The HICAHS is dedicated to improving the health, safety, and well-being of those working in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries. The HICAHS is composed of a multi-disciplinary team that researches topics such as mechanical hazards, tractor roll-overs, musculo-skeletal stress, respiratory disease and traumatic injury. See more....

Produce and Poultry cause most Foodborne Illness

A new CDC paper, “Attribution of Foodborne Illnesses, Hospitalizations, and Deaths to Food Commodities By Using Outbreak Data, United States, 1998-2008” is being published in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal. For the first time, CDC developed a comprehensive set of estimates using data from more than a decade of foodborne disease outbreaks and previously published estimates on how many illnesses can be attributed to each food category. Read the article.

Photo of Paul GundersonHICAHS Researcher featured in Minot Daily News
"Too busy to retire!"

Farmer, high school teacher, professor, researcher....Paul Gunderson has held all of these titles and HICAHS is proud to call Paul one of our own. Beginning next year, Paul will start researching if agricultural workers are exposed to antimicrobials while handling, spreading, and storing cattle manure. The health of these workers may be at risk due to the possible development of antibiotic resistance where antimicrobials are used.

Read the Minot Daily News' profile on Paul Gunderson, or,

Read about Paul's HICAHS research, "Exploring Shed Antimicrobials."

John Volckens Photograph

HICAHS Researcher Awarded $2.5 Million to Measure Industrial Dust, Protect Workers’ Health

HICAHS Researcher John Volckens recently received two grants from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to measure industrial dust particles that can cause health problems. Dr. Volckens plans to develop a dust spectrometer that will capture and measure inhalable dust – about the size of flour dust – before it settles. He’ll also create an inexpensive, lightweight device that workers can wear on their shoulders to immediately sample their exposure. The effort builds on a current project Dr. Volckens has with HICAHS Director Stephen Reynolds. Local dairy and feedlot industries are lending support to the project, whcih aims to prevent disease over the working lifetime of individuals. Read more...