Respiratory


September is the Cruelest Month

In his epic work "The Waste Land" (1922), T.S. Eliot wrote convincingly that “April is the cruellest month,” but a case can be made for September. Throughout American history, all varieties of disasters have transpired in this ninth month of the year—from shipwrecks to plane crashes to terrorist attacks—the aftermath of which have changed the way we live, work, and simply function as a society. Some of these changes have been subtle, others, such as the events of 9/11 seven years ago, drastic.

Australia's Workers Urged to Focus on Safe Work Week

All working Australians should concentrate on and be involved in safety at their workplaces Oct. 19-25, the Australian Safety and Compensation Council says.

Study Connects Smoking during Pregnancy with Increased SIDS Risk

The experimental study compared the breathing reflexes of premature babies of smokers versus those of nonsmokers and found a number of signs of impaired respiratory function.

Guidance Aids Drug Development for COPD Patients

It discusses the use of time to resolution of symptoms as a possible approach to assessing the primary endpoint in clinical studies.

Former NIOSH Director Howard Takes an ILO Position

The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) SafeWork program today welcomed the acceptance by Dr John Howard, former director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, to serve as chair of the Steering Committee for the 5th edition of the ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety.

Almost 7 Years after 9/11, Health Issues Linger

"What was in the air that day? Pretty much everything that had been in two 100-story buildings--but in vaporized form," writes Mike Magee, M.D. in this week's issue of Health Commentary.

Black Lung DVD Shows New Face of the Disease

Cases have doubled in the past decade, and severe cases in younger miners are a cause for concern. A NIOSH mobile health screening unit will visit six states in FY09.

OSHA Metal Industry Focus Leads to $114,000 in Fines for Ohio Foundry

The site was charged with one willful LOTO violation and 39 serious violations, including 23 safety and 16 health regulation issues.



IAQ Study Begun in Quebec Homes of Asthmatic Children

This new Indoor Air Research Facility on NRC's Ottawa Campus is part of the three-pronged project, which will evaluate effective indoor air strategies.

OSHA Clarifying Per-Employee Duty in Standards

Today's proposed rule responds to OSHRC decisions and makes explicit employers' duty to train and provide respiratory protection in particular to each employee.

UL, AQS Aid Compliance with California's Ozone-Limiting Reg

Between 60 and 80 consumer appliance manufacturers of indoor air products are likely to be affected by the new CARB regulation, expected to become effective in October.

North Carolina Passes Pesticide Exposure Bill by a Landslide

"Requiring employers to keep more detailed records of pesticides being used and forbidding retaliation against those who might complain about exposure to these chemicals are important steps toward safety in agricultural workplaces," said Gov. Mike Easley, after signing the bill into law.

OSHA Implements New NEP on Occupational Lead Exposure

The agency said it has analyzed NIOSH data to determine which industries have elevated blood levels indicating a need for increased focus in evaluation of airborne lead exposures.

Behind the Scenes in Beijing, TAMU Prof Studies Olympic Air

China has ordered numerous factories to shut down or be used only intermittently during the games, which run until Aug. 24, to try to limit air pollution in the area.

Ariz. Utility Settles Clean Air Violations, Promises Millions in Retrofits

"This settlement marks a significant step in controlling harmful nitrogen oxide emissions in the Western United States," said EPA's Granta Nakayama.

Foundry Faces $128,700 in Fines after Local Emphasis Program Crackdown

"Handling dangerous chemicals, electrical hazards, and machine guarding problems are issues that should not exist at any worksite," said Richard Gilgrist, director of OSHA's area office in Cincinnati.

New Online Safety Social Network Seeks Traction

Workplace safety professionals who want the ability to interact with each other more than just once a year at trade shows and conferences now have a new resource.

Report: Dog Bites, Diarrhea Most Cited Post-China Travel Complaints

China has the second highest number of cases of human rabies in the world, according to the report. In 2006, 140,000 animal bites were reported in Beijing, and, throughout China, nearly 3,300 people died from rabies the same year.

Safe Patient Lifting, Beryllium Collaborations Win NORA Awards

The awards were presented Tuesday at the NORA Symposium 2008 that NIOSH sponsored.

Review of Silicosis Deaths Points to Continued Overexposures

In the era of legally enforceable exposure limits, deaths in the 15-44 age group should be lower, two NIOSH researchers concluded.

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