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Each year, more than 300 American workers die from silicosis, and thousands of new cases are diagnosed. Silicosis is the name given to incurable lung damage that occurs when workers inhale dusts that contain crystalline silica. Silica comes in different forms, but crystalline silica is the type that causes scarring in the lungs. Crystalline silica […]
OSHA’s latest regulatory agenda, released in late May, outlined the status of the agency’s currently pending prerules, proposed rules, and final rules. Today, BLR® Safety Editor Emily Clark provides information on what you can expect to see from OSHA in the coming months and which developments could affect your facility. Among the final rules, the […]
Methylene chloride (also called dichloromethane) is a solvent with many uses, including paint stripping, polyurethane foam manufacturing, and cleaning and degreasing. You might not think that a chemical you can buy at your local home improvement store for use at home would be all that dangerous, but don’t be fooled. Methylene chloride is hazardous enough […]
If you’re in charge of a HAZWOPER site, there are site-related duties and responsibilities you need to be aware of. These include site characterization and analysis, establishing a chain of command, and site control.
OSHA estimates that as many as 5 million workers are required to wear respirators in more than 1 million workplaces throughout the United States. If you’re going to ensure that those workers are breathing clean air, you have to start from the outside and work your way in.
Hydrogen sulfide, or sour gas, is a flammable, colorless gas that is toxic at extremely low concentrations. It is heavier than air, and may accumulate in low-lying areas. It smells like “rotten eggs” at low concentrations and causes workers to quickly lose their sense of smell. Hydrogen sulfide, or sour gas, is a flammable, colorless […]
Hydrogen sulfide gas is very corrosive and therefore extremely hazardous. You need to take special precautions when choosing equipment and establishing safe work procedures. Hydrogen sulfide gas is very corrosive and therefore extremely hazardous. You need to take special precautions when choosing equipment and establishing safe work procedures. All oil and gas well drilling sites […]
In all, OSHA’s ambitious regulatory agenda sets out action on 29 rulemakings. Here are the highlights. Final rule stage. Final rules expected this year or later: Occupational injury and illness recording and requirements—NAICS update and reporting revisions. OSHA anticipates a final rule in June 2014 that would update the list of industries partially exempt from […]
Yesterday, we focused on OSHA’s safer chemicals toolkit. Today, we turn to its annotated PEL tables. OSHA recognizes that many of its permissible exposure limits (PELs) are outdated and inadequate for ensuring protection of worker health. Most of OSHA’s PELs were issued shortly after adoption of the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 1970, and […]