Items Tagged with 'Workplace exposures'

Breathing problems. Itchy skin, rashes and burns. Irritated eyes. For some workers, including maintenance workers, janitors and housekeepers, these symptoms may have a common factor: cleaning products.

Washington – OSHA has released interim enforcement guidance for its Respirable Crystalline Silica in Construction Standard (1926.1153), which is set to be enforced in full on Oct. 23.

Durham, NC – Workers exposed to oil dispersants during cleanup of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster are likely to experience respiratory issues and other health problems, according to a new study from the National Institutes of Health.

Villejuif, France – Frequent use of workplace disinfectants may increase health care workers’ risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, suggest researchers from France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research.

Washington – NIOSH has published nine new skin notation profiles to “alert workers and employers to the health risks of skin exposures to chemicals in the workplace.”

Toluene – often used in paint, metal cleaners and adhesives – is a clear, colorless liquid that vaporizes when exposed to air at room temperature. According to OSHA, it also has a sharp and sweet smell, which is a sign of exposure.

Santa Monica, CA – Nearly 55 percent of American workers claim they encounter “unpleasant and potentially hazardous” conditions on the job, according to a study from nonprofit research institute RAND Corp., Harvard Medical School and the University of California, Los Angeles.

Washington – OSHA has published a guide intended to help small businesses comply with the agency’s standard on worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica for general industry and maritime.

Washington – The American Chemistry Council recently released updated guidelines on preventive health measures and the use of personal protective equipment for workers exposed to phosgene, a chemical used in manufacturing that is a poisonous gas at room temperature.

Washington – The American Chemistry Council is calling attention to a reanalysis of data linking formaldehyde exposure to leukemia, saying the new findings “call into question the validity” of recent assessments used by regulatory agencies to determine occupational exposure limits.