Respiratory


AIHA: Cannabis Industry Workers Need Protection

The association's The Synergist magazine explores PPE practices for the young industry.

UK Firm Fined $972,000 in Asbestos Case

"It was clear there was an endemic failure to effectively manage the construction work on the site in a way which ensured that asbestos materials were not disturbed until removed under appropriate conditions," said HSE Inspector Melvyn Stancliffe. "Failing to prevent the breathing in of asbestos fibers on the site is reckless."

OSHA's Beryllium Rule Under OIRA Review

OSHA issued it Jan. 6, 2017, aiming to reduce an estimated 62,000 workers' exposure to beryllium -- exposures that can cause lung diseases -- and setting it to take effect in 60 days. But the effective date was delayed.

The Status of Current Respirator Regulations and Standards

OSHA is considering some methods that will speed up the process of fit testing but still ensure that users are properly fitted with a particular respirator.

IARC Classifies Welding Fumes and UV Radiation as Group 1 Carcinogens

“Substantial new evidence” lead to the change.

Three-Month Delay Debated for OSHA Crystalline Silica Standard's Enforcement

The agency announced enforcement will now begin Sept. 23, 2017.

Asbestos Hazards Still With Us

The first week of April was again designated National Asbestos Awareness Week by a resolution passed in the U.S. Senate.

Resources Available for Pantex Plant Workers

Former employees may qualify as part of a new Special Exposure Cohort class.



NIOSH Releases Updated Hazard Assessment Software

The Enhanced Video Analysis of Dust Exposures (EVADE) offers ways to reveal hazards on the job.

DOL Proposes Delay to Beryllium Rule

The agency has proposed delaying the effective date from March 21, 2017, to May 20, 2017.

CDC Reviewing Air Quality of Air Hoses in Some Laboratories

The review will focus whether or not staff that used the hoses could have been exposed to chemical compounds from the hoses themselves.

NIOSH also recommended a short-term exposure limit for 2,3-pentanedione of 31 parts per billion during a 15-minute period based on a concern that peak exposures may have increased toxicity than the same dose spread out for a longer period of time.

NIOSH Proposes RELs for Diacetyl and 2,3-Pentanedione

The agency recommends a recommended exposure limit of 5 ppb for diacetyl as a time-weighted average for up to 8 hours/day during a 40-hour work week and a short-term exposure limit of 25 parts per billion for a 15-minute time period.

Training helps to eliminate improperly worn, poorly maintained, or nonfunctional equipment that leads to a false sense of security, which can be worse than no protection at all.

Respirators—Mandatory or Voluntary, Know the Difference

It's more important than ever for employers to stay focused on OSHA regulations—not only to avoid citations and costly fines, but also to protect the organization's most valuable asset, the employees.

Although OSHA

Essential Elements of Worker Protection

The more information you have about your own organization and workforce, the better the insight into how to reduce hazards to an acceptable level.

MSHA Reopens Rulemaking on Diesel Exhaust

Stakeholders requested an extended comment period.

IOSH Urges Members to Comment on New Respiratory Standard

The draft contains guidance for establishing and implementing a respiratory program, including information on the knowledge and skills necessary for a fit test operator. The plan is to publish the standard by early 2018.

OSHA Issues Beryllium Final Rule

The rule will cut the eight-hour PEL from the current level of 2.0 micrograms per cubic meter to 0.2 micrograms per cubic meter. Above 0.2, employers woiuld have to take steps to reduce the airborne concentration of beryllium, and the rule requires additional protections that include personal protective equipment, medical exams, other medical surveillance, and training.

CDC Documents Increased Black Lung Cases in Kentucky

The report describes a cluster of 60 cases of PMF identified in current and former coal miners at one Eastern Kentucky radiology practice during January 2015–August 2016, a cluster that was not uncovered by the national surveillance program.

WorkSafeBC Offers Dairy Farm Safety Guide

The 108-page guide developed in partnership with AgSafe and the BC Dairy Association covers various hazards, including confined spaces, working with electricity, livestock and animal medicines, mobile equipment, ergonomics, PPE, respiratory protection, and fall protection.

CDC Researchers Call Attention to Unintentional Injury Deaths

"Fewer Americans are dying young from preventable causes of death," said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden, M.D., MPH. "Tragically, deaths from overdose are increasing because of the opioid epidemic, and there are still large differences between states in all preventable causes of death, indicating that many more lives can be saved through use of prevention and treatment available today."

Featured

Artificial Intelligence