Occupational diseases - Articles - Page 3

Industries that place people at risk of asbestos exposure

May 8, 2019

For decades, asbestos was considered an ideal substance used in a variety of industrial materials and equipment due to its remarkable heat and fire resistance properties, paired with incredible durability, poor electrical conductivity, and high tensile strength. Because of these properties, and because it was available in large quantities and inexpensive to produce, asbestos fibers were often combined with other materials for use in thousands of industrial, maritime, automotive, and building products.

Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect, 2019

14 workers die each day from job-related injuries

April 26, 2019

Just in time for Workers Memorial Day, April 28, the AFL-CIO has released its annual report, “Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect.” Among the figures in this year’s comprehensive look at the state of safety and health protections for America’s workers: in 2017, 5,147 workers lost their lives on the job as a result of traumatic injuries, according to fatality data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

CPR issues guide to help workers reduce toxic exposures

April 19, 2019

Every day, an average of 137 workers in the United States lose their lives to diseases and illnesses caused by on-the-job exposures to hazards like silica dust, asbestos, and a wide variety of toxic chemicals. That means every year, roughly 50,000 people die from occupational illnesses, and the toll is likely much higher because of underreporting and incomplete statistics.

FDNY 9/11 fatalities continue, while compensation fund is going broke

April 9, 2019

Three retired New York City Fire Department (FDNY) with 9/11 illnesses died within 48 hours this week, a stark reminder that the death toll from the terrorist attacks continues to climb, going far beyond the 343 members of the FDNY who were killed that day. News sources say the latest victims are retired FDNY Lt. Timothy O’Neill, firefighter Kevin Lennon Fire Marshal Michael Andreachi.

Two Calif. construction workers hospitalized with Valley Fever

April 5, 2019

Cal/OSHA has issued serious health and safety citations to Underground Construction Co., Inc. of Benicia after two of its employees contracted Valley Fever. The workers were exposed to the fungal disease while using hand tools to dig trenches in Kings, Fresno and Merced counties—areas where the soil is known to contain harmful spores that cause the infection.

Inside NIOSH:

Study explores styrene exposure at work and cancer

March 25, 2019

Chemicals are used in manufacturing to make everything from food containers to your favorite pair of shoes. One such chemical is styrene, a colorless, strong-smelling liquid used to make plastics and rubber for these products and others, including insulation, fiberglass, pipes, vehicle parts, and carpet backing. During the manufacturing process, chemical vapors contaminate the air.

Inside NIOSH:

Safety data sheets omit some chemicals in flavorings

Companies cite "trade secrets"

March 21, 2019

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigations have shown that sufficient levels of work-related exposure to certain chemical vapors in flavorings can cause severe, irreversible lung disease. These chemicals, diacetyl and its closely related substitute 2,3-pentanedione, can be added to flavorings like the butter in microwave popcorn.

NIOSH monitoring confirms metalworking fluids exposure concerns

March 15, 2019

A NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation report presented findings of an agency investigation at an engine machining plant where employees were exposed to metalworking fluids, or MWFs. The union representing the employees had requested the evaluation because of concerns that exposure to MWFs had caused respiratory symptoms and dermatitis among workers.

9/11 Ground Zero exposures continue to claim lives

March 15, 2019

Seventeen years out from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, nearly 10,000 first responders and others who were in the World Trade Center area have been diagnosed with cancer. More than 2,000 deaths have been attributed to 9/11 illnesses. By the end of 2018, many expect that more people will have died from their toxic exposure from 9/11 than were killed on that terrible Tuesday.

3 workers develop lung disease; company cited

March 13, 2019

OSHA has cited Nemak USA Inc. – based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin – for exposing workers to metalworking fluids used on aluminum after three employees were diagnosed with occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a debilitating lung disease. The company faces penalties of $26,520 for two serious health violations, the maximum penalty allowed by law.