Environmental Health and Safety

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Following a court order and Congressional directive under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the EPA is proposing financial responsibility requirements for the hardrock mining industry.

OSHA inspectors acting on a complaint found postal employees in Brooklyn, Maryland exposed to blood and other potentially infectious bodily fluids while handling packages labeled as containing biological infectious materials.

There’s bad news for U.S. waterways in the EPA’s latest National Lakes Assessment: nutrient pollution is widespread, with 4 in 10 lakes suffering from too much nitrogen and phosphorus.Nutrient pollution is one of America’s most widespread and costly environmental and public health challenges.

Hydraulic fracturing activities can impact drinking water resources in the U.S. under some circumstances, according to a scientific report just released by the E.P.A. Conditions under which that impact can be more frequent or severe were identified in the report:

OSHA is investigating a fatal fire at a South Dakota ethanol plant that killed one worker and injured another at a biorefining plant. The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined, but OSHA says the worker who died was welding inside a tank at the time.

Manufacturers will significantly accelerate their use of robots in U.S. factories over the next decade as they become cheaper and perform more tasks, constraining payroll growth, according to a study out Tuesday.

Arc welding utilizes an electric arc between an electrode and a metal base using either consumable or non-consumable electrodes. An arc welding robot uses a process which applies intense heat to metal at a joint, causing the metal to melt and intermix.

A man was killed one Wednesday morning in an explosion at a welding shop in Dayton. Authorities were notified of the incident about 9 a.m. at Crystal Welding.

Welding fumes are composed of metals and most fumes contain a small percentage of manganese. There is a concern by workers, employers, and health professionals about potential neurological effects associated with exposure to manganese in welding fumes.

To help keep welders safe, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and OSHA offer safety guidelines to help workers avoid welding hazards. Awareness of the most common welding hazards and knowing how to avoid them creates a safe, productive work environment for all.