It has long been known that “hot work” jobs come with occupational risks. Hot work is any work that involves burning or using fire- or spark-producing tools, such as one does when welding. Welding, the act of heating surfaces together to the point of melting, creates great potential for hazards to occur. Fire, explosions and exposure to toxic fumes and gases are top risks for hot work welders.
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No one would argue that the advent of online news publications has caused a steep decline in the circulation of print newspapers. And yet, newspapers are still found everywhere. From barbershops to convenience stores and newsstands to supermarket checkout counters, newspapers – both broadsheet and tabloids – abound.
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When you open a greeting card, reach into your car’s glove box or read your child her favorite “touch and feel” storybook, chances are, the word “flocking” is not on your mind. And yet, all of the aforementioned items have been flocked.
Flock is used to make a variety of objects, from carpets, clothing apparel, and jewel boxes to paper goods (such as picture books, posters and greeting cards) that have raised or rough threads. Flocking is a fiber coating process that can add dimension and texture to almost any article.
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Property rooms or evidence rooms are secure areas, typically in a police station, used to store seized or stolen property and criminal evidence until the items can be returned to their rightful owners or used in court as matters of proof. Evidence includes items such as weapons, keys, money, personal objects, prescription and illicit drugs. Many of these items will be returned to their owners, destroyed or auctioned off. Evidence, of course, will be maintained for investigations and legal proceedings until a case is closed. The sophistication and organization of each department’s evidence room varies. Regardless of whether property or evidence is stored in boxes or bins, in envelopes or plastic bags, one thing is certain: each article tells a story and contains clues that can potentially exonerate or indict a suspect.
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More than a half a million people work in laboratories across America. No matter their field of scientific study, lab workers can be exposed to occupational hazards whether chemical, biological or radioactive in nature.
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During an average day, there are many opportunities in which one can admire ceramic artistry. Whether it is a favorite morning coffee mug, impressive place setting at a restaurant during business lunch, or a vase of flowers in a neighbor’s kitchen window, the ceramic pieces all share a common beginning. They all began with an individual artist.
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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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The fitness craze of the last 30 years has led to a bevy of choices regarding sport-related footwear. Alternatives beyond the basic walking and running shoe include tennis, aerobic, basketball and cross-training brands. Change took a long time in coming but once it did, the industry never stopped advancing and with the transformation, came an increase in occupational hazards to workers who assembled the shoes.
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When one thinks of early American landmarks, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate, Maryland’s State House in Annapolis, and the US Capitol in Washington, DC, are among the many national colonial period treasurers that come to mind. Not only are the structures themselves significant for their history and longevity, but so, too, are the resources used to construct them. The fact that these buildings have literally stood the test of time speaks to the durability of their primary building material: brick.
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