National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

NIOSH provides national and world leadership to prevent work-related illness, injury, disability, and death by gathering information, conducting scientific research, and translating the knowledge gained into products and services. NIOSH's mission is critical to the health and safety of every American worker.

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Origins and mission

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created both NIOSH and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA is in the U.S. Department of Labor and is responsible for developing and enforcing workplace safety and health regulations. NIOSH is in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is an agency established to help assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by providing research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health.

Information pertaining to the responsibilities of NIOSH are found in Section 22 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 CFR § 671). The Institute is authorized to:

• Develop recommendations for occupational safety and health standards;
• Perform all functions of the Secretary of Health and Human Services under Sections 20 and 21 of the Act
• Conduct Research on Worker Safety and Health (Section 20)
• Conduct Training and Employee Education (Section 21)
• Develop information on safe levels of exposure to toxic materials and harmful physical agents and substances;
• Conduct research on new safety and health problems;
• Conduct on-site investigations (Health Hazard Evaluations) to determine the toxicity of materials used in workplaces (42 CFR Parts 85 and 85a); and
• Fund research by other agencies or private organizations through grants, contracts, and other arrangements.

Strategic Goals

NIOSH objectives include:

• Conduct research to reduce work-related illnesses and injuries.
• Promote safe and healthy workplaces through interventions, recommendations and capacity building.
• Enhance global workplace safety and health through international collaborations.

Board of Scientific Counselors

The Board is composed of renowned scientists from a variety of fields related to occupational safety and health. The Board members provide advice and guidance to the Institute in developing and evaluating research hypotheses, systematically documenting findings, and disseminating results that will improve the safety and health of workers. They also evaluate the degree to which NIOSH activities conform to standards of scientific excellence in accomplishing objectives in occupational safety and health, address currently relevant needs in the field of occupational safety and health, either alone or in collaboration with activities outside of NIOSH, and produce their intended results in addressing important research questions in occupational safety and health, both in terms of applicability of the research findings and dissemination of the findings.

Mine Safety

The Federal Mine Safety and Health Amendments Act of 1977 delegated additional authority to NIOSH for coal mine health research. The mine health and safety law authorized NIOSH to:

• Develop recommendations for mine health standards for the Mine Safety and Health Administration;
• Administer a medical surveillance program for miners, including chest X-rays to detect pneumoconiosos (black lung disease) in coal miners;
• Conduct on-site investigations in mines similar to those authorized for general industry under the OSH Act
• Test and certify personal protective equipment and hazard-measurement instruments.