General Safety Topics

The IRSST just published a report entitled Thermal Stress and Chemicals – Knowledge Review and the Highest Risk Occupations in Québec. Exposure to cold or heat triggers a series of compensatory physiological responses enabling the human body to maintain its internal temperature despite thermal stress. These thermoregulation mechanisms are well documented and the resulting physiological…...

Some U.S. homes built between 2001 and 2008 contain problem drywall (see definition on page 6). Beginning around 2008, some people living in these homes started reporting health issues and other problems to their state health agencies. Those living in affected homes reported a spectrum of symptoms and health effects including recurrent headaches, irritated and…...

The final count of fatal work injuries in the United States in 2012 was 4,628, up from the preliminary count of 4,383 reported in August 2013. The final 2012 total was the second-lowest annual total recorded since the fatal injury census was first conducted in 1992. The overall fatal work injury rate for the United…...

The New England Safety Training (NEST) Alliance Sub Committee is happy to announce the material is ready and we can start to spread the word about the Scissor Lift Stand Down.  We are asking this to be scheduled anytime on your project during the week of May 4-10, 2014 in an effort to raise safety…...

A new ASTM International standard will be used to provide a uniform international method for recording occupational injuries and illnesses, in order to make global performance comparisons of companies in keeping workers safe. ASTM E2920, Guide for Recording Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, was developed by Subcommittee E34.80 on Industrial Health, part of ASTM International Committee…...

The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors has released its Fourth Quarter Report of Violation Findings for 2013.  The data captures problem areas and trends related to boiler and pressure vessel operation, installation, maintenance, and repair; and also identifies problems before unsafe conditions occur.  This report serves as an important source of documentation…...

The ACGIH® Board of Directors ratified the 2014 Threshold Limit Values (TLVs®) for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents and Biological Exposure Indices (BEIs®) on December 13 and 19, 2013 and on January 27, 2014. The Board also approved recommendations for additions to the Notice of Intended Changes (NIC). For a listing of the substances that were acted upon, click here. The…...

Many do not realize I am on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.  I am friends with several OSHA personnel (active and retired), CSB personnel (active and retired), etc. and we have some really nice discussions on-line about safety and accidents.  One of my safety friends, John Newquist, Retired Assistant Regional Administrator OSHA Region V, out this together after…...

Every year, approximately 30 million people in the United States are occupationally exposed to hazardous noise. Noise-related hearing loss has been listed as one of the most prevalent occupational health concerns in the United States for more than 25 years. Thousands of workers in a variety of industries suffer from preventable hearing loss due to…...

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) has recently announced the release of the newest version of ANSI/ASSE Z359 Fall Protection Code Version 3.0.  A benchmark standard that has been incorporated into many industrial fall protection programs around the world, the code establishes requirements for an effective and comprehensive fall protection management system. It then…...