Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
An American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) panel began work on developing standards for the safe handling of hazardous drugs. The expert panel endorsed three sets of existing guidelines and standards. However, it also identified issues it felt existing standards did not adequately address.
OSHA recently requested public comment on its proposal to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which would extend the OMB’s approval of an OSHA Information Collection Request (ICR) regarding the agency’s Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories Standard (Laboratory Standard) (29 CFR 1910.1450).
Aircuity, creator of measurably better environments, has announced the release of its new educational vodcast. This vodcast discusses important tips for EHS professionals to keep in mind during the implementation of a Smart Labs Program on their campus. Information is provided about saving energy through intelligent ventilation and the health and safety benefits of Smart […]
Why the fuss about bacteria and booze? Well, there’s a potentially serious EHS concern blossoming for healthcare facilities as certain forms of bacteria are becoming more tolerant of the alcohol used in popular hand sanitizers.
There is no replacement for safe lab practices and following the guidance of environment, health, and safety (EHS) professionals. So, is there a role for new technology and advancement in the EHS profession? And can this technology assist in making labs more intelligent and provide better worker protection?
It’s enough to make you reach for the hand sanitizer! Findings published in the November issue of the American Journal of Infection Control suggest that even when they’re sick with flu-like illnesses, 4 out of 10 healthcare professionals show up at work.
Chemotherapy was first used to fight cancer in the 1940s. By the 1970s, chemotherapy drugs were being used to treat noncancerous health conditions, such as lupus, vasculitis, and autoimmune disorders. By the 1980s, the adverse health effects of chemotherapeutic agents on healthcare workers were well known enough to prompt the publication of the first recommendations […]
Pharmacists who compound antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs, and the nurses who then administer them, are at high risk of occupational exposure. These exposures can cause acute health effects, from sore throats to hair loss; allergic reactions; cancer; and reproductive toxicity—including an increased risk of miscarriage. Despite this, multiple studies have shown that healthcare workers […]
Wegener’s granulomatosis is a disorder that causes inflammation of the blood vessels in some parts of the body, leading to blood flow problems in affected organs. Until the 1970s, the disease was treated with steroids—but these could only slow the progression of the disease. Patients with Wegener’s granulomatosis generally died within a few months.
It’s starting to look predictable: There were outbreaks of salmonellosis associated with microbiology laboratories in 2011, 2014, and 2017. The 2017 outbreak resulted in 24 illnesses and 6 hospitalizations in 16 states, from California to Maine, over a 3-month period. As a result of the outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has […]