So just how hazardous is mold, and what are the real risks to a facility and its occupants? Here's what we know: Mold is naturally occurring fungi that can thrive wherever moisture is present, especially in combination with poor ventilation and humidity above 60 percent.
OXYGEN deficiency is one of the most common of all categories of atmospheric hazards. It stands to reason that the sensors used to measure oxygen concentration are one of the most widely used types of sensors included in portable atmospheric monitors, especially those used in confined space monitoring procedures.
RESPIRATOR protection is a broad subject that can be complicated and misunderstood by even the most experienced people. The importance of proper respiratory protection cannot be understated. This article will cover only a small segment of this vast subject.
WHILE you might not realize it, the chemical chlorine (Cl2) and its compounds are part of almost everyone's daily life. The water you drink, the food you eat, the medicine you take, the clothing you clean, the pool you swim in, the car you drive, and thousands of other products are sanitized or manufactured with chlorine.
SAFETY interlocks, safety light curtains, and other safety equipment are the visible part of a machinery safeguarding system. As such, they receive the most attention. However, true safety goes well below the surface of any machinery guarding control system.
"THOSE who can not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."1 There is no better sentiment to begin a discussion on accident investigation than this. It is a bad thing when a person is injured.
UNLIKE the days of long ago, in our modern workplaces the armor of Personal Protective Apparel (PPA) awaits almost any situation from the extreme to the daily grind.
THE firefighter's work of suppressing a blazing structure is the beginning of a string of activities that includes investigation of possible cause and potential criminal prosecution if arson is suspected. Once the flames are finally extinguished and the structure is secured, the work of determining the cause of a fire begins.
INDUSTRIAL safety and first response used to be at least straightforward, if not incredibly simple. One evaluated his or her risks and needs:
EXPOSURE to bloodborne pathogens (BBPs) is an occupational hazard for many workers, including, among others, health care workers, law enforcement officers, fire service personnel, funeral service employees, body piercers, day care workers, environmental service workers, and wastewater workers.
USERS of chlorine now regulated by the newly created 2003 International Fire Code and the 2003 Edition of the Uniform Fire Code are pleased to find they are no longer required to have a scrubber when storing or using 150-lb cylinders or one-ton containers of liquefied chlorine gas.
WHEN most companies consider the high cost of health care, their immediate thoughts generally focus in on medical insurance premiums. However, it's those often subtler, sneakier expenses that tend to drive up an organization's health-related cost of doing business.
INTERESTINGLY, it may be perfectly acceptable to wear tennis shoes while installing sheet metal weatherproofing on a steeply pitched roof. At least, that was the thrust of a May 2004 interpretation letter from the chief of OSHA's Construction Directorate.
WHEN an employee is injured on the job, the incident usually triggers a predictable series of events. First and foremost is getting the employee appropriate treatment for the injury.
ACCORDING to the American Heart Association, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, striking more than 340,000 people each year, or 930 people each day.