Hazard Communication


ASSE Says Holiday Travel Increases Risk of Bedbugs

In the past, pesticides were used to eliminate the problem, but as pest control practices have changed, the bedbug problem has grown. Experts note too that most bedbugs are homegrown and are being spread from belongings taken from one place to another.

EPA determined the 16 chemical being added are used and/or manufactured in amounts above the reporting thresholds.

EPA Adds 16 Chemicals to EPCRA List

The final rule that is effective Nov. 30, 2010, adds them to the section 313 list of toxic chemicals, as EPA proposed in April 2010.

Efficiencies from an EU regulation and reduced use of animal testing are benefits to be gained by UK industry, the report says.

HSE Report Forecasts Big Savings from Biocides Rule

Improved procedures and lower testing costs are included in the industry's estimated savings of as much as 26.4 million pounds annually.

CPSC Data Shows Toy Recalls Declining, Toy Injuries Increasing

To help keep what has been called the most wonderful time of the year happy and incident-free, CPSC is encouraging consumers to adopt a three-pronged safety approach.

FDA Warns Health Care Professions of Pre-Filled Syringe Malfunctions

The Food and Drug Administration is notifying health care professionals, especially those working in emergency and critical care settings, of reports of compatibility problems when certain needleless pre-filled glass syringes are used with some needleless intravenous (IV) access systems. These syringes may malfunction, break, or become clogged during the process of attempting to connect to needleless IV access systems.

ANSI Report Addresses Emergency Preparedness for Disabilities, Special Needs

For the millions of Americans with special needs, emergencies and natural disasters present a unique challenge, according to the American National Standards Institute Homeland Security Standards Panel. Catastrophic events such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the 9/11 attacks revealed the crucial need for standards and other means of guidance to enhance emergency preparedness for persons with special needs.

Metals Finishing Firm Fined $300K for Hexavalent Chromium Exposure, More

"The employer had ample information alerting him to the hazards posed by hexavalent chromium, yet allowed his employees to continue to be exposed," said Bill Fulcher, director of OSHA's Atlanta-East Area Office.

Stucco Contractor Plastered with Fines for Repeat Fall Hazards

The company received citations for failing to maintain a safety program, fully plank scaffold platforms, provide a ladder for safe scaffold access, remove and replace damaged scaffold components, and properly brace scaffolds with cross braces.



Air Travelers at Risk from Secondhand Smoke: CDC

Although more airports prohibit smoking today than in 2002, smoking is still allowed inside seven of the nation's largest airports, including three of the five busiest airports.

Ohio Manufacturer Fined for Hazardous Energy Procedures, Training Violations

"Failing to implement procedures to prevent injury from unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment is a leading cause of workplace injury," said OSHA Area Director Rob Medlock in Cleveland.

Tips for a Safe, Healthy Thanksgiving Meal

If you've decided to have turkey as the main entrée for your Thanksgiving feast, how do you safely defrost and prep the bird before you pop it in your oven?

Applicants Sought for 2011 Harvard Fire Executive Fellowship Program

Senior fire executives who are selected will be awarded fellowships to attend Harvard's annual Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government. The three-week program is conducted on the Harvard campus in Cambridge, Mass.

W.Va. Postal Facility Fined $287,000 for Electrical Hazards

"These citations and sizable fines reflect the Postal Service's failure to ensure that the proper safety practices were being used by employees working with live electrical parts, leaving them vulnerable to multiple hazards," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels.

NFPA Launches 2011 NEC Application for Smartphones

NEC Changes highlights changes between the 2008 NEC® and the 2011 NEC®. More than 500 updates and modifications, all accessible through smartphones, are provided free of charge.

FDA Working to Prevent Radiation Overdoses During CT Scans

The Food and Drug Administration has been investigating reports that patients undergoing computed tomography (CT) brain perfusion scans were accidently exposed to excess radiation. FDA found that when properly used, the CT scanners did not malfunction. Instead, it is likely that the improper use of the scanners resulted in these overdoses.

USFA Releases Thanksgiving Day Fires in Residential Buildings Report

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's U.S. Fire Administration issued a special report recently examining the characteristics of Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings. The report, Thanksgiving Day Fires in Residential Buildings, was developed by USFA's National Fire Data Center.

New Tobacco Control Strategy Coming from HHS

By June 22, 2011, FDA will choose nine larger warning statements and color images that will then appear on cigarette packages and in cigarette ads.

Plumbing Company Penalized for Illegal Sales of Refrigerant

According to EPA’s New England office, Robinson Plumbing and Heating Supply Co. sold ozone-depleting refrigerants to non-certified technicians at two separate sales outlets in Massachusetts, in violation of the Clean Air Act.

Tree Trimming Company Cited $146,000 for Electrical Hazards

OSHA issued a willful citation with a proposed penalty of $70,000 for failing to ensure a tree-trimming company’s employees were trained and qualified to work near energized transmission and distribution lines.

Chevron Fined $423,600 for Salt Lake City Pipeline Failure

The pipeline involved in the failure leaked crude oil for more than ten hours before Chevron received notification of the failure from the local fire department, according to PHMSA.

Featured

Artificial Intelligence