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Your Environment. Your Health.

Opioid-Related Hazards in the Workplace

Developing a Training Framework to address Exposure, Use, and Prevention
October 24-25, 2018
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina

2018 Fall WTP Banner

Awardee Meeting

The semi-annual WTP Awardee Meeting brought awardees together to provide program updates, exchange information regarding training, and discover new areas of interest to awardees.

WTP Workshop Details

The current opioid epidemic in the U.S. raises many concerns related to use, abuse, and exposure for individuals and communities. Workers fall into a population of high-risk for opioids exposure, and precautionary measures such as personal protective equipment (PPE), clean-up standards, and policies are needed to prevent injuries, illness and fatalities. Employers and unions need to be well-informed on the risks for their workers and ways to protect them.

With grantees and partners across several domestic organizations, unions, and institutions, WTP is well-positioned to address the opioids epidemic and what it means for workers and communities. During this workshop, WTP grantees, partners, and federal stakeholders convened to discuss the current opioids issue, and the threat it poses to workers in various occupations. The goal of this workshop was to shape a training framework and response that will raise awareness on the issue, and further ensure the protection of workers and communities.

Agendas

Participant List

Workshop Report

Presentations

Awardee Meeting

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Time Topic
 9:00 a.m. Welcome
  • Joseph "Chip" Hughes, Jr., NIEHS WTP
  • Gwen Collman, NIEHS DERT
 9:15 a.m. NIEHS Updates (1MB) 
Chip Hughes, Sharon Beard, Demia Wright, Kathy Ahlmark, and Jim Remington, NIEHS WTP
 9:45 a.m. NIEHS Grants Management Update (380KB) 
Molly Puente, Ph.D., NIEHS
 10:00 a.m. Hurricanes Florence/Michael Recovery Discussion
 11:00 a.m. Concurrent Sessions

Business Official Meeting (792KB) 
  • Molly Puente, Ph,D., NIEHS GMB
  • Kathy Ahlmark, NIEHS WTP
Program Official Meeting (237KB) 
  • Chip Hughes, Demia Wright, and Jim Remington, NIEHS WTP
Environmental Career Worker Training Program (ECWTP) Meeting (1MB) 
  • Sharon Beard, NIEHS WTP

Workshop: Opioid-Related Hazards in the Workplace: Developing a Training Framework to Address Exposure, Use, and Prevention

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Time Topic
1:00 p.m. Welcome
Joseph "Chip" Hughes, Jr., NIEHS WTP
1:15 p.m. Keynote Address (2MB) 
John Howard, M.D., Director, National Institute for "Occupational Safety and Health"
2:30 p.m. Opioid Exposure: Occupational Hazards and Other Risk Factors for Workers
  • Letitia "Tish" Davis (1016KB) , Sc.D., Massachusetts Department of Public Health
  • Shawn Gibbs (2MB) , Ph.D., Indiana University School of Public Health-Blomington
3:30 p.m. Small Group Activity: Assessment of the Current State of Worker Training and Protection from Occupational Exposure to Opioids
4:15 p.m. Report Back from Small Groups

Thursday, October 25, 2018

Time Topic
9:00 a.m. Treatment and Recovery
  • Jamie Becker (487KB) , Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America (LHSFNA)
  • Allan McDougall, United Steelworkers
  • Patricia Moore, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)/American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)
10:15 a.m. Small Group Activity: Developing a Training Framework Related to Opioid Treatment and Recovery
11:15 a.m. Prevention: Strategies for Protecting and Educating Workers
  • Jodi Sugerman-Brozan (1MB) , Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH)
  • Kyle Zimmer (687KB) , International Union of Operating Engineers, Local Union 478
1:15 p.m. Concurrent Breakout Sessions
3:00 p.m. Report Back from Breakout Groups
3:45 p.m. Discussion on Developing a Training Framework for Opioid Awareness and Prevention
4:30 p.m. Wrap-up and Adjourn
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