Respiratory


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."

According to IOSH, research suggests that each year in Britain approximately 800 people die from lung cancer caused by prolonged exposure to RCS at work, and 900 new cases are being diagnosed annually.

EU Publishes Respirable Crystalline Silica Guide

In putting together the guide, the working group considered the practices of hundreds of inspectors from the 28 member states of the European Union. The first release is in English and it will be translated to all official languages in the EU.

Tight-fitting PAPRs not only offer significantly higher APF, but they use a less expensive qualitative fit test to achieve a higher level of efficiency for a lower cost. (Draeger Inc. photo)

Harnessing the Powered Air Purifying Respirator

Differentiating between contaminants that are gaseous or dust can be crucial in ensuring your PAPR is the proper PAPR.

NIOSH Proposes RELs for Diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione

"We know these flavoring compounds can pose a great risk for workers who may be exposed on the job, causing serious and irreversible damage to their lungs," said NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard, M.D., MPH.

Review the applicable safety data sheets. Review injury and illness reports and talk to the employees. Have they reported signs or symptoms of respiratory distress?

Selecting Appropriate Respirators—A Complicated Matter

When respiratory hazards cannot be eliminated and employers are considering using respiratory protection, choosing the right respirator is the key.

OSHA's Top Ten Violations for 2016 Announced at NSC

Fall protection was at the top of the list.

NIOSH Highlights Morgantown Building's Contributions

Twenty years of research inside the L Building has brought about a Ladder Safety App and advancements in respiratory protection and identifying lung disease.

Omega Demolition Corp. Cited After Worker Fatally Crushed by 40-Ton Beam

The company has been placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

OSHA Proposes to Add Two Additional Fit-Testing Protocols to Respiratory Standard

The protocols would apply to employers in the general, shipyard and construction industries.

$143K in Fines Issued for Lead, Other Hazards

Inspectors found the company did not implement engineering, work practice, or respiratory protection controls and exposed about 40 employees to lead.

Study Links Longer ITO Exposures to Respiratory Damage

The researchers found that workers who had been exposed to respirable indium for nearly two years or more exhibited shortness of breath, lower lung function, and higher levels of markers in the blood for lung damage.

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