Workplace Exposures

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.

Stockholm – Working in the cold increases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, according to researchers at the Karolinska Institute.

Washington – Environmental heat exposure should remain a concern even as summer winds down, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is reminding employers and employees.

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.”

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.

Houston – Despite an increase in sharps injuries and exposure to blood and bodily fluids, many health care workers are not wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, recent data from the International Safety Center shows.

Washington – Seeking to continue their legal fight to force the Food and Drug Administration to consider banning formaldehyde from hair-straightening products, the Environmental Working Group and Women’s Voices for the Earth filed a motion July 28 to deny the federal agency’s attempt to have the case dismissed.

Washington – A majority of workers who died from silica-related lung disease were employed in occupations in which exposure to silica dust is prevalent, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the agency states that more information is needed.

East Lansing, MI – Employees who use bleach for workplace cleaning and sanitizing are the focus of a new safety guide published by the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Division.

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.