chemical exposure

Best Practices

Despite benefits in testing and observation, there are many risks to smoke tubes

October 14, 2020

Beneficial uses of smoke tubes include respirator fit tests and air flow observations and measurements. Users of smoke tubes must be aware, however, of the significant risks if the tool is misused. Proper use of smoke tubes, therefore, is essential.

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.

Chemical Protection from DuPont Personal Protection

December 5, 2018

DuPont Personal Protection introduced DuPont™ Tychem® gloves, a collection of gloves designed for chemical exposure protection. Now workers can wear Tychem® garments with Tychem® gloves for a complete protection system.

Don’t gamble with reproductive health

Outdated thinking: Naive women will remain silent

Dan Markiewicz, MS, CIH, CSP, CHMM

December 3, 2018

Class action lawsuits regarding reproductive health rights were recently filed against Walmart, the U.S.’s largest private employer, in Illinois, New York and Wisconsin. Many other employers such as Amazon, Merck and Novartis face similar lawsuits, too, relating to pregnancy discrimination, failure to provide reasonable accommodations and violations of EEOC rules.

Why you need an industrial hygienist along during OSHA site sampling

Dan Markiewicz, MS, CIH, CSP, CHMM

October 16, 2018

An OSHA health compliance officer (an industrial hygienist -- IH) recently put me in an ethical dilemma. While conducting “side-by-side” air sampling as the employer’s representative during an OSHA inspection, I observed that the OSHA IH was not sampling for asbestos correctly.

Preventing battery acid & anhydrous ammonia exposures

Don’t risk nasty exposures

Samantha Hoch

October 9, 2018

From the oil industry to mining, agriculture to research, any working environment that puts employees in close proximity to occupational hazards such as potentially harmful chemicals must make workplace safety a priority. The food processing and packing industries are no exception.

How to deal with disruptions, contractors & temporary workers

The trouble with turnarounds

Jason Fox

October 8, 2018

When turnaround season comes to your facility, managers and turnaround personnel face a big dilemma: How do you successfully and safely complete the turnaround on a tight schedule?

6 steps to ensure an effective hazcom program

Greg Duncan

October 8, 2018

OSHA’s hazard communication standard requires employers with hazardous chemicals in the workplace to implement a formal hazard communication program that includes processes for managing and maintaining safety data sheets, container labels, chemical inventory lists, a written HCS plan, and employee training on OSHA’s standard specific to the employer’s work environment.

Cover Story

8 practices for managing chemical exposures

May 9, 2018

If there’s no occupational exposure limit (OEL) listed for a chemical ingredient or byproduct in a SDS, you can conduct an online search for the chemical by CAS number and include the qualifier DNEL — derived no effect levels. CAS is required on an SDS, DNEL is not.

Chemical exposures: if something can go wrong – it will

Del Williams

June 1, 2017

Whether chemicals are toxic, corrosive, reactive, flammable, emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), or are even potentially explosive, the danger of accidental contact, even for short periods, can pose a severe hazard to workers.