Respiratory


NIOSH Describes Worker Protections After Deepwater Horizon Disaster

Recommendations for the future include increasing the use of personal protective gear, steps to manage heat stress management, approaches to beach cleaning, and reporting of injuries and potential hazards.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Linked to Blood Vessel Abnormalities: AHA

Obstructive sleep apnea, which causes periodic pauses in breathing during sleep, affects about 15 million adults in the United States, according to the American Heart Association. The sleep disorder may be a contributing factor to high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.

The hose that failed, shown at the top in this CSB photo, had been in service for seven months and was susceptible to corrosion from phosgene, according to the agency.

CSB Seeks Comments on DuPont Belle Draft Report

The agency investigated three releases at the West Virginia plant within a 48-hour period in January 2010, including a phosgene gas release that killed a worker who was near the location where phosgene cylinders were stored.

NIOSH Fact Sheet Highlights Safety, Health Concerns Among Hotel Cleaners

Nearly 1.8 million people worked in the traveler/accommodations industry in 2008, including more than 400,000 hotel room cleaners.

Pet Food Research Firm Fined $167,000 for Failing to Provide Respirators to Workers

Four willful violations, with proposed fines of $161,700, were cited for two instances of allegedly failing to provide a respirator to protect workers exposed to total dust in the production facility.

DOL Resolves OSHA Citations Against Explosives Maker Following Blast that Killed Two Workers

OSHA cited Black Mag LLC in October 2010 for more than 50 willful, egregious, and serious violations of safety standards in connection with a May 14, 2010, explosion at the company's Colebrook, N.H., facility in which two employees died while manufacturing a gunpowder substitute.

9/11 Health, Compensation Act Goes Into Effect

People that have been identified and diagnosed with a health condition specified in the James Zadroga Act will receive health monitoring and treatment services, at no cost to them.

MSHA Announces Results of May Impact Inspections

Coal mines were issued 339 citations, 12 orders, and two safeguards, while metal/nonmetal operations were issued 62 citations and 13 orders in May.



Brooklyn Medical Center Cited for Asbestos Hazards

OSHA's inspection found that the hospital failed to provide adequate asbestos training for environmental staff and employees in the engineering department who perform demolition and renovation.

Workplace Fatalities Rise in UK; Agriculture, Construction Top the List

After a record low in the number of people killed at work, provisional figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show a rise of 24 fatalities, from 147 in 2009-2010 to 171 in 2010-2011.

FAA Hits Boeing with $1.05 Million Fine

Inspectors discovered that spacers in the oxygen delivery system distribution tubing on the aircraft were not installed correctly.

Research Flights Seek to Improve View of Air Pollution from Space

The new field project will make measurements from aircraft in combination with ground-based observations to help scientists better understand how to observe ground-level pollution from space in the future.

New MSHA Training Tools Address Miners' Rights, Responsibilities

The Web-based tools include the full text of “A Guide to Miners' Rights and Responsibilities,” links to additional information on miners' rights, an electronic form for filing an anonymous hazard complaint, a discrimination complaint packet, and black lung benefits and resources.

MSHA Publishes Final Rule for Rock Dust

The rule requires mine operators to maintain the percentage of incombustible content of the combined coal dust, rock dust, and other dust at 80 percent in all accessible areas of underground bituminous coal mines.

Worker's Death on Tractor Leads to Poultry Plant's $120,000 Fine

OSHA cited the company for one serious safety violation related to the fatality for exposing workers to struck-by hazards by not requiring them to wear high-visibility clothing and by not implementing traffic control measures.

Fire department needs have declined the most in the areas of PPE and firefighting equipment, according to the third NFPA assessment.

Fire Service Grants' Impact Measured

NFPA's latest needs assessment found equipment and training shortages remain, but in fewer departments, because of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant programs.

Sawing masonry pieces with portable masonry saws was identified as among the most hazardous tasks.

IRSST Finds Tunnel Drillers at Highest Silica Risk

The Montreal research agency's database identified a group of skilled workers that includes bricklayers and heavy equipment operators as the second group exposed.

Methylene Chloride Exposure Leads to Firm's $49,000 Penalty

"Methylene chloride exposure can have very serious health effects, such as cancer and cardiac distress," said Paula Dixon-Roderick, director of OSHA's area office in Marlton, N.J.

New NIOSH Fact Sheet Highlights Trenching Safety

From 2000−2009, 350 workers died in trenching or excavation cave-ins—an av¬erage of 35 fatalities per year.

Low Rate of Lung Function Decline in World Trade Center Responders: Study

Decreased lung function was more likely for officers with respiratory symptoms, those who were present when the towers collapsed, and those who worked long hours at the WTC site.

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