Items Tagged with 'Workplace exposures'

Durham, NC – Workers exposed to oil dispersants during cleanup of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster are likely to experience respiratory issues and other health problems, according to a new study from the National Institutes of Health.

Villejuif, France – Frequent use of workplace disinfectants may increase health care workers’ risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, suggest researchers from France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research.

Washington – NIOSH has published nine new skin notation profiles to “alert workers and employers to the health risks of skin exposures to chemicals in the workplace.”

Toluene – often used in paint, metal cleaners and adhesives – is a clear, colorless liquid that vaporizes when exposed to air at room temperature. According to OSHA, it also has a sharp and sweet smell, which is a sign of exposure.

Santa Monica, CA – Nearly 55 percent of American workers claim they encounter “unpleasant and potentially hazardous” conditions on the job, according to a study from nonprofit research institute RAND Corp., Harvard Medical School and the University of California, Los Angeles.

Washington – OSHA has published a guide intended to help small businesses comply with the agency’s standard on worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica for general industry and maritime.

Washington – The American Chemistry Council recently released updated guidelines on preventive health measures and the use of personal protective equipment for workers exposed to phosgene, a chemical used in manufacturing that is a poisonous gas at room temperature.

Washington – The American Chemistry Council is calling attention to a reanalysis of data linking formaldehyde exposure to leukemia, saying the new findings “call into question the validity” of recent assessments used by regulatory agencies to determine occupational exposure limits.

St. Louis – Prolonged exposure to fumes from the chemical element manganese may put welders at risk for developing symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent study from the Washington University School of Medicine.

Washington – Two nonprofit groups have filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration for “failure to protect” salon workers and consumers from hair straightening treatments containing formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen and allergen.