International Safety


Shriners Hospitals for Children to Kick Off Year-Long Burn Prevention Campaign

During Burn Awareness Week, Feb. 1-7, Shriners Hospitals for Children will kick-off a year-long campaign focused on preventing gasoline burn injuries. A special Web site has been developed for the campaign, www.burnawarenessweek.org.

AMGA Unveils Health Care Reform Priorities

With the advent of the new administration and the 111th Congress, the American Medical Group Association (AMGA) recently announced its health care reform principles. Beginning with a call for universal access to health care, AMGA's priorities focus on systemic changes to improve the quality of health care for America's patients.

National Heart Failure Awareness Week Approaches

In recognition of National Heart Failure Awareness Week, Feb. 8-14, the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) is encouraging everyone to learn the symptoms of heart failure and offering tips on maintaining a healthy heart.

Study Finds Cleaning Activities May Be Harmful to Women with Asthma

Cleaning activities may be associated with increased lower respiratory tract symptoms in women with asthma according to a study published this month in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

Tips for Choosing the Right Nursing Home

Although a new nursing home quality rating system has several dimensions, experts say it fails to address perhaps the most important question: Are the residents who live there happy?

Study Finds MRSA in Midwestern Swine, Workers

The first study documenting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in swine and swine workers in the United States has been published by University of Iowa researchers.

Disaster Preparedness Survey Finds Milwaukee Lagging Behind

A recent survey by Medical College of Wisconsin researchers of more than 1,800 patients seen in the Froedtert Hospital Emergency Department revealed that Metro Milwaukee residents may not personally be as well prepared for disasters as the rest of the country.

Employee Survey Shows Training Budget Cuts

A new survey of 300 mechanical, electrical, facilities, utilities, and plumbing professionals indicates a lax attitude toward training among employers.



EEOC Report Addresses Federal Hispanic Employment Issues

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released a comprehensive report to Chair Naomi C. Earp from the Federal Hispanic Work Group, titled Report on the Hispanic Employment Challenge in the Federal Government. The report contains an extensive number of practical recommendations that address a broad array of contemporary federal sector employment issues, including hiring, leadership development, and retention.

OSHA Moves to Revise Fit Test Procedures, Seeks Comments

The proposed revisions would allow certain machine-based fit tests to be conducted more quickly and increase the required score for passing them.

Sweden Bans Remaining Uses of Mercury

The decision also means the country will require mercury waste generators to place the waste not on Swedish soil, but in deep repositories in other EU countries.

workers in China

Downturn Expected to Slow Growth of China's PPE Market

Frost & Sullivan's China consultant for Chemicals, Material & Food Practice, Vivian Chen, says the global financial crisis has had a great impact on quite a few industries in China, including construction and petrochemicals, which traditionally create a large demand for PPE.

CPSC Announces Changes to Home Heating Vent Pipes Recall

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and various home heating furnace, boiler, and high-temperature plastic vent (HTPV) manufacturers are urging home owners who have not yet responded to the previously-announced 1998 recall, to do so immediately. After May 1, 2009, the remedy consumers receive under the existing program, which has been operating continuously for almost 11 years, will change.

Britain Raises Penalties for Most OSH Violations

A new law raising the maximum fine British lower courts can impose for most health and safety violations to about $29,000 took effect Jan. 16 in Great Britain.

CBP Reviews Performance of Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Program

"The world remains a dangerous place and we must keep improving and innovating C-TPAT to secure the global supply chain against acts of terrorism," said Bradd Skinner, C-TPAT director.

FDA Issues Public Health Advisory Alert on Skin Numbing Products

The Food and Drug Administration recently issued a Public Health Advisory to alert consumers, patients, health care professionals, and caregivers about potentially serious and life-threatening side effects from the improper use of skin numbing products. The products, also known as topical anesthetics, are available in over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription forms.

NSC Journal Study Seeks Enhanced Workplace Safety Approach

A new study in the National Safety Council's Journal of Safety Research advances the field and effective use of behavioral safety by identifying key knowledge gaps that warrant additional research. The study, by Oliver Wirth, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and Sigurdur Oli Sigurdsson, pinpoints areas where increased data can enhance behavior-based injury-prevention interventions and improve occupational safety and health.

Surgical Safety Checklist Drops Deaths, Complications

An international pilot study involving the Toronto General Hospital (TGH), a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto, and other hospitals from around the world, has found that using a Surgical Patient Safety Checklist significantly reduces surgical complications and mortality.

FDA Issues Guidance on Regulating Genetically Engineered Animals

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued a final guidance for industry on the regulation of genetically engineered animals under the new animal drug provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

AIHA Hosts Toxicology TeleWeb

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) will host "Toxicology of Engineered and Incidental Nanoparticles," an intermediate TeleWeb Virtual Seminar on Jan. 27, 2009, from 2-4:30 p.m. ET.

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