Respiratory


Illinois Beach State Park

Illinois Safety Engineer Warns of Asbestos Exposure at State Beach

"The dredging of toxic asbestos contaminated sand continues in Illinois, spreading increased risk of mesothelioma cancer rates that are already elevated when compared to the national average. How high must the body count get?" Jeffery C. Camplin, CSP, CPEA, asked the House Committee on Science and Technology's Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee on Thursday.

an active construction site

High Interest Expected for NIOSH-Funded Construction Safety Center

Letters of intent to create the center are due by March 16. NIOSH expects to make one award of up to $5 million per year for five years to support the center, with the intention of making it a national information resource for all construction stakeholders.

Brice de La Morandiere, nominated as Sperian CEO

Sperian Names New CEO

The board of directors agreed March 3 that Brice de La Morandiere will be CEO as of April 14. This action splits Sperian's board chairman and CEO duties and completes a succession plan for Henri-Dominique Petit, who now holds both titles. He will continue as chairman.

Highest Mesothelioma Rate Found for UK Boomer Carpenters

One in 17 British carpenters born in the 1940s will die of the cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by asbestos, according to new research published in the British Journal of Cancer.

NIOSH Proposes New Respirator Quality Assurance Requirements

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has proposed new quality assurance and control requirements for manufacturers of respirators approved by NIOSH or NIOSH and MSHA under 42 CFR Part 84--Approval of Respiratory Protective Devises.

arc welding

Living with Arc Welding Spatter

Welding spatter can cause equipment problems, weld quality problems, fires, and burns. This article will help you reduce costs, improve weld quality, and be safe.

First Person: A Tragic Encounter with H2S

I'm disabled becuase of exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas during a welding job in May 2001. Don't let this happen to you.



Updates on Safety Equipment PPE Certification Activity

In the midst of changes taking place throughout the health care industry, many OHNs are rightly feeling they are in a whole new profession, which helps explain why organizers of this year's annual AAOHN conference have for months now been plugging the event with the tagline "It's a Whole New Symposium."

Sheet Metal Fabricator Faces $273,000 in Fines for Asbestos Hazards

"The sizable fines proposed here reflect the fact that this company knew several of these critical safeguards were necessary yet chose not to provide them," said Arthur Dube, OSHA's area director in Buffalo, N.Y.

OSHA Fines St. Louis Chemical Company $1.2 Million

Eight of its workers were treated for exposure to the organic chemical para-nitroaniline (PNA) in powder form. The penalty is based on 21 alleged willful citations, 20 of them cited on a per-employee basis.

NY Facility Fined $56,000 Following Confined Space Fatality

The company was issued one willful citation, with a proposed penalty of $35,000 alone, for not providing employees with confined space rescue training at least every 12 months.

OSHA's Hex Chrome PEL Upheld

A 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision on Monday rejected all but one claim against the 5 micrograms per cubic meter PEL set in the February 2006 final rule. The judges told OSHA to state its reasons for requiring employees to be notified when monitored exposures exceed the PEL, rather than being notified of all monitoring results as the agency originally proposed.

Workshop to Explore Nano EHS Research, Needs

The two-day workshop begins tomorrow in Bethesda, Md. Researchers will discuss current science on Human and Environmental Exposure Assessment, which is one of the five EHS categories identified in the Strategy for Nanotechnology-Related Environmental, Health, and Safety Research.

Traffic Air Pollution Linked to Repeated Hospital Encounters for Asthma

Air pollution caused by traffic near the home affects asthma severity in children, resulting in repeated hospital encounters, according to a study published this month in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

MSHA Refuge Alternatives Meetings Start Today

Meanwhile, the agency has promised to adjust its mine rescue teams final rule as directed in a Feb. 10 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Online Guide Explains Safe Uses of Beryllium

Brush Wellman Inc., the world's largest producer of beryllium and materials that contain it, posted the guide last week.

AIHA Hosts Mold TeleWeb

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) will host "Mold: Exploring Sampling, Analysis, and Data Interpretation," an intermediate to advanced TeleWeb Virtual Seminar on Feb. 19, 2009, from 2-4:30 p.m. ET.

MSHA and Coal Watchdog's New Blog Hailed

Ken Ward Jr.'s coverage of the industry and mining safety is now available in a blog on his newspaper's Web site.

Manufacturer Fined $102,000 for Lead Exposure, Defective Machinery, More

The total penalty amount is the result of citations for seven repeat violations, 19 serious violations, and 10 other-than-serious violations found during an inspection initiated by a complaint.

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