Tag: NIOSH

Snow blower in winter

Cold Work Hazards Include Frostbite, Hypothermia, and … Carbon Monoxide

Two federal agencies have issued warnings about the hazards of working in cold weather. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reminded employers and workers that frostbite and hypothermia can occur when working in cold, wet, icy, or snowy conditions. And OSHA reminded employers about the carbon monoxide (CO) hazards of using portable […]

Marijuana and opioids, drug use

Employers See Effects of Rising Opioid, Marijuana Use

The use and misuse of both illicit and prescription drugs are affecting a growing number of employers. Whether marijuana or opiates are obtained legally or illegally, both are present in the workplace. An increasing number of workers are even dying on the job from drug and alcohol overdoses. The most acute hazards are faced by […]

Coal miners

NIOSH Asks: Why Aren’t More Miners Screening for Black Lung?

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) wants to know why only 35% of active coal miners are participating in NIOSH’s voluntary Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP). The CWHSP offers miners free health screenings, including chest X-rays and spirometry examinations, which help detect dust-induced interstitial lung disease (black lung or coal workers’ […]

Oil worker

Diesel Exhaust: An Ever-Present Hazard

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently published a fact sheet on hazards faced by workers in the oil and gas (O&G) extraction sector. One such hazard is exposure to diesel exhaust (DE), which contains diesel particulate matter (DPM).

Vaping, e-cigarettes

Vape Shop Investigation Reports Employee Chemical Exposures

The use of e-cigarettes, commonly called vaping, has been promoted by manufacturers and retailers as a safe alternative to smoking tobacco smoke. The chemical evidence backs up this claim, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but there’s more to the picture.