Environmental Health and Safety - Articles - Page 184

Are you versed in industrial hygiene activities?

The need for health professionals is rising

January 10, 2019

Standard 1910.1020 “Access to employee exposure and medical records” is the most important and far-reaching of OSHA’s regulations. When the standard became effective more than two decades ago, it could not have envisioned the explosive growth of global chemical exposure information.

5 ways to overcome challenges of foot protection programs

Why risk foot injuries?

Lori Hyllengren

January 9, 2019

Outfitting employees with appropriate footwear reduces injuries. Making sure workers have the right footwear for the job is a real, ongoing challenge for safety managers. Here are five ways you can overcome it and take advantage of all the benefits of high-quality safety footwear.

AIHA issues its first public policy agenda

January 8, 2019

Each day approximately 150 people — more than 54,000 a year — die unnecessarily from work-related injuries and illnesses. Many more suffer nonfatal injuries and illnesses. As part of the American Industrial Hygiene Association's continuing efforts to address these problems, today it has released its first-ever Public Policy Agenda.

Occupational exposure to metals, pesticides tied to heart disease in Hispanics

January 8, 2019

Occupational exposures to pesticides and metals are associated with an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Hispanics/Latinos, according to a study published online Dec. 11 in Heart. Catherine M. Bulka, Ph.D., from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and colleagues analyzed cross-sectional data from 7,404 employed Hispanic/Latino individuals aged 18 to 74 years.

OSHA Injury / Illness Recordkeeping and Reporting 29 CFR 1904

2019 top standards- Critical OSHA standards

OSHA injury - illness recordkeeping standard

OSHA Injury / Illness Recordkeeping and Reporting 29 CFR 1904

January 7, 2019

According to OSHA, an injury or illness is considered work related if an event or exposure in the work environment caused or contributed to the condition or significantly aggravated a preexisting condition. Work-relatedness is presumed for injuries and illnesses resulting from events or exposures occurring in the workplace, unless an exception specifically applies.

2019 top standards- OSHA Most Frequently Violated Standards

OSHA respiratory protection standard

Respiratory Protection (1910.134)- OSHA’s respiratory protection standard was the fourth most-frequently cited agency standard in FY 2018.

January 7, 2019

OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard applies to general industry, construction, shipyards, marine terminals, and longshoring. The OSHA respirator standard applies to all occupational airborne exposures to contaminated air where the employee is.

2019 top standards- OSHA Most Frequently Violated Standards

OSHA hazard communication standard

Hazard Communication (1910.1200) OSHA’s hazard communication standard was the second most-frequently cited agency standard in FY 2018.

January 7, 2019

This occupational safety and health standard is intended to address comprehensively the issue of classifying the potential hazards of chemicals, and communicating information concerning hazards and appropriate protective measures to employees, and to preempt any legislative or regulatory enactments of a state, or political subdivision of a state, pertaining to this subject.

2019 top standards- OSHA Most Frequently Violated Standards

OSHA scaffolding standard

Scaffolding (1926.451) OSHA’s scaffolding standard for construction was the third most-frequently cited agency standard in FY 2018.

January 7, 2019

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries reported 54 fatalities in 2009 from scaffold staging. In a BLS study, 72 percent of workers injured in scaffold accidents said either the planking or support gave way, slipping, or being struck by a falling object. All can be controlled by compliance with OSHA standards.

Health care respiratory protection: usage and cost

January 7, 2019

The health care industry has a new resource to turn to for information about respiratory protection options for employees, one which crunches the numbers and identifies two types of usage. A recently released report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine explores the potential for use of half-facepiece elastomeric respirators in the U.S. health care system with a focus on the economic, policy, and implementation challenges and opportunities.

Know the hazards & leading causes of falls

Don’t fall behind

Mark H. Stromme

January 7, 2019

Falls are the leading cause of death among private industry construction workers. This isn’t a surprise considering the duty to provide fall protection is traditionally the most frequently cited OSHA construction violation.