The industry's major names are here in Portland and, from the looks of things so far, they brought their best with them.
Federal inspectors issued 20 withdrawal orders and five citations to Randolph Mine in Boone County, W.Va., during an impact inspection conducted in April, and the company quickly announced three days of safety stand downs.
Effective June 6, the significant new use rule requires those intending to manufacture, import, or process them for an activity designated as a significant new use by the final rule to notify EPA at least 90 days in advance.
Asthma diagnoses increased among all demographic groups between 2001 and 2009, though a higher percentage of children reported having asthma than adults.
Two days of live webcasts of tech sessions taking place at the Portland, Ore., conference will begin May 18.
MSHA will conduct four public hearings on two proposed rules: "Examinations of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines" and "Pattern of Violations." Each hearing will cover the major issues raised by public input in response to the proposed rules.
"Our inspections found maintenance workers exposed to a variety of health and safety hazards while performing their duties, including stripping paint, removing drywall, and clearing basements of raw sewage that had backed up during heavy rains," said Kay Gee, OSHA's Manhattan area director.
OSHA encourages employees to use NIOSH-approved respirators for voluntary use, but this is not specifically required.
In 2008, 36.1 million people died from conditions such as heart disease, stroke, chronic lung disease, cancer, and diabetes. Nearly 80 percent of these deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries.
Innovation, integration, inspiration--and wood dust--will be in the spotlight this month at the 72nd American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Exposition.
The American Association for Respiratory Care and the American Lung Association are among nine groups sending a joint letter to members of Congress urging that its funding continue.
The projection is based on the rate at which states have been adopting comprehensive smoke-free laws. In the past 10 years, 25 states and the District of Columbia have enacted these laws, the CDC report said.
The grants will fund 10 projects to improve cardiovascular and lung health of people living near the second-busiest U.S. port.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 3,570 structure fires in dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and barracks in 2003-2006.
"This case is a stark example of the devastating consequences to workers when adequate machine guarding is absent," said Edward Jerome, OSHA's area director in Albany.
Current Intelligence Bulletin 63 is the first time the agency has issued separate guidelines for the same chemical based on particle size.
Without precautions being taken, such as proper ventilation or protective equipment, the preparation, administration, and the disposal of these drugs exposes hundreds of thousands of workers to potentially harmful levels of the chemicals involved.
“There has been an increase in recent years in promoting the use of foams and sealants by do-it-yourself energy-conscious homeowners, and many people may now be unknowingly exposed to risks from these chemicals,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.
The Food and Drug Administration cleared the SpectraShield 9500 N95 surgical respirator, a device that kills 99.99 percent of three different kinds of bacteria when exposed to its outer surface. The single-use, N95 surgical respirator is designed for use in health care settings by health care personnel to protect against microorganisms, body fluids, and particulate material.
In addition to the combustible dust hazards, among 32 serious violations cited are failing to provide a lockout/tagout system to control the release of hazardous energy, ensure exits were unblocked, and protect employees from electrical and chemical hazards.