Archive for editor

6.01rr Internal Hazardous Waste Management Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) – City of Boise

6.01rr Internal Hazardous Waste Management Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)  City of Boise

Monarch High School In Louisville Evacuated Due To Chemical Leak – CBS Denver

Monarch High School In Louisville Evacuated Due To Chemical Leak  CBS Denver

Plainville Fire and Hazmat Crews Investigate Chemical Leak – wbsm.com

Plainville Fire and Hazmat Crews Investigate Chemical Leak  wbsm.com

Our work to rid schools and buildings of hazardous PCBs – Washington State Department of Ecology

Our work to rid schools and buildings of hazardous PCBs  Washington State Department of Ecology

Dutch public prosecutors open criminal investigation into Tata Steel – Reuters

Dutch public prosecutors open criminal investigation into Tata Steel  Reuters

Philadelphia Man Charged with Trafficking Counterfeit Airbags from China – Department of Justice

Philadelphia Man Charged with Trafficking Counterfeit Airbags from China  Department of Justice

Guest column: What to do with hard-to-recycle items – Colorado Hometown Weekly

Guest column: What to do with hard-to-recycle items  Colorado Hometown Weekly

DG Digest: Federal Agencies Release Semi-annual Agendas

Here we are at the end of January already!  One month gone from the New Year.  Hopefully, your resolutions are still sticking.  Meanwhile, time flies, but at least we’re all a month closer to the new Spring.  Let’s all get through the rest of the winter safely—keep your cold weather plan up to date and... The post DG Digest: Federal Agencies Release Semi-annual Agendas appeared first on Labelmaster Blog. Read more [...]

DG Digest: FMCSA Proposal Would Reduce State Fees by 27% in 2022

It’s the middle of what is typically the worst month of winter weather over much of the country—let’s stay focused on keeping our employees safe, especially if your facility has work outside. Falls and frostbite are nothing to sniff at, and as HS&E professionals we need to stay on top of things. Keep walkways clear of... The post DG Digest: FMCSA Proposal Would Reduce State Fees by 27% in 2022 appeared first on Labelmaster Blog. Read more [...]

Supply Chain Moves: Week of January 24, 2022

  Week of January 24, 2022 Linking supply chain news with dangerous goods compliance 2021 may be in the rearview but supply chain challenges most organizations faced last year remain. With industry experts predicting continued disruption throughout 2022, organizations will continue to adopt new processes and solutions to navigate short-term challenges and position themselves for... The post Supply Chain Moves: Week of January 24, 2022 appeared first on Labelmaster Blog. Read more [...]

How to ship lithium batteries by air—in 2022 and beyond

Since 2016, when the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) implemented drastically more restrictive global regulations on shipping lithium batteries by air, shippers have adapted and done their best to comply. Meanwhile, regulatory agencies continue to update regulation in an effort to keep lithium battery transport by air as safe as possible. The most recent change... The post How to ship lithium batteries by air—in 2022 and beyond appeared first on Labelmaster Blog. Read more [...]

DG Digest: US Agencies Adjust Civil Penalties for 2022

As the week begins the nation honors the memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Labelmaster family joins all Americans in recognizing the gigantic importance of Dr. King’s work and his lasting legacy. Mid-January finds the nation finished with the winter holidays and struggling with the inevitable resulting surge in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Many... The post DG Digest: US Agencies Adjust Civil Penalties for 2022 appeared first on Labelmaster Blog. Read more [...]

Supply Chain Moves: Week of January 10, 2022

  Week of January 10, 2022 Linking supply chain news with dangerous goods compliance 2022 is in full swing, and so is the post-holiday return season. The influx of return shipments adds yet another supply chain challenge as businesses are trying to navigate the effects of winter storms, labor shortages, rising COVID cases and more.... The post Supply Chain Moves: Week of January 10, 2022 appeared first on Labelmaster Blog. Read more [...]

ShipERP customers get real-time UN code validation with DGIS integration

How many different materials go into a modern, high-end sports car? A few hundred? Maybe a thousand? Actually, it’s orders of magnitude larger than that—10,000, 20,000 or more. Let’s say ten percent of those are classified as Dangerous Goods. There’s probably a lot of overlap, but you’re probably talking about several hundred different UN numbers,... The post ShipERP customers get real-time UN code validation with DGIS integration appeared first on Labelmaster Blog. Read more [...]

DG Digest: U.S. DOT Releases Draft (FY 2022-2026) Strategic Framework

Happy New Year!  The week just ended finds the nation entering 2022 and finishing up another busy holiday season—now it’s time to bear down, get through the rest of the winter, and head into what we certainly all hope will be a springtime marked by progress and improvement.  If your resolutions include keeping up more... The post DG Digest: U.S. DOT Releases Draft (FY 2022-2026) Strategic Framework appeared first on Labelmaster Blog. Read more [...]

DG Digest: A busy final week of 2021 with updates from TSA, FMCSA, EPA and more

Here we are at the very last DG Digest of the year. It’s been another year of difficult days for everyone as we all continue to cope with the pandemic, which now seems set to take us into a third year of dealing with it. Especially for those of us working as part of the... The post DG Digest: A busy final week of 2021 with updates from TSA, FMCSA, EPA and more appeared first on Labelmaster Blog. Read more [...]

Our top 10 posts of 2021: Dangerous Goods sanity for a crazy year

2021 started with the world in the grip of a pandemic and ended … with the world in the grip of a pandemic. In between, the global supply chain struggled with labor shortages, shipwrecks, material shortages, capacity crunches, chronic disruptions and the most stressful holiday shipping season in memory. In our corner of the Dangerous... The post Our top 10 posts of 2021: Dangerous Goods sanity for a crazy year appeared first on Labelmaster Blog. Read more [...]

NIOSH in Cincinnati – A Pictorial History, Part II

NIOSH in Cincinnati – How did it happen, and what has it looked like? How did federal industrial hygiene and occupational (and environmental) health research and service come to Cincinnati, and why did it stay? Interconnected stories of events that occurred, locations and buildings where they happened, cultural elements that developed, and artifacts that remain, speak to this question, providing evidence and glimpses of federal staff in Cincinnati investigating occupational health concerns, Read more [...]

Resolve to Protect the Safety and Health of Workers Manufacturing Fitness Equipment

As we end January, many reevaluate their New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you are one of the many Americans who resolved to improve their diet and start an exercise routine or join a gym. Exercise is not only good for your health, but the fitness industry is also a big part of the U.S. economy. In 2022, gyms, health clubs, and fitness clubs in the U.S. are expected to make over $35 billion. This figure only applies to commercial operations; it does not include equipment purchased for home gyms Read more [...]

NIOSH Education and Research Centers: Training

As part of its mandate, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is required to provide an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Public Law 91-596).The NIOSH-funded Education and Research Centers (ERCs) are one of the principal means for meeting this mandate. In 1977, the first nine ERCs were established in nine different states. By 1985, the number of centers grew to 14 centers in 14 states before further Read more [...]

The NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards

The NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (NPG) is the most popular NIOSH document produced to date. The NPG informs workers, employers, and occupational health professionals about workplace chemicals and their hazards. The NPG presents key data for 677 chemicals or substance groupings (such as cyanides, fluorides, manganese compounds) that are found in workplaces. The guide does not give all relevant data on a chemical but offers key facts in an abbreviated format. The information found in the Read more [...]

NIOSH Noise: A 50-Year Timeline of Research and Intervention

Noise is among the oldest occupational hazards. An 18th century report noted hearing loss among coppersmiths whose “ears are injured by that perpetual din” from hammering on metal.[1] In view of this, noise was among the first hazards NIOSH addressed when the Institute was established in 1971. A dedicated Noise Section was established in Cincinnati to conduct field studies of noise exposure, design engineering controls, test hearing protection devices, evaluate the effectiveness of hearing Read more [...]

Total Worker Health® Program Readies NIOSH for Next 50 Years

  As NIOSH commemorates its 50th anniversary, the NIOSH Total Worker Health® Program reflects on its past while focusing on leading the field of occupational safety and health into the future.  The past and current successes of the Total Worker Health discipline are rooted in the fundamental beliefs that work and workplaces should be safe and healthy, that it is unacceptable to trade a worker’s health for wages, and that protections should extend to all workers regardless Read more [...]

The Role of the Industrial Hygienist in a Pandemic: A roadmap for COVID-19 and beyond

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and health (NIOSH) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) have been developing guidance to help protect workers across all industries. AIHA has more than 80 years of experience protecting the health and safety of workers and their communities and has been at the forefront of efforts to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19. Early in the COVID-19 response effort, NIOSH established a cooperative Read more [...]

The Most-viewed NIOSH Products of 2021

It’s that time of year again when we take stock of the past year and what NIOSH information was most viewed on our channels. As the world and NIOSH continued to fight a pandemic it is not surprising that respirator information dominated on the NIOSH website and the NIOSH Science Blog. NIOSH continues to work diligently to protect workers from COVID-19 including certifying respirators. A blog post from last year summarizes additional aspects of the NIOSH COVID-19 response. As NIOSH marked Read more [...]

The Secret Origins of NIOSH

  While NIOSH’s 50th anniversary dates from its creation in its present form in 1971, it has a little-known history that stretches back much farther. NIOSH was in fact created from the Division of Industrial Hygiene of the U.S. Public Health Service, which has a continuous and eventful history going all the way back to 1914. Its path leads from Pittsburgh to D.C. to Bethesda, Maryland, where it was an integral part of NIH’s newly built campus and had a vital role in supporting worker Read more [...]

A Final Look at Our 50th Anniversary Commemoration

We hope you found a way to help us celebrate NIOSH’s 50th anniversary year.  Commemorating a milestone such as this while the world—including NIOSH— fights a pandemic, has presented some unique challenges. NIOSH staff adjusted accordingly and produced a series of events and products worthy of our golden anniversary. If you missed any of these the first time around, please check them out as they contain a wealth of historical information on what has formed NIOSH into what it Read more [...]

NIOSH in Denver

NIOSH has had a presence in Denver since the early 1970s shortly after NIOSH was created.  While the name of the office and the functions have changed over time, a commitment to improving occupational health and safety conditions for those working in the Western United States has remained constant. In 2015, the Denver Office became part of the new NIOSH Western States Division.  Together with the NIOSH Alaska Office and the Spokane Research Laboratory, the staff in the Denver Office work Read more [...]

Prevention Through Design

Prevention through Design, or PtD, is the process of designing OUT a hazard and it is the most reliable and effective way to protect workers.  If a hazard doesn’t exist, there is no need to purchase protective equipment and establish ongoing programs to maintain it, inspect it, and train and supervise workers to use it. Since 2007, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has led the Prevention through Design National Initiative whose goal is to prevent or reduce Read more [...]

NIOSH in Cincinnati – 50 Years of OSH Research and Service

Occupational safety and health (OSH) research has a long history in Cincinnati, Ohio that pre-dates the creation of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in 1971 (see related blog). Today, NIOSH has facilities across the country including two in Cincinnati —the Robert A. Taft Occupational Safety and Health Laboratory on Tusculum Avenue and what is now known as the Alice Hamilton Laboratory for Occupational Safety and Health on Ridge Avenue. While the NIOSH Cincinnati Read more [...]

NIOSH in Cincinnati-A Pictorial History Part 1

NIOSH in Cincinnati – How did it happen, and what has it looked like? How did federal industrial hygiene and occupational (and environmental) health research and service come to Cincinnati, and why did it stay? Interconnected stories of events, locations, buildings and artifacts provide glimpses of federal staff in Cincinnati investigating occupational health concerns and are a vital part of the history of NIOSH’s present.   U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Stream Pollution Investigations Read more [...]

Santa’s Workshop Keeps Spirits Bright with Total Worker Health® Strategies

Before the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, everyone in the North Pole is busy preparing for the big night. Elves build toys at an escalating pace to help Santa stock up for the holiday. Santa’s Workshop may be magical but, like many workplaces, safety and health hazards can still be present. Fortunately, Santa doesn’t need magic to keep his workers safe. To protect elves and promote their well-being, he uses Total Worker Health (TWH) approaches. Santa thinks carefully about Read more [...]

Learning from Workplace Fatality Investigations

  Each day, on average, 15 U.S. workers die as a result of a traumatic injury on the job. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program is a research program designed to identify and study fatal occupational injuries. For nearly 40 years, the FACE program has worked to prevent occupational fatalities across the nation by identifying and investigating work situations at high risk for injury and then formulating and Read more [...]

Workplace Violence Research

  In the 1980’s a series of shootings at post offices drew public attention towards the issue of workplace violence. While mass shootings receive a lot of media attention, they actually account for a small number of workplace violence events. NIOSH has been studying workplace violence since the 1980s. In 1993, NIOSH released the document Preventing Homicide in the Workplace. This was the first NIOSH publication to identify high-risk occupations and workplaces. The research revealed that Read more [...]

Respiratory Health Research at NIOSH

  The history of protecting workers’ respiratory health pre-dates the creation of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).  In 1967 the Appalachian Laboratory for Occupational Respiratory Disease (ALFORD) was established within the U.S. Public Health Service (see related blog). ALFORD subsequently joined NIOSH in 1971, became the Division of Respiratory Disease Studies in 1977, and then the Respiratory Health Division (RHD) in 2015. A comprehensive history Read more [...]

30 Years of the NIOSH Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Program

  As NIOSH celebrates half a century of work in occupational safety and health, the Institute’s Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (AgFF) Program reflects on 30 years of research and outreach designed to protect the people who produce our nation’s food and fiber. The AgFF Program began in response to a rise of farmer safety concerns from the Midwest and Northeast.1 To address long-standing high rates of fatalities, injuries, and illness in agriculture, Congress established a national Read more [...]

Musculoskeletal Disorders Research at NIOSH

Throughout its 50 years, NIOSH has been at the forefront of efforts to protect workers from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).  MSDs were recognized as having occupational causes as early as the beginning of the 18th century. However, it was not until the 1970’s that occupational factors were examined using epidemiologic methods, and the work-relatedness of these conditions began appearing regularly in the international scientific literature. By the 1990s, the literature has increased dramatically Read more [...]

Center for Direct Reading and Sensor Technologies

  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH)  Center for Direct Reading and Sensor Technologies is the centralized hub for all things related to sensor and direct reading technology. The Center coordinates internal and external research to develop recommendations for 21st century sensing technologies in occupational safety and health. Established in 2014, the Center’s work on direct reading methodologies and sensors is based on decades of NIOSH research Read more [...]

The OSH Act—A Response to Workplace Tragedies

  As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), we have highlighted many of the NIOSH successes and accomplishments through the years. This is also a time for reflection and looking back at our history. The roots of U.S. occupational safety and health regulation date back to the late 19th century. It was all too common then for state labor bureaus to report on horrific industrial tragedies [MacLaury 1981]. The large loss of life due Read more [...]