Two papers published in the January issue of Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (JOEH) address noise hazards in a work environment not usually studied for noise hazards: sports venues. Noise controls are often enforced only when workers have been exposed to noise levels beyond recognized standards, and only in workplaces and industries known for frequent noise exposure, such as manufacturing and construction.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL),has added sweating thermal manikins to its research efforts aimed at measuring heat transfer through various fabric ensembles of specific types of garments worn in occupations such as firefighting, healthcare, and mining.
A new compilation, ASTM Standards for Accident and Disaster Control, is now available on CD-ROM from ASTM International. The compilation includes 185 of the latest ASTM standards for accident and emergency management from ASTM Committees E54 on Homeland Security; F12 on Security Systems; F32 on Search and Rescue; and F30 on Emergency Medical Services.
From Hilda Solis' resignation as Secretary of Labor to a new study on workplace wellness programs and the savings they can produce in health costs to the way Americans are continuing to endanger our health, here are the week's top EHS-related stories as featured on ISHN.com:
CDC recommends vaccination and antiviral treatment
January 11, 2013
Influenza activity continues to increase in the United States and most of the country is now experiencing high levels of influenza-like-illness (ILI), according to CDC’s latest FluView report. “Reports of influenza-like-illness (ILI) are nearing what have been peak levels during moderately severe seasons,” according to Dr. Joe Bresee.
Susan Jordan Sikes may be relatively new to the Voluntary Protection Program Participants Association (VPPPA), but she’s had 27 years of experience in occupational safety and health.
OSHA has issued its annual inspection plan under the Site-Specific Targeting 2012 program to direct enforcement resources to workplaces where the highest rates of injuries and illnesses occur.
I2P2, confined spaces and walking working surfaces are all items on the regulatory agenda issued by OSHA last month. The agenda identifies issues that are being considered for or are in the process of rulemaking – although the agency stresses that rules for some of the items on it might not be issued this year, and some might never be issued.
The Cadmium Biological Monitoring Advisor, a new online tool from OSHA, analyzes biological monitoring results provided by the user. These data, along with a series of answers to questions generated by the cadmium advisor, are used to determine the biological monitoring and medical surveillance requirements that must be met under the general industry cadmium standard (29 CFR 1910.1027).