Respiratory


Funding Issues Fill FEMSA/FAMA Meetings' Agenda

The joint fall meetings and conference of the Fire and Emergency Manufacturers and Services Association and the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers' Association will take place Oct. 5-7 in Arlington, Va.

MSHA Awards $1 Million in Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants

The funding will be used to develop and implement training and related materials for mine emergency preparedness, as well as for the prevention of accidents in underground mines.

Foundry Fined $124,000 Following Worker Fatality

In this case, a coal chute became jammed and the operator left his controls to attempt to un-jam it. Through miscommunication, another employee took the controls and moved the transport vehicle, which hit the worker, crushing him between a guardrail and the jammed coal bin chute.

Worker's Death at Recycling Facility Results in $183,300 Penalty

OSHA opened an inspection after a worker was found dead inside the rotating drum assembly of a machine used to screen recyclables from other refuse on March 30.

USFA Releases Annual Report on Firefighter Fatalities in U.S.

Eighty-seven on-duty firefighters from 31 states lost their lives as the result of 83 fatal incidents that occurred in 2010.

$949,800 in Fines Issued to Trailer Maker for Toxic Fumes, Noise Hazards

OSHA's Dallas Area Office initiated a safety and health inspection at the company's facility in Texas following receipt of a complaint that employees were not adequately protected from being injured by rotating machinery parts, and employees were exposed to toxic welding fumes while fabricating trailers and noise levels above approved health standards.

FAA Renewing Mandate for O2 Concentrator Physician Statements

The agency’s notice estimates 1,735,000 passengers bring a portable oxygen concentrator aboard a commercial aircraft. All of them must carry a signed physician statement explaining the oxygen therapy they need.

Tyco Splitting Fire and Security Businesses

The board has voted to divide into three independent businesses. One will be a commercial fire and security company with about $10 billion in annual revenue and 69,000 employees.



Chronic Diseases are World's Leading Killer, WHO Says

In the United States, 87 percent of all deaths are due to noncommunicable diseases. Sixteen percent of the population smokes and 43 percent are physically inactive.

OSHA Blasts N.J. Construction Firm for Trenching Hazards, Issues $158,400 in Penalties

The willful violations involve failing to ensure that the excavation spoil pile was at least 2 feet from the edge of the excavation, ensure that the ladder extended 3 feet above the level being accessed, and provide cave-in protection for employees working in the excavation.

Many Iraq/Afghanistan War Veterans Need Lung Function Testing: ACOEM

The researchers suggest a number of possible explanations for lung injury in soldiers with IAW-LI, such as inhaling sharp and coarse dust grains, toxins, and allergens in the in the harsh, polluted combat environment.

IBM 'Commuter Pain' Survey Reveals Worst Cities for Driving

Commuting pain is reflected globally as 69 percent of those surveyed indicated that traffic has negatively affected their health in some way. Some 42 percent of respondents globally reported increased stress and 35 percent reported increased anger.

CDC Tracking Growth in Chemical Suicides

An ATSDR analysis identified 10 incidents during 2006-2010 in six states. Nine people died and four law enforcement officers -- none of whom was wearing PPE when exposed -- were injured.

MSA Appoints New Global Product Leader

Dr. Thomas Muschter most recently was R&D director for MSA's International business segment. He repleaces Ronald N. Herring, who on Nov. 1 will assume the role of president of MSA International, Western Europe Zone and Middle Eurasia Zone.

Illegal Drug Use on the Rise in U.S., Study Says

An increased rate in the use of marijuana seems to be one of the prime factors in the overall rise in illicit drug use.

NFPA Cites Safety Improvements Rising from 9/11

Communications and interoperability for emergency responders, high-rise building safety, and emergency preparedness have improved as "a direct outgrowth of 9/11, and each is central to that event's legacy of safety," NFPA Journal Staff Writer Fred Durso Jr. reports.

Grain Elevator Hazards Add Up to $229,000 in Fines for Montana Firm

Serious violations involve unguarded platforms, walkways with uncovered holes, improper design of ladders, and a lack of implementation of a housekeeping program for combustible dust.

Commercial Diving, Disorientation Hazards Lead to Firm's $83,160 Fine

OSHA cited Trenton, N.J.-based IEW Construction Group Inc. for 12 serious safety violations found while the company was doing repair work on the Alexander Road Bridge in Princeton, N.J.

Smoking Leading Cause of Fatal Residential Building Fires: Report

“By preparing for a home fire emergency, you can greatly reduce your chances of becoming a fire casualty,” said Deputy U.S. Fire Administrator Glenn Gaines.

ICC: Building Safety Codes Changed as a Result of 9/11

The International Code Council’s activity heightened when the National Institute of Standards and Technology released its “Report on the Collapse of the World Trade Center,” which contained 30 broad recommendations for the model codes, standards industry, design community, and emergency responders.

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