UW System EH&S News

Canadian asbestos study criticized

2012-02-07T16:06:00.003-06:00

A major 40-year study on asbestos safety completed by a group of scientists at McGill University is flawed, lacks transparency and contains manipulated data says Dr. David Egilman, a professor at Brown University, health activist and longtime industry critic. (.....more)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/02/01/asbestos-study-mcgill.html

Drake Hall update

2012-02-07T11:03:00.004-06:00

Inspection of Drake Hall following the January 29th fire that forced the evacuation of all residents has revealed that damage repair will take 2-3 months. Consequently, all Drake Hall residents will need to relocate for the remainder of the spring semester. UW-La Crosse hopes to see Drake Hall ready for re-occupancy in early June.

As of Monday morning, 132 Drake Hall residents had officially checked out of their rooms. Many other rooms are cleared of possessions except for a few items, and not officially cleared for checked out. Students have accepted housing assignments in other residence halls, the Western Residence Hall and Viterbo University. Others have moved to apartments, hotels or will commute from home.

Further updates from UW-La Crosse are here.

Felony Charges Sought in UCLA Lab Assistant Death

2012-01-30T14:46:00.000-06:00

Jan 26, 2012 1:33 PM, By Laura Walter

From http://ehstoday.com/

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has filed felony charges against the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and chemistry professor Dr. Patrick Harran in connection to the January 2009 death of a university lab research associate.

On Dec. 29, 2008, 23-year-old Sheri Sangji sustained fatal second- and third-degree burns while working a lab research associate at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). According to a 2009 Cal/OSHA report, Sangji was working to transfer a t-Butyllithium, a highly reactive liquid reagent, when her syringe plunger became separated from the barrel. The reacting chemical spilled onto Sangji and caught fire, leaving her with burns over 43 percent of body. She died 18 days later. (More...)

Dorm fire: Drake Hall, UW-La Crosse

2012-01-30T10:09:00.000-06:00

Early Sunday morning a fire broke out in a basement lounge of Drake Hall at UW-La Crosse. Building residents were roused by the fire alarm, and all residents were successfully evacuated. Residents have been temporarily relocated until Drake Hall has been deemed safe for habitation.

News from the campus

News from the local paper

Supreme Court Will Hear RCRA Case

2011-12-19T08:45:00.000-06:00

The U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will hear a case in which Southern Union, a Texas-based natural gas distributor, was convicted in a U.S. District Court of criminally violating RCRA by knowingly storing 140 pounds of waste mercury without a RCRA permit for over two years in a dilapidated facility in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. While the case is based in an alleged RCRA violation, the Supreme Court is primarily interested in how a lower court ruling that defends the authority of a judge, rather than a jury, to determine the number of days the company was in violation comports with case law.

The case involves two legal arguments. First, whether U.S. EPA had the authority to enforce a Rhode Island regulation that requires that conditionally exempt small quality generators (CESQG) obtain hazardous waste permits. Rhode Island is authorized by EPA to run its own hazardous waste regulatory program. Under RCRA, Rhode Island may also issue regulations that are more stringent than the federal baseline program, which it did with the CESQG permitting requirement. Southern Union asserted that EPA was not legally empowered to enforce Rhode Island’s CESQG provision because it is not part of a federally enforceable state plan. The company also argued that EPA has been “irrationally” inconsistent in its prior pronouncements of EPA's position on the regulation of CESQGs and on which state regulations will receive federal authorization. (More....)

Integrating safety into green building design

2011-12-14T09:57:00.001-06:00

UW-Milwaukee Cambridge Commons green roof

Green buildings are intended to do good – conserve energy, protect the environment and improve the health of occupants. But some green systems are putting people who install and maintain them in harm's way. A researcher at University of Massachusetts – Lowell found an increased risk of occupational safety and health hazards for five common green building features – geothermal wells, green roofs, rainwater harvesting systems, energy recovery wheels and natural light percolating systems. The research also offered ways for architects to integrate safety into green building features. Read more...

http://www.uml.edu/News/stories/2011-12/Mohomed-Work-Environment.aspx

Students injured in flash fire at Minnesota school science lab

2011-12-02T13:09:00.001-06:00

Published December 02, 2011, 06:48 AM

By: Mary Lynn Smith and Abby Simons, Minneapolis Star Tribune / MCT

Dane Neuberger was front and center when the classroom science experiment blew up, setting his face on fire.

MAPLE GROVE, Minn. (MCT) — Dane Neuberger was front and center when the classroom science experiment blew up, setting his face on fire.

"I was on fire," said 15-year-old Neuberger, who is being treated at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis for second-degree burns to his face, neck and right hand. "People were screaming, and everyone just ran out."

Three other students treated for burns at the hospital were released. (More....)

Hazmat response to nitric acid spill

2011-11-01T10:06:00.000-05:00

A spilled container of nitric acid forced the evacuation of a University of Arizona laboratory building on Monday.

No one was hurt in the incident, which occurred in UA's Shantz building.

The spill occurred when a glass container filled with between 500 and 1000 ml of nitric acid dropped and broke. According to the Tucson Fire Department, someone tried to neutralize the spill with sodium bicarbonate, causing an exothermic reaction that melted the copper piping on compressed air containers in the lab.

An adjacent street was closed while the fire department and a hazardous materials control team responded to the incident.

http://www.wildcat.arizona.edu/index.php/article/2011/10/nitric_acid_spill_forces_evacuation_of_shantz

COMM rules to get new titles

2011-11-01T08:58:00.005-05:00

The administrative codes previously administered by the Department of Commerce are being re-titled to reflect the move to the Department of Safety and Professional Services. "Comm" codes will be "SPS" codes as of January 1, 2012. According to DSPS, the current code numbers will be bumped up by adding 300 to the existing number. For example, the current Comm 81 will change to SPS 381, and Comm 5 to SPS 305.

Lithium Battery Fire at Camp Pendleton is Third in Two Years

2011-11-01T08:19:00.000-05:00

Posted 28 Oct 2011

http://www.sdcitybeat.com/

By: Dave Maass

Roughly 500 lithium batteries caught fire in a storeroom at the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base last week, according to an incident report filed with the National Response Center (NRC).

This is the third incident involving lithium batteries at the base in the last two years. Last April, a 55-gallon drum of batteries began to emit gas and smoke, requiring fire department response. In November, another 55-gallon drum “vented, heated then reacted and caught on fire,” according to a NRC report. In the latest case, the fire started in a battery room, activating a fire-suppression system that resulted in the release of between 500 and 1,000 gallons of tainted water into storm drains. In all three cases, employees within a quarter-mile were evacuated.

Base officials say Marine command is investigating the June 14 incident. In an emailed statement to CityBeat, they write:

The Camp Pendleton Fire Department responded to and extinguished a structural fire aboard the base which had started in a room used to store lithium batteries, June 14. Camp Pendleton notified the National Response Center of the incident due to possible contamination of water used to put out the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Future preventative measures will be learned upon completion of the investigation.

*For more information on this story go to www.sdcitybeat.com.

*For information on Veolia's battery packaging guidelines click here>>

The Battery Bandwagon: How to Thwart the Flow of Used Car Batteries to Mexico

2011-11-01T08:16:00.001-05:00

Posted 28 Oct 2011

www.americanrecycler.com

Each year, more than 520 million pounds of spent lead acid batteries (SLABs) generated in the United States are trucked across our southern border into Mexico. Sent by profit-hungry corporations, these batteries are destined for recycling facilities with sub-par emissions controls and lax worker safety protections.

SLAB exports have grown dramatically in recent years, due largely to the implementation of stricter environmental and worker safety regulations enacted by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Seeking to maximize profit, battery brokers and recyclers are taking advantage of Mexico’s weaker environmental regulations, occupational safety standards and cheaper wages at the expense of the environment, worker safety and the health of local communities.

SLABs, or used car batteries, are made of lead, plastic and sulfuric acid – a toxic combination that can cause health problems and environmental harm when not recycled correctly. Sulfuric acid can seep into groundwater, while lead emissions can affect workers and settle in surrounding communities, causing developmental disabilities in children, loss of neurological functioning in adults and even coma or death in the most extreme cases.

In June 2011, a new study conducted by Occupational Knowledge International and Fronteras Comunes underscored the critical importance of recycling SLABs domestically. Titled, “Exporting Hazards”, the report finds that ULABs, an acronym used interchangeably with SLABs, are being exported to and recycled in Mexico under less stringent standards, resulting in significantly higher occupational and environmental exposures. The report also highlights the fact that the problem is growing exponentially. In 2010, imports to Mexico increased 112 percent from the previous year.

In one instance, the report cites an unlicensed and unregulated battery recycling facility operating next to an open air market. Because the emissions from lead battery recycling plants in Mexico are nearly 20 times higher than in the United States, and lead emissions do not travel far, it is logical to assume that families who buy and sell from this market are at greater risk of lead exposure.

Also, with the Permissible Exposure Limit for airborne lead three times higher in Mexican recycling facilities, workers at these plants are at greater risk from significant workplace exposure. While this data is alarming, it may not be the worst case scenario. The report also found that less than half of all approved Mexican recyclers report any lead emissions to authorities. The logical conclusion is that other recyclers do not report at all because their emissions far exceed permissible levels.

Given all of the apparent risks associated with battery recycling, why not ship them outside the States? The answer is simple: domestic recyclers can do it better and safer here, and maintain the green jobs so vital to our own economy.

Battery recycling in the United States is largely considered an environmental success story, with 95 to 97 percent of States-produced batteries domestically recycled every year. The United States also has enacted some of the world’s strictest emissions standards, requiring battery recyclers to upgrade their technology to comply with new regulations. To safeguard worker health and minimize community impact, recycling facilities across the nation are implementing some of the world’s most advanced recycling technology, which all but eliminates worker and community exposure.

It is also important to remember that every battery shipped across our borders impacts the number of jobs this industry can sustain. With a national unemployment rate above nine percent, every job counts in this recovering economy.

Recycling batteries here at home ensures that lead will be efficiently recycled; environmental impact will be minimized; worker and community health will be protected; and, American jobs will be maintained. As a nation, we have the knowledge, the state-of-the-art technology and the skilled work force to do the job. There is simply no excuse for dumping American waste on our international neighbors who lack the infrastructure, technology and regulatory oversight to dispose of the toxic materials safely and effectively.

*For more information go to www.americanrecycler.com

EPA Marks 25th Anniversary of EPCRA

2011-10-20T09:34:00.003-05:00

CONTACTS:

Stacy Kika (News Media Only)
Kika.stacy@epa.gov
202-564-0906
202-564-4355
Latisha Petteway (News Media Only)

petteway.latisha@epa.gov
202-564-3191
202-564-4355

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 17, 2011
EPA Marks 25th Anniversary of EPCRA
WASHINGTON - This year marks 25 years since the passage of the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). The act was passed in 1986 as a part of the reauthorization for Superfund. EPCRA has played a significant role in protecting people’s health and the environment by providing communities and emergency planners with area-specific information on toxic chemical releases.

“This law is important to safeguarding our communities from chemical emergencies,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Twenty-five years after EPCRA was made into law, EPA continues to improve and advance our community right-to-know programs, so that we can ensure the best possible chemical safety protection for every community across the country.”

Public demand for information about chemical releases skyrocketed in the mid-1980s after a deadly cloud of highly toxic pesticide killed thousands of people in Bhopal, India. Shortly thereafter, a serious chemical release at a plant in West Virginia hospitalized 100 people. These events led to the implementation of EPCRA in 1986.

Under EPCRA, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) collects information on toxic releases through the Toxic Release Inventory program (TRI), a public database containing information regarding the industrial releases of over 600 toxic chemicals from more than 20,000 facilities throughout the nation. TRI was the first publicly available database in the world that contained information on pollutant releases. Many other countries have since followed EPA’s lead, recognizing the value of making toxic chemical data readily available to the public. TRI information enables every American to make informed decisions on the consequences of toxic releases and empowers communities to take action.

EPCRA has made the lives of every American safer from toxic emergencies by establishing emergency planning groups at the state, tribal, and local levels. EPCRA brings together emergency responders from fire and police departments, medical personnel, emergency planners, elected officials, environmental group representatives and local citizens to develop plans to respond to chemical emergencies.

More information on EPCRA and the 25th anniversary: http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/epcra/epcra25.htm

My Right-to-Know mobile application for easily accessible TRI data: http://www.epa.gov/tri/myrtk/

Report finds fault with college labs over poor safety record

2011-10-20T08:07:00.000-05:00

From USA Today:

An explosion that severely burned a Texas Tech graduate student last year suggests safety problems plague college labs nationwide, a federal watchdog agency warned.

A report released Wednesday by the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), an independent safety agency, examines the Jan. 7, 2010, detonation at Texas Tech University in Lubbock that cost the student, Preston Brown, three fingers and caused severe burns and eye damage. Brown had set out to produce 10 grams of an explosive compound — 100 times more than an informal lab limit — for research sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security.

"The report serves as a cautionary tale for universities across the country," CSB's Daniel Horowitz says. (More....)

Training grant

2011-09-20T16:15:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy UW Extension

Good news about "one of ours" recently receiving good news in the form of a $134,000 grant award from OSHA's Susan Harwood Training Grant Program. UW-River Falls Risk Manager Connie Smith, along with Cheryl Skjolaas at UW-Extension, wrote the grant to build long term health and safety capacity and provide training sessions to farmers and workers in the dairy industry. Training will include a train-the-trainer component and will be offered at 16 locations throughout Wisconsin. Training and materials will be provided in Spanish.

While looking over the other grant recipients, I noticed that the Consortium for Advanced Research in Gas Industries at UW-Milwaukee received an award from the same program. Congratulations to both.

MIT Fined $175,000 for Air Cargo Package Fire

2011-09-13T07:49:00.002-05:00

Lithium batteries in electronic devices cause fire at FedEx facility. Read article here.

Mobile Phone Use Does Not Raise Cancer Risk in Children and Adolescents

2011-08-16T07:25:00.002-05:00

August 9, 2011

The first-ever study of mobile phone use by children and adolescents carried out in four European countries found no increased risk of brain cancer, according to a report published online July 27 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI).

Investigators in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Switzerland conducted a multicenter case-control study involving children and adolescents 7 to 19 years of age who were diagnosed with a brain tumor between 2004 and 2008. The investigators, led by Dr. Denis Aydin of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel, conducted interviews with 352 brain tumor case patients, 646 healthy control subjects, and their parents.

The children who regularly used mobile phones were not statistically significantly more likely to have been diagnosed with brain tumors than nonusers, the researchers reported. In addition, those who used mobile phones for at least 5 years did not have a statistically significantly higher risk of developing brain tumors. Moreover, the investigators found no increased risk of brain tumors in the parts of the brain that typically receive the highest levels of mobile-phone radiation exposure.

For some of the children, the investigators were also able to obtain data from mobile phone service providers. In these children, brain tumor risk rose with the amount of time since the family began its mobile phone subscription but not with the amount of mobile phone use as recorded by the service providers, the researchers added.

Previous epidemiologic studies among adult users have found no overall increased risk of brain cancer from mobile phone use. This study addressed concerns that the developing brains and nervous systems of children and adolescents might be more vulnerable to the potential adverse health effects of mobile phone use.

“Researchers continue to monitor trends in brain cancer and mobile phone use,” commented Dr. Martha Linet, chief of the Radiation Epidemiology Branch in NCI’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. “Other ongoing research includes a large study of rodents exposed to mobile phone frequencies that is being conducted by the National Toxicology Program; a prospective study recruiting 250,000 mobile phone users in five European countries; and a case-control study comparing 2,000 young people between the ages of 10 and 24 who were diagnosed with brain tumors and an equal number of control subjects from 13 countries.”

Further reading: “A Conversation with Dr. Martha Linet on Cell Phone Use and Cancer Risk”

Mad as a Hatter

2011-07-19T15:01:00.002-05:00

Mercury and Other Occupational Hazards at the Movies

By day, I conduct occupational safety and health research at NIOSH. But on Tuesday nights, I join my friends from NIOSH and the outside world as we head for one of Cincinnati's local art cinema houses to watch and then discuss movies. Most the time we seek out smaller foreign or independent films. But we made an exception when we recently saw Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland. We were drawn, not only to the promise of sumptuously creative visuals and evaporating cats, but also, in a small way, a reference to our vocation in the movie.

Why is the Mad Hatter mad? His erratic agitated behavior in this classic story refers to a real industrial hazard in Lewis Carroll's Britain of 1865 (hat-making was the main trade in Stockport, near where Carroll grew up). In those days, hatters commonly exhibited slurred speech, tremors, irritability, shyness, depression, and other neurological symptoms; ergo the expression "mad as a hatter." (Clearly, Carroll's Mad Hatter does not express all these symptoms; he is not shy.) The symptoms were caused by chronic occupational exposure to mercury. Hatters toiled in poorly ventilated rooms, using hot solutions of mercuric nitrate to shape and convert fur into felt hats. (More...)

Installation of thermal system insulation

2011-06-27T10:51:00.002-05:00

In a change not specifically related to public employee health and safety, the Department of Commerce authority for regulation of thermal system insulation installation under s. 101.136, Wis. Stats. was repealed in the recently signed FY2011-13 biennial budget.

Background [http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/2011-13%20Budget/Budget%20Papers/246.pdf]: Under 2009 Act 16, the Department of Commerce was required to regulate the business of installing and maintaining thermal system insulation installation under s. 101.136 of the statutes. Proponents of the legislation said that the legislation established uniform standards for the industry, established licensure and education requirements for persons who install thermal system insulation, and protected consumers from problems that could arise from improper installation of heat and frost insulation such as health threats from mold and mildew. Opponents of the rule suggested regulation of the industry is not needed, the license fee is too high, and the program would be a burden on the industry.

Commerce promulgated administrative rules to establish license and registration fees for thermal system mechanics, apprentices and helpers, but they did not implement the requirements. The Thermal System Insulation Council was not fully appointed (three of seven members were appointed) so there was no quorum, the Council never met to make recommendations to Commerce regarding proposed administrative rules, and Commerce did not hire a thermal system insulation inspector.

In the Executive Budget Book, the Walker administration indicated the program was recommended for deletion because there are no significant safety issues related to the profession of thermal system insulation mechanics, and the licensing requirements presented a significant barrier and cost to individuals entering the profession.

Budget bill and public employee safety regulation

2011-06-27T10:51:00.000-05:00

The FY2011-13 biennial budget was passed and signed into law, and as indicated months ago the only change to regulation of public sector safety brought about by statutory changes will be a rebranding of the regulators from the Department of Commerce to the Department of Safety and Professional Services.

New substances added to HHS Report on Carcinogens

2011-06-21T09:17:00.001-05:00

From NIH News

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today added eight substances to its Report on Carcinogens, a science-based document that identifies chemicals and biological agents that may put people at increased risk for cancer.

The industrial chemical formaldehyde and a botanical known as aristolochic acids are listed as known human carcinogens. Six other substances — captafol, cobalt-tungsten carbide (in powder or hard metal form), certain inhalable glass wool fibers, o-nitrotoluene, riddelliine, and styrene — are added as substances that are reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens. With these additions, the 12th Report on Carcinogens now includes 240 listings. (More...)

Yale death, PRL fire prompt new machine shop rules

2011-06-03T07:14:00.003-05:00

Friday, April 29th, 2011 By Kurt Chirbas

Officials from Stanford’s Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) met with University leadership Monday to present newly drafted, institution-wide machine shop safety guidelines. The move, a departure from the University’s hands-off policy, was prompted by the April 11 death of a Yale senior Michele Dufault and Saturday’s after-hours fire at the Product Realization Lab (PRL).

Dufault died from accidental asphyxia after her hair caught in a metal lathe. No one was hurt in the PRL fire.

According to EH&S Associate Vice Provost Larry Gibbs, the change aims to create a common safety standard for machine shops across campus and to increase student accountability. (More...)

Not to be confused with other coming apocalypses

2011-05-20T09:41:00.000-05:00

Found this tidbit in a recent CSHEMA post. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has finally released its overdue guidance on how to survive the coming zombie apocalypse. The tips may also apply to other minor disasters such as tornadoes and hurricanes.

FDA Denies Hearing on Egg Irradiation Rule

2011-04-18T14:49:00.000-05:00

The agency rejected all 26 opposing comments it received, including a letter from Public Citizen that FDA addressed point by point. Apr 14, 2011 The Food and Drug Administration has rejected a request to hold a public hearing on its final rule allowing for irradiation of fresh shell eggs to reduce Salmonella pathogens. The denial was announced in the April 13 Federal Register, but it comes more than a decade after FDA issued the rule itself on July 21, 2000. The rule permits irradiation at doses not to exceed 3.0 kiloGray (kGy). Public Citizen raised several points in its letter opposing the rule. FDA received 25 other opposing submissions, some of which asked for a hearing, but said these voiced general opposition and offered no evidence that could be weighed at a hearing. (More....)

Government Files Antitrust Suit against Stericycle

2011-04-18T06:51:00.003-05:00

The merging of Stericycle and Healthcare Waste Solutions would reduce competition and increase customer cost, according to the New York attorney general. Apr 11, 2011 New York joined the U.S. Justice Department in filing an antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the planned acquisition by Stericycle, a medical waste services company of Healthcare Waste Solutions Inc. (HSW), according to a press release from the office of Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. “Restoring New Yorkers’ faith in the private sector requires real competition and fair prices,” said Schneiderman. “The New York City metropolitan area is the largest market in the nation for medical waste services, making it all the more critical that there is genuine competition and that one company is unable to set arbitrary prices.” (More....)

Woodstoves and outdoor wood boilers cause wildfires—and, you get the bill!

2011-04-01T07:23:00.002-05:00

March 29, 2011 , WIDNR MADISON – Wisconsin’s peak wildfire season typically occurs just after the snow melts in conjunction with cool, dry and windy weather conditions, and state forestry officials caution that woodstoves, wood-fired outdoor boilers and debris fires cause numerous, and costly, wildfires every year about this time.

“When cleaning out a woodstove or fireplace, it’s important to empty ashes in a metal container with a tight fitting lid,” says Catherine Koele, wildfire prevention specialist with the Department of Natural Resources. “Let the embers cool by drowning and stirring the ashes with plenty of water and a shovel. Since embers can remain hot for days, avoid disposing ashes in the outdoors unless the ground is completely snow-covered or on bare ground such as a plowed field or tilled garden. Be sure to check for hot glowing embers as you dispose of them.” (more)

JOINT EPA/FDA STATEMENT: Update on Ongoing Monitoring

2011-04-01T07:11:00.002-05:00

WASHINGTON – In response to the ongoing situation in Japan, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken steps to increase the level of nationwide monitoring of milk, precipitation, drinking water, and other potential exposure routes. EPA conducts radiological monitoring of milk under its RADNET program, while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has jurisdiction over the safety, labeling and identity of milk and milk products in interstate commerce. States have jurisdiction over those facilities located within their territory.

Results from a screening sample taken March 25 from Spokane, Wash. detected 0.8 pCi/L of iodine-131, which is more than 5,000 times lower than the Derived Intervention Level set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These types of findings are to be expected in the coming days and are far below levels of public health concern, including for infants and children. Iodine-131 has a very short half-life of approximately eight days, and the level detected in milk and milk products is therefore expected to drop relatively quickly.

“Radiation is all around us in our daily lives, and these findings are a minuscule amount compared to what people experience every day. For example, a person would be exposed to low levels of radiation on a round trip cross country flight, watching television, and even from construction materials,” said Patricia Hansen, an FDA senior scientist.

EPA’s recommendation to state and local governments is to continue to coordinate closely with EPA, FDA and CDC. EPA will continue to communicate our nationwide sampling results as they come in.

EPA: http://www.epa.gov/japan2011

FDA: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm247403.htm

Note: If a link above doesn't work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser.

CPSC Warns: As Button Battery Use Increases, So Do Battery-Related Injuries and Deaths

2011-03-30T06:17:00.001-05:00

Toddlers and Seniors Most Often Injured in Battery-Swallowing Incidents WASHINGTON, D.C. - Small, coin-sized batteries can be found in products in nearly every home in America. From the flashlight sitting on the table, to the remote control next to the TV, "button batteries" as they are commonly referred to, are in thousands of products used in and around the home. Young children and senior adults are unintentionally swallowing the button batteries and in some cases, the consequences are immediate and devastating. (more)

Notre Dame makes safety change in wake of student death

2011-03-11T09:45:00.001-06:00

Notre Dame announced plans to change how football practices are videotaped in response to the October 2010 death of student Declan Sullivan, who died while videotaping a practice. The plan is to install a permanent, remote video system for the university’s practice fields, eliminating the need to use a scissors lift. The scissor lift in use by Sullivan at the time of the accident toppled when stuck by high winds. Sullivan's parents hope that other universities will take similar steps.

http://ehstoday.com/safety/news/notre-dame-eliminates-elevated-scissor-lifts-following-student-death-0309/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/09/AR2011030901953.html

Reference for federal campus fire safety reporting

2011-03-07T12:41:00.000-06:00

The Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting was recently released by the U.S. Department of Education. Yes, it would've been more useful for you last year when you had to prepare the report. For future reference, chapters 11-14 cover the fire safety requirements of the regulations.

Right-to-Know App Identifies Toxic Neighbors

2011-03-02T09:44:00.001-06:00

This application was designed by Abt Associates for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Feb 24, 2011

If you’ve ever wondered how close your home or office is to a chemical facility and if the toxins it is releasing might impact your health, answers can be as close as your smartphone. A pioneering mobile application known as My Right-to-Know (myRTK), designed and developed for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by Abt Associates, can enable you to easily access this information. All you need is a Web-enabled mobile device.

The MyRTK application, engineered by the Bethesda firm launches with a map or list of facilities in close proximity to the mobile device, or near an address identified by the user. An easy-to-comprehend, graphically rich interface is used to simplify fairly complex information, including the facilities' locations, relative size, chemical releases and their possible health effects, and a record of compliance with U.S. environmental laws. The Google-serviced maps are complemented with street and satellite views.

The application includes suggestions of what mobile users might do next, such as report a potential violation from their device using a link to EPA's enforcement office.

MyRTK can be viewed at http://myrtk.epa.gov/info/. (More...)

On second thought, noise is what it always was

2011-01-20T09:57:00.000-06:00

It seems like I just wrote about this topic... because I did, last week. Yesterday, OSHA announced that, upon further consideration, they will not be changing their interpretation of the occupational noise control standard.

Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, said "...it is clear from the concerns raised about this proposal that addressing this problem requires much more public outreach and many more resources than we had originally anticipated." One could surmise that given the current landscape of Capitol Hill that this proposal will not be returning soon.

Text of news release is here.

"feasible engineering and administrative noise controls"

2011-01-12T11:55:00.000-06:00

OSHA is proposing to change its interpretation of the occupation noise control standard by requiring employers to implement feasible engineering and administrative noise controls when an employee's workers’ eight-hour average exposures reach 90 dBA or greater. The current interpretation allows employers to rely on employee hearing conservation programs until eight-hour average exposures reach or exceed 100 dBA.

The National Hearing Conservation Association has published a defense of the proposed changes, rebutting some of the arguments that are being put forward by business groups. The NHCA points out the shortcomings in the current policy:

This policy – established over 25 years ago in the absence of rulemaking or public input – does not require employers to implement feasible engineering and administrative noise controls until workers’ eight-hour average exposures reach 100 dBA or greater, which is ten times more intense than the current Permissible Exposure Limit of 90 dBA. The current policy has made noise the only regulated health hazard in which OSHA has failed to acknowledge the primacy of engineering controls, and has resulted in a substantial increase in risk of hearing loss for some American workers. The alternative exposure reduction method currently allowed by OSHA for eight hour average exposures between 90 and 100 dBA is the use of earplugs or earmuffs, which have been demonstrated to provide insufficient protection for many workers, if they are used at all.

Links:

http://origin.www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-10-19/pdf/2010-26135.pdf

http://nhca.affiniscape.com/associations/10915/files/OSHA%20interpretation%20clarification%2012%2015%2010%20FINAL.pdf

Does this make the breakroom a safer place?

2011-01-12T08:51:00.000-06:00

I must be falling down on the job -- I had no idea that saccharin had been de-listed from the hazardous waste list. Now that it's off the list, I won't have to report those diet soda spills to the feds anymore...

The following is an update from EPA's Superfund, TRI, EPCRA, RMP & Oil Information Center:

On December 17, 2010, EPA published a final rule to remove saccharin and its salts from the CERCLA list of hazardous substances and the RCRA list of hazardous wastes. EPA's listing of saccharin as a hazardous waste under RCRA was the sole basis for its listing as a hazardous substance under CERCLA; therefore, since EPA has removed saccharin's listing as a hazardous waste, there is no longer reason for it to be listed as a hazardous substance under CERCLA. Persons in charge of vessels or facilities from which saccharin or its salts are released will no longer be required to immediately notify the National Response Center of the release under CERCLA Section 103 and will not be subject to the liability provisions under CERCLA Section 107.

More information on this final rule is available at the following URL:

www.epa.gov/waste/hazard/wastetypes/wasteid/saccharin

FDA Safety Notification: Risk of Eye and Skin Injuries from High-powered, Hand-held Lasers Used for Pointing or Entertainment

2011-01-05T09:27:00.002-06:00

Date Issued: Dec. 16, 2010

Audience: Consumers
Product: Hand-held laser pointers that emit 5 milliwatts (mW) output power or higher.
Purpose: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting consumers about the risk of eye and skin injuries from high-powered laser pointers.

Summary of Problem and Scope:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting consumers about the risk of eye and skin injuries from exposure to high-powered laser pointers. FDA regulations limit the energy output of hand-held laser pointers to 5 milliwatts (mW). (More.....)

OSHA Issues $787,000 in Penalties Against Wisconsin Firm

2011-01-03T07:18:00.002-06:00

From Environmental Protection Online

The citation includes 14 alleged willful and one serious violation against WRR Environmental Services Co. of Eau Claire in connection with a June 29 explosion and fire at its plant, OSHA announced Tuesday.

Dec 15, 2010
OSHA issued $787,000 in proposed penalties Tuesday against a hazardous waste management and solvent recycling company, WRR Environmental Services Co. of Eau Claire, Wis. There were 14 willful and one serious citation filed for allegedly failing to implement measures to prevent chemical fires and explosions at its plant in Eau Claire, where an OSHA investigation took place after a June 29 explosion and fire in a solvent sludge feed tank.

The tank's roof blew off, and a nearby tank also exploded. "Employees had been working in the area of the solvent sludge feed tank immediately prior to the explosion. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries," OSHA stated in its news release.

"Even after WRR Environmental Services experienced a devastating fire that destroyed the facility in 2007, the company still failed to implement an adequate program to ensure safe operating conditions," said OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels.

OSHA said this investigation was part of its new Severe Violators Enforcement Program.

Transformation of Silver Nanoparticles in Sewage Sludge

2011-01-03T07:13:00.002-06:00

From Environmental Protection Online

Carol Potera

Carol Potera, based in Montana, has written for EHP since 1996. She also writes for Microbe, Genetic Engineering News, and the American Journal of Nursing.

Citation: Potera C 2010. Transformation of Silver Nanoparticles in Sewage Sludge. Environ Health Perspect 118:a526-a527. doi:10.1289/ehp.118-a526a
Online: 01 December 2010

The release and environmental fate of nanoparticles throughout the life cycle of “nanoenabled” goods is an area of growing research interest. In the first known field study of the fate of silver nanoparticles in the wastewater treatment system, researchers now report these nanoparticles transform into silver sulfide in the sludge produced by sewage treatment plants.1 This new information about the life cycle of silver nanoparticles provides a starting point for further exploring their impact on the environment.

Silver has been used as an antimicrobial agent for millennia,2 and the increased surface area offered by the nanoparticle form of the metal offers greater germ-killing capacity.3 Today, manufacturers add silver nanoparticles to hundreds of consumer products, including food storage containers, clothing, computer keyboards, cosmetics, pillows, cell phones, and medical appliances.4

Silver is water soluble, so contact with any type of moisture—such as a bath or a spin in the washing machine—washes some out and sends it into wastewater systems. “We wanted to know what form of silver enters the environment after it goes down the drain and passes through sewage treatment plants,” says Michael Hochella, a geochemist at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and director of natural and incidental nanoparticles for the multi-institute Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology.5

Sludge from sewage treatment facilities can end up as landfill or soil amendments in agricultural fertilizers, or it can be burned in incinerators. In 2006 and 2007 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analyzed sewage sludge samples from 74 municipal wastewater treatment facilities nationwide and tested for 28 metals, including silver (which was detected in all the samples).6 Through the EPA, Hochella and postdoctoral fellow Bojeong Kim obtained frozen samples of sludge from a Midwest facility. They suspected it would contain the nanosilver particles now used in consumer products—although the EPA’s goal in sampling was simply to obtain national estimates of the concentrations of selected analytes, not identify nanoparticles.

Numbers of Goods Containing Silver Nanoparticles4
Kim developed analytical methods to determine the size, chemistry, and atomic structure of silver nanoparticles in the samples. The samples tested high in silver, but the silver could not be attributed to an industrial source. Scanning transmission electron microscopy revealed the nanoparticles were 5–20 nm in diameter and formed small, loosely packed aggregates no more than 100 nm in size. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry showed that sulfur (which is produced by microorganisms that digest sewage) combined with the silver in a 2:1 ratio, and the crystal structure confirmed the formation of silver sulfide nanoparticles.1

The results underscore the complexity of environmental fate. “What we start with is not what ends up in the environment,” Hochella says. The researchers don’t know how many silver nanoparticles were introduced to the wastewater treatment plants or how much incoming nanosilver ended up as silver sulfide nanoparticles. However, Kim notes that no pure silver nanoparticles were found in the sludge.

In general, silver sulfide is highly insoluble and settles out of water.7 But no one knows if silver sulfide nanoparticles behave in the same way. Properties of metals can change dramatically as particle size decreases.3 “It’s hard to predict whether the solubility of nanoparticles will increase, decrease, or stay the same,” Kim says. The bioavailability, toxicity, and reactivity of silver sulfide nanoparticles also are unknown.

If silver sulfide nanoparticles do prove toxic, the environmental implications could be unfavorable. Antimicrobial nanoparticles could adversely impact desirable microorganisms that decompose waste in sewage treatment plants, says Murray McBride, director of the Cornell Waste Management Institute. Furthermore, McBride says, nanosized silver sulfide applied to agricultural land could oxidize in soils and release toxic silver ions that kill beneficial soil microorganisms. On the other hand, one study of laboratory-grown Pseudomonas putida biofilms indicated some bacteria bind silver ions, potentially rendering them less toxic.8

References and Notes Top
1. Kim B, et al. Environ Sci Technol 44(19):7509–7514. 2010. doi:10.1021/es101565j Find this article online
2. Alexander JW Surg Infect (Larchmt) 10(3):)289–292. 2009. doi:10.1089/sur.2008.9941 Find this article online
3. Chen X, Schluesener HJ Toxicol Lett 176(1):1–12. 2008. doi:10.1016/j.toxlet.2007.10.004 Find this article online
4. The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. Nanotechnology Consumer Product Inventory. Washington, DC:The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (2010). Available: http://tinyurl.com/5sa88q [accessed 3 Nov 2010].
5. Funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology is a consortium of scientists from Duke University, Carnegie Mellon University, Howard University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the University of Kentucky, and Stanford University who study the biological, environmental, and ecological consequences of nanomaterials.
6. EPA. Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey Statistical Analysis Report. EPA-822-R-08-018. Washington, DC:Office of Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2009). Available: http://tinyurl.com/33mlma4 [accessed 3 Nov 2010].
7. Lytle PE Environ Toxicol Chem 3(1):21–30. 1984. Find this article online

Crystalline silica dust study

2010-12-20T16:27:00.001-06:00

Workers who manually grind concrete surfaces need better protection from crystalline silica dust, according to research from the University of Toledo in Ohio and the Center for Construction Research and Training in Silver Spring, MD.

Dust control methods, including general ventilation, local exhaust ventilation and wet grinding, reduced silica dust concentrations. However, no combination of factors or control methods brought the eight-hour exposure level to below the recommended level of 0.025 mg/m³, which study researchers said indicates the need for refined controls or respirators.

The study appeared in the December issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.

Press Release – FAA Proposes $140,000 Civil Penalty Against K-Mart

2010-11-24T05:34:00.000-06:00

Tue Nov 23, 2010 5:54 am (PST)

Press Release – FAA Proposes $140,000 Civil Penalty Against K-Mart,Inc.

For Immediate Release November 19, 2010 Contact: Kathleen BergenPhone: 404-305-5100WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing a$140,000 civil penalty against K-Mart, Inc., of Royal Oak, Mich., forallegedly violating Department of Transportation hazardous materials regulations.The FAA alleges K-Mart offered two packages to UPS for transportation by air from Caguas, Puerto Rico to its returned goods center in McDonough,Ga.

The first shipment, Sept. 21, 2009, contained 15 three-ounce containers of nail color, which is classified as paint, a flammable liquid. The second shipment, Oct. 26, 2009, contained 18 five-ounce containers of aerosol sun block, a flammable gas. Neither shipment was declared to contain hazardous materials.

K-Mart allegedly offered the shipments for transportation by air when they were not packaged, marked, classed, described, labeled or in condition for shipment as required by regulations. UPS employees at the Louisville sort center discovered both packages leaking. K-Mart, Inc., has 30 days from receipt of the FAA's civil penalty letter to respond to the agency.

USFA Releases Thanksgiving Day Fires in Residential Buildings Report

2010-11-17T12:39:00.002-06:00

Nov 12, 2010

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) issued a special report recently examining the characteristics of Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings. The report, Thanksgiving Day Fires in Residential Buildings, was developed by USFA's National Fire Data Center.

The report is part of the Topical Fire Report Series and is based on 2006 to 2008 data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). According to the report, an estimated 2,000 Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings occur annually in the United States, resulting in an estimated average of five deaths, 25 injuries, and $21 million in property loss.

The leading cause of all Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings is, by far, cooking. In addition, these fires occur most frequently in the afternoon hours from noon to 4 p.m. Smaller, confined fires account for 71 percent and larger, nonconfined fires account for 29 percent of Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings. Finally, smoke alarms were not present in 20 percent of nonconfined Thanksgiving Day fires that occurred in occupied residential buildings.

The topical reports are designed to explore facets of the U.S. fire problem as depicted through data collected in NFIRS. Each topical report briefly addresses the nature of the specific fire or fire-related topic, highlights important findings from the data, and may suggest other resources to consider for further information. Also included are recent examples of fire incidents that demonstrate some of the issues addressed in the report or that put the report topic in context.

To view the report, click here

From ohsonline.com

"position entails work of considerable difficulty"

2010-11-03T11:47:00.000-05:00

If you want brevity in your position descriptions for any of our EHS related classifications, you might consider this recent offering from the city of West Allis.

Thanks to Bob Grieshaber for the submission.

AT&T Building Leaks 1,000 Gallons Of Diesel Fuel

2010-10-13T15:29:00.001-05:00

Emergency generators can leak!!

Posted: 7:35 pm PDT October 2, 2010
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- About one thousand gallons of diesel fuel have spilled from a ten-story building and into a storm drain and surrounding concrete in San Jose Saturday evening, a fire captain said.

Firefighters responded to a 5:15 p.m. call that fuel had been leaking out of an AT&T Corp. building at South Almaden Blvd., San Jose fire Captain Barry Stallard said.
On the building's roof, arriving crews discovered an engine -- meant to power the building in the event of an outage -- was inexplicably leaking diesel fuel into the roof's drain and down to the street, Stallard said.

The drain has leaked fuel into the nearby sewage system and onto a surrounding concrete recreational area where people jog.

The engine has a fuel capacity of about 100 gallons, Stallard said, but is connected to tanks in the building parking lot that hold about 50,000 gallons.

The building operates AT&T's 911 hub, which is used to route residents' emergency calls to local dispatchers. It also operates standard phone service.

Service has not been affected by the spill, Stallard said.

Almaden Boulevard is closed between West San Fernando and West Santa Clara streets, Stallard said.

No injuries have been reported.

Crews are continuing to respond to the incident with no estimation of when the oil will stop leaking or when the roads will be reopened.

From http://www.ktvu.com

Washington University to Pay Fine for Hazardous Issues

2010-10-04T07:39:00.000-05:00

Posted 27 Sep 2010

Washington University in St. Louis is paying a $15,000 civil penalty over what the federal government calls "hazardous waste management issues."

The school also will spend at least $45,000 on a supplemental project to help clean local high school laboratories of hazardous waste, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said.

Washington University’s hazardous waste problems at the school’s Danforth and School of Medicine campuses were uncovered through inspections conducted in April 2008.

Inspections found violations for failure to make hazardous waste determinations and for operating a treatment, storage and disposal facility without a proper permit. There also were "issues related to the storage of hazardous waste beyond legal time limits," failure to properly label hazardous waste storage containers, and failure to manage waste lamps among the problems, the EPA said.

As part of a settlement, the school will spend a minimum of $45,000 on a supplemental environmental project to address hazardous waste issues in 12 high schools within the St. Louis Public Schools District.

The university agreed to conduct ongoing clean-out operations at laboratories at the two campuses, the EPA said.

*For more information on news about waste and recycling go to www.wasterecyclingnews.com

From: http://veoliaes-ts.com/buzz-newsletters/September2010/3

Portable Generator Hazards

2010-09-20T12:31:00.003-05:00

For a printable version (pdf) of this fact sheet, click here

For a pdf poster on Using Portable Generators Safely, click here

Portable generators are useful when temporary or remote electric power is needed. However, if used incorrectly, gasoline, kerosene, and other gas-powered generators can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, electric shocks, fires, and burns. Generator accidents can be fatal!

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning
Every year, people die in accidents related to portable generator use. For example, a young camper was killed by CO from a portable generator's exhaust tube adjacent to the victim's campsite. Most deaths involve CO poisoning from portable generators used indoors or in partially-enclosed spaces. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that between 1999 and 2004 portable generators caused 172 CO poisoning deaths in the U.S. (More....)

NFPA 1 Fire Code Seminar encore

2010-09-03T09:20:00.001-05:00

This summer, Wisconsin Department of Commerce hosted four sessions on the 2009 changes to the NFPA 1 Fire Code. I attended one, and thought it was well done and informative. Due to demand, one more session will be offered on Saturday, January 22, 2011, in Stevens Point at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center, 1001 Amber Ave. Further details will be announced in mid-September on the Fire Prevention Program website.

Note 9/27/2010: The details for the January session are now available.

Links:
http://commerce.wi.gov/SB/SB-FirePreventionProgram.html
http://commerce.wi.gov/SB/docs/SB-EducationFirePrevNFPABrochJan2011.pdf

DNR Secretary Matt Frank announces staff changes at DNR

2010-09-01T10:39:00.002-05:00

News Release Published: July 29, 2010 by the Central Office

Contact(s): Laurel Steffes (608) 266-8109

MADISON – Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank announced Thursday that veteran staffer Al Shea will replace Deputy Secretary Pat Henderson, who is leaving the agency to pursue options in the private sector. Henderson has served as deputy since 2007.

“Pat has done a tremendous job as my deputy and has been an invaluable leader within the agency and in Governor Doyle’s administration. I thank him for his tremendous service to the people of Wisconsin,” said Frank. (More....)

Surprise! That will be $78K please.

2010-08-30T15:37:00.000-05:00

Came across this via CSHEMA and the Portland Tribune:

Lewis & Clark College officials were surprised to receive a $77,927 penalty from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for discharging chlorinated wastewater from a swimming pool to a nearby stream for more than four decades.

It pays to know (or costs to not know) if you're discharging to sanitary or stormwater, and doing it the right way...

"...the college has been disposing of wastewater from the swimming pool through its stormwater conveyance system, which discharges to an outfall pipe into a stream to the north of the campus."

Washington University in St. Louis to Pay $15,000 Civil Penalty, Clean High School Labs to Settle Hazardous Waste Allegations

2010-08-16T11:55:00.004-05:00

Release date: 08/09/2010

Contact Information: Chris Whitley, 913-551-7394,

whitley.christopher@epa.gov

Environmental NewsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., August 9, 2010) - Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., will pay a $15,000 civil penalty and spend at least $45,000 on a supplemental project to help clean local high school laboratories of hazardous waste, as part of a settlement with EPA Region 7 over hazardous waste management issues at the university’s Danforth and School of Medicine campuses.According to an administrative consent agreement filed in Kansas City, Kan., an EPA representative conducted compliance evaluation inspections at the university’s Danforth Campus, at One Brookings Drive, and at the School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, on separate dates in April 2008.

Those inspections noted several violations of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which regulates the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste.At both campuses, the inspections found RCRA violations for failure to make hazardous waste determinations; operating as a treatment, storage or disposal facility without a proper permit; issues related to the storage of hazardous waste beyond legal time limits; failure to properly label hazardous waste storage containers; inadequacies in contingency plans for hazardous waste-related emergencies; inability to provide documentation of hazardous waste training plans; and failure to properly manage waste lamps.Additionally, the School of Medicine inspection noted RCRA violations for storage of mixed waste drums with inadequate aisle space, and storage of ignitable waste within 50 feet of the property line. The latter violation involved 13 drums of ignitable material stored on the Fourth Floor, and another four drums of ignitable material stored on the First Floor of the building.

As part of the settlement with EPA, Washington University has agreed to perform ongoing clean-out operations of laboratories at its Danforth and School of Medicine campuses, and provide documentation of those activities to EPA.Additionally, the university has agreed to spend a minimum of $45,000 on a supplemental environmental project to address hazardous waste issues in 12 high schools within the St. Louis Public Schools District.

Through the project, the university will hire an environmental services firm to remove, transport and dispose of wastes from school laboratories. University representatives also will meet with school staff members to discuss each school’s unique hazardous waste challenges and provide ideas to reduce future waste production.Schools targeted in project work plan include Beaumont, Blewett, Carnahan, Clark, Cleveland, Des Peres, Gateway, Laclede, Lyon, Mark Twain, Sherman and Sigal.“This enforcement action, coupled with the supplemental project to help the St. Louis Public Schools, will ultimately make academic laboratories, school campuses, and their surrounding urban communities safer places in which to learn, work and live,” said Karl Brooks, EPA Region 7 Administrator.

# # #Learn more about EPA’s civil enforcement of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Locate this and other Region 7 news items on the News Where You Live interactive map

CSHEMA conference in Minneapolis, July 2011

2010-08-13T15:09:00.001-05:00

I just received a timely reminder from our friend Andy Phelan at the University of Minnesota to hold July 17-20, 2011 for the CSHEMA (Campus Safety Health and Environmental Management Association) conference to be held in our neighboring state. Not much specific information is available beyond the conference site and submission requests for abstracts (due Oct. 15), but you can still check out the conference website.

CSHEMA website: http://www.cshema.org/

Conference website: http://www.cshema.org/minneapolis.aspx

Charter Street coal plant embarks on its transition to cleaner fuels

2010-08-12T08:42:00.001-05:00

It's not easy going green.

Just ask John Harrod Jr., who is helping guide the $250 million green makeover of UW-Madison's Charter Street Heating Plant.

The coal-burning plant will be converted so that it burns natural gas and cleaner, farm-grown fuels such as switchgrass. The changeover won praise from the plant's many critics, including the Sierra Club, which sued the university for violating the Clean Air Act. Gone will be the giant, dust-generating pile of coal that has become a symbol of the plant and its grimy history.
But Harrod, director of the UW-Madison Physical Plant, said getting rid of that coal pile and moving to cleaner biofuels has brought its own set of problems to solve — accommodating longer and more frequent trains, for example, or expanding the plant's footprint in its already squeezed urban setting, or figuring out new air standards for burning biofuels when even environmental regulators aren't quite sure what those final standards will be.

Those issues and others will be up for discussion Wednesday when UW-Madison hosts a hearing on the final version of the environmental impact statement for the project. The hearing is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in Room 1106 of the Mechanical Engineering Building, 1513 University Ave.

"I would have to say there would have been easier ways to do this," said Al Fish, head of facilities and planning management for UW-Madison. "It's been an adventure." (More....)

Rehab the Lab

2010-07-26T12:06:00.003-05:00

This was developed for secondary schools in Washington, but may be of interest.

http://www.lhwmp.org/home/educators/rehabthelab.aspx

Hospital's History of Violence Leads to OSHA Fine

2010-07-22T11:52:00.002-05:00

Interesting application of the General Duty Clause...

Jul 20, 2010
OSHA has cited Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Conn., for failing to provide its employees with adequate safeguards against workplace violence. OSHA's action follows an inspection begun in January 2010, in response to worker complaints.

OSHA's inspection identified several instances during the past 18 months in which employees in the hospital's psychiatric ward, emergency ward, and general medical floors were injured by violent patients. In addition, there have been about 25 cases over the past five years in which hospital employees lost workdays or were put on restricted duty after being injured by patients. OSHA found that the hospital's workplace violence program was incomplete and ineffective at preventing these incidents. (More....)

You think foreign oil dependence is bad, try radionuclides

2010-07-22T11:48:00.001-05:00

Stephanie Salter The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — This is a story of international finance and politics, involving such entities as Mo-99, Thallium 201, 73-hour half-lives and a medical industry character known as “Aunt Minnie.”This is also a story that should remind us that when we grudgingly swallow some sort of dye or offer our arm for an IV so our innards can be scanned, most of us have no clue about the infinitely complex and miraculous realm of science behind the process. (More...)

Electrical exam prep

2010-06-22T14:01:00.000-05:00

The Department of Commerce is offering Electrical Exam Prep Training in Green Bay. It is a weekly course every Wednesday morning, starting September 29 through December 15, 2010. The times ares 9:00 am to 12:00pm, and it will be offered at the Brown County Library Auditorium in Green Bay.

Links: http://commerce.wi.gov/SB/docs/SB-EducationElecExam0910.pdf

NFPA-1 training

2010-06-16T13:04:00.001-05:00

The Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Safety & Buildings Division is presenting four sessions of NFPA-1 Code training in July and August in conjunction with the National Fire Protection Association.

No walk-ins, register by July 8. Offered at four locations: Milwaukee area, Green Bay, Eau Claire, and Richland Center. Only $25 -- a bargain!

See PDF brochure.

See PDF list of current registrants.

EPA Proposes New Permit Requirements for Pesticide Discharges

2010-06-14T06:55:00.004-05:00

Action would reduce amount of pesticides discharged and protect America’s waters

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing a new permit requirement that would decrease the amount of pesticides discharged to our nation's waters and protect human health and the environment. This action is in response to an April 9, 2009 court decision that found that pesticide discharges to U.S. waters were pollutants, thus requiring a permit.

(More....)

When natural disasters strike, tragedy can unfold in the lab

2010-06-14T06:38:00.003-05:00

When Laura Levy returned to her laboratory
in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, there
was nothing to suggest that a violent storm had
pummeled the city. On the fifth floor of the
Tulane University School of Medicine, where
Levy’s lab sits, most things were in their proper
place. “It was really most peculiar,” she says.
The laboratories, she adds, “looked just as they
looked the day we left.” (More....)

Air News (Region 5): EPA: Manitowoc and Door Counties in Wisconsin Now Meet Smog Standards‏

2010-05-12T09:59:00.002-05:00

EPA: Manitowoc and Door Counties in Wisconsin Now Meet Smog Standards

CHICAGO (May 7, 2010) — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 plans to approve requests from the state of Wisconsin to redesignate the Manitowoc County and Door County areas to attainment of the national health-based eight-hour outdoor standard for ozone. Ozone is commonly referred to as smog.

EPA said three years of complete, quality-assured, outdoor air monitoring data for 2006, 2007 and 2008 show that the areas meet the standard. Complete quality-assured monitoring data for 2009 show that the areas continue to meet the standard.

EPA also proposes to approve Wisconsin’s plans to continue to meet the eight-hour health-based ozone standard in the areas through 2020 and to approve motor vehicle emission budgets for Manitowoc and Door counties.

The actions were published on Tuesday, April 27 in the Federal Register. The public has 30 days to comment. Comments may be entered at http://www.regulations.gov/. Refer to dockets ID No. EPA-R05-OAR-2009-0730 and follow online instructions for submitting comments.

Comments may also be e-mailed to bortzer.jay@epa.gov or faxed to 312-692-2054.

Smog is formed when a mixture of pollutants react on warm, sunny days. The pollutants are released from cars, factories and a wide variety of other sources. Smog can cause respiratory problems, including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest pain.
Note: If a link above doesn't work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser.

View all Region 5 News Releases

EPA Updates BP Spill Website with Information on Dispersants

2010-05-12T09:44:00.002-05:00

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday posted information on BP’s use of dispersants to its oil spill response website, www.epa.gov/bpspill. The site includes EPA’s plan to monitor BP’s use of dispersants as well as additional background information and frequently asked questions on dispersants. EPA will add information to the site as it becomes available.

EPA continues to add information to its BP oil spill response website to keep the public informed about the impact of the spill and the EPA’s response.

The dispersant page can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/dispersants.html

Continue to track EPA’s response to the spill at http://www.epa.gov/bpspill.

Additional information on the broader response from the U.S. Coast Guard and other responding agencies is available at: http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/

EPA Launches New Web Tools to Inform the Public About Clean Water Enforcement

2010-04-30T06:16:00.004-05:00

Interactive Web tool allows the public to check water violations in their communities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching a new set of web tools, data, and interactive maps to inform the public about serious Clean Water Act violations in their communities. Improving water quality is one of EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s priorities and in 2009, Administrator Jackson directed the agency to develop concrete steps to improve water quality, to better enforce the Clean Water Act and to use 21st Century technology to transform the collection, use and availability of EPA data. The web tools announced today is part of EPA’s Clean Water Act Action Plan to work with states in ensuring that facilities comply with standards that keep our water clean.

"EPA is taking another important step to increase transparency and keep Americans informed about the safety of their local waters," said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "Making this information more accessible and understandable empowers millions of people to press for better compliance and enforcement in their communities."

The new web page provides interactive information from EPA’s 2008 Annual Noncompliance Report, which pertains to about 40,000 permitted Clean Water Act dischargers across the country. The report lists state-by-state summary data of violations and enforcement responses taken by the states for smaller facilities. The new web page also makes it easy to compare states by compliance rates and enforcement actions taken and provides access to updated State Review Framework (SRF) reports.

Interactive Map for Clean Water Act Annual Noncompliance Report:
http://www.epa-echo.gov/echo/ancr/us/

State Review Framework: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/state/srf/index.html

Enforcement and Compliance History Online: http://www.epa-echo.gov/echo

News Release (Region 5) [RESEND]: EPA Announces Regional Administrator for Region 5‏

2010-04-28T08:51:00.001-05:00

MEDIA CONTACT: Anne Rowan, 312-353-9391, rowan.anne@epa.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE No.10-OPA042

EPA Announces Regional Administrator for Region 5

Regional Agency Headquarters in Chicago
(CHICAGO - April 21, 2010) Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced President Barack Obama's selection of Susan Hedman to be the Agency's Regional Administrator for EPA's Region 5. This region encompasses Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin and 35 Tribal Nations.

"I look forward to working closely with Susan Hedman on the range of urgent environmental issues we face, in Region 5 and across the nation," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "At this moment of great challenge and even greater opportunity, I'm thrilled that Susan will be part of our leadership team at EPA. She will certainly play an instrumental role in our Agency's mission to protect our health and the environment."

Regional Administrators are responsible for managing the Agency's regional activities under the direction of the EPA Administrator. They promote state and local environmental protection efforts and serve as a liaison to state and local government officials. Regional Administrators are tasked with ensuring EPA's efforts to address the environmental crises of today are rooted in three fundamental values: science-based policies and programs, adherence to the rule of law, and transparency.

Susan Hedman has extensive experience in the environmental protection field dating back to the early 1980's when she taught environmental policy courses at Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin. Since 2005, she has served as Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's Environmental Counsel and Senior Assistant Attorney General, playing a role as chief negotiator for litigation and legislation relating to environmental protection, energy efficiency, renewable energy, carbon capture technology and associated consumer issues. Prior to that, she held numerous positions in environmental law and policy including senior policy advisor on energy and recycling at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; staff attorney for the Environmental Law and Policy Center with cases focused on facilities in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.; First Legal Officer for the United Nations Security Council team charged with analyzing environmental damage from oil fires in Kuwait; and as research director for the Center for Global Change at the University of Maryland. Dr. Hedman earned her B.A. in Politics and Government from Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin before earning her M.A. from the La Follette Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1979. She obtained her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1987 before earning a Ph.D. from the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies in Madison, Wisconsin two years later.

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2009-2010 College & University Green Power Challenge

2010-04-19T14:20:00.002-05:00

UW-Oshkosh was recognized by EPA as Conference Champion for individual green power purchase.

Learn more about EPA’s Partner Initiatives:
Partner Initiatives
College & University Challenge
ABA/EPA Law Firm Climate Challenge
Throughout the 2009-10 academic year, EPA’s Green Power Partnership tracked and recognized collegiate athletic conferences with the highest combined green power purchases in the nation (More....)

EPA Requires Contractors to Become Lead-Safe Certified

2010-04-14T05:53:00.001-05:00

CONTACTS: Dale Kemery kemery.dale@epa.gov 202-564-7839 202-564-4355 FOR

IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 8, 2010 Agency expects more than 125,000 contractors to be trained by April 22 deadline

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced it expects more than 125,000 renovation and remodeling contractors to be trained in lead-safe work practices by April 22, the effective date for a rule requiring such training. The agency is on target to implement the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, which will protect millions of children from lead poisoning, on April 22, 2010. “There has been tremendous progress by people working in the construction and remodeling trades to become trained in lead-safe work practices,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. “EPA has been working hard to get the word out far and wide to contractors working in older homes, schools and day care centers that this training is available to help stop lead poisoning in children. All a contractor needs to do to be certified is take a simple one-day course.”

Despite nearly 30 years of effort to reduce childhood lead exposures, a million American children are still poisoned by lead paint each year, putting them at risk for a wide range of health impacts, including lowered IQ and behavioral disorders. Some of that poisoning is a result of dust contaminated by old lead paint that is stirred up during remodeling activities. There are simple steps contractors can take during such renovations to minimize exposures to lead paint. To ensure contractors were following such procedures, the EPA finalized the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (LRRP) rule in 2008. The rule requires contractors to become trained and certified as lead-safe by EPA. Individuals take an eight-hour training course offered by private training providers to become a certified renovator. The certification is valid for five years.

To date, EPA has certified 190 training providers who have conducted more than 4,900 courses. An estimated 100,000 people in the construction and remodeling industries have been trained in lead-safe work practices. Based on current estimates, EPA expects more than 125,000 contractors to be certified by the April 22 deadline. EPA has a number of efforts under way to expedite the training and certification process. Included are a print and radio campaign to highlight the benefits of hiring lead-safe certified firms. As a result, it is expected that training capacity will continue to increase significantly as the April 22 deadline approaches. It is likely that many more contractors and renovators will seek and obtain training after the deadline.

To locate local EPA-accredited RRP training providers using EPA’s search tool: http://cfpub.epa.gov/flpp/searchrrp_training.htm Information on firm certification: http//:www.epa.gov/getleadsafe More information on EPA’s lead program: http://www.epa.gov/lead

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EPA Proposes Adding More Chemicals to Toxics Release Inventory List

2010-04-06T14:37:00.003-05:00

First program chemical expansion in more than a decade

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to add 16 chemicals to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) list of reportable chemicals, the first expansion of the program in more than a decade. Established as part of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA), TRI is a publicly available EPA database that contains information on toxic chemical releases and waste management activities reported annually by certain industries as well as federal facilities. The proposal is part of Administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s ongoing efforts to provide communities with more complete information on chemicals.

EPA has concluded, based on a review of available studies, that these chemicals could cause cancer in people. The purpose of the proposed addition to TRI reporting requirements is to inform the public about chemical releases in their communities and to provide the government with information for research and potential development of regulations.

Four of the chemicals are being proposed for addition to TRI under the polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) category. The PACs category includes chemicals that are persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic (PBT) and are likely to remain in the environment for a very long time. These chemicals are not readily destroyed and may build up or accumulate in body tissue.

The TRI, established as part of the EPCRA of 1986, contains information on nearly 650 chemicals and chemical groups from about 22,000 industrial facilities in the U.S. Congress enacted EPCRA to provide the public with additional information on toxic chemicals in their communities.

EPA will accept public comments on the proposal for 60 days after it appears in the Federal Register.

For a list of the 16 chemicals: http://www.epa.gov/tri/lawsandregs/ntp_chemicals/index.html

More information on TRI: http://www.epa.gov/tri

R103
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Pediatric Lead Exposure From Imported Indian Spices and Cultural Powders

2010-03-24T12:18:00.000-05:00

From http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2009-1396v1

Cristiane Gurgel Lin, MD, PhDa,b,c, Laurel Anne Schaider, PhDd, Daniel Joseph Brabander, PhDe, Alan David Woolf, MD, MPHb,f

aPediatric Residency Program, Department of Medicine, and
fPediatric Environmental Health Center, Division of General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts;
bDepartment of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts;
cDepartment of Neonatology, Pediatrix Medical Group, Seton Medical Center, Austin, Texas;
dDepartment of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; and
eDepartment of Geosciences, Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts

Background Significant lead poisoning has been associated with imported nonpaint products.

Objectives To describe cases of pediatric lead intoxication from imported Indian spices and cultural powders, determine lead concentrations in these products, and predict effects of ingestion on pediatric blood lead levels (BLLs).

Patients and Methods Cases and case-study information were obtained from patients followed by the Pediatric Environmental Health Center (Children's Hospital Boston). Imported spices (n = 86) and cultural powders (n = 71) were analyzed for lead by using x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The simple bioaccessibility extraction test was used to estimate oral bioavailability. The integrated exposure uptake biokinetic model for lead in children was used to predict population-wide geometric mean BLLs and the probability of elevated BLLs (>10 µg/dL).

Results Four cases of pediatric lead poisoning from Indian spices or cultural powders are described. Twenty-two of 86 spices and foodstuff products contained >1 µg/g lead (for these 22 samples, mean: 2.6 µg/g [95% confidence interval: 1.9–3.3]; maximum: 7.6 µg/g). Forty-six of 71 cultural products contained >1 µg/g lead (for 43 of these samples, mean: 8.0 µg/g [95% confidence interval: 5.2–10.8]; maximum: 41.4 µg/g). Three sindoor products contained >47% lead. With a fixed ingestion of 5 µg/day and 50% bioavailability, predicted geometric mean BLLs for children aged 0 to 4 years increased from 3.2 to 4.1 µg/dL, and predicted prevalence of children with a BLL of >10 µg/dL increased more than threefold (0.8%–2.8%).

Conclusions Chronic exposure to spices and cultural powders may cause elevated BLLs. A majority of cultural products contained >1 µg/g lead, and some sindoor contained extremely high bioaccessible lead levels. Clinicians should routinely screen for exposure to these products.

Key Words: pediatric lead poisoning • childhood plumbism • spices • herbal products • cosmetics • religious powders • lead contamination • Indian • sindoor • culture-specific exposure

Abbreviations: CI = confidence interval

More Fines For UCLA

2010-03-18T11:29:00.001-05:00

An additional $97,000 in fines for lax laboratory safety practices has been assessed against the University of California, Los Angeles, by a state agency.

The school's department of chemistry and biochemistry has been under scrutiny since a Dec. 29, 2008, laboratory fire led to the death of chemistry researcher Sheharbano (Sheri) Sangji (C&EN, Aug. 3, 2009, page 29). The California Division of Occupational Safety & Health (Cal/OSHA) investigated the incident and fined the university $31,875 in May 2009 (C&EN, May 11, 2009, page 7). (More...)

LEGIONELLOSIS, NOSOCOMIAL - USA: (WISCONSIN)

2010-03-18T06:28:00.001-05:00

A ProMED-mail Date: Sat 13 Mar 2010 Source: WISN.com

Health officials said there could be a possible outbreak of the respiratory illness Legionnaires' disease at a Cudahy hospital. Sof ar, at least 8 people have come down with the illness. Of the 8 cases, 6 had some contact with Aurora Saint Luke's South ShoreHospital, 5900 S. Lake Drive.(More)

Medical practice needlesticks

2010-03-16T16:46:00.000-05:00

Here's an interesting article from the New York Times on the safety culture around needle injuries in the medical profession, complete with time and peer pressure issues that are present with other safety concerns.

Link: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/a-silent-epidemic-of-needle-injuries/

Asbestos at U.S. university investigated

2010-03-03T07:45:00.001-06:00

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/03/02/Asbestos-at-US-university-investigated/UPI-35051267577232/
Published: March. 2, 2010 at 7:47 PM

HARTFORD, Conn., March 2 (UPI) -- University of Connecticut authorities may have violated federal law when workers disposed of asbestos-laden material during a renovation, officials say.

Employees renovating the office of President Michael Hogan threw old flooring held together with asbestos-containing mastic out the office window, The Hartford (Conn.) Courant reported Tuesday.

School officials allegedly acknowledge they violated OSHA and federal Environmental Protection Agency standards for removal of asbestos, the newspaper said.

One of the violations alleges no inspection was completed to see if there was asbestos under the floor before it was removed.

Others include the unsafe disposal of asbestos particles into the air, asbestos-laden debris tossed out without being properly bagged and asbestos disturbance occurring without any employee monitoring, the Courant said.

In December six employees of the university's facilities management department were given emergency medical screening the results of which are confidential.

"The safety and well-being of university personnel is a paramount concern. As a result of the university's own investigation, its office of Environmental Health and Safety is working with facilities personnel to ensure compliance with all rules and regulations regarding asbestos," spokesman Michael Kirk said.

Biodiesel Process Uses Catalytically Active Particles

2010-03-02T06:53:00.000-06:00

Feb 23, 2010
Sachtleben, a unit of Rockwood Holdings Inc. and a producer of specialty titanium dioxide and functional additives, has developed catalytically active particles that may revolutionize the production of biofuels using sustainable and environmentally friendly means. (More...)

Noise and ototoxic substances

2010-02-25T10:52:00.008-06:00

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."

Link: http://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/literature_reviews/combined-exposure-to-noise-and-ototoxic-substances

Aerial work platform guidance

2010-02-19T14:22:00.005-06:00

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.

Links: http://www.ipaf.org/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/us/AWP_BPG_2010.pdf

NIOSH/IWH review of OHS training

2010-02-11T13:48:00.004-06:00

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

2010-02-11T13:39:00.002-06:00

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

2010-02-11T11:50:00.002-06:00

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

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

2010-02-08T08:12:00.003-06:00

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

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

2010-02-05T14:19:00.001-06:00

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.....)

Coal-ash monitoring increased

2010-02-02T07:44:00.001-06:00

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

EPA to Develop TSCA Chemicals of Concern List

2010-01-08T09:59:00.002-06:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency intends to establish a “Chemicals of Concern” list and is beginning a process that may lead to regulations requiring significant risk reduction measures to protect human health and the environment. "

The agency’s actions represent its determination to use its authority under the existing Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to the fullest extent possible, recognizing EPA’s strong belief that the 1976 law is both outdated and in need of reform. (More..........)

U.S. EPA Releases Annual Enforcement Results and Mapping Tool

2010-01-05T05:56:00.001-06:00

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released enforcement results for fiscal year 2009, and has developed a new Web-based tool and interactive map that allows the public to get detailed information by location about the enforcement actions taken at approximately 4,600 facilities.

In FY2009, EPA concluded enforcement actions requiring polluters to invest more than $5 billion on pollution controls, cleanup, and environmental projects. Civil and criminal defendants committed to install controls and take other measures to reduce pollution by approximately 580 million pounds annually once all required controls are fully implemented.

The new mapping tool allows the public to view the locations of facilities that were the subject of those enforcement actions on interactive maps of the U.S. and territories. The maps show facilities where civil enforcement actions were taken for environmental laws for air, water, and land pollution, and a separate map shows criminal enforcement actions.

Viewers can click on specific facilities to find historical information about specific enforcement actions, such as violations and monetary penalties. In addition, viewers can use the zoom function to find out which facilities are located near water bodies that are listed as "impaired” because they do not meet federal water quality standards. EPA mapped the locations of more than 90 percent of the facilities that were the subject of enforcement actions last year. EPA did not map the locations of drinking water treatment plants due to potential security concerns.

For the past 10 years, EPA has described annual enforcement results by focusing primarily on two measures, the estimated pounds of pollutants reduced and estimated cost of commitments made by defendants to control or reduce pollution. These measures vary significantly from year to year and are dependent upon the number of large cases that settle in a given year. While these large cases are a vital part of our work to protect public health and improve compliance, they do not reflect the totality of the annual environmental enforcement activities, and do not capture the number and variety of enforcement actions taken to help clean up local communities. The new mapping tool will help increase transparency, improve access to data, and provide the public with the bigger picture of enforcement activity occurring in communities around the country.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/reports/endofyear/eoy2009/index.html

Statewide recycling and waste management conference

2009-12-22T11:00:00.003-06:00

Great opportunity to get updated on recycling and solid waste management topics:

2010 Wisconsin Integrated Resource Management Conference
February 24 - 26, 2010 - Wisconsin Dells, WI

Conference flier can be found at:
http://arow-online.org/PDF/FINAL%20Conference%20flier%2011-09-09.pdf

Final Effluent Guidelines

2009-12-21T08:20:00.002-06:00

On December 1, 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) and new source performance standards (NSPS) to control the discharge of pollutants from construction sites.

The regulation is effective on February 1, 2010. After this date, all permits issued by EPA or states must incorporate the final rule requirements. All construction sites required to obtain permit coverage must implement a range of erosion and sediment controls and pollution prevention measures. Beginning on August 1, 2011 all sites that disturb 20 or more acres of land at one time are required to comply with the turbidity limitation. On February 2, 2014 the limitation applies to all construction sites disturbing 10 or more acres of land at one time. These sites must sample stormwater discharges and comply with a numeric limitation for turbidity. The limitation is 280 NTU (nephelometric turbidity units). (More....)

Here's a frosty workplace hazard assessment

2009-12-17T15:59:00.005-06:00

Putting a research station out on a frozen freshwater lake? Establishing a road on an iced-over river? One bit of bedtime reading for you should be Best Practice for Building and Working Safely on Ice Covers in Alberta, by the Government of Alberta, Work Safe Alberta. Those Canadians know their ice.

Even if your campus isn't doing either of those, Appendix D has some great links and tips for surviving ice water immersion.

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_sh010.pdf

.

EPA News Release (HQ): Limited EPA Study Finds Low Level of Concern in Samples of Recycled Tires from Ballfield and Playground Surfaces‏

2009-12-14T07:01:00.002-06:00

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released results of a limited field monitoring study of artificial-turf playing fields and playgrounds constructed with recycled tire material or tire crumb. The study was intended to gain experience conducting field monitoring of recreational surfaces that contain tire crumb. EPA will use the information to help determine possible next steps to address questions regarding the safety of tire crumb infill in recreational fields.

“The limited data EPA collected during this study, which do not point to a concern, represent an important addition to the information gathered by various government agencies,” said Peter Grevatt, director of EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection. “The study will help set the stage for a meeting this spring, where EPA will bring together officials from states and federal agencies to evaluate the existing body of science on this topic and determine what additional steps should be taken to ensure the safety of kids who play on these surfaces.”

Recycled tire material, or “tire crumb,” is used in many applications, including as a component in synthetic turf fields and playground installations. In response to concerns raised by the public, EPA conducted a limited “scoping study” of tire crumb, which consisted of collecting air and wipe samples at three locations near EPA laboratories at Raleigh, N.C., Athens, Ga., and Cincinnati, Ohio. Sampling also was conducted in the Washington, D.C. area.

The limited study, conducted in August through October 2008, found that the concentrations of materials that made up tire crumb were below levels considered harmful. However, given the limited nature of the study (limited number of constituents monitored, sample sites, and samples taken at each site) and the wide diversity of tire crumb material, it is not possible, without additional data, to extend the results beyond the four study sites to reach more comprehensive conclusions.

The study confirmed that most of the methods tested were accurate, reproducible and appropriate for measuring concentrations of tire crumb constituents and therefore can be used in future studies.

Study findings
Particulate matter, metals and volatile organic compound concentrations were measured in the air samples and compared with areas away from the turf fields (background levels). The levels found in air samples from the artificial turf were similar to background levels.
No tire-related fibers were observed in the air samples.
All air concentrations of particulate matter and lead were well below levels of concern.
More than 90 percent of the lead in the tire crumb material was tightly bound and unavailable for absorption by users of the turf fields.
Zinc, which is a known additive in tires, was found in tire crumb samples. However, air and surface wipe monitoring levels of zinc were found to be below levels of concern.

EPA is aware that studies by other agencies were undertaken or completed while this survey was under way. EPA is planning a 2010 meeting with federal and state agencies to review all new study data and determine next steps.

More information on artificial turf: http://www.epa.gov/nerl/features/tire_crumbs.html Note:

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Jackson Says GHG Rules Will be Issued under CAA

2009-12-10T10:21:00.003-06:00

By L.K. Williams
Dec 07, 2009

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposed finding of endangerment from greenhouse gases (GHGs) released in April became final today despite efforts to delay the action.

Citing "decades of sound, peer-reviewed, extensively evaluated scientific data … from around the world and from our own U.S. scientists," EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson enumerated several examples of evidence of climate change:

polar ice caps crumbling into the oceans,
changing migratory patterns of animals,
broader ranges for deadly diseases,
historic droughts,
more powerful storms, and
disappearing coastlines.

Legacy Mercury Products

2009-12-07T10:26:00.001-06:00

Interesting article about mercury in old medical equipment:

http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/projects/legacy/healthcare.cfm

Solid Waste and Recycling Legislative Update

2009-11-24T06:04:00.000-06:00

The Wisconsin Legislature has wrapped up its fall floor session after taking action on several bills related to recycling and solid waste. Most notably the Legislature adopted bills related to used electronics, oil filters & oil absorbents and mercury containing products. Below are some of the bills that have been introduced during the current session that may impact solid waste and recycling programs across the state. Continue reading on SHWEC’s blog.

Report on university housing fires

2009-11-19T11:21:00.004-06:00

The US Fire Administration recently published a report on university housing fires (fires in college and university residential buildings that include dormitories and fraternity and sorority houses).

A summary of the findings:

An estimated 3,800 university housing fires occur each year in the United States.
Eighty-three percent of university housing fires are cooking fires. Small, confined cooking fires account for 77 percent of university housing fires. Cooking fires account for 6 percent of all non-confined university housing fires.
University housing fires peak in September and October; this peak accounts for 23 percent of fires.
The three main causes of non-confined university housing fires are intentionally set fires (17 percent), open flames (15 percent), and other unintentional causes (12 percent).
One-fifth of non-confined university housing fires in bedrooms are started by candles.

http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/tfrs/v10i1.pdf

Small Business Panel to Reconsider Regulatory Exemptions for Insect Repellents

2009-11-13T08:57:00.001-06:00

(Insect repellents make Ralph nervous........)

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking recommendations from small business on whether insect repellents applied to the skin should continue to be exempt from federal pesticide regulation. In another sign of transparency, the agency is also taking a new approach to obtaining small business views on this matter. EPA’s reconsideration of the current exemption is based on concern that some exempted pesticide products may not perform effectively. The changes under consideration are intended to safeguard public health by assuring that minimum risk skin-applied insect repellent products perform effectively, and users receive protection from insects or ticks that may transmit serious diseases.

Currently, pesticide products that pose minimum risks to humans and the environment are exempt from federal regulation under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, provided that the products are composed of certain ingredients and are labeled according to very specific criteria under the Act. Exempted products are not evaluated by EPA and, therefore, the agency is unable to verify the accuracy of the efficacy information on the labels of these minimum risk skin-applied repellents.

EPA is seeking small business input through a Small Business Advocacy Review Panel. The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires EPA to convene such a panel for a proposed rule unless the agency certifies that the rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The panel process offers an opportunity for small entities that are directly affected by a proposed rule to provide input into the rulemaking process. This action is the first time EPA has invited small businesses to self-nominate for participation in the panel process. Historically, EPA, in consultation with the Small Business Administration, has made the selections without providing an opportunity for interested small businesses to request participation. More information about minimum risk pesticides: http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPTYzMTc2MCZtZXNzYWdlaWQ9UFJELUJVTC02MzE3NjAmZGF0YWJhc2VpZD0xMDAxJnNlcmlhbD0xMjE1NjA0NTUwJmVtYWlsaWQ9cm9ydHZlZHRAaG90bWFpbC5jb20mdXNlcmlkPXJvcnR2ZWR0QGhvdG1haWwuY29tJmV4dHJhPSYmJg==&&&100&&&http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/biopesticides/regtools/25b_list.htm More information about participating on the panel: http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPTYzMTc2MCZtZXNzYWdlaWQ9UFJELUJVTC02MzE3NjAmZGF0YWJhc2VpZD0xMDAxJnNlcmlhbD0xMjE1NjA0NTUwJmVtYWlsaWQ9cm9ydHZlZHRAaG90bWFpbC5jb20mdXNlcmlkPXJvcnR2ZWR0QGhvdG1haWwuY29tJmV4dHJhPSYmJg==&&&101&&&http://www.epa.gov/sbrefa/insectrepellent.htm

Toxics, Partnerships and Stewardship News (Region 5): Wisconsin is first state with lead-based paint renovation, repair and painting program‏

2009-11-13T06:44:00.001-06:00

MEDIA CONTACT: Kären Thompson, 312-353-8547, thompson.karen@epa.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 09-OPA225

Wisconsin is first state with lead-based paint renovation, repair and painting program
(CHICAGO - Nov. 12, 2009) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has announced that two of Wisconsin’s lead-based paint programs have been federally authorized. They are the Lead-based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting program, and the Pre-Renovation Education program.

Wisconsin is the first state authorized to administer and enforce the Renovation, Repair and Painting rule which mandates training and licensing in lead-safe work practices for construction contractors, property managers and others that work in homes and child-occupied facilities built before 1978. Gov. James E. Doyle has certified that the Wisconsin programs, to be administered by the division of public health, are at least as protective as EPA’s and provide adequate enforcement.

The Lead-based Paint Pre-Renovation Education program requires construction contractors, property managers and others that perform renovations for compensation to distribute the lead pamphlet “Renovate Right; Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers and Schools” to owners and occupants before starting renovation work. “We commend Wisconsin for taking the initiative to prevent further lead poisoning by ensuring that work that disturbs paint is done in a lead-safe manner,” said Bharat Mathur, acting administrator for EPA Region 5.

“We are very pleased to be implementing these lead-safe renovation programs in Wisconsin,” said Karen Timberlake, Wisconsin Department of Public Health secretary. “Renovators and rental property owners play a big part in protecting children from lead-based paint hazards in their homes. With the training and lead-safe work practices implemented with these programs, they will make even more, older Wisconsin homes safe for children.”

Lead contaminated dust is the most significant source of lead exposure for children. Common renovation activities like sanding, cutting and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint, which can be harmful to adults and children. Lead-based paint was used in more than 38 million homes until it was banned for residential use in 1978.
Lead exposure can cause reduced IQ, learning disabilities, development delays and behavioral problems in young children.

You can learn more about protecting your family from lead-based paint and EPA’s lead program at http://www.epa.gov/lead or by contacting the National Lead Information Center at 800-424-LEAD (5323).

For more information about Wisconsin’s new program, including information on applying for certification or locating training, contact the Wisconsin Lead Program at 608-261-6876, or visit the state Web site at http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/lead.

Global Handwashing Dance

2009-10-26T11:00:00.000-05:00

In case you missed it....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=825gGELjB98

CFATS extension

2009-10-23T13:02:00.003-05:00

The US Senate recently approved the Fiscal Year 2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Conference Report (H.R. 2892). Tucked away in the bill is a one year extension of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS). The president is expected to sign it into law.

Storm water catch basin waste

2009-10-20T09:29:00.005-05:00

Thanks to John Soucy with Gordon College, who pointed out that the EPA has a document that relates to management of that "stuff" that collects in storm water catch basins. It is:

EPA 832-F-99-011 "Storm Water O&M Fact Sheet:Catch Basin Cleaning."

Recent safety research

2009-10-19T09:46:00.003-05:00

I'll pass along a couple of IYI's (If You're Interested) from the Journal of Safety Research. One with hard data, and one that is somewhat squish-ier. If your campus subscribes to the journal, you may be able to look these up online.

One study (still in press analyzed) data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) from 2002-2007, in order to examine the epidemiology of injuries among persons presenting to an ED with an injury associated with a riding lawnmower. Not a big surprise that among the major injury circumstances are "fell off of mower" and "mower rolled or flipped over."

Injuries associated with the use of riding mowers in the United States, 2002-2007
In Press, Journal of Safety Research
Bart Hammig, Elizabeth Childers, Ches Jones

For me, studies on the more abstract topic of safety climate tend to be less directly useful for workplace application. I still find it interesting to read how researchers try to provide meaningful research in the area. The latest contribution is a study on the relationship between PPE use and safety climate.

Effects of safety climate on safety norm violations: exploring the mediating role of attitudinal ambivalence toward personal protective equipment
Nicoletta Cavazza and Alessandra Serpe
Università di Modena-Reggio Emilia, via Allegri 9, 42100 Reggio Emilia

Frequent Questions Database

2009-10-15T14:10:00.006-05:00

On September 9, 2009, EPA launched the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) Frequent Questions Database. In the OEM Frequent Questions Database, you can browse and search frequently asked questions about EPCRA, RMP, and Oil Pollution Prevention (which includes oil discharge regulations, SPCC, and FRP). In addition, you can submit your own question if you do not find a similar one in the Database.

A link to the tool is available on the OEM Contact Us Web site, under the heading View Frequent Questions / Ask a Question, at the following URL:

www.epa.gov/emergencies/contact_us.htm

EPA?s Superfund, TRI, EPCRA, RMP & Oil Information Center remains available to answer questions via telephone about any of OEM?s programs. You can contact the Information Center at:

(800) 424-9346 -- Toll Free
(703) 412-9810 -- Metropolitan DC area and international calls
(800) 553-7672 -- Toll Free TDD
(703) 412-3323 -- Metropolitan DC area and international TDD

To speak with an Information Specialist, please call between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM (EST), Monday through Thursday. Information Specialists are available between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM (EST) Monday through Friday during May, June, and July.

OSHA proposes HAZCOMM changes

2009-10-05T06:33:00.003-05:00

OSHA is proposing to modify its existing Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to conform with the United Nations’ (UN) Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). OSHA has made a preliminary determination that the proposed modifications will improve the quality and consistency of information provided to employers and employees regarding chemical hazards and associated protective measures. The Agency anticipates this improved information will enhance the effectiveness of the HCS in ensuring that employees are apprised of the chemical hazards to which they may be exposed, and in reducing the incidence of chemical-related occupational illnesses and injuries.

The proposed modifications to the standard include 1) revised criteria for classification of chemical hazards; 2) revised labeling provisions that include requirements for use of standardized signal words, pictograms, hazard statements, and precautionary statements; 3) a specified format for safety data sheets; and 4) related revisions to definitions of terms used in the standard, requirements for employee training on labels and safety data sheets.

OSHA is also proposing to modify provisions of a number of other standards, including standards for flammable and combustible liquids, process safety management, and most substance-specific health standards, to ensure consistency with the modified HCS requirements.

See the proposed rule at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-22483.pdf

EPA Finalizes GHG Reporting Rule

2009-09-28T13:41:00.001-05:00

On Tuesday, September 22, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson signed the final rule for mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Record keeping requirements begin on January 1, 2010 and the first reports are due in 2011.

http://eponline.com/articles/2009/09/23/large-ghg-emitters-must-collect-data-on-jan.-1.aspx

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.html

Emissions Rules Tighten for Medical Waste Incinerators

2009-09-23T06:35:00.002-05:00

Sep 21, 2009
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's new limits on air emissions will affect most existing hospital, medical, and infectious waste incinerators (HMIWI).
This final action will reduce about 390,000 pounds of several pollutants each year including acid gases, nitrogen oxides, and metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury.

The agency also is finalizing additional testing, monitoring, and inspection requirements. This final action revises the September 1997 New Source Performance Renew (NSPR) standards and emission guidelines for these incinerators and responds to the court remand of the regulations. It also satisfies the Clean Air Act requirement to conduct a review of the standards every five years. (More...)

Federal Register Website Redirect

2009-09-21T08:26:00.003-05:00

Beginning November 1, 2009, users of EPA's Federal Register Web site will be redirected to Regulations.gov (http://www.regulations.gov/) for all Federal Register information. The Federal Register List Serve will continue for a period after the transition, but will no longer be available after December 31, 2009. List serve subscribers will receive e-mails containing links and bookmarks to Regulations.gov (http://www.regulations.gov/) based on one of the twelve topical list serves they have subscribed to.List Serve users will be able to subscribe to an RSS feed to receive notifications on frequently updated content on Regulations.gov (http://www.regulations.gov/). Regulations.gov (http://www.regulations.gov/) allows subscribers to receive alerts when changes or additions occur in a docket folder. Users will able to select how frequently they would like to receive emails (daily, weekly or monthly).

U.S. Labor Department's OSHA issues final rule updating personal protective equipment standards based on national consensus standards

2009-09-14T08:09:00.003-05:00

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today published in the Federal Register a final rule revising the personal protective equipment (PPE) sections of its general industry, shipyard employment, longshoring and marine terminals standards concerning requirements for eye- and face-protective devices, and head and foot protection.

OSHA is updating the references in its regulations to reflect more recent editions of the applicable national consensus standards that incorporate advances in technology. OSHA requires that PPE be safely designed and constructed for the tasks performed."Workers exposed to occupational hazards requiring head, foot, or eye and face protection will now be provided protection based on a standard that reflects state-of-the-art technology and materials," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab. "This final rule is another step in OSHA's efforts to update or remove references to outdated national consensus and industry standards."Amendments to the PPE standards include a requirement that filter lenses and plates in eye-protective equipment meet a test for transmission of radiant energy such as light or infrared.

The final rule will become effective on Oct. 9. For technical inquiries, contact Ted Twardowski, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, at 202-693-2070.Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, OSHA's role is to promote safe and healthful working conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, outreach and education. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to the 2009

2009-09-08T09:51:00.001-05:00

The guidance mentioned two posts below has been issued:

The guidance, toolkit and other critical H1N1 information can be found at:
http://www.flu.gov/plan/workplaceplanning/guidance.html
http://www.flu.gov/plan/workplaceplanning/toolkit.html