Thursday, February 25, 2010

Noise and ototoxic substances


Next item to be placed into my "Read This" folder comes from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. It is a literature review entitled, Combined Exposure to Noise and Ototoxic Substances.

"Workers are commonly exposed to multiple agents. Physiological interactions with some mixed exposures can lead to an increase in the severity of a harmful effect. This applies not only to the combination of interfering chemical substances but in certain cases to the co-action of chemical and physical factors as well. Hence, it is obvious that the effects of ototoxic substances on ear function can be aggravated by noise, which remains a well-established cause of hearing impairment."

Friday, February 19, 2010

Aerial work platform guidance


Several industry groups associated with aerial work platform equipment joined to create a Statement of Best Practices of General Training and Familiarization for Aerial Work Platform (AWP) Equipment.

Intent of this initiative is to:

  • Educate the industry on the industry-recognized-and supported standards, including the American National Standards Institute/Scaffold Industry Association (ANSI/SIA) A92 Standards and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.
  • Present best practices and minimum general training guidelines for AWP equipment
  • operators.
  • Emphasize the differences between general training and familiarization.
  • Clarify minimum qualifications of the trainer.


Thursday, February 11, 2010

NIOSH/IWH review of OHS training


Occupational health and safety (OHS) training is an important part of managing workplace hazards and risks. Such training may involve instruction on identifying occupational risks and how to control them, learning about safe workplace practices and how to properly use personal protective equipment.

Businesses want to know whether training can meet the goals of decreasing workplace injuries and illness, and whether the cost of training programs can be justified.

This systematic review was conducted to determine whether OHS training and education programs have a beneficial effect on workers and firms.

The review showed that:

Workplace education and training programs have a positive impact on OHS practices of workers. However, there is not enough high quality evidence to show whether OHS training on its own has an impact on health (for example, by reducing injuries or symptoms).

There is currently insufficient evidence to determine whether a single session of high engagement training has a greater impact compared to a single session of low/medium engagement training.

The report is available at:
http://www.iwh.on.ca/system/files/sys-reviews/sys_review_education_training_2010.pdf

New OSHA videos on respirators


OSHA has produced two new videos that feature training and guidance on respirator safety. The "Respirator Safety" video shows healthcare workers how to correctly put on and take off respirators, such as N95s. See it here:
http://www.youtube.com/usdepartmentoflabor#p/u/4/Tzpz5fko-fg

The "Difference between Respirators and Surgical Masks" video explains the particular uses for each one and how they prevent worker exposure to infectious diseases. See it here:
http://www.youtube.com/usdepartmentoflabor#p/u/5/ovSLAuY8ib8

Viewers can watch both English and Spanish versions by visiting the Department of Labor's YouTubehttp://www.youtube.com/usdepartmentoflabor> site.

These videos are available in both English and Spanish and are available for download athttp://www.osha.gov/SLTC/respiratoryprotection/index.html.

AED recall


February 3, 2010 - Bothell, WA – Cardiac Science Corporation [NASDAQ: CSCX] is initiating a worldwide voluntary recall after determining that approximately 12,200 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) may not be able to deliver therapy during a resuscitation attempt, which may lead to serious adverse events or death. These AEDs were manufactured in a way that makes them potentially susceptible to failure under certain conditions. The FDA has been informed of this situation.


Cardiac Science detected this issue through its internal quality systems and has received no complaints or reports of this problem in the field. The affected AEDs were manufactured or serviced between October 19, 2009 and January 15, 2010 and include the following models:

    • Powerheart 9300A, 9300E, 9300P, 9390A, 9390E
    • CardioVive 92532
    • CardioLife 9200G and 9231


For more information, go to http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/UCM200123


Monday, February 8, 2010

EPA Announces Agreement With the City of New York on PCBs in School Caulk—01/19/2010


The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced an agreement with the City of New York to address the risks posed by PCBs in caulk found in some city schools. The agreement is intended to result in a city-wide approach to assessing and reducing potential exposures to PCBs in caulk in schools.

“The work that the City of New York has agreed to do will go a long way toward helping us better understand the potential risks posed by PCBs in caulk, and our work to reduce the exposure of school children, teachers and others who work in New York City public schools,” said Judith Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. “New York City’s 1,600 public schools make it the largest school system in the nation, and we believe that the program outlined in this agreement, along with general EPA guidance on managing the issue, will serve as a model for school systems across the country.”

The agreement announced today requires the city to conduct a study in five schools to determine the most effective strategies for assessing and reducing potential exposures to PCBs in caulk. The city will then produce a proposed plan for any cleanups needed in the five schools and use this information to develop a recommended city-wide approach. EPA is also requiring the city to develop and submit for approval best management practices for reducing exposure to PCBs in caulk in school buildings. These may include cleaning the schools, improving ventilation, and addressing deteriorating caulk.

Although Congress banned the manufacture and most uses of PCBs in 1976 and they were phased out in 1978, there is evidence that many buildings across the country constructed or renovated from 1950 to 1978 may have PCBs at high levels in the caulk around windows and door frames, between masonry columns and in other masonry building materials. Exposure to these PCBs may occur as a result of their release from the caulk into the air, dust, surrounding surfaces and soil, and through direct contact. In September 2009, EPA provided new guidance to communities and announced additional research to address PCBs that may be found in the caulk in many older buildings, including schools. Today’s agreement complements EPA’s national efforts by helping building owners and managers facing serious PCB problems develop practical approaches to reduce exposures and prioritize the removal of PCB caulk.

The legally binding agreement announced today settles potential violations of the Toxic Substances Control Act by the city for having caulk that contains PCBs above allowable levels in some schools. As part of the study of the five yet to be determined schools, the city will sample extensively in them, and will ensure that any PCB waste is properly removed. Once the study is concluded the city will work with EPA to develop and implement a plan to identify, prioritize, and address the presence of PCBs within the New York City school system. In addition, the agreement calls for the development of a citizens’ participation plan to ensure that school administrators, parents, teachers, students, and members of the public are kept fully informed throughout the process.

PCBs are man-made chemicals that persist in the environment and were widely used in construction materials and electrical products prior to 1978. PCBs can affect the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems and are potentially cancer-causing if they build up in the body over long periods of time. The greatest risks from PCBs involve sustained long-term exposure to high levels of PCBs.

EPA is currently conducting research to better understand the relationship between PCBs in caulk and PCB concentrations in caulk, air and dust. The Agency is doing research to determine the sources and levels of PCBs in buildings in the U.S. and to evaluate different strategies to reduce exposures.

The agreement and more information can be found at http://www.epa.gov/region2. To learn more about PCBs in caulk go to http://www.epa.gov/pcbsincaulk.
Anyone seeking technical guidance should contact the EPA at: 1-888-835-5372.

Source: Environmental Protection Agency. "EPA Announces Agreement with the City of New York On PCBs in School Caulk." [http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d10ed0d99d826b068525735900400c2a/ac512237be18e863852576b00060bec0!OpenDocument] 01/19/2010

Friday, February 5, 2010

NCPA Report: Nuclear Power Is Safe, Could Answer Energy Mandates

Jan 04, 2010
Since many state governments now require a percentage of their electrical power to come from approved “renewable” energy sources, now is a good time for policymakers to allow the United States to expand the use of nuclear power as a reliable form of energy, according to a new report by the National Center for Policy Analysis.
“The demand for electricity is projected to increase 26 percent from 2007 to 2030,” said H. Sterling Burnett,” NCPA senior fellow and co-author of the report. “Nuclear power is one of the safest and most reliable forms of energy available and it emits no greenhouse gases.”

(More.....)

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Coal-ash monitoring increased

BY JOSEPH BELK JANUARY 20, 2010 7:30 AM

UI officials expanded groundwater monitoring this week at the university’s coal-ash disposal site, ramping up efforts to determine if the byproduct from the UI Power Plant could be dangerous.
The university is working with Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa, and BMC Aggregates — which owns the quarry where the coal ash is stored — to extensively monitor the site, an abandoned quarry in Waterloo, where the byproduct from coal-fired power plants, or “coal ash,” is dumped, said UI environmental compliance manager Michael Valde. The UI Power Plant has two coal-powered boilers and uses approximately 100,000 tons of coal each year.

(More.... )

http://www.dailyiowan.com/2010/01/20/Metro/15070.html

Contact information


Office of Safety and Loss Prevention
University of Wisconsin System Administration
(608) 262-4792
 
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