Industrial Hygiene


Steam Plant Fined After Worker Burned

Fall hazards, lack of personal protective equipment, and deficiencies in the plant's confined space, respirator, and lockout/tagout programs are among the 73 safety violations cited in an inspection conducted by OSHA's Concord Area Office.

thermometer showing a temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit

Workplace Temperature Debate Heats Up in Britain

The Health and Safety Executive seeks comments at a stakeholder forum this week in London as it reviews the issue and IOSH queries its 35,000 members.

Scrap Metal Facility Agrees to Remove Refrigerants before Crushing, Recycling

Chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants deplete the stratospheric, or "good" ozone layer, allowing dangerous amounts of cancer-causing ultraviolet rays from the sun to strike the earth, EPA notes. Production of some of these chemicals was stopped in 1995, and federal law strictly controls their use and handling.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers is based in Atlanta.

ASHRAE Again Raises More than $2 Million for Research

"It is especially heartening that given today's economy, ASHRAE chapters and members as well as industry companies continue to see the value of supporting our research program," said Gordon Holness, president of the society.

Minnesota Dry Cleaning Plant Ordered to Stop Using Banned Machine

The company is subject to the dry cleaning rule of the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants because it uses perchloroethylene in its dry cleaning process. EPA says perchloroethylene may cause serious health effects including birth defects and cancer, and it may also cause harmful environmental and ecological effects.

ASSE Honors 8 Safety Pros for 'Making a Difference'

These individuals, chosen by their peers, represent the society's eight regions, which each contain anywhere from 15 to 20 chapters each.

Construction Enforcement, Stimulus Funding on ACCSH Agenda

ACCSH advises the secretary of labor and the assistant secretary of labor for OSHA in the formulation of standards affecting the construction industry and on policy matters arising in the administration of the safety and health provisions of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act and the OSH Act of 1970.

Bosch Recalls Boilers Because of Fire Hazard

The recalled units, sold by wholesale distributors to plumbing and heating contractors nationwide from September 2007 through December 2007 for between $5,000 and $7,500, are white and designed to be mounted on walls.



Primary Care Physician Decrease Connected to Unfavorable Work Conditions

Adverse work conditions may be to blame for the decline in the number of primary care physicians nationwide, according to a study published in the latest issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Covanta Energy-from-Waste Plant Enters VPP at Highest Level

The site in Agawam, Mass., was admitted for three years of participation at the star level following an OSHA team’s three-day onsite review, which included an examination of the facility’s safety and health management system, interviews with employees, and a complete tour of the plant.

212 Tons of Hazwaste Cost Developer, Management Co. $227,500

In the course of redeveloping the property for residential reuse, a sludge lagoon area containing arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and silver was excavated, and the contaminated material was improperly sent to a landfill in Rochester, N.H., that was not licensed or designed to accept hazardous waste.

EPA to Clear Lead-Contaminated Soil along Penobscot River

The agency estimates it will take three to four months to clean the four-acre site that once held both an auto salvage shop and a gas station, situated a half mile from the center of town in a mixed residential and commercial area.

CDC Starts Web-based Environmental Public Health Tracking Network

Called a "revolutionary tool," it will allow the public to track environmental exposures and chronic health conditions.

Inadequate Process Safety Cited in $202,000 Penalty against Refinery

"The identified violations leave employees at the refinery vulnerable to accidents that could result in injury or possible death," said Al D'Imperio, area director of OSHA's Philadelphia Office.

Former Owner of Largest U.S. Asbestos Mine Agrees to Address Contamination

Under the settlement, G-I will take immediate steps at the VAG Site by constructing fencing, gates, and road barriers to restrict public access; providing onsite surveillance and securing the mill buildings. The company also will monitor air emissions from the piles; conduct dust suppression, if necessary, and provide support to EPA and Vermont for future sampling and monitoring.

Ohio Furniture Maker Cited for Particulates Emissions

In addition, EPA alleges the manufacturer violated notification and recordkeeping requirements and requirements to continuously monitor emissions from its boilers.

large ship

EPA Seeks To Set Tough Emission Standards for Large Ships

The rule comes on the heels of a key part of EPA's strategy, a proposal last March by the United States and Canada to designate thousands of miles of the two countries' coasts as an Emission Control Area.

the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas

OH&S Videos Bring Safety 2009's Expo to Your Desktop!

Three short videos shot at this year's ASSE expo showcase a new wipe that removes lead particles from the skin and is disposed without harming the environment, a service that provides gas monitor maintenance and data analysis to end users, and a training company's array of solutions for customers around the world.

MSHA Announces Monitors Proposed Rule Hearing

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will hold a public hearing on the proposed rule to revise existing requirements to approve sampling devices that monitor miner exposure to respirable coal mine dust.

Valero Fined $107,500 for PSM Hazards at Delaware Refinery

Among the charges against the company are citations for four repeat violations for failing to conduct and document inspections and tests on process equipment, conduct the proper process hazard analysis (PHA), and maintain adequate process safety information.

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