Workplace exposures

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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.

Atlanta – As many as 2.7 million U.S. workers may have asthma caused or aggravated by workplace conditions, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington – Certified workers who apply “restricted use” pesticides must be at least 18 years old and have their certification renewed every five years, according to updated standards finalized Dec. 12 by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Los Angeles – The Los Angeles garment manufacturing industry – the nation’s largest cut-and-sew apparel base – is “plagued by workplace violations and marked by a lack of worker protections,” according to a new report released by the Garment Worker Center, the UCLA Labor Center and UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health.

Atlanta – A radiology practice in eastern Kentucky diagnosed 60 current or former coal miners with progressive massive fibrosis – the most severe case of black lung disease – between January 2015 and August 2016, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington – The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to ban certain uses of the chemical trichloroethylene because of health risks associated with the toxic chemical when used as a degreaser and spot removal agent in dry cleaning.

Helsinki, Finland – Airborne exposure to metalworking fluid mist and other gaseous pollutants puts both machinists and other machine shop workers at risk for respiratory and skin problems, according to a recent study from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.

From workers at microwave popcorn plants to coffee roasters, people who work with the flavoring chemicals diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione may be at risk for bronchiolitis obliterans, an irreversible disease also known as “popcorn lung.”

Washington – NIOSH has released recommended limits for controlling occupational exposure to flavoring chemicals diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione, both of which have been linked to reduced lung function in food flavoring and production industry workers.