SERVICES PROGRAM

Burden

Hearing loss is the third most common U.S. chronic physical condition after hypertension and arthritis¹ and over 11% of the U.S. working population has hearing difficulty^2. Twenty four percent of the hearing difficulty among U.S. workers is attributable to occupational exposures³. Occupational hearing loss is the most common U.S. work-related illness⁴ and as 17% of workers in the United States are exposed to hazardous noise each year (~22 million)⁵.

These services industries have the highest prevalence of exposure to hazardous noise:

• 45% (~900,000) exposed in Repair and Maintenance -- 43% of these noise-exposed report not wearing hearing protection
• 22% (~550,000) exposed in Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation  -- 26% of these noise-exposed report not wearing hearing protection
• 13% (~650,000) exposed in Public Administration -- 22% of these noise-exposed report not wearing hearing protection

Need

Many of the workers in the Services Sector do not wear hearing protection although similar jobs in Construction or Manufacturing routinely require the employees to do so. Research and outreach are needed to inform companies, workers and associations about methods to reduce noise exposures in these industries.

Impact

The noise controls developed in other sectors (Manufacturing and Construction), have direct application to workers in similar occupations in the Services Sector. NIOSH can apply known noise control methods to work in the Services Sector. NIOSH can develop specific educational materials for the Services Sector such as Workplace Solutions, Prevention through Design and NIOSH Hazard Alerts where necessary.
 

Burden

In the Food Service and Drinking Places sub-sector, 16% of the fatalities in 2014 were due to slips, trips, and falls². Specifically, the restaurant industry employs 6.5% of the nation’s workforce and is among the most burdened by slip, trip and fall injuries. Services consists of a large number of small businesses that are recognized as having fewer human and capital resources available to devote to the prevention of workplace illnesses, injuries, and fatalities.

Need

Fast-paced work, liquids on floors, other debris, and tight working conditions are risk factors for a slip, trip, or fall injury in food service. NIOSH and various industrial partners have conducted state-of-the-art research related to falls, and have developed numerous prevention-through-design suggestions for fall controls. There is a need to develop effective and practical strategies to design out fall risk, craft engineering solutions, and implement organizational interventions to reduce fall incidents and prevent fall injuries.

Impact

The number of workers in this sub-sector is expected to increase in coming years, especially older workers who generally have higher slip, trip, and fall injury rates. Because of this potential increase in older workers and the already large number of workers, research in this area could have a large impact on workplace safety. Focusing on small businesses by using intermediaries like trade organizations will increase the dissemination of occupational safety and health information.
 

¹Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015) 2014 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Summary Estimates Charts.http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/os/osch0054.pdf

¹Bureau of Labor Statistics (2016). Table A-9. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure for all fatal injuries and major private industry sector, all United States, 2014 www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cftb0294.pdf

Burden

Temporary workers are most often employed in transportation/material moving (24%) and production jobs (24%) and often earn a lower hourly wage than others in the same job who were directly hired.¹ Although they account for only 2.4 percent of the workforce, they account for 15% of the fatalities². In Washington State, temporary workers experienced a higher rate of injury than directly hired workers in similar jobs³. Case studies show that training for temporary workers is sometimes overlooked putting them at risk⁴. There is a relationship between temporary workers and psychological morbidity⁵. Other hazards are dependent on the work environment at the host workplace. Temporary workers are more likely than standard workers to be younger, Hispanic, less educated, and members of low-income families⁶. Due to the temporary nature of the jobs, it is difficult to ascertain illness or injury rates. In Ohio, Employment Services ranked second among service sectors for musculoskeletal disorders reported to workers compensation.

Need

Workers employed through agreements between host companies and employment services companies do not have clearly defined supervisory support for training and for expressing job concerns. Surveillance, economic analysis, small business research, and other types of intervention research are needed to assist both host and client employers in creating a safe and healthy workplace, and improving well-being, for contingent workers. Training is needed for contingent workers to inform them of what should be expected of their employer or host company⁷.

Impact

Determining the extent of the problem and the economic burden will assist policy makers, researchers and employers in determining effective interventions to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses among this group of high-risk workers. Temporary employment services is within the top 20 industries with the largest wage and salary employment growth.