This approach is the correct risk management process because data are lacking for the risk potential of individual engineered nanomaterials, but there is some understanding of hazards posed by different groups of nanomaterials, Safe Work Australia said in a new report.
The Food and Drug Administration has notified nearly 30 manufacturers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages that it intends to look into the safety and legality of their products.
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) on Nov. 12 delivered to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a new technical study that recommends guidelines to establish a comprehensive product tracing system to track the movement of food products effectively from farm to point of sale or service.
Chemical Safety Board Chairman John Bresland released a new video safety message on Nov. 12 asking jurisdictions across the country to adopt the ASME Pressure Vessel Code to reduce the number of accidents involving catastrophic pressure vessel failures in process industries.
"This study raises the question: Is there a safe level for BPA exposure, and what is that level? More studies like this, which examine the effect of BPA on humans, are critically needed to help establish prevention strategies and regulatory policies," said lead author De-Kun Li, M.D., Ph.D., of Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research in Oakland, Calif.
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has issued a special report examining the causes and characteristics of fires in college and university residential buildings that include dormitories, fraternity, and sorority houses.
Damp environments, poorly maintained heating and air conditioning systems, and carpeting may contribute to poor indoor air quality, according to experts at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Miami Beach, Fla. Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, where they are repeatedly exposed to indoor allergens and airborne particles that can lead to respiratory symptoms and conditions.
"We're beyond theory and onto execution," said CIDRAP Director Michael T. Osterholm, Ph.D., M.P.H. "The pandemic is here. And we need every business to recognize the impact it can have. It's not too late, but time is of the essence."
EPA said its Region 7 receives more accidental release reports for ammonia than for any other chemical. In addition to releases caused by transportation accidents, human error, and equipment failure, a number have been caused by anhydrous ammonia thefts.
The Food and Drug Administration has announced the publication of the new FDA Food Code, a model code and reference document that provides a scientifically sound technical and legal basis for regulating the retail and food service segment of the food industry. The 2009 FDA Food Code is a key component of the President's overall public-health-focused food safety framework for maintaining a safe food supply.
OSHA has proposed $50,600 in fines against Metro Steel Fabricators Inc., a Brooklyn steel erection contractor, for alleged willful and serious violations of safety standards at a Tuckahoe, N.Y., jobsite.
OSHA has issued commonsense fact sheets that employers and workers can use to promote safety during the current H1N1 influenza outbreak.
The Food and Drug Administration is enforcing the flavored cigarette ban provision of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act) by issuing several warning letters to companies continuing to sell illegal flavored cigarettes to consumers in the United States through their Web sites.
In December 2007, EPA issued a rule requiring reductions in air toxic emissions from auto body shops that use spray application to paint cars or that use paint strippers containing a toxic substance called methylene chloride. Existing shops must comply with the rule by January 2011; new shops have to comply by 180 days after startup.
The reports include online graphs, trend information on enforcement and compliance in each state, and comparative reports. Data such as compliance monitoring activity, violations discovered, enforcement actions taken, and penalties assessed are available.
At a large trade show this week and in national radio advertisements, the British OSH agency is urging renovation contractors and workers to be aware of potential asbestos exposures and the possibility of contracting mesothelioma and other deadly illnesses.
The Center for Chemical Process Safety, a technology alliance of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, has announced a partnership with Phillip Townsend and Associates to establish a program of formal benchmarking in process safety in the chemical, energy, and pharmaceutical industries. Participating companies will compare their process safety programs and performance in an effort to identify best practices and drive process safety improvement across the board.
One out of every three people who died in 2007 in the United States were in the hospital for treatment at the time of their deaths, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, for a total cost of about $20 billion.
A joint public meeting will be held from Dec. 9-10 and will focus on improving the system for tracing of food products and ingredients that are causing illness outbreaks or presenting other risks to the health of consumers.
"The new labels will carry more uniform and specific directions on restricting spray drift while giving pesticide applicators clear and workable instructions," said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances.