Workplace exposures

RSS

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.

Washington – OSHA has created a webpage intended to help workers and employers involved with the agency’s Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (1910.120) for construction and general industry.

Washington – Twenty-eight percent of private dental practices have not fulfilled OSHA’s requirement for a written, site-specific bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan, according to the results of a recent survey conducted by NIOSH and the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention, an oral health care advocacy group.

Alexandria, VA – The American Association of Poison Control Centers and American Humane are urging first responders to call the 24-hour Poison Help Hotline if they or their canine partners are exposed to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid considered up to 50 times more potent than heroin.

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 – In response to a stakeholder’s request, NIOSH has extended the comment period on a Request for Information on peracetic acid, according to a notice published in the June 1 Federal Register.

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.

Skin diseases are the second most common type of occupational illness, with more than 13 million workers potentially exposed to chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin.