PAPR. No, it has nothing to do with the clapper (Clap On, Clap Off), but it does have something to do with helping some of your employees breathe easier. A PAPR (pronounced PAP-er), or Powered Air Purifying Respirator, is a respirator of convenience for those employees who may be problematic into fitting in a regular respirator facepiece or for those jobs where you need cool air or where you need to have a high assigned protection factor (APF; more on that later).
U.S. Fire Administrator Gregory Cade and leaders from a host of agencies and companies are scheduled to speak at the Washington, D.C., event hosted by the Fire Protection Research Foundation.
CEO William Lambert announced "the strongest third quarter in MSA history," calling it "especially satisfying in the current economic environment." Net sales rose by 15 percent, and net income increased 7 percent.
"Asbestos: The Hidden Killer" uses soccer legend and TV star Ian Wright, a former laborer, to highlight the threat. Related diseases are killing 20 building trade workers every week, and 500,000 buildings may contain asbestos in pipe insulation, shown here, or other materials.
The American Industrial Hygiene Association will host "Particle Size-Selective Sampling: What You Need To Know About Human Health Impacts," an intermediate TeleWeb Virtual Seminar on Nov. 6, 2008, from 2-4:30 p.m. ET.
This event at the Sheraton Station Square in Pittsburgh, Pa., looks at prevention of major injury categories, such as construction falls and health workers' needlesticks, and Hispanic worker injuries.
Authors of a study in MMWR conclude total release foggers are a risk for acute, usually temporary health effects among users and bystanders, and the risks should be better communicated on labels and in public media campaigns.
The American Industrial Hygiene Association will co-sponsor the 2008 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Direct-Reading Exposure Assessment Methods (DREAM) Workshop that will take place Nov. 13-14, 2008, at the Hilton Crystal City in Washington, D.C.
The Environmental Protection Agency revised the standard to help decrease health problems associated with high amounts of lead, particularly its effects on nervous system development.
The Americas segment's sales for the third quarter of 2008 fell by 8.2 percent from the same period a year ago, the company reported today. It said the slowdown was expected, and sales are up 4.2 percent for the first nine months of this year when currency effects are excluded.
Effikal LLC, of Orion, Mich., in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, has announced a voluntary recall of its Automatic Gas Vent Dampers.
Health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society has released a report that lists 12 pathogens that could spread into new regions as a result of climate change, with potential impacts to both human and wildlife health and global economies.
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has released a new technical report titled "Chemical Fire in Apex, North Carolina." This report examines the response of the Apex Fire Department, the value of pre-planning efforts, and the impact of a well coordinated response in the worst of conditions.
According to the report, in a typical year about 36,000 die from influenza infection.
Developed by CDC, the Human Influenza Virus Real-Time RT-PCR Detection and Characterization Panel can differentiate between seasonal and novel influenza. HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt calls it "a significant achievement for public health surveillance."
The funds, awarded to the Texas Workforce Commission, will be used to provide temporary employment on projects for the cleanup, demolition, repair, renovation and reconstruction of destroyed public structures, facilities and lands within the affected communities.
"This funding will help the New York metropolitan area to acquire equipment, training, and support to further our mission of preventing dangerous radiological and nuclear materials from entering a high-risk urban area."
Charges of six willful and 10 serious citations follow a March 2008 explosion that caused serious injuries to two employees at the facility in Spooner, Wis.
The crystalline silica dust released during tuckpointing operations is very hard to control. The dust may be carried throughout the workplace. When workers use compressed air to clean their clothes, tools, and equipment, even more dust is added to the air.
Industrial hygienists and environmental health and safety professionals will gather in Tampa, Fla., for the Professional Conference on Industrial Hygiene (PCIH), November 8–11. PCIH will host more than 350 colleagues who want to stay current with trends, find solutions to everyday issues, and network with peers.