Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
In February 2019, the EPA issued a final rule establishing a new set of regulations for the management of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals generated by healthcare facilities. There were several rationales behind the rule. For example, in contrast to staff at industrial facilities, healthcare personnel (e.g., doctors and nurses) are rarely trained to make hazardous waste […]
The EPA has long emphasized that the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and its regulations were written to address the generation of solid and hazardous wastes by industrial plants and the storage, treatment, and disposal of such wastes at permitted facilities and landfills. What the regulations were not intended to cover is the generation […]
Female nurses who give cancer patients their medications don’t always wear gloves or gowns to protect themselves from hazardous drugs, according to a new National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study.
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 […]