given the shortage of N95 respirators during this global outbreak of
#COVID19
, it’s important to understand the difference between N95 respirators and surgical masks and what protection each provides. Learn more on the
#ScienceBlog
Workers at greater risk of heat stress include those who are overweight or have heart disease. Find tips to keep workers safe in the heat:
#NIHHIS
#HeatSafety
As we wrap up
#NationalSafetyMonth
, learn how prioritizing hazard recognition can help eliminate working conditions that threaten worker well-being:
#NSM
Workers are exposed to a great deal of heat stress. We recommend that employers have a plan in place to prevent heat-related illness in outdoor workers. Learn more:
#NIHHIS
#HeatSafety
During
#SafeAndSoundWeek
use the “Hierarchy of Controls Applied to NIOSH Total Worker Health” to prioritizing efforts to advance safety, health, and well-being of all workers in your workplace. Learn more:
A new checklist is available to help seafood processing employers create a
#COVID19
assessment and control plan to protect workers and help slow the spread and limit the effect of COVID-19 at worksites.
#WomenInConstruction
make up 10% of the workforce. Falls are the leading cause of death in
#construction
and poorly fitting
#PPE
can cause fall injuries. Employers should make sure
#PPE
is available in designs and sizes that fit women.
#WICWeek
Heat-related illnesses can vary in severity and outcomes, with heat stroke resulting in death. Do you know the signs and symptoms? Find out!
#NIHHIS
#HeatSafety
This holiday season we are visiting the North Pole with workplace safety and health tips for Santa and the elves. In preparation for the big day here are ergonomic tips to keep everyone safe while making, lifting, loading and delivering all those presents:
#ProtectYourHearing
at work! Use the NIOSH Hierarchy of Controls to reduce workplace noise to below the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Level (REL) whenever possible. Use hearing protection when hazardous noise levels cannot be adequately reduced.
#NPYHM
Did you miss the
#TWHWebinar
on returning to the workplace? Recording now available where NIOSH experts discuss guidance to help employers resume business operations as safely as possible.
#COVID19
Acclimatization is the natural adaptation to the heat. Make sure your workers have time to acclimatize to the heat before starting work. It is very important in keeping your workforce safe. Learn more:
#NIHHIS
#HeatSafety
Week 1 of
#NationalSafetyMonth
is all about Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs). We continue to focus on protecting workers from musculoskeletal disorders. Learn more about our research and how to prevent MSDs in your workplace:
#NSM
Do you work in or own a medical fitness facility? Attend CDC’s free webinar tomorrow, July 8th, and learn about reopening and operating safely during
#COVID19
. Register today:
What is the hierarchy of controls? The idea behind this hierarchy is that the control methods at the top of graphic are potentially more effective and protective than those at the bottom. Learn more about implementing it:
Eliminating or reducing recognized hazards in the workplace is the most effective means of prevention.
This hierarchy can help employers design work that protects and promotes worker well-being. Learn more:
Heat stress can affect many outdoor and indoor workers. To prevent heat-related illnesses and injuries, employers should develop and use a comprehensive heat-related illness prevention program at the workplace. Learn more:
#HeatSafety
Are you a safety professional with concerns about heat and hot environments? Our Criteria Document provides detailed information about heat hazards and workplace recommendations.
#BeatTheHeat
#HeatSafety
#NSM
#NationalSafetyMonth
Today’s the day! Pause work today and remind your workers struck-by incidents are the
#1
cause of injuries and
#2
cause of death among construction workers. Find resources to explain the risks and solutions for maintaining a safe work environment:
#NWZAW
Employers should provide heat stress training to all workers and supervisors before hot outdoor work begins. More tips:
#NIHHIS
#HeatSafety
#SummerReady
Make sure your workers have proper training before heading onto your
#construction
site. Have a supervisor or on-site safety professional demonstrate how to properly fit, wear, and use fall protection.
#StopFalls
in construction!
If NIOSH-approved filtering facepiece respirators are used at your non-healthcare worksite, develop and implement strategies to conserve and extend the current stock of respirator supplies while protecting workers during the
#COVID19
pandemic.
#ProtectYourHearing
at work! Use the NIOSH Hierarchy of Controls to reduce workplace noise to below the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Level (REL) whenever possible. Use hearing protection when hazardous noise levels cannot be adequately reduced.
Commit time in your schedule May 7-11 to join the 2018
#StandDown4Safety
to Prevent Falls in Construction. Falls are the number one cause of death in
#construction
. Help keep your workers safe and join us!
CDC's toolkit can help state and local health departments more effectively investigate and respond to
#COVID19
cases in non-healthcare work settings. Learn more:
Have you completed your fall protection and rescue plan? Fall prevention starts with comprehensive planning. There’s still time to do it this week during the
#StandDown4Safety
. We have a template and additional resources:
Falls to a lower level have killed approximately 340
#construction
workers annually in the United States. Join the 2019 National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction May 6-10. Let’s work together to
#StandDown4Safety
!
Falls are preventable, yet they remained the leading cause of fatal injuries in 2019, accounting for 401 of the 1,061 construction fatalities. Join the 2021 National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in
#Construction
May 3-7. Work together to
#StandDown4Safety
!
#ProtectYourHearing
at work! Use the NIOSH Hierarchy of Controls to reduce workplace noise to below the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Level (REL) whenever possible. Use hearing protection when hazardous noise levels cannot be adequately reduced.
#NPYHM
It’s the last day of the
#StandDown4Safety
but there is still time to plan, provide, and train to protect your employees. Find resources and information, and help us
#StopFalls
:
#Construction
What is the hierarchy of controls? The idea behind this hierarchy is that the control methods at the top of graphic are potentially more effective and protective than those at the bottom. Learn more about implementing it!
New
#COVID19
guidance on the CDC website! Visit the
#Healthcare
Supply of Personal Protective Equipment webpage to find information on manufacturers and distributors, learn who does and doesn’t need
#PPE
, and more
Wondering if your respirator is NIOSH approved? Have questions about the FDA Emergency Use Authorization for imported respirators? Find answers on the NIOSH Science Blog.
Workers are exposed to a great deal of heat stress. We recommend that employers have a plan in place to prevent heat-related illness in outdoor workers.
#NIHHIS
#HeatSafety
@HeatGov
Working outside in the heat can be a challenge. Sweating depletes your body’s salt and moisture levels. Low salt levels can cause muscle cramps. Learn tips to stay healthy while working outside:
#HeatSafety
#BeatTheHeat
As we celebrate the anniversary of the first respirator approval today, take a look back at some of the milestones in respiratory protection over the last 100 years.
#100yrsRespirators
On International Women and Girls in Science Day, we recognize the important role of women in occupational safety and health, including Alice Hamilton. Alice, a physician, was known as a leading expert in the field of occupational health.
#WomenInScience