Keeping workers safe should be a company's first priority

OSHA proposed a steep fine for repeat and
serious violations in worker safety guidelines.

When companies get lax with safety protocols, it can get costly.

United States workers are protected by gyidelines issued by the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). When OSHA receives complaints and starts investigating, companies better take note.

Fines for serious and repeat citations can run into the thousands.

In a recent case of an electroplating company in Connecticut, OSHA issued two repeat and 11 serious citations and proposed penalties of $48,304.

The company allegedly exposed workers to chemical and mechanical hazards, some of them were repeat violation from a previous investigation in 2010.

This time, OSHA found that the company failed to

•     Determine employees’ initial exposure levels to lead and cadmium, two toxic substances in use at the workplace;
•     Provide workers with training on cadmium hazards;
•     Prevent cadmium buildup on machinery;
•     Evaluate employees’ ability to safely operate forklifts;
•     Ensure that employees who wear respirators are medically able to do so;
•     Prevent employees from consuming food and drink in areas where the toxic substance hexavalent chromium was present;
•     Separate flammable spray operations by at least three feet;
•     Provide appropriate training to emergency coordinators and employees expected to fight fires; and
•     Ground and shield an electric lamp against damage.

“Employees at this plant work with highly hazardous chemicals. It’s imperative that their employer take all necessary steps to protect their health and well-being at all times,” said Warren Simpson, OSHA’s area director in Hartford.

“That includes monitoring exposure levels, providing proper and effective protective clothing, and ensuring that employees are properly trained.”

Source: OSHA

Welders at risk of toxic and explosive fumes

Blast kills temporary worker, critically injures another

Employers need to verify fire and explosion hazards: OSHA

MOSS POINT, Miss. — Two temporary workers hired to cut and weld pipes at the Omega Protein plant in Moss Point on July 28, 2014, had no idea and had no training to know that the storage tank beneath them contained explosive methane and hydrogen sulfide gases.

One of the two men found out later as he lay in a hospital with a fractured skull, internal injuries and broken bones. The second, a 25-year-old man named Jerry Taylor, died when the tank exploded.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigated the incident and has found four companies violated safety regulations that could have prevented the tragedy.

The companies are Accu-Fab & Construction Inc., Omega Protein, and JP Williams Machine & Fabrication, all in Moss Point, and Global Employment, in Pascagoula.

Accu-Fab, a metal fabricator, was contracted by Omega Protein to manufacture and erect a wastewater storage tank that required modification of existing pipes.

A staffing agency, Global Employment Services, provided Accu-Fab with the employees needed at Omega. JP Williams Machine, which provides industrial service and repair, was on-site the day of the explosion performing unrelated maintenance activities.

"The Omega Protein plant explosion shines a spotlight on how critical it is for employers to verify, isolate and remove fire and explosion hazards in employee work areas," said Eugene Stewart, OSHA's area director in Jackson. "If the employer ensured a safe environment, this tragic incident could have been prevented."

Repeated violations

OSHA issued 13 citations to Omega Protein, a producer of omega-3 fish oil and specialty fish meal products, for willful, repeated and serious safety violations.

OSHA issued a willful citation for exposing employees to fire and explosion hazards due to Omega management's failure to inform Accu-Fab that the storage tank contained wastewater that could generate hydrogen sulfide and methane gases, which can be highly explosive and toxic, even at low concentrations.

The repeated violations involve not having standard railings on open-sided floors and platforms and failing to label electrical boxes properly.

Omega Protein was cited previously for these same violations in 2012. Additionally, the serious hazards included allowing workers to weld and cut piping on an improperly prepared storage tank containing explosive methane and hydrogen sulfide gases and failing to label or tag the storage tank to note that it contained hazardous chemicals.

OSHA cited Accu-Fab for one willful, four serious and two other-than-serious violations. The willful violation was issued for failure to train workers on chemical hazards in the work area, such as hydrogen sulfide, methane, welding gas and paints.

Global Employment Services was issued a serious citation for this same hazard.

Additionally, both employers were cited for a serious violation for failure to instruct employees about avoiding unsafe work conditions.

Accu-Fab was also cited for failure to ensure employees working on top of a storage tank at heights of up to 29 feet were wearing fall protection and for not recording this fatality or two other recordable injuries.

JP Williams was issued one serious citation for improperly storing oxygen and acetylene cylinders.

Exposure to acetylene can cause headache, dizziness, asphyxiation and even frostbite.

Proposed penalties for the four companies total $187,620.

OSHA has conducted 13 inspections at Omega Protein facilities in Mississippi, Virginia and Louisiana since 1998. The company received citations for noise exposure, personnel protective equipment, machine guarding, welding and cutting and electrical hazards.

Accu-Fab has three prior OSHA inspections, most recently in 2002, and has been cited for scaffolding, forklift, welding, cutting and electrical violations. Both JP Williams and Global Employment have no prior OSHA inspection history.

Electrocorp's welding fume extractors
remove pollutants at the source.

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 OSHA's website.

Welding and soldering work often releases toxic fumes, which can affect the workers' health and well-being. Electrocorp has designed various welding fume extractors and air cleaners for welding and soldering. 

The units feature source capture hoods to remove contaminants before they spread. For more information and a free consultation, contact Electrocorp: 1-866-667-0297.

Restoration workers exposed to asbestos

Exposure occurred during restoration of Chicago fire station

Restoration and construction workers
have a higher risk of asbestos exposure,
which is linked to lung disease and cancer.

Workers renovating a historical 1887 firehouse in Chicago were exposed to asbestos and electrical hazards, according to an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The inspection found Structure Development Midwest LLC failed to collect and dispose of asbestos-containing material in sealed, labeled and waterproof bags.

The Chicago real estate and management company was issued one willful and seven serious citations carrying proposed penalties of $46,000 for the violations.

"Exposure to asbestos can cause loss of lung function and cancer, among other serious health effects, and workers must be trained in procedures that minimize exposure. Workers should never be put at risk because a company failed to protect them from a known, dangerous substance," said Kathy Webb, OSHA's area director in Calumet City.

The March 25, 2014, inspection found that the company failed to act and comply with existing regulations when employees were exposed to asbestos; did not ascertain whether asbestos work conducted was in compliance with standards; and failed to visibly identify and limit access to areas containing asbestos material.

A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirement, or with plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Serious electrical safety violations found at the site included lack of ground fault circuit interrupters, open electrical panels and failure to protect temporary wiring. These violations resulted in the issuance of seven serious citations.

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

Structure Development Midwest 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 OSHA's website.

Source: OSHA

Do you think you might be exposed to hazardous substances on the job? Long-term exposure to airborne chemicals, particles and fumes may affect your health, well-being and productivity. Electrocorp has designed a wide range of plug-and-play air purifiers that can handle these contaminants and more. Browse Electrocorp's air cleaners for asbestos and mold mitigation, or contact Electrocorp for more information today.

Paint strippers contain harmful chemicals: EPA

Agency releases three final chemical risk assessments

DCM found in paint strippers poses
health risks to workers and
consumers: EPA risk assessment.

The EPA released three final risk assessments for specific uses of three chemicals found in common household products.

The risk assessment for Dichloromethane (DCM), which is widely used in paint stripping products, indicates health risks to both workers and consumers who use these products, and to bystanders in workplaces and residences where DCM is used.

EPA estimates that more than 230,000 workers nationwide are directly exposed to DCM from DCM-containing paint strippers.

“While EPA continues to support much needed reform of this country’s chemicals management legislation, we are also using our current authorities as effectively as we can, which includes conducting risk assessments on chemicals to determine if they are safe for the public,” said Jim Jones, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.

“Our review indicates that the use of DCM in paint strippers pose risks to human health, so EPA is beginning an effort to determine options for addressing the concern.”

Risk assessments for the other two chemicals did not show concerns. The other two looked at ecological risks of antimony trioxide (ATO) used as a synergist in halogenated flame retardants and 1,3,4,6,7,8-Hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8,-hexamethylcyclopenta-[γ]-2-benzopyran (HHCB) used as a fragrance ingredient in commercial and consumer products.

These final assessments and the recently released TCE risk assessment, which identified concerns for certain uses, were 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.

The risk assessments are based on the best available information and were finalized after careful consideration of comments from the public and experts during an independent, scientific peer review of the assessments.

For DCM, EPA is considering a range of possible voluntary and regulatory actions to address concerns and anticipates conducting a workshop in late fall to engage key stakeholders and the public on potential alternatives and risk reduction approaches.

In the meantime, EPA recommends that consumers check the label to determine if the product contains Dichloromethane or Methylene Chloride. If so, EPA recommends taking precautions that can reduce exposures, such as using the product outside or in an extremely well-ventilated area and wearing protective equipment.

EPA is also currently evaluating risks of another chemical in paint strippers called N-Methylpyrrolidone (NMP).

EPA released a draft risk assessment for NMP which identified risks associated with use of NMP-containing paint strippers. EPA does not expect the final risk assessment to significantly change this conclusion, and therefore recommends that those using NMP-containing paint strippers also take measures to minimize exposure.

Source: EPA

Concerned about chemical exposure at work or at home? An industrial-strength air cleaner with the most complete air filtration system (activated carbon + HEPA + UV) can remove the widest range of airborne contaminants and provide cleaner and healthier air. Contact Electrocorp for more information and a free consultation.

Job numbers rising in construction

Construction employment is
seeing an upward trend.

The latest federal report on jobs shows that builders and contractors put 19,000 more people on payrolls in March than they were paying in February, and that was enough to lower the unemployment rate, even though more people are looking for work now.

Associated General Contractors touted the fact that construction employment – residential and non-residential – last month was 5,964,000, which was the largest number since June 2009.

Associated Builders and Contractors broke down the gain as coming from 6,700 more people working in non-residential, 9,100 more in residential and 3,200 more in civil and heavy construction.

The construction industry unemployment rate went down to 11.3% without a seasonal adjustment, even though the overall unemployment rate in the U.S. stayed at the 6.7% it was at in February.

While that is still above where it was in the second half of last year, winter seems to finally be going away, and AGC noted that construction employment has gone up 2.6% in the past year compared with the overall workforce gain of 1.7%.

Source: Construction Dive

Construction workers may be exposed to a wide range of respiratory hazards, including toxic fumes, fine particles and asbestos or silica dust. 

For better indoor air quality, Electrocorp's industrial air cleaners use activated carbon and HEPA to remove most hazardous contaminants. Contact Electrocorp for more information.

See also Electrocorp's air cleaners for mold and asbestos remediation.

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 

Chemical fumes, gases, particles and dust can affect worker health and well-being. Electrocorp offers industrial and commercial air cleaners with activated carbon and HEPA that can remove those and other contaminants from the ambient air. Contact Electrocorp for more information.

Hotel owner settles for asbestos violations

Materials containing asbestos need to be disposed of properly.
Image by Michelle Meiklejohn/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

BBA Winchester LLC, the owner of a former hotel located in Winchester, Idaho has settled with EPA and agreed to pay a $21,000 fine for asbestos safety and environmental violations from improper demolition of the hotel.

“This is an unfortunate example that when asbestos is not properly removed before demolition, the entire debris pile becomes contaminated, putting people at risk, and greatly increasing disposal costs,” said Scott Downey, Manager of the Air and Hazardous Waste Compliance Unit at the EPA Seattle office.

“Because this owner failed to check for asbestos before demolition, their $2,000 demolition project ballooned into a $55,000 asbestos waste cleanup and disposal problem.”

In response to public complaints, EPA inspected the demolition site of the former hotel in 2012. BBA Winchester LLC demolished the 100-year-old hotel in late 2011 or early 2012, without first inspecting the building for asbestos, removing asbestos materials, or notifying EPA, as required by law.

Unsecured debris prompts health concerns

The demolition was in a residential neighborhood and the contaminated debris was unsecured for more than a year, prompting community concerns about asbestos health risks.

EPA inspectors collected samples from the site that showed the demolition debris contained regulated asbestos waste. After confirming the debris was contaminated, EPA worked with BBA Winchester LLC to clean up the contaminated debris and ensure proper disposal.

Follow-up testing after the cleanup showed that the soil and remaining concrete and glass did not contain asbestos and could be disposed of as normal demolition debris.

Asbestos is a hazardous air pollutant regulated by EPA to protect public health. Building owners and contractors are required to check for asbestos and then remove it before demolition to protect workers and the public from exposure to asbestos fibers.

When inhaled, asbestos fibers can lodge in a person’s lungs and lead to respiratory illness including lung cancer, mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, and asbestosis, a serious progressive lung disease.

More information about asbestos and safe demolition can be found here.

Source: EPA news release

Concerned about asbestos fibers or other contaminants in the air you breathe? Electrocorp has designed versatile industrial and commercial air cleaners, for asbestos removal and many other uses and applications. For more information, contact Electrocorp directly.

Workers unhappy with open offices: Study

Employees in open offices complain about increased noise
and less privacy, researchers say.

Recent trend of activity-based office spaces not popular with workers

A study by researchers at the University of Sydney has found that many employees feel activity-based working environments, which feature open-office plans designed to foster teamwork, are disruptive to their productivity.

Jungsoo Kim, one of the study's authors, said open-office layouts, which have been a growing trend in recent years, have been touted as a way to boost workplace satisfaction and team effectiveness.

"We found people in open-plan offices were less satisfied with their workplace environment than those in private offices," Kim said. "The benefits of being close to co-workers in open-plan offices were offset by factors such as increased noise and less privacy."

The research was based on surveys of more than 42,000 office workers in the United States, Finland, Canada and Australia.

In addition, researchers analyzed a University of California database that measures indoor environment quality in office buildings, factoring in things such as indoor air quality, temperature, lighting, noise, privacy and the amount of space an individual perceives they have.

Researchers said that the data further validated earlier findings that uncontrollable noise and loss of privacy are the main sources of workplace dissatisfaction in open-plan offices.

Kim said open-plan offices dominate modern workplaces, yet there is little solid evidence they improve interaction between co-workers.

The study, co-authored by professor Richard de Dear, was recently published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

Source: BusinessNewsDaily 

Ways to improve the office atmosphere

Disgruntled workers don't have high productivity ratings, but there are many things employers can do to improve the situation -- short of remodeling the entire office.

• Enforce office rules to respect privacy and work hours. Make sure employees know that they should concentrate on their work during office hours instead of interacting with each other unnecessarily.

  

  Electrocorp air cleaners feature
  carbon, HEPA and optional UV.

• Tell facilities management to monitor the indoor environment closely. Conditions such as temperatures that are too high or too low, humidity that is too high or too low and poor indoor air quality can affect employees' health, well-being and productivity. Listen to their concerns and make the necessary changes.
• Use portable dehumidifiers, heaters and air cleaners where needed. Some offices require extra help, especially when the existing HVAC system is unable to do the job. The air cleaners should have activated carbon, HEPA and possibly UV germicidal filtration for best results. These filters can remove airborne chemicals, particles, odors, fumes, mold, bacteria and viruses.
• Make sure the office is well lit and ventilated.
• Make some private offices or meeting rooms available to workers. 

Want to know more about indoor air quality in offices and how it affects worker productivity and attendance records? Have a look at some previous posts or contact an Electrocorp IAQ specialist for more information. Electrocorp has designed a wide range of indoor air cleaners with carbon, HEPA and UV for offices
and printers.

Study: Smaller Companies Bearing the Financial Burden of Employees with Cancer

Disability in Workers with Cancer Equals 20 Percent of Healthcare Spending

Each year, more than three million American workers are diagnosed with cancer, leading to high productivity losses that mainly affect smaller companies, reports a study in the December Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 

Analyzing a national survey of medical spending, the researchers found that cancer in U.S. workers leads to productivity losses of more than 33 million disability days per year, amounting to $7.5 billion in lost productivity. Based on the average wages of the workers surveyed, disability costs due to cancer were equal to 20 percent of total healthcare spending.

Nearly 85 percent of the workers with cancer worked for smaller companies with fewer than 500 employees. These small-business employees had higher rates of other health problems as well, including high blood pressure, depression, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They were also more likely to be uninsured.

Certain types of cancers, including women's cancers and melanoma, were associated with higher burdens of illness. For breast cancer, health care costs and hospitalizations were twice as high and disability days 55 percent higher than for other cancers.

The study is one of the first to document the economic impact of cancer in the U.S. workforce. The true cost in terms of lost productivity is likely even higher than the disability days measured in the study. The authors call for further efforts to reduce the burden of illness associated with cancer and its treatment—perhaps including supportive care interventions to reduce cancer-related disability.

Photo: freedigitalphotos.net

Looking to reduce absenteeism and raise productivity? Improve the indoor air quality in your facility. Contact an Electrocorp air quality expert for an industrial air cleaning solution that's customized to meet your needs and reduce airborne chemicals, fumes, odors, particles and allergens.

VIDEO: Office air quality and possible health effects

Hundreds of thousands of people spend the majority of their days in an office environment.

Not everyone is lucky enough to work in a green, bright, healthy building - most offices are situated in older, less environmentally friendly structures.

Working in an office with poor indoor air quality can have an impact on the health, well-being and productivity of workers.

The IAQ Video Network and Cochrane and Associates have produced a new video about the dangers of indoor air pollution at the office to raise awareness:


The 3-minute video talks about common indoor air pollution sources as well as health effects.

Air cleaners for offices

Since it is often impossible for office workers to change an entire building's air quality, a room air purifier with the right filters can help provide cleaner and healthier air in their immediate surroundings.

Electrocorp has developed powerful air cleaners for the office that can tackle indoor air pollutants such as chemicals, volatile organic compounds, mold, bacteria, viruses, fine particles and allergens.

The air cleaners feature a complete multistage filtration system with a deep-bed activated carbon filter, a HEPA filter and optional UV germicidal filtration.

For large office printers and equipment, Electrocorp also offers air cleaners for office printers, which will capture irritating chemicals and particles at the exhaust with a custom-made intake hood to protect nearby workers from exposure.

For more information and a personalized consultation, please contact Electrocorp today.

Show your support for greener and healthier working environments by following this blog.

Workplace issues: Dust can become a health risk

Ventilation and air cleaning are important for better
indoor air quality and higher productivity.

Indoor air pollution can affect anyone working indoors for the majority of the day, including office workers, police officers, social workers and court employees.

Common symptoms are

• Chronic coughs and sneezing
• Scratchy throats
• Itchy eyes
• Headaches
• Recurrent bouts of sinus infections, bronchitis, allergies and asthma

The symptoms may only be apparent in some workers, while other remain unaffected, making it difficult for sufferers to be taken seriously.

The health effects can be caused by indoor air pollutants such as mold, chemicals and dust.

In fact, dust is often overlooked as a main irritant in indoor environments, according to an occupational hygienist working at Connecticut’s OSHA division.

Every indoor environment will be polluted by dust, which is generally comprised of fine particles, skin dander, insect parts, pollen, cobwebs, dirt and other contaminants. Dust can also be a source of exposure for chemicals and bacteria that have attached themselves to the particles.

Indoor air pollution - a hidden danger at the workplace

With less money available for cleaning services and similar tasks, indoor air quality has become a growing problem in most buildings.

Workers may be too busy or unwilling to clean their own work spaces, and the rising occurrence of extreme weather events leads to increased leaks and flooding and possible mold infestations.

According to the EPA, poor indoor air quality costs tens of billions of dollars annually in lost productivity and health care.

Source: The Day Connecticut

Tips for a healthier and cleaner office

1. Keep offices free of clutter and obstructions. Airflow is essential to good air quality, so an overcrowded and cluttered office will be a challenge
2. Maintain heating and air conditioning equipment. This includes regular cleanings or at least spot checks to ensure that there is no mold or other biological growth. Air vents and intakes should not be obstructed.
3. Regular dusting and cleaning of the office space should include the walls and floors behind desks and all surfaces, regardless of whether people like to have their things moved or not.
4. Keep it healthy. Do not use scented air fresheners or harsh cleaning products
5. Use an air cleaner with activated carbon and HEPA. This combination of air filters can remove airborne pollutants such as dust, particles, mold, bacteria, viruses, chemicals, odors and fumes.

Want to know more about air cleaners for offices and large buildings? Electrocorp offers a wide range of air cleaners for commercial and industrial applications that feature an activated carbon, HEPA and optional UV filter combination. Contact an IAQ specialist from Electrocorp for more information and recommendations.
  

Receipts as an occupational hazard

BPA or chemical alternatives can
leach from thermal sales receipts.

Workers handling a lot of paper receipts may be exposed to endocrine disruptors such as bisphenol A (BPA) or its structurally related alternative BPS.

Recent research and growing awareness about the possible harmful effects of BPA exposure have pushed many manufacturers to produce BPA-free products.

But researchers caution that the typical replacement BPS may pose a similar exposure threat.

In a recent study, researchers found that paper products with a BPA alternative could expose workers to just as many chemical compounds as before and that toxicology research into the BPA alternative is urgently needed.

Sales receipts can be a big source of exposure to BPA because manufacturers use it to help develop ink. Workers and clients handling the receipts can readily absorb BPA through the skin, experts say.

However, studies (mostly on animals) have shown that BPA is an endocrine disruptor that can cause many health problems, including obesity and cancer.

The BPA alternative BPS has similar endocrine-disrupting functions, the researchers warn.

Source: Chemical & Engineering News

Air cleaners for airborne pollutants

Occupational health and safety hazards can lurk almost anywhere - not only on paper receipts, but also in the very air we breathe.

Indoor environments can be contaminated by airborne chemicals, gases, volatile organic compounds, fumes, odors, particles, dust, allergens, bacteria, viruses, mold and more.

A portable and powerful air cleaner with the right filters can address these indoor air quality issues and help provide cleaner and healthier air.

Electrocorp has developed a range of portable and versatile air cleaners with activated carbon and HEPA as well as optional UV germicidal filtration, which clean the air around the clock.

Electrocorp's air cleaning solutions help protect workers in a variety of industrial and commercial applications.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and options.

Ground Zero toxic dust whistle blower reinstated

Manhattan was engulfed in a cloud of toxic dust after the
collapse of the World Trade Center, scientists claimed.

A senior chemist got her job back at the EPA after she said she was let go in retaliation for accusing the agency of underestimating the danger of the dust at ground zero.

An administrative board ruled in her favor, saying she was not informed of all the charges against her when she was fired in 2010.

The chemist sued under the federal whistle-blower protection act, saying that the agency fired her for accusing them for relying on data that it knew measured the wrong pH levels of the dust released by the World Trade Center collapse in 2001.

The EPA said it fired her for threatening a supervisor. The chemist had a record of disagreeing with colleagues and supervisors and was suspended for two days in 2009.

Now that the chemist was reinstated with back pay, the EPA is free to bring charges against her again.

The particles released by the towers’ collapse were more toxic to workers’ lungs that experts thought.

The collapse shot up a cloud of unknown gases, chemicals and particulates into the Manhattan area, which also may have contained asbestos fibers.

Source: New York Times

Want to know more about workers’ health and safety issues and indoor air quality? Electrocorp specializes in portable and powerful air cleaners for commercial and industrial applications. The filtration system of activated carbon and HEPA can remove pollutants such as airborne chemicals, gases, fumes, odors, particles, dust, fibers, mold, bacteria and viruses. Contact Electrocorp for more information.
 

Healthier workplaces becoming the norm

Healthier workplaces are better for worker
comfort, well-being and productivity.

Watch out, Sick Building Syndrome – you may be on your way out if this trend of healthier offices continues.

The term Sick Building Syndrome was coined in the 1970s, when increasingly airtight construction and potentially harmful indoor air pollution caused many employees to experience fatigue, headaches, eye, nose and throat irritation, sensitivity to odors and more.

The indoor air pollution often came from contaminants emitted by carpeting, furniture, printers, building materials and other products, personal care products, cleaning agents, and outdoor sources such as allergens, vehicle or industrial exhaust, bacteria, viruses and molds.

The problems were made worse by a lack of ventilation or malfunctioning heating systems, over-staffing and little control over the physical environment (locked windows etc.).

Widespread air quality problems in buildings

At some point in the time World Health Organization reported that up to 30 percent of new or remodeled buildings around the world had sick-building complaints.

Now a growing public awareness, initiatives like the EPA’s “Healthy Buildings Healthy People” and the green movement including LEED buildings certification, buildings are finally becoming healthier again.

LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification incorporates standards for energy and water conservation, indoor environmental quality and more.

Building ventilation standards are being revised and facility managers and administrators are looking for ways to improve the indoor air quality - but of course, there is still a long way to go for many buildings.

Source: Mercury Daily News

Remove indoor air pollutants with air cleaners

Whether office buildings are healthy or not, indoor air quality can become a problem in any environment that accommodates a lot of people over an extended amount of time.

That’s why Electrocorp has designed portable air cleaners for offices that feature the most effective air filters and help provide cleaner and healthier air.

The air cleaners’ activated carbon filters remove irritating odors, chemicals, VOCs, gases and fumes, the HEPA filter takes care of particles and dust and the optional UV germicidal lamp neutralizes biological contaminants such as mold, bacteria and viruses.

Electrocorp’s air cleaners for office printers are made specifically for larger photocopy machines and printers that are common in offices. They feature the same types of air filters and a custom intake hood, intercepting harmful chemicals and particles at the printer exhaust before they can spread and affect workers.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and recommendations.
  

Agency clamps down on lead work violators

Lead rules need to be enforced to protect workers and
homeowners as well as children, the EPA says.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced three enforcement actions for violators of the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP) as well as other important rules.

The rule has been put in place to protect workers from lead exposure during renovation activities like sanding, cutting and demolition. Inhaling lead dust has been linked to human health problems.

Lead exposure can cause behavioral problems, learning disabilities, seizures and even death and young children are particularly at risk because their bodies and nervous systems are still developing.

The rule took effect on April 22, 2010, and now administrators are looking for ways to enforce it to protect workers and children from hazardous lead dust.

Lead was a common ingredient in paints used before the 1950s and could therefore still be present in older homes and buildings.

Workers could be exposed to lead when removing old paint from a building’s exterior, for example, and by not properly containing the dust, it could also get into neighboring homes and contaminate the ground.

Home repair companies and contractors are required to train workers under the rule and make sure people understand the dangers of lead and ways to protect themselves.

The EPA will evaluate a company or individual’s ability to pay a penalty and adjust it accordingly.

Source: EPA

Indoor air quality during renovations: A serious concern

Portable air cleaners can be moved
easily from one site to the next.

Renovations can expose workers and residents to a host of pollutants, not only lead dust, but also asbestos fibers, mold spores, chemicals, construction dust and more.

It is very important to deal up the portions of a home undergoing renovations and to make sure that the pollutants are contained.

Many companies and contractors will work with personal protective equipment, strong vacuums and air cleaners to help reduce exposure.

Electrocorp’s air cleaners for industrial and commercial applications contain a multistage filtration system with activated carbon and HEPA that can remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants.

The units can be used for positive or negative pressure environments to contain potentially harmful contaminants.

For more information and a recommendation of units, contact Electrocorp.
  

Going green helps companies earn more ‘green’: Study

Greener buildings can make workers more productive
and help a company's bottom line.

A University of Notre Dame study shows that bank branches using LEED-certified buildings increases their revenues even if they offer the same products and services than other branches.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is awarded to certain buildings that have been built or renovated with energy efficiency and good indoor air quality in mind.

The five main categories are Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality.

In their study, the researchers looked at 562 PNC branches (93 LEED, 469 non-LEED) and found that employees working in LEED-certified branches were more productive and engaged in their work.

This translated into big bucks for the branches: The study authors determined that sustainability equaled about $461,300 more per employee after controlling for other variables that influence performance.

This mirrors what many companies have been experiencing in the recent past: A high environmental and social impact can be maintained while achieving revenue and job growth.

In terms of the bank in the study, going green seems to work, whether it’s because the buildings look better or the people working there are more fulfilled and thus providing better services.

Source: University of Notre Dame

Good indoor air quality can improve productivity

Numerous studies have highlighted the benefits of good indoor air quality on a company’s bottom line. While LEED-certification may not be possible to attain right away, companies can do other things to improve their indoor air quality and worker satisfaction.

1. Source control: Companies can opt for products, furnishings and other materials that are more natural and environmentally friendly and won’t add any pollutants to the ambient air. For example, glass desks or untreated office furniture won't emit VOCs and other toxins.
    
2. Ventilation: Companies can make sure that existing ventilation systems are well maintained and that the filters are replaced regularly.
    
3. Air cleaning: Using portable air cleaners with activated carbon and HEPA can help keep the air clean and much healthier. These air cleaners work around the clock to remove airborne chemicals, odors, particles, dust, bacteria, viruses and mold. 

Electrocorp offers high-quality air cleaners for a wide range of commercial and industrial applications, including

• Offices
• Schools and Universities
• Libraries and Archives
• Hospitals and health care settings
• Beauty Salons and Spas

Contact Electrocorp for more information and more options.
 

Working when sick – why do we do it?

Montreal researchers study the phenomenon of “presenteeism”

Going to work when sick is not always
the most productive option, study shows.

It’s a familiar sight once the temperatures drop and the official “cold” season starts: Workplaces filled with employees sporting runny noses, a hacking cough or horrible congestion.

The question is, why do people go to work when they are sick? Are they insecure about their jobs or are they workplace troopers?

A new study from Concordia University in Montreal, published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, has found that presenteeism, i.e. attending work when ill, isn't always a productive option.

While some workers seem to be able to overcome their symptoms and be fully functional, others tend to be present solely in person, but not in true form.

Caregivers, educators and team workers often present when sick

Caregivers and people working in early education, for example, report higher rates of presenteeism compared to people from other fields.

"Often, a person might feel socially obligated to attend work despite illness," says study author Gary Johns, a management professor at Concordia's John Molson School of Business, "while other employees feel organizational pressure to attend work despite medical discomfort."

The study followed 444 people for 6 months, and the participants reported an average of three presenteeism days as opposed to 1.8 absenteeism days due to illness.

Presenteeism was elevated among workers engaged in interdependent projects or teamwork. Those who were insecure about their jobs also engaged in more presenteeism.

What is the true cost of working
when ill?

The study author says that many organizations and businesses could spend more attention to the cost of presenteeism.

"Estimating the cost of absenteeism is more tangible than counting the impact of presenteeism," says Johns. "Yet a worker's absence — or presence — during illness can have both costs and benefits for constituents."

The importance of indoor air quality at the workplace

Poor IAQ can have a detrimental effect on workers’ well-being, productivity and health.

Electrocorp air cleaners offer an affordable and low maintenance solution to stagnant, inadequately ventilated office air.

The air cleaners can be easily integrated into an existing ventilation system, or used as stand-alone room air purifiers.

The air cleaners remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants such as bacteria, viruses, odors, chemicals, molds, particles and dust by drawing the air through the deepest carbon bed filters, a medical-grade HEPA or Micro-HEPA and other filters.

For enhanced protection from contaminants such as bacteria and viruses, the air cleaners can be equipped with UV germicidal filtration.

For more information and options, contact Electrocorp.