Two nonprofit organizations have filed a federal complaint against the EPA for its failure to regulate methylene chloride, a chemical found in paint strippers that has been blamed for 50 deaths. The complaint alleges that the EPA has violated its statutory obligations by not enacting a ban on the substance in paint and coating removal products, despite determining that methylene chloride presents “an unreasonable risk of injury to health” more than two years ago.

Prevention is a key factor for any organization seeking continual improvement in its occupational health and safety performance. In the hierarchy of controls, elimination of the hazard comes first, and the last line of defence is proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

There are 110,000 lost-time hand injuries annually. Hand injuries send more than one million workers to the emergency room each year. And 70 percent of workers who experience hand injuries are not wearing gloves.

In recent years, technology advancement has allowed manufacturers to create more sophisticated yarns that improve glove performance significantly. The level of cut protection can be increased by using high-performance materials, and by increasing a material's weight.

Selecting chemical protective gloves is a crucial, yet challenging task for safety managers worldwide. Complex portfolios are made even more complicated by evolving standards and regulations, making compliance increasingly difficult in today’s work environments.

OSHA investigators found that employees at a Texas gun range were not only exposed to above-permissible limits of lead in the air, they also risked potential exposure due to surfaces throughout the facility that were contaminated with the substance. Tap Rack Bang Indoor Shooting Range LLC - operating as The Gun Range faces penalties totaling $214,387 for safety violations at its facility in Killeen.