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An arc flash occurs during a fault, or short circuit condition, which passes through as arc gap. The flash can be initiated through accidental contact, equipment which is underrated for the available short circuit current, contamination or tracking over insulated surfaces, deterioration or corrosion of equipment and, or parts, and other causes.

Injuries from pool chemicals led to nearly 5,000 emergency room visits in 2012, according to a study released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly half of these preventable injuries were in children and teenagers and more than a third occurred at a home.

This will be the first time ever that the city of San Antonio, Texas hosts the 2014 American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce) + Stewardship – and San Antonio says it’s ready for the 5,000+ industrial hygiene and occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) professionals expected to descend upon the city May 31^st through June 5^th.

New OSHA fact sheets are now available to help protect workers in marine terminals in work safety zones for on-dock container operations, while performing hot work in certain enclosed spaces, and while servicing rim wheels.

Following the death of 23-year-old construction worker Kyle Brown, OSHA found that his employer, Watertown-based general construction contractor MTL Design Inc., failed to provide and ensure the use of fall protection safeguards that would have prevented his death. OSHA cited the company for a willful and a serious violation.

It’s legal in emerging nations but banned in the developed world (although you can still find it in many buildings). An international coalition called for it to be banned globally 25 years ago, but as an industry, it continues to thrive.

The mining disaster in Turkey, occupational hazards aboard the International Space Station and the global toll of alcohol were among this week’s top EHS-related news stories as featured on ISHN.com.

New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Joan McDonald said the Department will issue the maximum fine allowed under state law to Canadian Pacific Railroad  for failing to report, as required, the derailment of four tank cars carrying crude oil early Monday morning in Albany.

The EPA is extending the comment period for the proposed revisions to the agricultural Worker Protection Standard for an additional 60 days, until August 18, 2014, in response to requests from growers, industry, farmworker advocates and states for additional time to provide input.

The World Health Organization says an alarming new report showing that 3.3 million deaths across the globe in 2012 were due to the harmful use of alcohol highlights the need for action to reduce that number.