Health Care


A new safety rule for large-scale egg producers went into effect July 9.

New Egg Safety Rule Goes Into Effect

Implementing the preventive measures will reduce the number of Salmonella Enteritidis infections from eggs by nearly 60 percent, FDA says.

NHCA Conference to Focus on Future of Hearing Conservation

The association is now accepting papers for presentations and posters, due July 31 and Sept. 1, respectively. Topics may address basic scientific research, applied research, practical applications of research results, or other findings or concepts that may enhance hearing loss prevention efforts.

New Privacy Safeguards for Health Records Announced

The new HHS rules expand consumer protections when third parties handle individually identifiable health information.

National survival from ventricular fibrillation is estimated at 21 percent, Drs. Mickey Eisenberg and Bruce Psaty write.

Experts Advise Auditing All Witnessed VF Collapses

Dr. Mickey S. Eisenberg, MD, Ph.D., and co-author Bruce M. Psaty, MD, Ph.D., write in the July 7 issue of JAMA that "a starting assumption is that every patient with witnessed ventricular fibrillation should survive."

NACCHO Executive Director Robert M. Pestronk said the job losses at local health epartments "make life riskier."

Public Health Spotlight: Job Losses, New Accreditation

The National Association of County & City Health Officials holds its annual meeting next week in Memphis with officials worried about 23,000 jobs lost thus far at local health departments nationwide.

EMS Safety Culture Proposals Due July 9

Meanwhile, IAFC has asked its members to answer a survey that will help the association launch a redesigned website next year.

Enzi Calls for NIOSH Accounting of 9/11 Payments

The ranking member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee said he wants to know how $475 million given to medical providers was spent.

Strategic Value for the Health & Safety Industry

The IT/MIS model has more to do with configuration management and much less with the job at hand, with little thought given to people in the field.



About 3.2 million people in the United States are chronically infected with HCV and each year, about 17,000 people are newly infected.

FDA Approves Rapid Test for Antibodies to Hepatitis C Virus

The Food and Drug Administration has announced approval of the first rapid blood test for antibodies to the hepatitis C virus (HCV) for individuals aged 15 years and older. The OraQuick HCV Rapid Antibody Test is used to test individuals who are at risk for infection with HCV and people with signs or symptoms of hepatitis.

CDC Issues New Guidelines for TB Testing

According to the World Health Organization, about one person dies of TB every 17 seconds, and the disease continues to be a contagious scourge in both developing and developed countries because each infected person represents a potential yet preventable future outbreak.

Researchers found that reusable bags have a great potential for cross contamination.

No Paper, No Plastic? Potential Problem

A university study of reusable grocery bags found that 50 percent were contaminated with E. coli and other bacteria, and that a full 97 percent of the shoppers who use them had never washed, much less bleached, the totes.

CDC: Nine in 10 U.S. Adults Consume Too Much Sodium

According to the report, U.S. adults consume an average of 3,466 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day, more than twice the current recommended limit for most Americans.

Airport AED, Fast-Acting Bystander Save Traveler

EMTs at the scene said the incident was an excellent example of what is possible if CPR and AED use are initiated quickly, along with timely activation of the emergency medical services system.

NFPA Counts Fireworks' Costs

The new report assembles stats for 2008, when fireworks caused an estimated 22,500 reported fires in the United States and an estimated 7,000 injuries treated in emergency rooms.

AMA Focusing on Spread of Infections by Lab Coats, Scrubs

"When doctors or nurses lean over the beds of patients who are carrying organisms, their clothing can become contaminated. Hours later, that bacteria can still be alive and passed on through incidental contact with other patients," said Dr. Charles Gerba of the University of Arizona’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology.

Recalls Aside, AEDs Still Work Their Magic

Recent saves at a Hong Kong hotel and at a casino in Pennsylvania back up a study indicating use of AEDs before medical help arrives is associated with improved survival.

EPA Cites Company $784,380 for Failing to Warn Residents of Lead-Based Paint Exposures

The citation is based in part on information that two children living in renovated Michigan homes had tested positive for elevated blood lead levels.

New E-book Chronicles Chronic Lyme Disease 'Epidemic'

"I have witnessed the ravages of Lyme on countless occasions," the author writes. "I see patients who have been sick with Lyme disease for more than two years without a positive test. I also have patients who have been sick for more than six months because they were not aware that fatigue, poor memory, irritability and poor sleep could be symptoms of neurologic Lyme disease."

Canadian Experts Share H1N1 Pandemic's Lessons

A roundtable hosted by CSA Standards produced a whitepaper suggesting how to prepare for the next one, with emphasis on vaccine development and PPE.

Biking

DOT: More People Pedaling, Walking

“Americans want and need safe alternatives to driving," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "And by making biking and walking safer and more accessible, we’ll be able to provide Americans with more choices and help foster more active, livable communities.”

Product Showcase

  • Safety Knives

    The Safety Knife Company has developed a quality range of safety knives for all industries. Designed so that fingers cannot get to the blades, these knives will safely cut through cardboard, tape, strapping, shrink or plastic wrap or a variety of other packing materials. Because these knives have no exposed blades and only cut cardboard deep, they will not only protect employees against lacerations but they will also save product. The Metal Detectable versions have revolutionary metal detectable polypropylene knife bodies specifically for the food and pharmaceutical industries. This material can be detected and rejected by typical detection machines and is X-ray visible. Read More

  • The MGC Simple Plus

    The MGC Simple Plus is a simple-to-use, portable multi gas detector that runs continuously for three years without being recharged or routinely calibrated after its initial charge and calibration during manufacturing. The detector reliably tests a worksite’s atmosphere for hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, oxygen and combustible gases (LEL). Its durability enables the detector to withstand the harshest treatment and environments, hence earning it an IP 68 rating. The MGC Simple Plus is also compatible with a variety of accessories, such as the GCT External Pump. Visit gascliptech.com for more information. Read More

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    Nilfisk provides a comprehensive range of industrial vacuums meticulously crafted to adhere to NFPA 652 housekeeping standards, essential for gathering combustible dust in Class I, Group D, and Class II, Groups E, F & G environments or non-classified settings. Our pneumatic vacuums are meticulously engineered to fulfill safety criteria for deployment in hazardous surroundings. Leveraging advanced filtration technology, Nilfisk ensures the secure capture of combustible materials scattered throughout your facility, ranging from fuels, solvents, and metal dust to flour, sugar, and pharmaceutical powders. Read More

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