Respiratory


World COPD Day 2008 logo

World COPD Day Raises Disease's Profile

Organizations worldwide are focused today on the disease, which affects at least 10 million Americans and is the fourth-leading cause of death globally.

NFPA Tallies 80,100 Line-of-Duty Firefighter Injuries in 2007

The Northeast's rate of 4.9 injuries per 100 fires was more than twice the rate for the rest of the country, according to a summary published in the NFPA Journal's November/December issue.

Carbon Monoxide--the Silent Killer

Tennessee OSHA Institutes Special Emphasis Program on 'The Silent Killer'

Installing an effective ventilation system and ensuring compressors used to supply breathing air are equipped with a high-temperature alarm or carbon monoxide alarm are among the agency's recommendations for lowering employees' risk of exposure. Using compressors that are not oil lubricated is another.

Annual Great American Smokeout Draws Near

November 20, 2008, marks the American Cancer Society's 32nd annual Great American Smokeout, an event raises awareness of the many effective ways to quit for good and encourages smokers to quit for at least one day in the hope that this might challenge them to stop using tobacco permanently.

A 3D image of a buckyball nanoparticle.

Online Collaboration to Speed up Creation of Nanotechnology Standards

Combining efforts of materials scientists and measurement laboratories with those of biological and medical researchers, a new Internet-linked "community of interest" will exploit Web 2.0-style social networking technologies to enable creating and sharing information, as well as deliberating over technical details of in-process standards.

EPA Promulgates New Use Rules for Two Nanoparticles

The agency has determined that, for both substances, use without impervious gloves or a NIOSH-approved respirator with an APF of at least 10 may cause serious health effects.

VPPPA Seeks 2009 Conference Workshop Proposals by Dec. 5

The association's 25th annual conference will take place in August at the same San Antonio convention center where ASSE's PDC will be held June 28-July 1, 2009.

Study Finds Link Between Sleep Apnea and Sudden Cardiac Death

After studying the sleep characteristics of nearly 11,000 adults in an overnight sleep laboratory, Mayo Clinic researchers suggest that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)--and, in particular, the low nighttime oxygen saturation of the blood it causes--may be a risk factor for sudden cardiac death (SCD).



2008 Major Injuries, Deaths Down Again in UK

Continued declines in major workplace injuries and deaths are good news, but the HSE's chair says she's concerned about agriculture, construction, waste and recycling industries, and slip-and-fall incidents.

An upclose graphic of the sensor.

Electronic Nose Sniffs Out Unknown Chemical Odors

The great advantage of this system, according to NIST researchers, is that you don't need to expose the array to every chemical it could come in contact with in order to recognize and/or classify them.

Enjoying the Advantages of PAPRs

PAPR. No, it has nothing to do with the clapper (Clap On, Clap Off), but it does have something to do with helping some of your employees breathe easier. A PAPR (pronounced PAP-er), or Powered Air Purifying Respirator, is a respirator of convenience for those employees who may be problematic into fitting in a regular respirator facepiece or for those jobs where you need cool air or where you need to have a high assigned protection factor (APF; more on that later).

Nov. 17-18 Symposium Explores Fire Safety in the Next 25 Years

U.S. Fire Administrator Gregory Cade and leaders from a host of agencies and companies are scheduled to speak at the Washington, D.C., event hosted by the Fire Protection Research Foundation.

MSA Announces Record 3Q Sales

CEO William Lambert announced "the strongest third quarter in MSA history," calling it "especially satisfying in the current economic environment." Net sales rose by 15 percent, and net income increased 7 percent.

asbestos pipe insulation

British Campaign Battles Familiar Foe

"Asbestos: The Hidden Killer" uses soccer legend and TV star Ian Wright, a former laborer, to highlight the threat. Related diseases are killing 20 building trade workers every week, and 500,000 buildings may contain asbestos in pipe insulation, shown here, or other materials.

AIHA Offers 'Particle Size-Selective Sampling' Webinar

The American Industrial Hygiene Association will host "Particle Size-Selective Sampling: What You Need To Know About Human Health Impacts," an intermediate TeleWeb Virtual Seminar on Nov. 6, 2008, from 2-4:30 p.m. ET.

2008 Injury Research Symposium Begins

This event at the Sheraton Station Square in Pittsburgh, Pa., looks at prevention of major injury categories, such as construction falls and health workers' needlesticks, and Hispanic worker injuries.

total release fogger

'Bug Bombs' Report: 466 Cases in Eight States, 2001-06

Authors of a study in MMWR conclude total release foggers are a risk for acute, usually temporary health effects among users and bystanders, and the risks should be better communicated on labels and in public media campaigns.

AIHA Co-Sponsors NIOSH DREAM Workshop

The American Industrial Hygiene Association will co-sponsor the 2008 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Direct-Reading Exposure Assessment Methods (DREAM) Workshop that will take place Nov. 13-14, 2008, at the Hilton Crystal City in Washington, D.C.

Air Quality Standards for Lead Tightened for First Time in 30 Years

The Environmental Protection Agency revised the standard to help decrease health problems associated with high amounts of lead, particularly its effects on nervous system development.

Sperian's 3Q Sales Down 6.7 Percent, Reiterates 2008 Growth Target

The Americas segment's sales for the third quarter of 2008 fell by 8.2 percent from the same period a year ago, the company reported today. It said the slowdown was expected, and sales are up 4.2 percent for the first nine months of this year when currency effects are excluded.

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