Environmental Health and Safety

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A prolonged government shutdown could affect the rulemaking process of OSHA’s recently proposed OSHA silica rule in a number of ways, according to Aaron Trippler, Government Affairs Director for the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA).

1 - Fabricated Metal Products, except machinery and transportation equipment
47 inspections, 107 citations, $108,740 proposed penalties
2 – Lumber and Wood Products, except furniture
42 inspections, 71 citations, $135,564 proposed penalties

Seventeen scientists who launched a high profile attack on plans in Europe to regulate endocrine-disrupting chemicals have past or current ties to regulated industries. An investigation by Environmental Health News (EHN) revealed that of 18 toxicology journal editors who signed a controversial editorial, 17 have worked with or for the chemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, tobacco, pesticide or biotechnology industries.

A newly published study of Chinese tin and pottery workers has  found that exposure to airborne silica dust is associated with a significant increase in the risk of developing lung cancer.

Illinois recently became the 20^th state to legalize the use of medical marijuana. Starting Jan. 1, 2014, licensed doctors will be allowed to prescribe marijuana to patients who have at least one of more than 30 medical conditions listed in the legislation.

The EPA is finalizing a rule that will allow the agency to restrict imports of potentially harmful perfluorinated chemicals that could be used in carpets. The regulation will require companies to report to EPA all new uses, including in domestic and imported products, of these chemicals once used  for soil and stain resistance in carpets.

While efforts to reform the federal Toxic Chemicals Safety Act continue to inch slowly forward, the state of California has taken a bold regulatory leap into controlling toxic chemicals – at least those found in consumer products.

The American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) recently posted the following job description, which goes into detail about the myriad responsibilities of the national safety and health specialist, and the high bar set for qualified candidates.

Researchers studying a small sampling of workers who’d helped clean up the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill found significantly altered blood profiles that could indicate an increased risk of certain kinds of cancer.

Every day, we experience sound in our environment, such as the sounds from television and radio, household appliances, and traffic. Normally, we hear these sounds at safe levels that do not affect our hearing. However, when we are exposed to harmful noise—sounds that are too loud or loud sounds that last a long time—sensitive structures in our inner ear can be damaged, causing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).