Cancer. The word evokes many feelings in people, sadness and fear top the list. It’s no wonder. On a global scale, nearly 13 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year. Cancer is the leading cause of death in developed countries, including the United States.
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In the early 20th century, public awareness of occupational- related illnesses was not yet a reality, but advocacy for the safety of US laborers, was beginning to grow. Physicians, research scientists and medical experts began documenting worker health problems. Pioneers of the labor-advocacy movement led efforts to improve industrial hygiene after finding conclusive evidence linking Read More
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Are Santa’s Elves at Risk? In the fairytale workshop of holiday toys, Santa’s bustling elves are depicted crafting, assembling and painting items of Christmas splendor. In this imaginary world, nary a thing could go wrong. But in the real world of woodworking, significant – even deadly – health risks exist everyday as a result of Read More
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Since the beginning of baseball’s popularity in the 1850s, fans’ love of the game has only grown fonder. In the over 150 years since, much has changed in the world of organized sports but the baseball bat has largely remained the same. At the outset of baseball, players tended to make their own bats, fashioning them to their particular size and weight preferences.
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Activities such as sharing popcorn while watching a movie, drinking hot cocoa on a cold night, even the simple act of eating crackers may take on a different meaning once one becomes aware of the chemical ingredients that have gone into the flavorings of their favorite snacks.
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Over 40 years ago, the topic of indoor air quality (IAQ) was not yet a line item on our national agenda. Beginning in the 1960’s, the concept of outdoor air pollution gained momentum to the point that it was considered a credible health risk. The government eventually intervened. In 1970 Congress proposed and President Nixon Read More
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Grain dust explosions are often catastrophic events. The dust is highly combustible in any environment where fine particles accumulate and heat is present.
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Triggers for workplace explosions fall into two categories: fumes and dust. While fumes can often be detected by smell, dust is much more insidious. Dust particles can hide in workshop and factory nooks and crannies and can ignite with only the smallest of sparks.
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Remedying poor workplace indoor air quality is more of a modern notion, one that did not become a driving force within the medical, environmental, and clean air policy communities until many years after pollution as a healthcare concern became a nationwide talking point.
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The potential for dust particulates to ignite and create a flash fire or explosion is a constant hazard in just about every industry. The reason is that just about everything, including wood, has the potential to be combustible when in dust form. Because they are solids, the dusts and powders that settle onto equipment, in passageways, and in nooks and crannies of a manufacturing plant, accumulate.
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