Industrial Safety & Hygiene News articles from September 2002

Industrial Safety & Hygiene News archives from September 2002

The future of MSDSs: it's arrived, as the Internet is helping to simplify compliance.(material safety data sheets)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... For MSDS compliance, like many other tasks that involve information management, the Internet was considered by some to be the "killer app." The e-prophets foretold of universal accessibility, easy document and data storage and low cost. ...

Talkin' responsibility blues: use safety to build back some trust. (Editorial Comments).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... From the sounds of it, a series of safety scandals could have rocked the country this summer. Headlines boomed: "Big Business's Bad Behavior." You had demands for stiffer jail sentences for corporate bad guys. Outraged pols and the public...

Management systems. (Questions & Answers).(worker safety)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Q Do safety and health management systems really work to lower injury rates, or are they just paper programs? A Management systems can work if they are operated by EHS professionals with strong knowledge of the history and culture of the...

New OSHA reg issued for recording hearing loss. (Rules & Regs).(Occupational Safety and Health Administration)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Under OSHA's new final rule that revises the criteria for recording work-related hearing loss, employers must modify how they record hearing loss cases. Beginning Jan. 1, 2003, cases must be recorded when a 10-decibel shift from the employee's...

Hazmat Safety gets scrutinized by DOT. (Rules & Regs).(Department of Transportation clamps down on hazardous materials shipments)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... The U.S. Department of Transportation is considering a raft of safety and security measures for hazardous materials shipments. A notice published in the July 16 Federal Register asks for information on the feasibility of requiring some or...

Greens push EPA & congress for tighter chemical security. (Rules & Regs).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Greenpeace brought a giant "ballot" to EPA and distributed individual "ballots" to EPA employees recently asking them to check the box for chemical security legislation and give them to EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman. Green...

OSHA to negotiate crane safety rule. (Rules & Regs).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... OSHA has announced its first step in updating its construction safety standards for cranes and derricks through the negotiated rulemaking process. "Changes in technology and work processes over the past 30 years call for new, revised crane...

Congress tackles Toxic Mold -- asbestos deja vu? (Rules & Regs).(John Conyers, Jr. introduces The United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act of 2002)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) has introduced H.R. 5040: The United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act of 2002. Conyers says the growth of toxic mold is becoming a problem of "monumental proportions." Exposure to mold...

Asbestos ban proposed -- again. (Rules & Regs).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Senator Patty Murray of Washington has introduced legislation that would essentially ban asbestos in the United States by 2005. The bill, S 2641, would revisit the EPA attempt back in 1989 to ban the substance, according to the American...

Ideas emerge for updating permissible exposure limits. (Rules & Regs).(for toxic substances)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... At a recent Congressional hearing, two respected voices from the safety and health professional community offered ideas on how to overcome the legal and technical hurdles that have stopped OSHA's attempts to update hundreds of permissible...

Top U.K. firms fail to report safety performance. (News Scan).(Health and Safety Executive report)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... More than a year after the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) challenged the U.K.'s top 350 companies to publish information on health and safety in their annual reports, 40 percent are failing to do so. A report published by the Health...

Lessons learned from the miracle in the mine shaft. (News Scan).(managing workplace accidents and emergencies)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... One day, some day, every person who's responsible for the safety and health of employees at a work site comes face to face with an emergency. Probably won't be nine miners trapped almost 250 feet underground for more than three days, like...

Where risky behaviors begin. (News Scan).(University of Pennsylvania Institute for Adolescent Risk Communications research)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... One in three high school boys and girls say they have engaged in one of the following risky behaviors in the past 30 days: smoked cigarettes, used marijuana, drunk alcohol or gambled for money, according to analyses by the Institute for...

Are you fit for action? (News Scan).(number of deaths due to obesity)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... Nearly half of American adults report that they do not exercise at all. And seven out often do so infrequently, according to a report released by the Bush administration. Each year, approximately 300,000 deaths occur related to obesity. In...

Voluntary safety management standard efforts surge ahead. (News Scan).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... The ANSI Z10 committee on Occupational Health and Safety Systems meeting in Charlotte, N.C., this summer brought the group one step closer to releasing a voluntary standard detailing how companies can manage and document their overall health...

What interests industrial hygienists? (Top Ten).(top ten professional development courses)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Here are the top ten professional development courses at the 2002 American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Expo, as selected by the attendees: * Machine Safeguarding 101 * Noise Exposure Assessment: Sampling Strategy and Data...

Training tired workers won't work. (News Scan).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... Technology alone, no matter how sophisticated, will not eliminate safety problems as long as people are the ones making the moves -- especially tired and overworked employees, according to Circadian Technologies. Improving equipment safety...

Starting to "get it" -- the costs (and benefits) of safety. (News Scan).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... The oil industry has increased its focus on safety over the past 15 years, due to the fact that "companies have finally realized how much it costs not to provide a plan of action for safety," according to Gerald Metkey, president of Patch...

How do you make corporations act "responsibly"? (News Scan).(European Commission regulatory strategy)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... It's a white-hot topic in the American press, what with the spread of "infectious greed" that Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan talks about. But Europe is further along in trying to more broadly persuade companies to do the right thing, not only with...

Workplace burdened by cost of crashes. (News Scan).(says National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates U.S. traffic crashes cost $230.6 billion in 2000, according to a federal study. That includes $61 billion in lost workplace productivity and $4.5 billion in workplace costs. Tell...

Want to engage employees? flattery may indeed get you everywhere. (News Scan).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Safety pros looking to get employees involved in their programs take note: People may indeed be suckers for flattery, according to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. In a series of experiments with...

Forget gimmicks & gut feelings: rely on research & retire "flavor of the month". (Psychology of Safety).
September 1, 2002... Safety management clearly suffers from a "flavor-of-the-month" syndrome. It seems safety pros are continually looking for a new idea or "fad" on which to hang their management hat: * In the '70s, DuPont's STOP was a popular approach to...

Before they become employees...: protecting kids from conception to pre-teen years. (Managing Best Practices).
September 1, 2002... The Department of Labor launched the "YouthRules!" initiative (http://www.youthrules.dol.gov/) this past June, "To promote safe and rewarding work experiences for teens." Special care should be given to those just beginning their trek into the...

Material safety data sheets. (Keys to Understanding).
September 1, 2002... Understanding how to locate, read and work with Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) is paramount to workplace safety for millions of workers who handle hazardous chemicals and substances. An MSDS, as discussed in OSHA's Hazard Communication...

'Sound' advice: listen up -- you can take control over workplace noise.
September 1, 2002... OSHA standards for occupational noise exposure are covered under 29 CFR 1910.95. I said, OSHA standards...! Now that I have your attention, the fact is that hearing loss is no laughing matter. It is a communication-thwarting, extremely...

Respirator selection 101. (How to Make the Right Choice for Your Workers).
September 1, 2002... Selecting appropriate respiratory protection can be as important and difficult as deciding whether respiratory protection is needed in the first place. While the selection process can be complex and time-consuming, the consequences of improper...

Foot protection: environment, not footwear, may be your program's weak link.
September 1, 2002... When I was a boy, my father gave me a piece of advice that to this day I haven't forgotten. "Son," the old sage would say, "you only get one set of feet, so you better take care of them." I think about that bit of wisdom whenever I...

When disaster strikes: evacuation lessons of September 11.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... At 12:17 p.m. on February 26, 1993, an explosion rocked the 110-story twin World Trade Center towers, caused by a powerful bomb -- the equivalent of more than a thousand pounds of TNT, located in a parked van on the B-2 level of the underground...

A raging epidemic: leaves personal pain and loss in its wake.(excerpts from 'A Job To Die For: Why So Many Americans are Killed, Injured or Made III at Work and What to Do About It')
September 1, 2002... Excerpts from "A Job To Die For: Why So Many Americans are Killed, Injured or Made III at Work and What to Do About It" Common Courage Press, a publisher for "an informed democracy," just released an expose on the American occupational...

Previewing the National Safety Congress & Expo.
September 1, 2002... October 4-11, San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California A sampling of speakers Vicente Fox, President of Mexico John L. Henshaw, Head of OSHA Dave D. Lauriski, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health...

Heat strain monitor. (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 224 The new QUESTTemp[degrees] III personal heat strain monitor utilizes a miniature datalogging instrument for monitoring individual physiological strain in response to heat stress. The compact unit is comprised of a sensor belt...

Respiratory hygiene. (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 240 Georgia Steel & Chemical offers new respirator wipes, safety equipment, drying shelves and mask storage products that enhance the company's GS series automatic washers, dryers and manual cleaning supplies. The products are safe...

Fall protection. (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 233 Complete turnkey fall protection solutions from Hy-Safe Technology include a variety of services including assessment, fabrication, installation, design, engineering, certification and testing. A complete range of soft goods and...

Electrochemical sensors. (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 229 Draeger has introduced a new electrochemical sensor, the DragerSensor XS-2 H2S, for measuring hydrogen sulfide. Featuring improved temperature and pressure compensation, reduced cross-sensitivities and a two-year warranty, the...

Aerosol Monitors. (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 231 GRIMM Technologies has introduced a comprehensive line of real-time Ultra-Fine Portable Aerosol Monitors that have the ability to detect from three nanometers to a range of 20 microns. The Sequential Mobility Particle Sizer &...

Anti-itch packets. (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 232 Tec Labs offers a new medicated anti-itch product: CalaGel[R] in Individual Use Packets/144 ct. Dispenser Box. Widely used to dry poison oak/ivy oozing and weeping, CalaGel is also well suited for itch and rash relief, minor...

Germicidal solution. (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 228 SaniZide Plus[TM] from Safetec is a one-step, ready-to-use hospital-grade disinfectant, decontaminant, cleaner and deodorizer. The EPA-registered germicidal solution kills both Hepatitis B virus and tuberculosis on hard...

Ergonomic keyboard . (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 234 The EasyMotion CPM(R) Comfort Select[TM] keyboard support system from Active Input Solutions is able to provide the user posture variation via automated movement at virtually any computer workstation. The system, which utilizes...

Waterproof cases. (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 236 The new Micro Case Series[TM] of mini cases from Pelican Products are watertight and outfitted with an automatic pressure purge valve. Ideal for storing valuable equipment, the cases fit cell phones, PDAs, pagers, small...

Fall Protection System. (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 235 The new Miller Edge Fall Protection System from Dalloz is a portable engineered anchorage solution designed to protect decking crews from fall hazards. The patent-pending system features continuous, 100-percent tie-off with...

Gas detection. (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 237 Compliance with health and safety at work legislation is made easy with Lumidor's MiniMAX. Providing gas detection in an instant, MiniMAX offers the wearer protection against oxygen and toxic gas hazards including carbon...

Contemporary eyewear. (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 223 Featuring contemporary styling, Harley-Davidson(R) Safety Eyewear from Uvex includes the limited edition HD 100 Series, an aerodynamic design resembling sports glasses. The sleek, wraparound frame comes in a bright., metallic...

Slip-resistant shoes. (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 230 The new Titan from Shoes for Crews features an athletic style while protecting workers from slips and falls. Designed for men, the Titan offers maximum traction, water-resistant full grain leather, nubuck trim and a breathable...

Single-gas detection. (Product News).
September 1, 2002... Circle 239 The new IMPULSE PRO from Zellweger Analytics is a personal single-gas monitor featuring a very high range of gas readings. The tough, simple-to-use unit features plug-and-play sensors, and ranges include: H2S of 0-500 ppm, and...

DuPont Safety Resources. (Businesses).(New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority contract)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... DuPont Safety Resources (DSR) has entered into a new multi-year contract with the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) -- North America's largest transportation network -- to assist MTA in creating a safer work environment for...

BioFit[R] Engineered Products. (Businesses).(receives patent)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... BioFit[R] Engineered Products has received a patent on its round, folding cafeteria tables with attached seating for ten. The ergonomically designed tables, which measure six .feet in diameter and fold in the center, are engineered so that one...

Donaldson Co., Inc. (Businesses).(expands number of products under Donaldson Torit brand name)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Donaldson Co., Inc., a manufacturer of industrial filtration systems, is extending its Donaldson[R] Torit[R] brand name to encompass its entire line of industrial air filtration products. The new identity will integrate all existing Donaldson...

Hornell, Inc. (Businesses).(celebrates 10 years of supporting Team Torch welders)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Hornell, Inc. is commemorating the tenth anniversary of its support of Team Torch, the exclusive welder for all National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) drag racing events. For the past ten years, Team Torch has exclusively used Hornell's...

Ecom. (References).(ECOM Instruments GmbH catalogue)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Ecom's new catalog covers the company's complete line of intrinsically safe instruments for use in hazardous areas: handheld computers, multimeters, infrared temperature meters, calibrators and simulators, LED flashlights, calculators, solenoid...

TSI, Inc. (References).("Indoor Air Quality Handbook")(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... A new "Indoor Air Quality Handbook" from TSI, Inc. summarizes relevant standards and guidelines, describes techniques for measuring key IAQ parameters and presents sources for additional information. The 20-page handy reference is designed...

J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc. (References).(Workplace Safety Catalog)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc.'s "2002 OSHA & Workplace Safety Catalog" features products covering a wide array of safety and compliance issues including security, hazard communication, PPE and forklifts, as well as products for food, utility...

Lyon Workplace Products. (References).(catalog on workspace efficiency)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Lyon Workplace Products has published a new 180-page catalog on workspace efficiency. With more than 5,000 items, the catalog features such product categories as safety and ergonomics, workspace furniture, storage cabinets, shelving, tool...

3M[TM] Occupational Health & Environmental Safety Division. (References).("Guide to Respirators for Abatement and Mold Remediation")(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... 3M[TM] Occupational Health & Environmental Safety Division has introduced a new "Guide to Respirators for Abatement and Mold Remediation." The brochure includes product and ordering information on 3M's line of respirators, filters and...

Underwater Kinetics. (Awards).(from the Industrial Supply Manufacturers Association ()(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Underwater Kinetics, which designs and manufactures lights, containers and accessories for use in harsh environments, has been awarded the American Eagle Patriotism Award from the Industrial Supply Manufacturers Association (ISMA). The award...

Summit Training Source. (Awards).(receives award from Pactiv Corp.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Pactiv Corp., a leading producer of specialty packaging products, has recognized Summit Training Source with its Pursuit of Safety Excellence Award for overall contribution to its safety initiatives.

American Safety & Health Institute. (Associations).
September 1, 2002... As part of a CPR training drive that runs through the end of this month, the American Safety & Health Institute (ASHI) is offering incentives to become an approved training center. Instructors that become ASHI affiliated before the end of...

Network of Employers for Traffic Safety. (Associations).
September 1, 2002... The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety is sponsoring Drive Safely Work Week 2002, October 7-11. The campaign, which urges the American business community to make traffic safety a priority, addresses risky driving behaviors and seat belt...

American Society of Safety Engineers. (Education).
September 1, 2002... The American Society of Safety Engineers' (ASSE) Emergency Preparedness and Response Symposium to be held November 14-15 in Scottsdale, Ariz., will equip attendees with the knowledge and tools needed to handle a crisis before, during and after...

OSHA Training Institute Education Center. (Associations).
September 1, 2002... The OSHA Training Institute Education Center in Manchester, N.H., has scheduled ten courses in October: Electrical Standards; Fall Arrest Systems; Trainer Course in OS&H Standards for the Construction Industry; Trainer Course in OS&H Standards...

RAE Systems, Inc. (Moves).(hires Bo Andersson)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Bo Andersson has joined the Board of Directors of RAE Systems, Inc., a provider of gas detection and smart sensing network solutions. Andersson has extensive experience in the wireless and infrastructure systems component business and will...

Safety's flawed fundamentals: managers are let off the hook too easily. (Your Turn).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... No less an authority than Hawkeye Pierce, aka, Alan Alda in the TV show MASH, said, "Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won't come in." ...