NIOSH Releases Updated Hazard Assessment Software

Contact: Stephanie Stevens (202) 245-0641

Mine operators and safety and health professionals can review an EVADE playback to see where occupational exposures are high and where a change is needed. Credit: NIOSH

The latest version of the Enhanced Video Analysis of Dust Exposures (EVADE) software available for free from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) now offers more ways to reveal hazards on the job.

EVADE 2.0 can pull together video footage and exposure data on dust, diesel and gases, as well as sound into one display for a more comprehensive view of the hazards miners face. The software synchronizes all the incoming data files to show changing exposure levels alongside the video.

With the files stitched together into one playback, mine operators can see what was happening during the periods of highest exposure, and then use that information to target a change or intervention. This is crucial, as prolonged or repeated exposures to hazardous substances or sound levels can be detrimental to workers’ health or hearing.

“Without a way to locate exactly when and where workers might be exposed to hazards, mine operators could only make an educated guess about the location and time of exposure,” said Dr. Jessica Kogel, associate director for mining at NIOSH. “This latest version of EVADE gives operators a valuable tool to improve the working environment for their miners”.

The latest version of EVADE represents a major step forward for the software. The original version was designed to overlay data from respirable dust samplers with video from a single, helmet-mounted camera, aptly called Helmet-CAM. While EVADE 2.0 can still use a Helmet-CAM setup, it now also processes data from almost any type of hazard sampler, including a noise dosimeter. It can also synchronize and display video from any mix of video cameras, both worn and set up at fixed locations.

This broadening of the software to include a variety of video streams and data makes the latest EVADE version a far more powerful tool to target hazardous exposures. While developed for the mine environment, EVADE can also be used to assess hazards in other industries such as construction and oil and gas.

Find out more about EVADE, as well as how to download the software for free.

NIOSH is the federal institute that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths. For more information about NIOSH visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/.