CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden noted that the flu season lasts until May 2010 and already there have been more H1N1-related hospitalizations in the under-65 population than in most entire flu seasons.
Carbon nanotubes are being considered for use in everything from sports equipment to medical applications, but a great deal remains unknown about whether these materials cause respiratory or other health problems.
Sellick's maneuver is a simple technique that is widely used to prevent aspiration (inhaling) of the stomach contents in anesthetized patients. But does it work as advertised? That's the question asked by a study in the November issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).
"Steel mills remain a dangerous place to work, and it is inexcusable to fail to correct serious dangers, particularly after they've already been identified by OSHA. . . . We expect better," said OSHA Area Director Jule Hovi in Toledo, Ohio.
The declaration clears hospitals to set up alternate sites to house sick patients. It does not speed up vaccine delivery to the states.
A judge had issued a temporary restraining order on Oct. 16 to halt enforcement of the New York State regulation, but the governor's office said the rule was suspended because of limited supply of vaccines.
The United States Fire Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology have started a research study to examine the enhancement of thermal performance of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) face pieces to increase the protection of firefighters.
As many as 16,000 registered nurses are expected to walk out Oct. 30 at 39 facilities to protest how management has protected them against H1N1. But the backdrop is contract negotiations now in their seventh month.
In addition to being able to show that a good-faith effort was made to acquire respirators, an employer will need to implement a hierarchy of controls, said acting OSHA chief Jordan Barab.
Inspections conducted over the past several months by OSHA's area office in Andover, Mass., also identified various chemical, mechanical, and electrical hazards--41 violations in all, with proposed penalties totaling $138,000.
A Program Information Bulletin to underground metal and nonmetal mine operators and manufacturers of diesel-powered equipment used in those mines confirms using biodiesel in engines equipped with a diesel oxidation catalyst reduces total carbon levels in the air where miners work.
The investigation found 32 serious violations, including failing to evaluate the worksite for exposures to hydrogen sulfide, develop procedures for waste stream processing, develop decontamination procedures, and train workers on the hazards associated with confined space entry on barges.
"Employers should not assume that OSHA will not conduct inspections because much of this work is done at night," said Paul Mangiafico, OSHA's area director for Middlesex and Essex counties. "We will conduct inspections where and when we must to ensure that employers implement and maintain effective controls to minimize this hazard to their workers."
Although there is a decline in the domestic production of meth in recent years, vigilance is warranted because of the destructive nature of the drug and the environmental hazards caused by meth labs, the agency said.
One of the most widely used agricultural pesticides in the United States, atrazine can be applied before and after planting to control broadleaf and grassy weeds.
Flu-like cases are widespread in Ireland, Israel, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Cypress, with flu activity in Japan continuing above what is usually seen during flu season, WHO reports.
"The more than 7,000 tons per year of sulfur dioxide reductions secured by this settlement will produce significant and measurable public health benefits for downwind communities," said EPA’s Cynthia Giles.
The Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare's alliance with OSHA brainstormed the idea during a conference call that included NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Lab.
The company allegedly did not monitor to determine asbestos exposure levels, use wet methods to clean up debris, or provide HEPA vacuum cleaners to collect debris and dust, among other serious violations.
A study on the self-reported health of Americans ages 18 to 64 revealed that the flu is responsible for 200 million days of diminished productivity, 100 million days of bed disability, and 75 million days of work absence. Each episode of illness translates into five to six days of symptoms and between a half-day and five days of work missed.