PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A+A 2OO7 TVade Fair Continues to Grow in lUumbers

A-i-A 2007, International Trade Fair for Safety', Socurit\ >ind I k\ilth .it Work, expects more than 1,300 exhibitors, and 54,000 trade visitors to take part in tbe intemational event held in Dtisseldorf, Gennany. The fair, which is slated for Sept. 18-21, will feature exhibits witbiii tbree main categoriespersonal protection, occitpational bealth and occupational safety. It will also serve as a networking opportunity, as many European businesses in the field of cKCUpational safety find health will be able to meet and discuss tbe indtistry. Another higbligbt is a special exhibit that includes the Good Practice Forum; tbe Science & Research Forum; tbe Corporate Fashion Sbow; tbe Initiative for a New Quality of Work's presentation entitled "Office as a Success Factor"; and the Health & Safety Meeting Point. For more information on A+A 2007, visit www.mdnLi.com.
WORKER SAFETY

who participate in noisy recreational activities. The educational website, www.besthearingprotection .com, provides information on various environments and illustrates, witb charts and explanations, tbe different noise sources found in those environments. The site also provides users with information about hearing loss and otber pbysiological effects of prolonged noise exposure, and it covers different bearing protection methods, sucb as devices tbat incorporate advanced technologies.
IN MEMORIAM

Aiian St. John Hoit Remembered for His Many Contributions

The SH&E iiidustry recently lost one if its top contributors, Allan St. John Holt. He had nearly 30 years experience on tbe Institution of Occupational Safety and Healtb's (lOSH) Council of Management, and twice served as lOSH's president. As lOSH president, St. Jobn Holt encouraged international cooperation between governments and professional societies and set up lOSH's International Committee. Otber important contributions include: suggesting unification arrangements for professional training and examination that led to the formation of tbe National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health; cofounding tbe South Coast Brancb of lOSH in 1976; authoring tbe
books Pfittcipk's of Health attd Safety nt Work, which is in its 7tb edition, and Principles of Conslruction

A+A 2007 Trade Fair will feature exhibits in personal protection, occupational bealth and occupational safety.

iUIOSH Recommends Surveiilance for HeaKhcare Workers

A new report from NIOSH recommends medical surveillance for bealtbcare workers who are exposed to bazardous drugs while at work. The report outlines basic elements of the program, including health questionnaires; laboratory tests; physical examijiations completed at tbe time tbe worker is hired, then updated periodically; and follow-ups witb workers whose bealth bas clianged or wbo have bad significant exposure. Employees can be exposed to harmful drugs tbrough skin absorption or contact, ingestioti, inhalation or injection. Due to the many exposure pathways, NIC^H recommends correct PPE, work practices and engineering controls in addition to worker surveillance. NIOSH Director jobji Howtird says, "Tbe recommendations in this document, whicb were developed in partnership with healthcare professionals, offer practical and effective measures for instituting and maintaining safe, efficient procedures for handling hazardous drugs." To view tbe full report, visit www.cdc.gov/ niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2007-117.
HEARING PROTEaiON

Safety, tbe COSHH Assessment Workbook and many otber articles for professional publications; and organizing the first American-European Construction Safety Conference in 1989. At tlie time of bis deatb, St. Jobn Holt was the honorary president of Southampton Occupational Safety AsstKiation since 1990, a magistrate since 1987. He was also a nonexecutive chair for the Hascom Network Ltd. and tbe group bead of bealth and safety at Royal Mail, helping tbe company reduce accidents by 50'/o, For tbis accomplisbment, be was awarded tbe Order of the British Empire in tbe 2007 New Year's Honors List.
WORKER SAFETY

CSB Calls on Governments to Establish OSHA Programs

At a recent bearing, tbe U,S. Ciiemicai Safety and Hazard Investigative Board (CSB) urged "governments at all levels to take steps to protect public employees from preventable chemical accidents, including the establishment of programs incorporating mandatory OSHA standards." The hearing, "Workplace Safety: Wby Do Millions of Workers Remain Without OSHA Coverage?" was conducted before tbe House Subcommittee on Workftirce Protections. The testimony cited CSB's investigation of tbe metbanol fire and explosion at the Bethune Point Wastewater Treatment Plant in Florida tbat killed two workers and injured one in January 2006. CSB reported tliat insufficient safety training, a lack of

Pro Tech Communications Launches iUeinr Weiisite

Pro Tech Communications Inc., manufacturer of tbe NoiseBuster line of headpbones and otber bearing protectitin proditcts, has recently launched a new website targeted at workers in industrial occupations, individuals who use loud tools and people
16 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY JULY 2007 www.asse.org

hazard communication and no control of hot work were all factors of the accident. The report also noted that Florida does not have any state regulations or laws which require municipalihes to implement safe work practices or communicate chemical hazards to municipal employees. Florida, along with 26 other states, also has not adopted plans to provide OSHA coverage for public employees. "It is simply inequitable to afford public employees with lesser workplace protections than workers in private industry," CSB Chair Carolyn Merritt noted. "No workerwhether employed by the city, cotmty, state, federal government or the private sector should have to suffer injury or death just to earn a living." For Merritt's complete testimony, visit www.csb.gov / news releases /docs / PublicWorker SafetyMay24Testlmony.pdf.

and converuence/' says OCCU-TEC's Greg Malmgren. The course is available through www.occutec .com or www.360training.com. and it meets with EPA's Model Accreditahon Program. It has also been accredited by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Air Pollution Control Program.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Eweeic 2OO8 Hopes to Diversify Engineering Proifession

Engineers Week 2008, scheduled for Feb. 17-23, will unveil a broad program of outreach and education efforts to encourage more women and diverse groups to join the profession. Tlie event is cosponsorecl by IBM and the Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA, and is expected to reach millions of people around the world. SH&E TRAINING Key activities for Eweek 2008 include: Companies Team Up to Create New Faces of Engineering. This event showcasFirst Online Asbestos Prograni es engineers who are making their mark in the in a collaborative effort, training companies OCCU- engineering industry, and provides stimulation and TEC and 360training bave released the environincentive for students at all levels who might conmental industry's first online EPA Asbestos Inspesider entering the field. ctor refresher training course. The 4-hour course Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day. For its 8th reviews the relationship between asbestos exposure and its potential health effects to workers who have year, female engineers will mentor and share firsthand engineering experiences. been exposed. It also reviews the certification DiscoverE. Educational materials will be disrequirements for building inspectors and outlines tributed to more than 45,000 engineers to work the basic elemetits of a detailed and thorough with 5.5 million students and teachers during building inspection. "It's very rewarding to realize a long overdue need within the industry and to be extracurricular programs and in<lassroom visits to schools. For more information, visit www.eweek.org. able to deliver a real solution that. . . will benefit asbestos inspectors . . . in terms of financial savings htt^ustry Notes continued ou page 78

"It is simply inequitable to afford public employees with lesser workplace protections than workers in private industry."

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17

ip-otn page 17
SAFETY COMPLIANCE

EH&E Promotes WebBased TVaining to Combat Compliance Cballenges

SH&E experts tit Ejiviroiiiiiental Health and Engineering (EHSrE) have identified new strategies for improving program compliance deficiencies in healthcare facilities that are equipped with labs. Through research, EH&E staff has found that three basic problems usually cause lab deficiencies during compliance re\ ii-w s, s.ik-!\ \ jolations in the lab; program organization and accessibility; and training deficiencies. EH&E believes that more common approaches to training technicians such as videos, printed materials or games can start to include web-based training

programs. Staff members have created a program management system that provides easy access to program information and status. Lab inspections, with the presence of feedback to keep track of corrective actions and an accessible organizational mechanism are tools that can be implemented in the system. For more information, visit www .eheinc.com/ehe web solutions.htm or send an e-mail to contact@eheinc.com.
WORKER HEALTH

responds to neurotoxic chemicals and challenges to the immune system. The article also notes that body weight and other physical variables may affect the correct use of PPE. Furthermore, a study funded by NIOSH and conducted by Duke University researchers, suggests a correlation between body mass index and the rate of workers' compensation claims. Tliis study found that obese workers in high-risk jobs incurred the highest costs in compensation claims, both medically and economically. To address the negative affects of obesity and work performance, scientists suggest diversifying food choices at work, increasing exercise opportunities on the worksite and reducing stress. The article, which was published in
the American lournal ofPubiic Health, is

Research Adresses Obesity and the Workplace

NIOSH's article, "Work, Obesity, and Public Health," discusses the potential iir\ks between work, obesity and health. Eleven NIOSH scientists and one colleague coauthored the article which describes results from scientific research and uncertainties that would need to be addressed to better understand obesity and how it relates to the occupational safety workforce. One area the article highlights is the potential impact of obesity on workrelated disease and injury. Some evidence suggests that obesit)' may increase the risk of occupational diseasesasthma, musculoskeletal disorders or vibration-induced injurybut it also suggests that obesity may alter the way the body

available at www.ajph.org/cgi/content/ full/97/3/428. Results of the Duke University research, which was published ui
the Archives of Internal Medicine, can be

found at http://archinte.amaassn.org .cgi.content/full/167/8/766.

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personnel from needlestick injuries while using suture needles is available for public review and technical comment. Comments on the bulletin or any new data, research or information on the topic will be accepted until 5 p.m. July 27, 2007. The SHIB is available at www.osha .gov.dts.shib/shib032307.html and www .cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2007-132. Information on how to submit reviews, comments or new data is available at www .cdc.gov /niosh/review /public/106.

CALL FOR COMMENTS

Proposal Deadline Extended for Healtbcare Facilities Guidelines

The Health Guidelines Revision Committee (HGRC) has extended the public proposal period for the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities to Sept. 30, 2007. The guidelines, which are used by engineers, architects and healthcare professionals, address the design and construction of healthcare facilities and also recommend program, space and equipment needs FIRE SAFETY for clinical and support areas of the MFRA Produces Evacuation facilities. Guide for the Disabled For the current revisions, HGRC is The Emergency tvacuation Planning focusing on patient- and staff-related Guide for People with Disabilities is building design and construction issues available from the National Fire Prosuch as; tection Association (NFPA), and can be use of patient lift devices; found nt www,nfpa.org. The guide fea imaging technologies used in operattures a checklist that building services ing rooms; managers and people with disabilities bariatric accorrunixiations; can use to design a personalized evacuasound design and vibration in tion plan. The document provides infor- healthcare environments; mation on the five general disability single bedrooms beyond medical/ categoriesmobility, visual, hearing, surgical and obstetric facilities; speech and cognitive impairmentsand environment of care; on the four elements of evacuation inforinfection control; mationnotification, way finding, use healthcare facility engineering. of the way and assistance. To propose changes, visit the Facility Guidelines Institute website at www.fgi NANOTECHNOLOGY guidi'lines.org.

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Summary Finds Carbon lUanotubes Produce Toxic Response

A summary conducted on scientific information on the human health and environmental effects of carbon nanotubes (CNT) concludes that carbon nanotubes will prtxluce a toxic response if they reach the lungs in sufficient quantity, and that they have the potential to build up in the environment and throughout the food chain. According to the summary, published in Environmenial Health Perspectives, CNT are considered one of the most promisiiig materials in nanoteclinology with properties for many different technological uses. Different syntheses, purification and post-processing methods produce CNT with different physical characteristics, which hinders grouping all CNT into one uniform category. Because of this, the toxicity potential of each nanoparticle type must be evaluated individually. Scientists say the occupational exposure limit for CNT should not be more than 0.1 mg per cubic meter of air. Scientists also urge companies to screen workers for health effects such as ltmg inflammation, allergic reactions and cardiovascular problems. To view the summary, visit www.ehp Qnline.org/diKs/2007/%52/abstract.html.

WORKER HEALTH

FDA Approves First Respirators for Use in Public Emergencies

Two filtering facepiece respirators, products of 3M Co., were recently approved for marketing by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The 3M Respirator 8612F and 8670F will be available to the general public without a prescription, and will help reduce the user's exposure to airborne germs during a public health medical emergency, such as an influenza pandemic. NIOSH also certified the products as N95 filtering face piece respirators. Although many companies make tliese types of respirators, the newly approved respirators are the first to be cleared by FDA for use during public health emergencies. According to FDA, other companies that wish to market their respirators for use dtiring public health medical emergencies must acquire certification from NIOSH to provide proper filtration without hampering one's ability to breathe. Companies also must conduct biocompatibility testing to reduce the chance for allergic skin reactions, hold fit assessment testing, and provide instructions that enable proper use of the device and a protective fit.

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