Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine how to prepare for a winter’s worth of respiratory illnesses in the workplace. Could you find yourself looking at a “tripledemic” of COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the workplace […]
On May 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its “Ventilation in Buildings” guidelines to include a discussion on “How much ventilation is enough?” to help prevent airborne disease transmission. “When possible, aim for 5 or more air changes per hour (ACH) of clean air to help reduce the number of germs […]
A Michigan paper mill recently had to close for intensive cleaning following an outbreak of workplace fungal infections. There were 21 confirmed cases, including 1 fatality, and 76 people at the mill were classified as having probable cases of blastomycosis. Fungal diseases like blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever), and histoplasmosis can infect anyone, according to the […]
The Billerud Paper Mill in Escanaba, Michigan, has closed for cleaning following an outbreak of blastomycosis fungal infections, Billerud North America announced. The outbreak included a fatality, according to local public health officials. “As a precautionary measure, we will temporarily idle the Escanaba Mill for up to three weeks to facilitate additional proper cleaning based […]
Protective service occupations (public safety) had the highest rate of deaths from COVID-19 at 60 deaths per 100,000 workers, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Vital Statistics. The industry with the highest death rate was accommodation and food services, with 55 deaths per 100,000 workers. […]
On October 3, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) called employers’ and workers’ attention to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) toolkit for monkeypox vaccination in the institute’s October eNews. Monkeypox is caused by infection with the monkeypox virus, which is part of the same family of viruses as the […]
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) needs to closely monitor members’ timely access to health services under its World Trade Center Health Program, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded in a new report (GAO-22-105303) released July 29. Eligible responders and survivors of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks receive health services through […]
A House committee examining issues arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic alleged that meatpacking companies enlisted the help of political appointees at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to weaken worker safety and health guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). On May 12, the […]
Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine how to prepare for a tornado. Severe weather events are seemingly commonplace these days, but there’s something particularly devastating about tornadoes. Especially the unpredictability and the sheer damage they can dish […]
The AIHA (formerly the American Industrial Hygiene Association) announced the release of revised Back to Work Safety (BTWS) Guidelines. Updates to the revised guidelines include alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) new recommendations regarding vaccinated individuals; the hierarchy of health and safety controls; and references to current scientific evidence indicating that […]