NIOSH eNews FLASH

Vote Now! NIOSH CDEM one of six finalists in HHSinnovates program

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) invites you to visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ HHSinnovates Program at http://www.hhs.gov/open/initiatives/hhsinnovates/index.html, and cast your vote. An innovative technology developed by NIOSH, the Coal Dust Explosibility Meter (CDEM), is one of six finalists this year in the program, which recognizes innovative programs and processes developed by the Department, its agencies, and their partners. Your vote will help determine whether NIOSH’s CDEM will be chosen for the Department’s "People’s Choice Award" for 2012.

NIOSH’s CDEM represents a significant advancement over traditional methods for determining whether hazardous concentrations of explosive, airborne coal dust are present in an underground coal mine, and evaluating the efficiency of the mine’s practices for applying inert rock dust to reduce the risk of a coal dust explosion. The meter provides mine operators with real-time information needed to take immediate action when potentially hazardous conditions are present. More information about NIOSH’s CDEM can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/news/cdem.htm.

To cast a vote, go to http://www.hhs.gov/open/initiatives/hhsinnovates/index.html. Public voting is open from September 6^th – September 14, 2012.