Escambia Co. Workers Hospitalized for Chemical Exposure

Source: AP

Four workers at an Escambia County office complex in Pensacola, Florida were hospitalized and the building was briefly evacuated after workers smelled apparent chemical fumes from a nearby laboratory.

The Pensacola News Journal reports that the building reopened Wednesday afternoon after it was deemed safe by the county's hazardous-materials unit.

Escambia County spokesman Bill Pearson says the smell began on the first floor near a laboratory used for water sampling.

Officials said exposure to the chemical can cause burning of the eyes and throat and vomiting but that the chemical is not life-threatening.

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Cleaner air in chemical laboratories

Laboratory workers and those in nearby buildings may
be affected by poor indoor air quality.

Indoor air quality in chemical laboratory facilities can be a major concern. Older laboratories in schools or universities may expose workers to a range of contaminants.

In extreme cases, the air exhausted from labs can also affect the air quality inside nearby buildings.

Many different variables interact to change the air quality in labs, including:

• Research protocols
• Work practices and individual behaviors
• Laboratory housekeeping
• Design and operation of the HVAC system

Experts agree that concern is warranted, since even low level chemical exposures can cause discomfort in laboratory workers.

In chemical labs, workers may be exposed to a wide range of chemicals, including chlorinated solvents, ketones, benzene and derivatives (toluene and xylene) as well as other contaminants.

Complex facilities with complex indoor air concerns

Laboratories are complex facilities that require substantial planning and development to provide good indoor air quality at all times.

Most labs have negative pressure relative to non-lab spaces such as corridors and offices, meaning that there is less air supplied into the room than is leaving through the hood exhaust.

Some laboratories, like clean rooms, require positive pressure, however.

Indoor air quality can become a concern if chemical exhausts are cluttered or used inappropriately, if chemicals are inadequately stored or disposed of and if workers are unaware of risks or are mishandling chemicals.

Experts recommend facility staff and user training, routine air sampling, a variable air volume system and other safety precautions.

Source: Steve M. Hays, “Indoor Air Quality in Chemistry Laboratories”, 1999 (PDF)

Cleaner air in chemical laboratories

The RSU air cleaners belong to
Electrocorp's most efficient units.

The right equipment in laboratories is important. Labs that handle many different chemicals often need some extra help in the air cleaning department.

Electrocorp has developed powerful air cleaners for laboratories that come in different sizes and filter combinations to provide the cleanest air possible.

The air cleaners can be configured for negative and positive pressure, if needed, and they can also be attached to fume hoods to draw the air through a deep-bed activated carbon filter and other filters to remove airborne fumes and gases, including chemicals such as benzene, xylene, toluene and more.

Contact Electrocorp for more information.

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Survey to examine healthcare workers’ risk of asthma

Healthcare workers are exposed to
many occupational risks, incl. asthma.

Healthcare is North America’s largest industry, but it can expose workers to a multitude of work-related risks, including

• Work-related asthma
• Harsh cleaning products
• Latex
• Indoor air pollution
• Pathogens

More information is needed to protect workers accurately from asthma risks, so the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) wants to assess the situation with a comprehensive survey of hospital- and nursing home-based healthcare workers.

The goal is to identify modifiable occupational risk factors for asthma that can help authorities formulate and implement prevention strategies.

The proposed survey would include several thousand healthcare workers from New York City, who can participate online or by phone.

The participating workers will include certified nursing assistants, central supply, environmental services, licensed practical nurses, lab techs, operating room techs, registered nurses, respiratory therapists, and dental assistants.

The survey can also help make healthcare workers more aware of the asthma risks at their workplace, so that they can help identify risk factors and solutions.

Do you think this survey will help the healthcare industry? Share your thoughts with us.

Source: Risk and Insurance

Air cleaners for healthcare settings

In order to reduce asthmagens (pollutants that can cause or aggravate asthma symptoms), indoor air needs to be controlled, ventilated and cleaned.

Electrocorp has developed portable and powerful air cleaners for hospitals and healthcare, which feature a complete filtration system to remove fine particles, dust, chemicals, VOCs, odors, fumes, mold, bacteria and viruses from the ambient air.

Electrocorp's RAP series combines
carbon and HEPA filters for best results.

The filtration system contains

• Deep-bed activated carbon filter for gaseous pollutants and odors
• HEPA filter for particles
• Easy-clean pre-filters
• UV germicidal filtration for pathogens and mold (optional)

Highly recommended air cleaners for healthcare settings include the RAP series, which come in different sizes and filter configurations to provide the most efficient IAQ solution, the AirMedic+ series, a small and portable air purifier for individual rooms that offers supreme particle filtration and the I-6500 series, a top-rated air cleaner for larger spaces or in rooms that require strict air quality control.

Electrocorp also offers air cleaners for dental labs as well as other types of laboratories.

For more information, contact Electrocorp today.

Follow this blog to show your support for green and healthy working environments.

Hundreds of lab accidents involve dangerous toxins

Workplace accidents in laboratories can be a public health risk.

In many laboratories, a workplace spilling accident can mean the release of harmful viruses or toxins into the environment.

In the United States, labs need special approval from the government to handle these toxins, which can pose a severe threat to humans, animals or plant health, and they need to have the appropriate equipment to handle them.

Despite these restrictions, there were 395 “potential release events” of “select agents” in U.S. labs between 2003 and 2009 reported to the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), according to a Scientific American blog.

Those workplace accidents involved loss of containment, spills, accidental needle sticks or sharps injuries, but many are not officially reported, the writer says.

While the U.S. plans to build a new Medical Countermeasures Test and Evaluation facility, the full range of potential exposures for the scientists and residents in the area need to be considered first, experts warn.

Source: Scientific American blog

Lab hoods and industrial-strength air cleaners for additional protection

Electrocorp has designed a range of air cleaners for laboratories, which can remove a wide range of contaminants, including chemicals, pathogens, particles and more.

Along with other preventive health and safety measures, a portable air treatment system with activated carbon, HEPA and UV germicidal filtration will help keep the air clean.

Contact Electrocorp for more information: 1-866-667-0297.

Take steps to prevent illness and injury in the lab

Laboratory workers handle a variety of chemicals, solvents, etc.

Lab technicians and managers are routinely exposed to potentially dangerous chemicals, gases, particulate and biological contaminants.

Those toxins as well as other occupational hazards can affect the health and well-being of workers and hurt the bottom line.

The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says that injuries and illnesses sustained in the workplace cost the U.S. more than $53 billion in worker’s compensation in 2008.

One way to keep those costs down and workers healthier and safer is to put one or more programs in place that are designed to limit sickness and injury on the job.

OSHA recommends the following three options:

• Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP), which includes collaboration between OSHA, workers and management, training, worksite analysis and hazard prevention and control.
• The Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) recognizes and rewards small businesses that implement health and safety management systems.
• The OSHA Challenge Program advocates preventive measures to stop workplace accidents and rewards companies making gradual improvements in safety and health.

Source: Lab Manager Magazine

Lab managers can always contact OSHA or their respective health and safety agencies to obtain information on voluntary and essential health and safety standards and requirements to protect workers.

One important aspect of lab health and safety concerns the workplace's indoor air quality.

Generic air cleaning solutions are usually ineffective to keep the indoor air quality in laboratories at a satisfactory level and to contain the fumes, chemicals and odors that may affect workers even if they wear personal protective equipment.

Electrocorp specializes in customized air quality solutions and versatile units that remove a wide range of serious airborne contaminants to maintain safe, healthy and comfortable working environments in laboratories.

Laboratory air purifiers with many pounds of activated carbon and custom carbon blends can adsorb chemicals and help clean the air 24/7.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and personalized recommendations.

Chemical safety in the laboratory: The dehydration, embedding and staining process

Histology lab technicians work with
many potentially harmful chemicals.

Many histology laboratories employ complex dehydration, embedding and staining processes that involve harmful chemicals.

Ethanol
During the dehydration process, laboratory technicians may pass the tissue through an ethanol bath. Ethanol (also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol) is a clear, colorless liquid with a characteristic, agreeable odor. It may cause damage to the liver, kidneys, heart, lungs and central nervous system. Long-term exposure has been linked to cancer and birth defects.

Xylene
After the ethanol, the tissue is often passed through xylene to remove the alcohol.
Xylene is a clear, colorless, sweet-smelling liquid that is often used as a solvent and in the printing, rubber, and leather industries. In histology, xylene is used for clearing the tissues following dehydration in preparation for paraffin wax infiltration. It is also used after sections have been stained to make them hydrophobic so that a coverslip may be applied with a resin in solvent.
Long-term exposure to xylene is said to cause "organic solvent syndrome", which negatively affects the nervous system and can cause symptoms such as headaches, depression, irritability, insomnia, extreme fatigue, tremors and short-term memory loss.

Paraffin
Paraffin wax is used for light microscopy. During the embedding process, dimethyl sulfoxide is often added to paraffin wax. Dimethyl sulfoxide has been linked to cancer, while molten paraffin wax creates droplets that are capable of damaging lungs.


Laboratory safety supply

Many laboratories have installed fume hoods that are ducted directly to a station and expel the fumes outdoors, or they may filter and redistribute the air. The safety equipment includes biosafety cabinets and snorkel exhaust.

Biosafety cabinets generally feature a HEPA filter, a UV light and a blower. They can filter out microorganisms, airborne pathogens and particles, but they are not recommended for protection against chemicals.


How you can improve indoor air quality in laboratories

An industrial-strength air filtration systems featuring activated carbon and HEPA filters (plus UV) can trap many gases that escape fume hoods.

The air cleaners can be portable, stand-alone units, or they may be attached to existing fume hoods to provide cleaner air.

Contact an Electrocorp IAQ expert to find out more about air filtration systems for laboratories and research facilities. Always consult a chemical or environmental expert when dealing with hazardous materials.
  
 
Related posts

• Chemical safety in laboratories: Tissue preservation
• Indoor air concerns in the healthcare industry
• Health and safety lawsuits: US drug firm pleads guilty in lab worker's death
• Air purifiers for xylene and formalin exposure

Chemical safety in laboratories: Tissue preservation

Chemical safety is important for
laboratories and research facilities.

When it comes to laboratories and chemical safety, companies, managers and workers have to be extra vigilant to avoid health and safety problems.

Histology and pathology technicians are exposed to numerous laboratory hazards during the course of a day.

That is why laboratory safety is imperative; technicians must know and adhere to health and safety procedures that often include:

• Emergency procedures
• Disease reporting
• Work safety instructions for equipment and work stations
• Existing hazards and the controls in place to address them
• Workers' rights under occupational health and safety guidelines
• Laboratory safety and protective equipment needed to perform work safely

What do histology laboratories do?

Histology is the backbone of medicine; it involves the study of tissue. Histological stains are used to magnify microscopic structures to better study the tissue of animals and plants.

Fixation, dehydration, sectioning and staining are all part of a histology technician's tissue processing procedure, and it involves contact with highly toxic chemicals.


Chemicals used for fixation

Fixation is about tissue preservation. To maintain cell structure, chemicals like formalin (formaldehyde) are used for light microscopy. For electron microscopy, technicians need chemicals like glutaraldehyde, osmium tetroxide and uranyl acetate to make small structures visible.

Formaldehyde
Exposure to formaldehyde can cause irritation to the nose, throat and eyes, and it can also lead to coughing, nausea, wheezing. Studies have linked formaldehyde to cancer, including leukemia in humans.

Glutaraldehyde
Glutaraldehyde inhalation can cause coughing, choking, shortness of breath, nausea and headache. Exposure to this chemical has been linked to lung and respiratory tract damage as well as asthma.

Osmium tetroxide
This chemical is toxic and emits fumes even in its solid form. Exposure can lead to headache, wheezing, pulmonary edema and in extreme cases, death. Long-term low level exposure can cause insomnia larynx and pharynx damage. The chemical has also been linked to kidney damage.

Uranyl acetate
Inhaling this chemical can cause headaches, irritation of the upper respiratory tract and mucous membranes as well as kidney and liver damage. This chemical has also been classified as a carcinogen.


Air cleaners with activated carbon remove dangerous chemicals

Electrocorp specializes in customized air quality solutions and versatile units that effectively remove a wide range of serious contaminants to maintain safe, healthy and comfortable working environments that support scientific investigation.

Electrocorp's air filtration systems for laboratories include the RSU Series, the RAP Series, the I-6500 and the 6000 Series. Some units can be attached to the fume hood for extra protection against airborne chemicals.

Contact us to find the right indoor air quality solution for your laboratory or healthcare environment.


Related posts:

• I-6500 Series: Superior air cleaning for polluted environments
• RSU Series: Versatile air purifiers for odor removal
• Hospital workers and patients breathing poisoned air
• Indoor air concerns in the healthcare industry
• Health and safety lawsuits: US drug firm pleads guilty in lab worker's death
• Air purifiers for xylene and formalin exposure

   

Occupational safety and health: Xylene exposure

Xylene can be found
in paint thinners.

Many industries rely on the use of xylene – including the paint and painting industry, biomedical laboratories, automobile garages, the metal industry and furniture refinishers.

What is xylene?

Xylene is a colorless, sweet-smelling liquid that is very flammable. Chemical industries produce xylene from petroleum and it has become one of the top 30 chemicals produced in the United States in terms of volume.

Xylene is often used as a solvent in the printing, rubber and leather industries. It is also a common ingredient in cleaning products, paint thinners, varnishes, adhesives and ink.  According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, xylene is a good cleaning agent for silicon wafers and steel.

The three forms of xylene are meta-xylene, ortho-xylene and para-xylene (also known as m-xylene, o-xylene and p-xylene). Xylene can be absorbed through the respiratory tract and through the skin.

Health effects of xylene exposure

Xylene affects the brain. High levels from exposure for short periods (14 days or less) or long periods (more than 1 year) can cause headaches, lack of muscle coordination, dizziness, confusion, and changes in one's sense of balance.

Exposure of people to high levels of xylene for short periods can also cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, and throat; difficulty in breathing; problems with the lungs; delayed reaction time; memory difficulties; stomach discomfort; and possibly changes in the liver and kidneys. It can cause unconsciousness and even death at very high levels.

There is insufficient information to determine whether or not xylene causes cancer.

How can workers be exposed to xylene?

Car exhaust fumes
contain xylene.

• Breathing xylene in workplace air or in automobile exhaust. 
• Breathing contaminated air. 
• Touching gasoline, paint, paint removers, varnish, shellac, and rust preventatives that contain it. 
• Breathing cigarette smoke that has small amounts of xylene in it. 
• Drinking contaminated water or breathing air near waste sites and landfills that contain xylene. 
• The amount of xylene in food is probably low.

How can you tell whether you’ve been exposed to xylene?

Laboratory tests can detect xylene or its breakdown products in exhaled air, blood, or urine. There is a high degree of agreement between the levels of exposure to xylene and the levels of xylene breakdown products in the urine.

However, a urine sample must be provided very soon after exposure ends because xylene quickly leaves the body. These tests are not routinely available at your doctor's office.

Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a maximum level of 100 ppm xylene in workplace air for an 8-hour workday, 40-hour workweek.

Companies that sell xylene caution that it is highly flammable and should only be used in a well ventilated area.

Source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, United States Public Health Service (US Department of Health and Human Services)

Worried about chemical exposure or hazardous fumes?

AirRhino: Industrial-strength air cleaner.

Electrocorp’s industrial-grade air filtration systems for auto body shops and garages, laboratories, and woodshops use a deep-bed activated carbon filter to remove the widest range of chemicals, gases and fumes, including xylene, benzene and toluene.

The units are also equipped with high efficiency particulate arrestor (HEPA) filters for the removal of fine particles.

Recommended air filtration systems include the AirRhino Series, DirtyDog Series, the I-6500 Series, the RSU Series and the RAP Series.


See also Air Purifiers for Xylene and Formalin Exposure.

Contact us for more information. Always consult an environmental or chemical expert when dealing with toxic substances.
 

Health and safety lawsuits: U.S. drug firm pleads guilty in lab worker's death

Companies need to protect workers and
lab technicians from chemical exposure.

In yet another occupational health and safety lawsuit, a U.S. drug firm is under fire and has pleaded guilty to one of five safety charges in the death of a lab technician who was exposed to toxic chemical fumes at his work station at a Nova Scotia plant.

According to the article by the Canadian Press, the company entered a guilty plea today in provincial court to a charge under the provincial Occupational Health and Safety Act that it failed to ensure an adequate venting system was in place.

In an agreed statement of facts, the Crown lawyer said the lab worker’s lungs were gradually destroyed by the chemical.

He eventually suffocated in hospital 18 hours after exposure on Oct. 7, 2008 to vapors from trimethysilyl diazomethane.

The court dismissed charges the pharmaceutical company failed to ensure adequate personal protection equipment and failed to ensure that the employee was instructed in the safe use of the chemical.

Charges that the company had failed to instruct an employee in safe use of a substance in the company's Windsor lab and failed to ensure that no person would disturb the scene of an accident were also dismissed.

Source: Canadian Press


Protect yourself when working with chemicals

For industries and laboratories that handle toxic chemicals, there is a constant threat of dangerous developments and near-accidents.

Electrocorp has developed a range of air filtration systems for laboratory workers, including the RAP series, the RSU series, the I-6500 series and Fume Hoods.

Our systems are equipped with the safest filtration technologies such as deep beds of activated carbon and custom carbon blends to remove the widest range of airborne chemicals, gases, vapors, fumes and odors.

Contact us for more information on our complete, cost-effective and portable IAQ solutions.


Related posts: 

• Chemical exposure caused heart and lung problems, suit claims 
• Protect yourself from explosive chemicals  
• Chemical accidents: A question of occupational health and safety