Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a colorless, odorless gas that naturally occurs in the atmosphere as a trace gas. Humans and animals also exhale CO2 as an end product of cellular respiration. In a home or building, CO2 levels can vary greatly, which is why it is sometimes measured as an indicator to help assess current indoor air quality (IAQ) conditions. According to the Minnesota Department of ...
Back on April 1st of 1996, several of the leading environmental, industrial hygiene, engineering and building science professionals decided to go into business for themselves and officially opened the doors at Clark Seif Clark (CSC). The firm quickly made a name for themselves in their home state of California before expanding and opening several offices on the West Coast and Southwest. The ...
Three months ago today, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced it had developed and released a Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool for General Buildings. The document, with instructions and worksheets, is available online, along with other information from NIOSH on this important topic. David Weissman, M.D., director of NIOSH’s Respiratory Health ...
Shortly after Hurricane Michael left a path of destruction across parts of the Florida Panhandle and neighboring areas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released a guidance document for residents and workers tasked with cleaning up and repairing damaged properties. The document covers a number of potential ...
Most people spend the vast majority of their day indoors. Whether at home, in the office or attending school, many spend upwards of 90% of their time in indoor environments. With so much time inside buildings, the quality of the indoor environment and air people breathe is a key component of their health and safety. All too often, indoor pollutants and contaminants can cause exposure concerns ...
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) describes work-related asthma as a lung disease caused or made worse by exposures to substances in the workplace. Common workplace exposures that can cause the condition include contact with dust, mold, animals, plants and various chemicals. These include some of the chemical compounds used in cleaning products and disinfectants. In fact, ...
Back in 1988, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) added 1,3-butadiene to the list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer for purposes of Proposition 65. Sixteen years later, it was also added to the list for developmental and reproductive toxicity. 1,3-Butadiene is produced through the processing of petroleum and is a colorless gas that can also ...
Back in 2006, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released Best Practices for the Safe Use of Glutaraldehyde in Health Care. The 48-page document provides information for health care employers and employees to understand and control exposures to glutaraldehyde to prevent adverse health effects. In the healthcare industry, glutaraldehyde is most often used to disinfect ...
Each year, insurance claims caused by water damage are one of the most common and expensive types of claim. Water damage can not only destroy building materials, furnishing and belongings, it will also often result in the growth of mold, not to mention other contaminants that may have been introduced with the water. These frequently include sewage and even chemicals. To help homeowners and ...
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is the ability of microbes to resist the effects of drugs – that is, the germs are not killed and their growth is not stopped. These pathogens can be found in the environment in the air, water, soil and on surfaces, as well as in or on people and animals. All types of microbes have the ...
Due to the past use of industrial chemicals at a number of locations across New York and the tri-state area, the soil around some homes and businesses may be contaminated. A recent case in New York highlights this issue after polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were found in the soil of a number of homes in Salina. So far, at least 19 homes have been found with PCB contaminated soil in their ...
Millions of people work in office buildings in New York City and the surrounding tri-state area. Over the past decade, a growing number of workers and many of their employers have increasingly recognized the importance of a healthy, comfortable, and productive indoor environment. This awareness has created a growing demand for good indoor air quality (IAQ) in the office environment. ...
Legionellosis is a respiratory disease caused by a type of bacteria known as Legionella. It includes both Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever, which people can develop by breathing droplets of water from the air that are contaminated with the bacteria. Legionella is naturally found in in freshwater environments, like lakes and streams. However, according to the Centers for Disease ...
On November 3rd, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the 14th Report on Carcinogens (RoC) containing seven newly reviewed substances. One of substances was trichloroethylene (TCE), a volatile chemical compound that is used mainly as a solvent to remove grease from metal parts and is also used in some adhesives, paint removers, and spot removers. According to the ...
Last month, for only the fourth time in its history, the United Nations General Assembly took up a health issue and voted to take a broad and coordinated approach to confront antimicrobial resistance. The historic action by the United Nations was due to the growing list of drug-resistant microorganisms that are now found across the globe, including in United States. The Centers for Disease ...
Several months back, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published an advisory bulletin about protecting workers’ hearing. Preventing Hearing Loss Caused by Chemical (Ototoxicity) and Noise Exposure offers facts and tips to help safeguard the hearing of millions of at risk workers. The bulletin ...
Acrylamide is described by the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) as a colorless, odorless, crystalline solid that can react violently when melted. It is used to make polyacrylamides, which are mainly used in treating wastewater discharge from water treatment plants and industrial processes. In addition, the agency reports that acrylamide and polyacrylamides are used in ...
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) describes chloroform (CHCl3) as a colorless liquid that quickly evaporates into a gas. Other common names for chloroform include trichloromethane and methyl trichloride. Chloroform was once used as an inhaled anesthetic for surgeries; as an extraction solvent for fats, oils, greases and other products; as a dry cleaning spot ...
Protecting the health and safety of the U.S. workforce has improved over the years, but as recently as 2017, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) reports that 5,147 workers still died on the job. In addition, countless more were injured on the job or developed occupational diseases. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing ...
July and August are the months that typically bring the hottest outdoor temperatures. These hot and often humid conditions can create health and safety challenges for workers in countless outdoor occupations. Many other workers are subject to hot conditions year-round due to the physical activities of their jobs, contact with heated objects or radiant heat sources. All employers are ...