Chemical cleanup workers exposed to hazards

TCS employees not provided safety gear and other protections

Worker safety needs to be taken
seriously, OSHA inspectors say.

For the third time in two years, a chemical tank cleaning service has exposed workers cleaning portable tank wagons to dangerous confined space hazards.

Responding to a complaint, U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors found seven repeated and two serious violations at Dedicated TCS LLC's Channahon site. OSHA has proposed penalties of $79,464.

"Once again, Dedicated TCS has failed to protect its workers and expects them to work with hazardous materials such as hydroxide and nitrogen chemical residue in dangerous spaces without safety equipment," said Kathy Webb, OSHA's area director in Calumet City.

"The company's failure to safeguard its employees is a consistent and unacceptable habit. It must stop now."

During a July 28, 2014, inspection, OSHA found that Dedicated TCS gas meters were not in working condition, and neither rescue and retrieval devices nor appropriate lighting for use in permit-required confined spaces were provided.

A confined space is one large enough for workers to enter and perform certain jobs, such as a tank wagon, but it has limited or restricted means for entry or exit and is not designed for continuous occupancy.

The company also failed to train workers about the hazards they faced and how to use personal protective equipment when working with chemical residue.

Inspectors also found that the entry supervisor did not verify that all safety requirements were met before allowing workers to enter the tank wagons.

Dedicated TCS was cited for the same violations at the Channahon facility in September 2012 and the company's Lansing facility in November 2012.

OSHA issues repeated violations if an employer previously was cited for the same or a similar violation of any standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.

The July 2014 inspection also found slip, trip and fall hazards on floors and stairs and used, damaged extension cords, resulting in two serious violations.

An OSHA violation is serious if death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard an employer knew or should have known exists.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

Source: OSHA

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Chemical plants susceptible to terror risks

Many chemical facilities could become targets
of terrorist attacks, releasing toxic fumes: Experts

The government has failed to inspect virtually all of the chemical facilities that it considers to be at a higher risk for a terror attack and has underestimated the threat to densely populated cities, congressional investigators say.

The year-long investigation by Republican staff on the Senate Homeland Security Committee paints a picture of inspection delay, government errors in risk assessment and industry loopholes in a $595 million terror prevention program passed by Congress in 2006. A copy of the investigators' report was obtained by The Associated Press.

Coming a year after a massive explosion at a West, Texas, fertilizer plant, the report points to threats from the release of toxic and flammable chemicals.

Roughly half of the 4,011 high-risk facilities on the Department of Homeland Security watch list are in 10 states: California, Texas, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan and New Jersey.

The U.S. effort is "a broken program that is not making us measurably safer against the threat of a terrorist attack," states the report commissioned by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.

It said widespread problems have left many of the nation's riskiest chemical facilities "effectively unregulated."

The report relies in part on internal DHS documents, including an assessment of the terror program completed late last year that hasn't been released, and a federal database of higher-risk facilities.

DHS spokesman S.Y. Lee noted that the department has stepped up monitoring efforts, having approved security plans for 750 facilities in the last two years. DHS officials have called on Congress to authorize the program over multiple years — not just year to year — so the government and chemical companies can better plan for longer-range security.

"The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards program is an important part of our nation's counterterrorism efforts," Lee said, adding that DHS is committed "to build on the progress it has made."

The report said that as of June 30, DHS had failed to conduct security compliance inspections on 3,972 chemical facilities, or 99 percent of the 4,011 facilities initially considered at a higher risk for terrorism. Many facilities are chemical manufacturers; they also include farm supply retailers or fertilizer distribution warehouses.

DHS considers a chemical facility "higher risk" based on the amount of toxic or flammable chemicals on site, such as chlorine, a corrosive, or ammonium nitrate, which can be used to make explosives.

Final rankings, on a tier of one to four, are determined based on additional information provided to the government.

The committee found that roughly 3,111 of the facilities had yet to have security plans approved despite statements to DHS officials that it would be done. Investigators said it could take years for DHS to reduce the backlog.

The report also cites a DHS-commissioned study completed late last year that raised concerns the list of 4,011 higher risk facilities was not accurate, in some cases relying on outdated data or treating densely populated areas as lower threats due to coding errors.

Committee investigators have indicated that larger metropolitan regions such as Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Philadelphia might be more vulnerable to a chemical attack. The report notes that rural accidents like the West, Texas, plant explosion "pale in comparison with the consequences of releasing large quantities of toxic gas into a densely-populated city."

Among other findings, the report points to industry loopholes. DHS grants exemptions to a number of industries including water and wastewater treatment, which use high amounts of chlorine, a toxic chemical. While the program regulates ammonium nitrate, it does not regulate 12 other chemicals that can also be used to make explosives.

The report urges substantial changes before Congress re-authorizes the terror prevention program for the year, such as allowing lower-risk facilities to self-certify their security plans meet DHS standards; fixing the risk assessment methodology; creating a permanent task force of industry experts to advise DHS; and giving DHS power to penalize companies that deliberately seek to ignore its regulations.

Source: San Jose Mercury News

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Report lists agents and exposures that may lead to cancer

Welding can expose workers to
toxic fumes and particulate matter.

IARC listing prioritizes substances for evaluating carcinogenic risks

An advisory group to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has published a report recommending and prioritizing chemicals, complex mixtures, occupational exposures, physical agents, biological agents, and lifestyle factors for IARC Monographs during 2015-2019.

IARC is the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization, and government agencies across the globe use its monographs as scientific support for their actions to prevent exposure to potential carcinogens.

These monographs identify and evaluate environmental factors that can increase carcinogenic risks to humans.

The report lists more than 50 recommended agents and exposures, and among those listed as high priority for the upcoming years are bisphenol A, 1-bromopropane, shiftwork, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, welding and welding fumes, and occupational exposure to pesticides.

Source: OH&S online

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EPA warns of TCE exposure

Agency releases final risk assessment on Trichloroethylene (TCE), begins process to address potential human health risks

Many dry cleaners and other small
businesses use toxic chemicals daily.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a final risk assessment for trichloroethylene (TCE). The assessment identified health risks from TCE exposures to consumers using spray aerosol degreasers and spray fixatives. 

It also identifies health risks to workers when TCE is used as a degreaser in small commercial shops and as a stain removing agent in dry cleaning.

“EPA calls on Congress to enact legislation that strengthens our current federal toxics law,” said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for chemical safety and pollution prevention.

“Until that time, we are using the best available science to assess and address chemical risks of TCE that now show that it may harm human health and the environment.”

The final TCE risk assessment was developed as part of the agency’s Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Work Plan, which identified chemicals for review and assessment of potential risks to people’s health and the environment.

EPA developed the draft TCE risk assessment based on the best available information and finalized the assessment after careful consideration of comments from the public and experts during an independent, scientific peer review of the assessment.

TCE is the first chemical to complete the work plan risk assessment process under TSCA.

EPA is conducting a workshop from July 29-30, on potential TCE degreaser alternatives and risk reduction approaches.

EPA will also conduct other activities to address TCE uses as a stain removing agent in dry cleaning and as a clear protective spray fixative.

In the meantime, EPA recommends that people take precautions that can reduce exposures, such as using the product outside or in an extremely well-ventilated area and wearing protective equipment to reduce exposure.

For more information on the TCE risk assessment, the July 29-30 public workshop, and TSCA workplan chemicals, click here.


Source: EPA

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Firefighters need better cancer coverage: Canada

Ontario announces increase in firefighter cancer coverage

Multiple cancers can result from
firefighting work.

The government of Ontario is expanding the qualifications for workers’ compensation for career firefighters.

Premier Kathleen Wynne announced that the province would add six types of cancer to the list of diseases that count as work-related for firefighting professionals.

As of Premier Wynne’s announcement, breast cancer, multiple myeloma and testicular cancer have been newly classified as diseases that can result from firefighting work.

The government also plans to add prostate, lung and skin cancer to the list of illnesses presumed to be work-related by 2017.

“Firefighters face dangerous situations every day, and the risks are both immediate and long-term,” Premier Wynne said in a statement. “While we can never fully remove these dangers, we can, as a government, ensure firefighters have access to the highest quality of care and support.”

The Ontario Premier credited a private member’s bill by Steven Del Duca, the MPP for Vaughan, for spurring on these legislative changes.

The government said in an April 30 press release that the extension of presumptive status for these cancers would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 1960. It applies to firefighters who work on a full-time, part-time or volunteer basis and to fire investigators.

The intention is to reverse the burden of proof for firefighters who suffer from these diseases and want to claim coverage under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act.

Previously, the government had added eight types of cancer — brain, bladder, kidney, esophageal, ureter and colorectal cancer, as well as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and specific types of leukemia — to the list of presumably work-related diseases in 2007.

The new additions followed seven years of lobbying by the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association (OPFFA) to expand the number of diseases presumed work-related in the sector.

“We’re certainly extremely pleased for firefighters and for their families, that we were able to achieve that recognition,” said OPFFA president Mark McKinnon. “We’ve been lobbying for it for several years.”

McKinnon explained that “a toxic soup of chemicals” in modern fires had expanded the dangers for people in the profession, regardless of the state-of-the-art protective gear that firefighters wear now.

“In the old days, when everything was built of wood and raw fabrics, you didn’t have the chemicals that you do have in today’s TVs and furniture and everything,” McKinnon explained. “And those chemicals affect firefighters, and not necessarily through inhalation, through smoke, but in through our skin.”

As a result, firefighters are more likely to suffer from these types of cancer than the general population, McKinnon added, citing research indicating that firefighters contract testicular cancer at twice the rate that other people do and approximately five years earlier.

He said that he also wanted to see post-traumatic stress disorder recognized as a presumptive condition for firefighters.

Ontario is not the first Canadian province to start acknowledging links between firefighting and several cancers this year.

In February, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Workplace Health, Safety & Compensation Commission recommended that the provincial government update legislation to classify cancer as a workplace hazard for firefighters.

Source: OHS Canada

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Occupational diseases on the rise: Nfld report

Occupational disease comes from constant
exposure to irritants at work over a long time.

A new report from the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC) of Newfoundland and Labrador has offered both good and bad news about oh&s in the province.

On one hand, last year’s lost-time incidence rate of 1.6 (meaning 1.6 incidents per 100 workers), the same as the rate for 2012, was the lowest calculated in the WHSCC’s history.

The rate has steadily declined over the past 13 years, the commission claimed in a press release about the report on April 24.

But the report also noted that of the 30 work-related fatalities that had occurred in 2013, 25 of them resulted from occupational illness. This was an increase from 20 occupational disease deaths in 2012.

The province has also seen a rise in the average number of occupational disease fatalities per year over the past decade, according to Leslie Galway, the WHSCC’s chief executive officer.

From 2004 to 2008, the annual average number of deaths from occupational disease was 13; over the subsequent five years, the annual average was 21.

“We’ve been tracking occupational disease and the fatality aspects as one part of that for a long while,” said Galway. “In a working population of this size, we would be concerned with these outcomes.”

Galway defined occupational disease as illness that results from constant exposure to irritants at work over a long period of time.

Common examples of irritants include dust from asbestos or silica, toxic fumes from chemicals and loud noise. The latter can seriously affect hearing over the long run.

As for how the overall rate of workplace injuries and deaths could decline while occupational disease increased, Galway explained that occupational disease is a long-term development.

“So if you think of something like asbestos or silica dust, it’s usually over a career, and it can be that the exposure took place between 10 or 15 years followed by another 20 years of latency while the disease actually develops,” she said.

“So it takes quite a period of time before you actually see this demonstrated as a disease and a claim to the commission.”

Source: OHS Canada

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Toxic fumes on air planes worries experts

Toxic air can affect air plane staff and passengers.

A senior engineer at aircraft giant Boeing warned bosses they would be “looking for a tombstone” unless they tackled the potentially deadly issue of toxic fumes on board passenger planes, a bombshell email reveals.

The Sunday Express obtained a memo written by a long serving employee at the US company in which he complains he and other engineers have been given the “run around” over their fears.

The engineer was so worried about the risk to passengers on board Boeing’s planes he told bosses he was amazed air safety regulators were not taking stronger action.

He said in the email Boeing was fully aware of the issue and some of the events that had been witnessed, including blue clouds of chemical compounds circulating above passengers’ heads, were “significant”.

The email was sent in 2007 and campaigners say it shows how much the aviation industry was concerned despite public statements even today that the air is safe.

The issue of toxic air, which regularly forces pilots to don oxygen masks, is one of the most serious facing the aviation industry, yet passengers are generally unaware it even exists.

According to official Civil Aviation Authority records, the entire crew of a British registered Airbus was taken to hospital for toxicology tests following a “fume event” on an unidentified flight to Geneva last month.

Yet just days later, Transport Minister Baroness Kramer told Parliament passengers had no automatic right to know whether they too might have suffered.

She flatly rejected a call by the Countess of Mar in the House of Lords to force airlines to inform passengers whenever a fume event occurs.

She also said there was little point in installing air quality monitors on board because “it is not clear what a monitoring system would be seeking to detect”.

Experts, such as the highly respected aviation analyst David Learmount, say this potentially endangers the long term health of those who fly.

Unfiltered air inside aircraft

The issue concerns the way breathing air enters the cockpit and passenger cabin.

On almost every aircraft, the air passengers breathe is sucked unfiltered into the cabin from the compression section of jet engines and is known as “bleed air".

Any oil leak at high temperatures in the engine seals, which can occur when pilots change the thrust of the plane, can release a complex mixture of potentially toxic fumes containing organophosphates.

Crew and passengers would only be aware of a possible leak by a strange, pungent, often likened to “smelly socks”.

A build up of these organophosphates has the ability to attack the body’s nervous system, causing serious illnesses.

However, because the term “aerotoxic syndrome” is not widely recognised by the medical profession, doctors will rarely ascribe its symptoms, such as nausea and loss of cognitive ability, to hours of flying.

It is argued the aviation industry deliberately plays down the significance of the issue for fear of the multibillion pound consequences.

Whenever questioned on the issue, airlines and aircraft manufacturers repeatedly state cabin air is safe and point to a much criticised Government-backed study by Cranfield University in 2011 which found no evidence of any harm to long term health.

Source: Daily Express This article has been edited for length.

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Cancer risk was unknown to people in EPA studies

The EPA is studying the effects
of particles and fumes

The EPA, which warns of dangers from diesel exhaust and tiny particles in its rules to cut pollution, recruited people for tests on those pollutants in 2010 and 2011.

Consent forms they got didn’t mention cancer because the agency considered the risks minimal from short-term exposure, the agency’s Office of Inspector General said in a report.

“When justifying a job-killing regulation, EPA argues exposure to particulate matter is deadly, but when they are conducting experiments, they say human exposure studies are not harmful,” Louisiana Republican Senator David Vitter said in a statement, reacting to the report.

The EPA’s test practices have been criticized by Republicans who say the agency contradicts itself in explaining its rules and testing safety, and called for the human testing to be shut down.

The watchdog said the EPA followed “applicable regulations,” and proposed procedural changes, not a shuttering of the research.

“The agency should inform study subjects of any potential cancer risks of a pollutant to which they are being exposed,” according to the report, conducted after complaints from the lawmakers.

EPA to improve consent forms

The agency pledged to improve its consent forms and set up better plans for reacting to “adverse events and unanticipated problems” in response to the watchdog’s recommendations.

In the past decade, the EPA did 13 studies of particulate matter and four studies on diesel exhaust at its North Carolina laboratory, the report said.

Each study would include 20 to 40 people in a chamber where pollution is set to levels similar to Los Angeles or New York. Blood, heart and lung functions are monitored for about two hours. Long-term effects are unlikely because the tests are so short, according to the agency.

The exposures “reflect a balance between being high enough to produce biological responses but not so high as to produce clinical responses,” the report said.

The EPA said its studies on people, which have been conducted for more than 40 years, provide detailed biological information on how pollutants affect individuals.

“We are in the process of embracing their recommendations,” Bob Kavlock, deputy assistant EPA administrator for science, said in a blog post today.

“Thanks to their generous spirit and contribution of time, our research volunteers play a vital role in helping EPA scientists advance the cause of protecting the health of all Americans.”

Source: Bloomberg Businessweek

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Chemical plant odors worries residents

A chemical leak was to blame for the strong
odors affecting nearby citizens.

Residents living near the Imperial Oil refinery and chemical plant are wondering why a hydrocarbon gas leak sent workers to safe havens within the plant while citizens were left to go about their routines despite a strong odor wafting through much of the southwestern Ontario city.

Warning sirens went off at the Imperial site after a vapor release began at 3 p.m. Friday, caused by a release of “light hydrocarbons,” according to a company news release.

The leak came from a small pipe in the site’s chemical plant.

Imperial’s air monitoring showed no measurable levels of hydrocarbon or hydrogen sulfide, the release said.

A strong odor wafted over the city, prompting a rash of 911 phone calls, said Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley. Calls were also fielded by a local radio station.

The leak was contained immediately and did not go off-site, according to Sarnia police news release, and Imperial Oil staff ensured that the odor smelled by neighbors was in no way toxic or harmful.

The all-clear was given at 8:30 p.m. Friday, according to the company.

Company officials should have warned the city that the leak would have an effect on people outside the site, the mayor said Saturday.

Imperial has not specified what the leaked material was or how much of it leaked. An investigation is underway, said a spokesman, but he did not know how long that might take.

Regulatory authorities, including the provincial Environment Ministry, have been notified.

Source: The Star

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Print manufacturing fraught with safety hazards

Connecticut manufacturer of print reproductions faces penalties for recurring hazards

Chemical hazards and combustible dust
are some of the dangers of print
manufacturing.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Artbeats Inc. for repeat and serious violations of workplace safety standards at its Cheshire facility in Connecticut.

The company, which manufactures reproductions of prints and paintings, faces $56,430 in proposed fines following an inspection by OSHA's Bridgeport Area Office begun Dec. 3, 2013, in response to a worker complaint.

Inspectors found several hazards similar to those cited in June 2010 at the company's Waterbury facility.

These hazards include failing to provide a program to ensure workers are trained to power down and lockout industrial saws prior to conducting maintenance; provide a chemical hazard communication program and training on the risks and safeguards associated with chemicals, such as paints and gels; and prevent usage of unapproved electrical equipment in areas that generate and accumulate combustible wood dust.

"Left uncorrected or allowed to recur, these conditions expose employees to hazardous chemicals, fire, and lacerations and amputation by activated machinery," said Robert Kowalski, OSHA's area director in Bridgeport.

"An employer must ensure hazards are consistently and effectively addressed to provide employees a safe and healthful work environment."

The conditions resulted in the issuance of eight repeat citations, with $53,460 in proposed fines. Additionally, one serious citation, with a fine of $2,970, was issued for an inadequately guarded radial arm saw.

Artbeats Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet informally with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.

Source: OSHA 

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How to make nail salons healthier for workers and clients

Chemicals like toluene or formaldehyde in nail products have
been linked to serious health problems, experts say.

Nail salons are where women turn for pampering and polish. But under the luxurious veneer, salons aren't always healthy places to be.

Authorities are beginning to notice the serious health risks associated with nail products and they are starting to act.

Last year, Alameda County's Department of Environmental Health began a Healthy Nail Salon Recognition Program to push its roughly 350 salons, which employ 1,000 manicurists, to adopt healthier practices. San Francisco was the first city in the nation to launch such a program in 2012, and Santa Monica followed in July.

Alameda County publicly honored Leann's Nails and six other salons last month for becoming certified in its program. Requirements include installing proper ventilation and ensuring employees wear gloves. Salons also must significantly limit their use of products with chemicals that are health hazards.

"These people are working with these materials constantly," said Pamela Evans, the coordinator of Alameda County's nail salon program. "They're being used right in very close proximity to people's breathing zones."

Losing the 'toxic trio'

The polishes in Leann's Nails come in every hue, from turquoise to fuchsia, but a sign makes it clear that they do not contain what health officials refer to as the "toxic trio": dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde.

Exposure to these compounds can result in headaches, dizziness and irritations in the eyes, skin, nose and throat. It can also lead to more severe, long-term problems.

Dibutyl phthalate, which gives polishes flexibility and a moisturizing sheen, is linked to developmental problems in animals. Toluene, which is used to create a smooth look in polishes, can cause damage to the liver and kidneys and harm unborn children during pregnancy. And formaldehyde, which hardens polish, is a carcinogen.

Those are just the polishes. Businesses that join the county's Healthy Nail Salon Recognition Program also must stay away from polish removers with butyl acetate, methyl acetate and ethyl acetate, which collectively can cause drowsiness and irritate the eyes, skin and other parts of the body.

Finally, salons must not use thinners - which remove thick clumps from polish - that contain toluene or methyl ethyl ketone, which is associated with upset stomachs, headaches and loss of appetite.

Environment regulators and consumer advocates have long been trying to limit these exposures.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers to evaluate workers' exposure to dust and chemical vapors, and, if the levels are a health risk, provide workers with respiratory gear for protection.

Most work in a nail salon will not require respiratory protection if proper ventilation and safe work practices are in place, according to the agency.

Misleading claims

But it can be difficult to properly evaluate chemical exposures, especially because some nail products that claim to be free of the "toxic trio" in fact contain one or more of the hazardous chemicals, according to a 2012 analysis of 25 randomly selected products by the state's Department of Toxic Substances Control.

Symptoms can also worsen when they go unreported, as is often the case among the thousands of Vietnamese women employed in salons, said Julia Liou, co-founder of the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, a health advocacy group.

Of California's estimated 300,000 licensed nail technicians, about 80 percent are of Vietnamese descent, Liou said. Many do not speak English well, feel uncomfortable complaining to management and are of child-bearing age, when reproductive poisons can be particularly harmful.

"Workers often feel very powerless to invoke their rights to have a healthy workplace," said Liou, who is also director of program planning and development at Asian Health Services, an Oakland community health center.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

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Captain sues marine company for exposure to toxic fumes

Chemical exposure ruined health and future, seaman alleges

Health and safety lawsuits can be
expensive for employers.

Comal County resident Paul Whetstone seeks more than $1 million in damages from a marine company he claims exposed him to toxic chemicals.

He was ordered to repair his ship after the Ashton T ran aground on the Galveston north jetty in March 2012. Whetstone was first captain of the vessel.

Whetstone claims that he had to work “in a closed environment with little or no ventilation and ingested fumes and vapors from paint, polyurethane, welding gasses and other toxic and harmful substances in the air.”

Whetstone filed a Jones Act lawsuit against T&T Offshore Inc. and T&T Marine Inc. in Galveston County District Court.

In his suit, Whetstone claims he now wears a pacemaker following the incident last year in which “his heart and entire central nervous system shut down and he died.” Whetstone was revived and stabilized shortly afterwards, but rendered unable to work again, the suit says.

Seaman now requires pacemaker because of ship’s toxic fumes, court papers say

He also claims that he was made to eat and sleep “in this environment” and not allowed to leave the Ashton T.

Whetstone claims he requested adequate protection from “such harmful and deadly fumes, vapors and metals in the air” to no avail.

He was released from duty on April 28, 2012, and Whetstone states he was taken to San Antonio’s Baptist Hospital where surgeons installed the pacemaker.

According to the suit, the pacemaker “has permanently prevented the plaintiff from performing any form of work activity in the maritime and aviation fields because he is no longer qualified to maintain his ship captain and aviation license(s).”

A jury trial is requested.

Source: Southeast Texas Record

Combat chemical fumes with carbon air cleaners

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Electrocorp air cleaners for chemicals and
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Shown: Welding fume extraction

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Parents check classroom air quality on mobile device

Poor indoor air quality in schools can
become a problem for students and staff.

Many schools are being renovated over the summer, causing parents to worry about potential toxic fumes to affect their children.

Some schools are moving to appease worried parents and provide information about the work being done, the materials used and the indoor air quality in the classroom.

According to a report by ChinaNews, a middle school in Yangpu district has posted QR codes in its recently renovated classrooms so parents can check the quality of the school's renovations with a simple scan of their mobile phones. This was announced by the Shanghai Environmental Protection Industry Association.

The school put up the square bar codes as part of a pilot program that aims to assure parents that their children won't be breathing toxic fumes from the renovations.

Parents worry that the two-month summer vacation isn't long enough for the noxious fumes from some construction materials, which can contain carcinogens such as methylbenzene, to dissipate.

In 2011, 73 students at the newly built Wunan Kindergarten in Shanghai missed the first day of classes because their parents were worried about the "pungent fumes" in the building stemming from construction over the summer.

The QR codes, which can be scanned with most mobile devices, offer parents a simple way to check the air quality and other details about the renovations, said Li Wei, the vice secretary-general of the Shanghai Environmental Protection Industry Association.

The scan results for the school's 72-square-meter conference hall showed that the air quality in the room has been tested on three different days since August 19. The tests were all clear. The scan results also showed that the composite wood floors and coatings on the walls, desks and chairs all met standards.

In the past, schools have not released the complete results of such safety inspections to parents. The QR code scans, however, give parents access to the full inspection results for seven classrooms, Li said.

The pilot program is expected to eventually be implemented citywide, and could be expanded to places like hospitals, shopping malls and movie theaters.

Edited for length. Source: Chinanews

Air cleaners for schools

Back-to-school time often leads to a surge of asthma attacks, allergy symptoms or other health effects caused by poor indoor air quality in classrooms.

Air cleaners for schools

Chemical fumes from construction and renovation work, dust and particles, mold spores, odors and chemicals from strong cleaning products can all cause IAQ problems in schools.

Electrocorp has designed a variety of versatile and mobile air cleaners for schools that can tackle the above-mentioned airborne contaminants and more (including airborne bacteria and viruses).

The air purifiers feature a multi-filter system for best results. That includes a large activated carbon filter to remove chemicals, fumes and odors, a superior medical-grade HEPA filter for particles and dust as well as optional UV germicidal filtration for biological contaminants such as germs and mold spores.

The air cleaners are long-lasting and sturdy, providing cleaner and more breathable air during the school day or on a 24/7 basis.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and a consultation.

Office vapor intrusion spurs lawsuit

Five female office workers say gasoline fumes harmed their unborn children

Exposure to chemical fumes may affect an unborn child.

JACKSON (AP) -- Texaco Inc. has settled a lawsuit with five women who alleged the oil company was responsible for ailments of children born after they were exposed to leaded gasoline fumes.

Both sides informed the Mississippi Supreme Court on Aug. 15 the settlement was reached. Terms were not released.

The Supreme Court dismissed an appeal last week and sent the case to Jefferson County for approval of the settlement.

A jury had returned a $17 million verdict for the women in 2010.

The women said they were pregnant when they worked in an office building in Fayette that had been a gasoline station affiliated with Texaco, and were exposed to fumes from tanks left in the ground.

As result, they claimed, their children were born with disabilities and illnesses.

Wayne Drinkwater of Jackson, an attorney for Texaco, now part of Chevron, argued before the Supreme Court the company didn't own or operate the station and leaks were not its fault.

Eduardo Flechas, representing the families, said the court record showed Texaco had control of the tanks when the leak occurred between 1974 and 1976.

Source: Sun Herald

Air cleaners help combat vapor intrusion, fumes

For chemical and gasoline fumes making their way into buildings and offices, Electrocorp has developed versatile air purifiers with a carbon wall and other filters to provide cleaner air. Many pounds of granular activated carbon help remove chemical vapors, fumes and odors.

Electrocorp has worked with environmental consultants and industry leaders to improve indoor air quality in offices, businesses and work spaces across North America.

For more information, contact Electrocorp today.

Dye fumes affects worker in silk company

Gainsborough Silk Weaving Company fined over safety breaches

Dying silk comes with the risks of inhaling fumes
and contracting respiratory illness, officials say.

A textile company has been fined £20,000 for "serious safety failings" after a chemical exposure left a worker in Suffolk with breathing problems, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said in a BBC article.

The 57-year-old, who does not wish to be named, was employed as a dye house manager from 1993 to 2012 at the Gainsborough Silk Weaving Company Ltd in Sudbury.

The HSE found the company had failed to assess the risks from "hazardous" dyes and said that workers had "a significant risk of contracting respiratory illnesses."

Gainsborough admitted five breaches of health and safety regulations. It was also ordered to pay £10,000 towards costs over three years.

The man had been suffering from chronic breathing difficulties since 2008 and had been hospitalized a few times as a result.

Ipswich Crown Court heard the man's symptoms had "improved markedly" after he left the company and stopped working with chemicals.

Dangers well known in industry

The HSE told the court the company had failed to assess the health risks arising from working with hazardous reactive dyes, despite the dangers of respiratory damage being well known in the industry.

The court also heard the firm "had failed to provide their staff with adequate training or equipment to safeguard their health when working with the substances".

A health surveillance program for the firm's workforce was stopped in 2004. The program could have helped to prevent the worker's long period of ill health, according to the HSE.

HSE inspector Martin Kneebone said the textile company "should have installed suitable ventilation equipment for weighing and mixing the dyes. They should also have provided proper information, instruction, training and health surveillance for their employees.

"The lack of these left workers at a significant risk of contracting respiratory illnesses by their exposure to these chemicals."

This article has been edited. Source: BBC News

Electrocorp offers air purification equipment for companies and businesses dealing with chemicals, vapors, fumes and odors. The air purifiers feature carbon walls and HEPA filters to provide cleaner and healthier air. Options include direct intake hoods, refillable carbon filters, specialized carbon blends and more. Contact Electrocorp for more information.

Manufacturers can now make ‘green’ jeans

Making denim results in significant water and air pollution.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos

Every year approximately 2 billion jeans are made worldwide. 

The manufacturing of just one pair of jeans entails the use of 2,500 gallons of water, one pound of various chemicals and a whole lot of energy. It is therefore no surprise that the denim industry contributes a great deal to both water and air pollution.

 

At a recent Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference, however, a more eco-friendly manufacturing process was introduced. 

The Advanced Denim process offers several alternative options during production. Jeans can now be made with 92 percent less water and 30 percent less energy. The amount of cotton waste can be reduced by 87 percent and instead of using 15 dyeing vats full of harmful chemicals, this new process uses only one vat and replaces harmful chemicals with more eco-conscious liquid sulfur dyes.

The history of denim-making

Denim is made from a rough kind of cotton called rugged cotton twill. Up to 10 percent of the world's pesticides are used for treating cotton. Literally tons of water is used to grow the raw material. And in order to make denim what we know it to be, indigo dye is used to color the jeans blue. 

Today, indigo dye is, for the most part, produced synthetically. Chemicals, such as aniline, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and sodamide are used to make the dye, all of which can have negative health effects. Some are skin and respiratory irritants, while others are carcinogenic.

Studies have lead scientists to believe that if the Advanced Denim process was used to produce only 25 percent of the jeans made worldwide, 1.7 million people would have their water needs met every year. In addition, 220 million kilowatt hours of electricity would be saved, reducing corresponding carbon dioxide emissions.

Is it surprising to know how many jeans are made every year?  What do you think about this new Advanced Denim process?

Source: ACS

Improving air quality within manufacturing facilities

The RAP series is just one of
Electrocorp's air cleaners
for chemical plants

Though there are many benefits to using this new Advanced Denim process, it will take time for companies to apply this system to their factories. In the meantime, a lot of harmful chemicals are used to make the blue dye we so love in jeans.

It is the companies’ responsibility to ensure their employees are working in safe environments and good indoor air quality is part of that health and safety. As long as chemicals are used, chemical exposure and fumes are a risk. It is in the best interest of the companies to provide an air cleaning solution which will keep employees breathing easy.

Electrocorp manufactures air cleaning units for the industrial sector. Our units can range from small air cleaners which can be placed close to the source of the harmful chemicals or fumes, to large units that can be attached to an HVAC system, cleaning the entire central air system.

To find out more about our air cleaners, contact us or speak to one of our IAQ experts at 1-888-667-0297.

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Greener options for the printing industry

Greener practices are possible within the printing industry
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos

The printing industry has had a reputation for being one of the most environmentally unfriendly industrial sectors, but at least one company in Chicago has found a way around that.

Since 1973, Consolidated Printing Company has used alternatives for chemically-laden inks and fountain solutions, as well as solvents used in parts washers.

Rather than using the once common petroleum or chlorinated solvents to degrease parts, this printing company uses recycled cooking grease from restaurants. Inks are made from 100% vegetable products and fountain solutions are VOC free.

The company went one step further by renovating the premises with non-toxic, eco-friendly materials. Conservation has always been an important part of its mandate and it does that by keeping its water waste free of hazardous materials as well as reducing energy consumption by 30 percent.

For decades now, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given suggestions on how to reduce pollution.

The EPA's first piece of advice? Start by preventing pollution.  

Reusing by-products, substituting toxic chemicals with safer ones and reducing the release of pollutants in the air are just a few ways to minimize environmental impacts. In 2010, the EPA also hosted a webinar on how the printing industry can lower its carbon imprint through the use of green power.

Unfortunately, volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are still a problem within the printing industry as many manufacturers still struggle with finding alternative products that can do the same job. Though Consolidated Printing Company went so far as to make its own inks and solvents using household products, many companies continue to use products that can be harmful; not only to the environment, but also to their employees. 

Would you do business with a company that uses vegetable-based inks? Tell us what you think!

Source: NBC Chicago

Protecting employees’ health at the workplace

I-6500

Because many chemical and paper products are used in printing, employees are exposed to unhealthy doses of chemical fumes as well as a lot of particle matter during the cutting process.  

Electrocorp has several solutions for small and medium-sized printing companies that use digital and/or offset printers. These shops can benefit from our I-6500 with source captures. This unit connects to HVAC systems, while source captures hanging from the ceilings are positioned above the printers.

The PrintSafe is another good option as it is mobile and the intake hood can be placed right at the source of the fumes, thereby protecting workers from the worst of the chemicals.

PrintSafe

During the cutting process, many fine paper particles enter the air. The Dirty Dog is ideal for dust-filled environments. It uses a bag filter that can reduce particle levels by up to 90 percent.

DirtyDog

For more information on our units, contact one of our IAQ experts or visit our printing and graphics section on the Electrocorp website.

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