Environmental Health and Safety

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Natural disasters, such as hurricanes and floods, can leave a lot of debris. Some of this debris may be burned during cleanup. Smoke from these outdoor fires is unhealthy for you to breathe. Smoke may cause you to cough. It can cause shortness of breath or tightness in the chest. It also can sting your eyes, nose, or throat.

Human resources policy in areas such as health insurance benefits, paid time off, and compensation are important "missing variables" in studies connecting health and business outcomes, according to a report in the January Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).

Ozone is a gas that you cannot see or smell. Ozone occurs naturally in the sky about 10 to 30 miles above the earth's surface. Sometimes, this ozone is called "good ozone" because it forms a layer that protects life on earth from the sun's harmful rays. Ground-level ozone, on the other hand, can be bad for your health and the environment.

Want to learn more about OSHA’s proposed rule on occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica? The agency will host a live web chat tomorrow from 1 – 1:30 p.m. EST to discuss it.

Older firefighters who are chronically exposed to heat stress on the job may be more heat resilient over time. A recent study published in the December issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (JOEH) found that older firefighters may be able to tolerate more challenging or arduous work environments before they feel affected by the heat, compared to non-heat-exposed workers who would need to stop work prematurely. 

OSHA personnel who followed up on a complaint and inspected a Georgia elementary school that was being demolished found that Thompson Building Wrecking Co., Inc. was knowingly exposing workers to asbestos-containing debris being moved by a skid steer loader with a grapple attachment. The debris had been allowed to accumulate on the ground.

Resolution #1: Less Focus On Preaching More On Teaching. Awareness campaigns are important for the unaware. But most workers who ultimately get hurt do so knowing something they know is dangerous, or at very least that they suspected COULD be dangerous. 

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and Cintas Corporation are seeking nominations for the inaugural Innovation Award in Occupational Safety Management. The award will recognize individuals who have addressed workplace safety challenges in innovative ways.