Airborne workplace hazards may be deadly: Experts

Trades workers, technicians and machine operators
can be exposed to toxic chemicals, dusts and more.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Many workplace hazards are hard to miss – there are those that may cause injury or death and others that can affect a person’s mindset – but those that are not easily recognizable, including invisible fumes, dust and inhalable toxins, may be the most dangerous workplace hazards, experts warn.

These types of toxins have been linked to a wide range of health effects, including

• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Asbestosis
• Cancers, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer

The problem with these inhalable hazards is that health effects may take a long time to appear, up to a few decades in some cases, while other exposures may cause immediate health problems.

In Australia, experts say that approximately 39% of workers are regularly exposed to airborne hazards in the workplace. Exposure to fumes, gases and particulates was especially likely for technicians, trades workers and machine operators.

Many of the workers surveyed said they did not receive any safety measures or equipment, while another large portion said they received inadequate controls.

Employers responsible for supplying a safe working environment

Experts recommend the following:

1. Regular monitoring of the workplace air quality and identifying hazards
2. Putting controls into place
3. Capturing dust at the source rather than letting it escape
4. Make sure there are fresh air exchanges and filtering air, if needed

Fume arms, dust collectors and air scrubbers can all help remove contaminants and reduce workers’ exposure to toxins.

Companies that fail to protect workers may have to face substantial fines.

What is your working environment like? Do your employers ensure good air quality? Let us know!


Source: Safe to Work

Air cleaners for chemicals, dust and other toxins

The AirRhino air cleaner can go
from particle to chemical filtration
on site.

Providing cleaner and healthier air can be as easy as using one of Electrocorp’s air cleaners for commercial and industrial applications.

Electrocorp air scrubbers combat workplace hazards such as fumes, gases, chemicals, odors, dust, particulates and more with proven activated carbon and HEPA filters.

The air cleaners come in different sizes and airflow configurations, with custom carbon blends, long-lasting deep-bed filters as well as many additional features to provide the best solution to virtually any IAQ concern.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and recommendations based on your workplace contaminants.

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'Popcorn lung' back in the news

Artificial butter flavoring has many health side effects
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos

Since the mid 2000s there has been a lot of concern about the microwave popcorn industry and occupational health and safety regulations. A new term was coined to describe what workers were experiencing, popcorn lung.  This disease referred to workers at popcorn factories who suffered from a debilitating lung condition as a result of exposure to diacetyl, a synthetic butter-flavored chemical used in their products. 

In 2010, a worker won a lawsuit against industry giant BASF Corp.  He was awarded over 30 million dollars to compensate for the bronchiolitis obliterans he developed from exposure to diacetyl. 

In 2011, another worker won his lawsuit against Polarome International Inc. for the same reasons. He was also given compensation.

How does this chemical work?

Diacetyl is a naturally occurring chemical found in many different consumer products, such as beer and wine. It becomes hazardous, however, when it is produced synthetically, which is the case with products manufactured to have a buttery smell or taste.

New developments

Over the past few weeks, talk of diacetyl and the popcorn industry has resurfaced.  But the angle has changed. Two studies have shown very different, but equally harmful, side effects to working with the butter substitute.

Researchers now fear diacetyl
may cause Alzheimer's disease
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos

Apart from the rare lung disease known to occur with repeated exposure to this chemical, research now shows a correlation between diacetyl and Alzheimer’s disease. Though there is no irrefutable proof as of yet, researchers are pointing to how diacetyl may impact beta-amyloid proteins in the brain. 

The chemical appears to be causing the proteins to clump together, which is one of the indicators for Alzheimer’s disease. Diacetyl also crosses the blood-brain barrier, which leaves the brain vulnerable to attack, thereby resulting in both neurological toxicity and brain deterioration.

Over the past few years, the federal government has sought to limit workers’ exposure to diacetyl, but has not banned the chemical from use. Many factories still use diacetyl, but some have opted for another synthetic butter substitute called 2,3-pentanedione (PD). 

Recent investigations into this chemical, performed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), show that PD demonstrates similar health hazards to its predecessor, diacetyl.  The same kind of damage was found in the lungs, indicating a tendency toward developing the non-reversible and life-threatening bronchiolitis obliterans.There is no information yet on how PD impacts the brain.

Does knowledge about diacetyl and PD’s health hazards affect whether you will continue to buy microwave popcorn? Let us know what you think.

Sources:Natural News, EurekAlert, InTheseTimes, WSFA.com

Clean air for workers

Though there has been a lot of talk about protecting workers from chemical exposure, many companies have yet to install proper HVAC systems and air cleaners. 

Electrocorp provides companies with a large array of air cleaners that can serve many different industries. From air cleaners that focus only on particles, to units that have both a HEPA and activated carbon filtration system, there are ways to protect your workers from inhaling fumes and chemicals that can cause irreversible harm.

To find out more about our units, contact one of our IAQ experts.

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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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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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