Mold Training for Homeowners and Volunteers courses offered for April/May

Mold Training for Homeowners and Volunteers

This course provides mold awareness and general safety procedures for homeowners and volunteers when dealing with post hurricane/flood clean-up issues. 

Course topics include:
Awareness of mold
Safe work practices
Personal protective equipment
Respiratory protection
Best practices for remediation.

Please visit https://ophp.umdnj.edu/moldtraining for course dates, locations, and registration.

OSHA to host Workers' Memorial Day events around the country

In a series of Workers' Memorial Day events on and around April 28, 2013, OSHA's national and regional offices will honor the sacrifices made by those who have been lost, disabled, injured or made sick by their jobs. Workers' Memorial Day is also an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to protecting the health and safety of every worker.

To find a Workers' Memorial Day event in your area, contact your regional OSHA office or visit OSHA's events calendar.

Falling off ladders can kill: New fall prevention resource available

OSHA has published a new bilingual English-Spanish booklet on safe ladder use, "Falling Off Ladders Can Kill: Use Them Safely". Developed in partnership with the Singapore Workplace Safety and Health Council and Ministry of Manpower, the booklet provides clear, easy-to-follow information about ladder hazards and using ladders safely, featuring simple illustrations and plain language writing.

Falls are the leading cause of death in construction, and OSHA is working with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the National Occupational Research Agenda to get the word out about how to "Plan, Provide, Train" to prevent fatal falls. To learn more, visit www.osha.gov/stopfalls.

On April 10, OSHA, NIOSH and CPWR co-hosted a free webinar on preventing fatal falls in construction, welcoming an audience of more than 700 participants. An archived version is available for view.

New OSHA publications available: Toluene Fact Sheet, maritime safety publications, spirometry guidance document for health professionals, hexavalent chromium and welding fumes

OSHA has published a new InfoSheet on Toluene Safety in the Workplace. Toluene, also known as "methylbenzene", "phenylmethane" or "toluol," is a clear, colorless liquid used in paints, thinners, lacquers, metal cleaners, fingernail polish, glues and other products. The sweet-smelling chemical is highly flammable and may catch fire if exposed to heat or flames. For more information about how to prevent hazardous exposure to Toluene, including how and when to wear personal protective equipment, see the InfoSheet available in html or PDF*.

Several new Fact Sheets and QuickCards are also available to help employers protect workers performing shipyard and longshoring activities. These resources are available online on OSHA's Maritime Industry publications page.

OSHA has developed a spirometry guidance document for occupational health professionals. Spirometry measures lung function, and is commonly used to evaluate workers’ respiratory health and their ability to perform certain tasks or use personal protective equipment. For more information, see Spirometry Testing in Occupational Health Programs: Best Practices for Healthcare Professionals.

Three new fact sheets on hexavalent chromium exposure describe operations in which workers may be exposed to hexavalent chromium, summarize the known health effects, and provide recommendations for control measures to reduce worker exposures. The fact sheets are available in three industries: Aerospace/Air Transport, Bridge Painting, and Electroplating.

OSHA has also released a new fact sheet on welding fume that describes the types of welding, hazardous components of welding fume, health effects associated with exposure to welding fume and steps employers and workers can take to reduce exposure to welding fume.

OSHA issues new resource to protect emergency workers responding to combustible dust fires

 OSHA recently published Firefighting Precautions at Facilities with Combustible Dust, a new informative booklet that outlines safe procedures for emergency responders who may face fires and explosions caused by combustible dust.

"This booklet will keep both emergency response and facility workers safe by giving them a framework to prepare for potential emergencies involving combustible dust," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "Stakeholders that have reviewed the booklet, including fire chiefs and union health and safety representatives, describe it as 'an excellent resource for explaining the hazards associated with combustible dust and outlining the best practices for pre-incident operational preparation by emergency responders.'" For more information, read the news release.