Industrial Hygiene


Open compact fluorescent light bulb

UV Warning for Compact Fluorescent Lights

British authorities say people shouldn't be exposed for more than an hour within 1 foot of a bare "open" (single envelope) compact fluorescent light bulb of the type shown here. They're asking for this concern to be addressed in EU standards.

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Becomes a VPP Merit Site

The company, which manufactures sealing and bearing systems for the automotive and aerospace industries, was acknowledged for achievement in its employee safety and health program.

EPA Orders Metalast to Revamp How Company Pretreats Wastewater

The EPA determined the facility is subject to federal pretreatment standards under the Clean Water Act

Effikal Recalls Gas Vent Dampers Due to Carbon Monoxide Hazard

Effikal LLC, of Orion, Mich., in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, has announced a voluntary recall of its Automatic Gas Vent Dampers.

image of heavy truck, idling

'Bailout' Plan Includes Heavy Truck Tax Break for Idle-Reduction Devices

However, for idling reduction devices to qualify for the tax break, they must be determined by EPA in consultation with the Department of Energy and DOT to reduce idling of such vehicles at a motor vehicle rest stop or other location where such vehicles are temporarily parked or remain stationary.

ASHRAE Publishes IAQ Guidelines for Low-Rise Buildings

The new publication "is an essential resource for designers, builders, and others looking for reliable information on topics not covered in [ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.2-2007] or seeking to go beyond minimum for high performance construction," said committee chair Steven Emmerich.

Image of someone getting a flu vaccination

APIC Supports Required Annual Flu Immunization for Health Care Workers

In response to the low rates of influenza immunization among health care personnel, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) has announced its support for requiring flu immunization for health care workers who have direct patient contact as well as ancillary staff.

IFMA, ASHRAE to Sign MOU Promoting Energy-Efficient Buildings

"In the new era of triple bottom line accountability on financial, social, and environmental contributions, the need for energy vigilance and conservation is greater than ever," said IFMA President and CEO David J. Brady.



Furniture Installation Company Fined for Repeat Idling Violations

Idling typically wastes almost a gallon of fuel per hour, puts more wear and tear on an engine than driving, and causes pollution that contributes to ozone smog, fine particle pollution, and increased carbon dioxide emissions, EPA notes.

A picture of a construction worker welding together steel beams from high above the ground.

OSHA Task Force: Fall Hazards No. 1 Violation at NY Construction Sites

The agency detailed 12 inspectors to conduct 96 safety inspections at 46 construction sites throughout the city from June 23 to July 3. Citations were issued to 60 contractors for 129 violations with a total of $247,400 in proposed fines during the period.

Wynnewood Refining Co. in Wynnewood, Okla.

Oklahoma Refinery Fined $91,000 for Process Safety Management Violations

The company was cited for failing to document and implement provisions of OSHA's PSM standard concerning equipment deficiencies, operator training, and safe working practices, among other things, following an explosion in April resulting from the release of flammable liquid and vapor from an open piping system during preparation for maintenance.

NIOSH to Seek Input on Hexavalent Chromium Draft Guidance Document

A public meeting focusing on the draft document's thoroughness and scientific and technical soundness is slated for Jan. 22, 2009 in Cincinnati. Written comments are being accepted from Oct. 15, 2008, through Jan. 31, 2009.

EPA Issues Final Yucca Mountain Radiation Standards

In addition to limiting the radioactive waste dose limit to 15 millirem per year for the first 10,000 years after disposal, the final standard will require the Department of Energy to consider the effects of climate change, earthquakes, volcanoes, and corrosion of the waste packages to safely contain the waste during a 1 million-year period.

picture of DuPonts Holliday

DuPont Chairman & CEO Picked for '09 Palladium Medal

The award honors "distinguished contributions to the chemical industry," and on May 6, 2009, Charles O. Holliday Jr. will be the third DuPont leader to receive it.

Study: Psychological Distress Levels of 9/11 Workers Exceed Norms

The findings of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in World Trade Center workers are similar to those encountered in U.S. war veterans returning from Afghanistan, researchers say.

FDA Awards $2.5 Billion to Modernize Information Technology

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced the selection of ten contractors to receive up to a total of $2.5 billion for information technology (IT) and data center management services over the next ten years.

Wood-Fired Boiler Emissions Could Cost Company $96,041

According to EPA, the Mattoon, Wis.-based manufacturer failed to comply with certain requirements of its state operating permit for its wood-fired boiler that emits air pollutants, including particulate matter (smoke, dust, ash) into the atmosphere.

EPA Fines Firm for Failing to Report Info Needed by First Responders

"Facilities that use toxic chemicals must provide complete and accurate information about these chemicals so residents and emergency responders are aware of possible chemical hazards in the community," said Enrique Manzanilla, Communities and Ecosystems director for EPA's Pacific Southwest region.

AIHA Ensures its Labs Can be CPSC Third Party Registered

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) recently announced they are working on an action plan to address Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requirements that were issued Monday, Sept. 22, for the accreditation of third party conformity assessment bodies (laboratories) to test children's products for lead content.

The Value of Consistent Emergency Care

It has always amazed me how a simple thing such as a lack of communication can not only lead to less-than-optimal results, but also that the sub-par performance can sometimes continue for decades! No example of this phenomenon is more readily apparent than the traditional approach used to irrigate injured eyes in commercial or industrial facilities.

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