Respiratory Protection in a Time of Crisis: NIOSH Testing of International Respiratory Protective Devices for Emergency Use.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved respirators are required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) when personal respiratory protection is used in US occupational settings. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for NIOSH-approved N95 filtering facepiece respirators overwhelmed the available supply. To supplement the national inventory of N95 respirators, contingency and crisis capacity strategies were implemented and incorporated a component that endorsed the use of non-NIOSH-approved respiratory protective devices that conformed to select international standards.

Assessment of fall-arrest systems for scissor lift operators: computer modeling and manikin drop testing.

Objective: The current study is intended to evaluate the stability of a scissor lift and the performance of various fall-arrest harnesses/lanyards during drop/fall-arrest conditions and to quantify the dynamic loading to the head/ neck caused by fall-arrest forces.

Background: No data exist that establish the efficacy of fall-arrest systems for use on scissor lifts or the injury potential from the fall incidents using a fall-arrest system.

Method: The authors developed a multibody dynamic model of the scissor lift and a human lift operator model using ADAMS and LifeMOD Biomechanics Human Modeler.

Factors affecting extension ladder angular positioning.

Objective: The study objectives were to identify factors affecting extension ladders' angular positioning and evaluate the effectiveness of two anthropometric positioning methods.

Background: A leading cause for extension ladder fall incidents is a slide-out event, usually related to suboptimal ladder inclination. An improved ladder positioning method or procedure could reduce the risk of ladder stability failure and the related fall injury.

Estimation of the kinetic energy dissipation in fall-arrest system and manikin during fall impact.

Fall-arrest systems (FASs) have been widely applied to provide a safe stop during fall incidents for occupational activities. The mechanical interaction and kinetic energy exchange between the human body and the fall-arrest system during fall impact is one of the most important factors in FAS ergonomic design. In the current study, we developed a systematic approach to evaluate the energy dissipated in the energy absorbing lanyard (EAL) and in the harness/manikin during fall impact.

Effectiveness of a worker-worn electric-field sensor to detect power-line proximity and electrical-contact.

Problem: Construction workers suffer the most electrocutions among all industries. Currently, there are no electrical contact warning devices on the market to protect workers. This paper proposes a worker-worn electric-field sensor.

Fall arrest characteristics of a scissor lift.

Problem: Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) data indicate 306 aerial lift fatalities between 1992-2003. Seventy-eight of these fatalities specifically involved scissor lifts. Members of standards committees have requested that NIOSH conduct research to determine the effects of safety-control practices related to using fall-protection systems for scissor lifts.

Effect of scaffold end frame carrying strategies on worker stepping response, postural stability, and perceived task difficulty.

Objective: This study determined the most favorable strategy for carrying scaffold end frames while minimizing the risk of injuries from being struck by an object, falling, and overexertion.

Background: Scaffold erectors are at risk of high exposure to the aforementioned hazards associated with the dynamic human-scaffolding interface and work environments. Identifying an optimal work strategy can help reduce risk of injuries to the worker.