COVID-19

Protecting Worker Health Through COVID-19 Webinars

ntomchin — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 04:15:30 +0000

Protecting Worker Health Through COVID-19 Webinars

ntomchin Wed, 03/09/2022 - 11:15

The ask: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) needed to find a way to keep Worker Training Program (WTP) grantees up to date on best practices, challenges, and issues related to protecting workers who may be at risk of exposure to COVID-19.

The solution: In late March 2020, MDB launched a webinar series that delivered trainings to help workers protect themselves, their families, and their communities. The series initially took place three times a week. During Monday webinars, grantees discussed work challenges and lessons learned. Wednesday webinars focused on technical topics related to COVID-19. On Fridays, participants discussed new information about COVID-19 and its implications for worker health and safety.

As the pandemic unfolded, webinars shifted to an intermittent schedule based on grantee and stakeholder interest.

For each webinar, MDB manages logistics and facilitates discussion. Our subject matter experts present COVID-19 worker training tools that we develop, helping grantees to become more informed and better positioned to adapt each tool to their target audience.

Notable outcomes: MDB has supported more than 700 COVID-19 webinars, reaching more than 8,800 people. We record the presentations and post them on the NIEHS COVID-19 Webinars and Presentations webpage.

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Developing Training Resources to Protect Workers from COVID-19

ntomchin — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 03:50:35 +0000

Developing Training Resources to Protect Workers from COVID-19

COVID-19

Occupational Safety & Health

ntomchin Wed, 03/09/2022 - 10:50

The ask: In response to the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Worker Training Program (WTP) requested assistance developing a series of training tools to help workers in health care and non-health care industries protect themselves from COVID-19.

The solution: MDB’s subject matter experts worked with WTP-funded organizations to develop numerous training tools related to COVID-19. In early 2020 as COVID-19 infection rates increased, MDB quickly developed the general awareness training tool “Protecting Yourself from COVID-19 in the Workplace.” MDB later developed tools to help essential workers and others protect themselves as they returned to work during the pandemic, including “Building Programs to Protect Workers from COVID-19 in the Workplace.” Additionally, MDB developed fact sheets to debunk vaccine myths and help provide vaccine safety information for workers, vaccinators, and vaccine administrators. These tools and others make up the growing list of resources in the WTP COVID-19 Toolbox. Some of the resources in the toolbox are available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

Notable outcomes: MDB continues to develop new tools and expand the breadth of tools in the WTP COVID-19 Toolbox as more worker health and safety issues arise. In 2021, new tools like the COVID-19 Brief: Addressing Occupational Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 Variants and other briefs were developed to provide technical information and guidance to employers and health and safety professionals.

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Building a Searchable Database of Infectious Disease Resources

ntomchin — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 03:44:47 +0000

Building a Searchable Database of Infectious Disease Resources

COVID-19

Database Management

Emergency Public Health

Occupational Safety & Health

ntomchin Wed, 03/09/2022 - 10:44

The ask: Concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Worker Training Program to request a database for storing resources on worker safety and infectious diseases.

The solution: Since 2000, MDB has operated the Worker Training Program’s National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety and Health Training, a vast archive of information on hazardous waste management and safety. For the new request, MDB created a searchable database within the Clearinghouse, called the Material Upload and Search Tool for Infectious Disease (MUSTID).

More than 500 infectious disease resources are now available through MUSTID to Worker Training Program staff, grant administrators, trainers, and the public. The breadth of MUSTID resources continues to grow as Worker Training Program grant administrators and trainers share resources to be uploaded. Resources are curated and tagged with keywords to enhance searchability.

Notable outcomes: MUSTID was initially launched in June 2020 as an internal tool for WTP and housed within the program’s internal Data Management System. In October 2021, the MUSTID public portal was launched to provide accessibility to anyone interested in infectious diseases and worker health and safety.

Many of the MUSTID resources focus on the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, as well as other coronaviruses (e.g., the MERS and SARS viruses), but the database is growing to include information related to influenza, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases.

Resources include clinical and operational guidelines, regulations, checklists, FAQs, training materials, and peer-reviewed articles that explain the science behind guidance documents.

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Developing COVID-19 Materials to Improve Health Agency Response

ntomchin — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 03:15:16 +0000

Developing COVID-19 Materials to Improve Health Agency Response

COVID-19

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Public Health

Events

Strategic Planning

ntomchin Wed, 03/09/2022 - 10:15

The ask: In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic stressed state and local health departments across the nation. Working tirelessly, health departments needed support to improve their responses.

The solution: During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, MDB was tasked with supporting the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) COVID-19 response. One of our senior staff served as a pandemic advisor the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health and worked with the PADOH COVID-19 staff to improve the state’s response.

Notable outcomes: MDB provided strategic advice, infectious disease outbreak response expertise, and created and conducted a tabletop exercise for the administration’s senior staff.

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