A recent report from researchers at the University of California at San Diego has revealed that the habit of smoking at least one pack (20 cigarettes) a day has severely declined over the last fifty years. Investigators observed that the rate of decline was particularly noteworthy in California, where lung cancer rates also fell in […]
Heavy Cigarette Smoking On the Decline Read More »
State health officials in Massachusetts are developing measures to help the state’s military veterans quit smoking. The new campaign is the second effort launched since 2008 to help veterans with this growing health problem. Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray released a statement praising “the brave men and women” in uniform and said that the campaign
Massachusetts Helps Vets Quit Smoking Read More »
A new technique used for testing for the presence of lung cancer could potentially reduce diagnosis time from six months to four weeks, according to researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This dramatic improvement in diagnosis time comes courtesy of a three-dimensional testing technique known as volumetrics. The procedure involves taking
New Polymer Test Improves Lung Cancer Diagnosis, Says Experts Read More »
A judge at the Caerphilly Magistrates’ Court fined a building contractor £2,500 (US$3,893) for disregarding regulations governing asbestos remediation. Ron Couch Building Contracts Ltd. of Pontypool paid the fine after pleading guilty to two counts of violating the country’s Control of Asbestos Regulations. The firm was accused of taking on asbestos removal projects without a
British Contractor Fined for Illegal Asbestos Removal Read More »
Officials with the US Marshals Service and the Environmental Protection Agency captured escaped fugitive Albania Deleon last week in the Dominican Republic. Ms. Deleon was convicted of issuing certificates for an asbestos-remediation training class to unqualified applicants. She had fled the country prior to her sentencing hearing in March. When she failed to appear, US
EPA’s “Most Wanted” Fugitive Captured Read More »
Recently, an auction house (Pickles Auctions) located in Canberra, Australia was shut down due to improper removal of asbestos products. The closure was deemed necessary after it was determined the removal of the asbestos was both unauthorized and improperly performed. The news was brought to the government’s attention through the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy
Australian Union Workers Fight for Asbestos Safety, Monitoring Read More »
On February 7, 2008 an Imperial Sugar refinery exploded in Port Wentworth, Georgia, killing 14 workers and injuring dozens more. The cause of the explosion was combustible dust. Following the disaster, OSHA representatives were chastised during a hearing at the House Education and Labor Committee for their apparent lack of concern about protecting U.S. workers
Georgia Senators Urge OSHA to Issue Combustible Dust Regulations Read More »
Asbestos is a fiber that is prized for its strength and heat resistance. These two unique qualities make asbestos an excellent component in vehicle brake pads. However, the hazards of asbestos exposure have long been known – inhaling such fibers can cause scarring of the lung tissue and, in some cases, rare lung cancers such
Asbestos Exposure From Brake Dust Still A Concern Read More »
Ensuring employee safety and health is not only the human thing to do; it is also just plain good for business. At least, this is what numerous partners of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have been reporting. Repeatedly, companies with strong occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) programs are experiencing
Teaching the Financial Benefits of Worker Safety and Health Read More »
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has just released a slew of intriguing data pertaining to 2008 work-related deaths. Overall, the news is good, with a full 10 percent decrease in workplace fatalities when compared to 2007 figures. Furthermore, 2008 occupational deaths (5,071 in total) register as the smallest annual preliminary total for any year
Fatal Occupational Injuries Decline 10 Percent in 2008 Read More »