Black Lung is Back: After almost being eradicated in the late 1990, black lung is back, with a vengeance. Epidemiologists at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health say they’ve identified the largest cluster of advanced black lung disease ever reported, according to an NPR story. “When I first implemented this clinic back in 1990, you would see … five [to] seven … PMF cases” a year, says Ron Carson, who directs Stone Mountain’s black lung program.
The EPA, cabinet members and a host of federal agencies – all part of the President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children -- gathered last week to hear the EPA’s strategy for reducing childhood lead exposure and associated health risks.
Transportation safety was in the headlines this week, in stories about a decrease in traffic deaths, train crashes with an identical cause and a plane that lost a part in midair, terrifying its passengers. Those and other stories were featured on ISHN.com.
A military initiative is this year’s honoree in the prestigious Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award™ which is presented annually by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA).
The Organization for Standardization (ISO) has announced the release date for the global occupational safety and health management standard it’s been working on for five years.
ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements, will be available starting March 12, 2018.
The global death toll from work-related accidents or diseases is 600 people die each day, or more than 2.78 million a year.
The primary way to avoid hand and finger injuries is to ensure hands are kept out of the “danger zone” while a work task is performed. Evaluate each work task and ensure that it is being performed in the safest manner possible. Personal responsibilities to keep your hands out of the “danger zone” include:
Selecting the right tool for the job is as critical to preventing injury as it is to getting the job done right. Educate employees on the proper tool selection and the risks in improvising (i.e. using a screwdriver as a chisel). Stress the importance of operating tools according to the manufacturers’ instructions. Walk employees through the correct use and storage of the device to prevent accidents that could easily be avoided.
A pinch point is produced when two objects come together and there is a possibility that a person could be caught or injured when coming in contact with that area. Pinch points commonly impact fingers / hands, but can impact any area of the body. The injury resulting from a pinch point could be as minor as a blister or as severe as amputation or death.