Researchers in the Department of Environmental Health have been awarded a $233,614 grant from the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) to study the effectiveness of respirators used by firefighters, in terms of how well the seal of face pieces prevent leakage during strenuous activity in the work environment. The project will be a collaborative effort with Sergey Grinshpun, PhD, and Tiina Reponen, PhD, professors in the Center for Health-Related Aerosol Studies, and Jonathan Corey, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

An additional grant for $198,797 has been awarded to Andrew Freeman, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health, to study prescription medication and occupational injuries. The focus of the study is to determine whether workers on medication with cognitive side effects are at a higher risk for injury on the job. Using medication risk profiling software, the research will compile data of nearly 100,000 annual occupational injuries in Ohio, and examine BWC injury and pharmacy claims.