The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has released the draft Hazard Review: “Wildland Fire Smoke Exposure Among Farmworkers and Other Outdoor Workers.” It is open for public comment until November 12.
“This hazard review will close the gap in our knowledge about how exposure to wildfire smoke impacts outdoor workers,” said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. “With wildfires increasing in frequency and size, it is imperative that we have the knowledge and tools to protect the health of farmworkers and other outdoor workers who must perform their jobs even if the air quality is unhealthy or hazardous.”
This draft Hazard Review is the first federal level authoritative document with a focus on wildland fire smoke for outdoor workers and will increase awareness about the overall risk of exposure to wildland fire smoke on outdoor worker health. NIOSH said the draft Hazard Review can drive the development of new, innovative controls to reduce outdoor worker exposures to wildfire smoke.
Public comments can be made here.
Source: NIOSH