Personal right or greater good? Hospital turns smoking job applicants away

Hospital will screen applicants for signs of smoking.

A Pennsylvania hospital is planning to implement a no-nicotine policy on Feb. 1, which involves testing job applicants for signs of nicotine and turning them away if they are smokers.

The applicants will receive some help to quit the habit and they can re-apply after six months, hospital officials said.

The hospital already has a smoke-free policy in place on the facility’s grounds, and the new guidelines are aimed at increasing the number of staff members that do not smoke.

The hospital’s measures may seem a bit extreme to some, but the facility is within its rights to implement such as policy – and other employers may follow.

The United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics says 19 states allow employers to screen job applicants for signs of smoking. Pennsylvania is one of those states.

Existing employees won’t be affected by the new policy.

A clinic in Ohio implemented a similar program in 2007.

Source: CNN

Air cleaners for the healthcare industry and hospitals

Even without the dangers of tobacco smoke, the indoor air quality in hospitals may be compromised by a wide range of pollutants, including bacteria and viruses, mold, chemicals, gases, odors, particles and dust.

Source control, ventilation and air cleaning can all help in making sure the air is healthy and breathable.

Well-placed air filtration systems (stand-alone or attached to existing ventilation systems) with many pounds of activated carbon as well as high efficiency particle filters (HEPA) and optional UV germicidal filtration can remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants.

Electrocorp has designed a variety of air cleaners for hospitals and healthcare facilities that require stringent hygiene standards, infection control and comprehensive protection to meet occupational health and safety standards.

Contact one of our IAQ experts for more information and options.

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Auto repair industry in need of better health and safety measures

Auto body shop and garage workers are exposed to chemicals, vehicle exhaust, asbestos and other pollutants.

The automotive repair and maintenance industry employs more than 1.3 million U.S. workers and it involves a number of serious health risks.

That is why the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is working with partners to promote research and improve workplace practices.

Most of the auto repair and maintenance businesses are small, with fewer than 20 people, but they all face the same kind of health and safety issues:

• Exposure to chemicals and vehicle exhaust
• Exposure to biological materials and asbestos
• Injuries like sprains, cuts and bruises
• Slips, trips and falls
• Fatalities from falling objects, transportation events, fires and explosions
• And more

Even small businesses can take inexpensive steps toward a safer workplace.

First, business owners and managers need to recognize the risks and become aware of the most pressing concerns.

Then they can take the following actions:

1. Identify chemical, fire, noise, safety and environmental hazards and train workers on them
2. Switch to water-based cleaners and safer products where possible
3. Inspect tools and equipment regularly
4. Ask workers to report hazards and symptoms right away
5. Keep dust wet at all time and avoid cleaning with compressed air when repairing brakes and clutches to protect against cancer and lung disease from asbestos
6. Wear protective gloves and other protective equipment when working with solvents and other hazardous materials
7. Clean up spills promptly

Source: Risk & Insurance  

Improve indoor air quality in auto repair shops

Auto repair and maintenance workers are routinely exposed to solvents, oil, gasoline fumes and other respiratory hazards, which can stay in the air long after the initial use.

The AirRhino: Effective odor, chemical and particle control

One way to help clean the air is to use an industrial-strength air cleaner with a large activated carbon filter and a HEPA filter to remove airborne chemicals, gases, fumes, odors as well as tiny particles, dust and fibers.

Electrocorp’s air cleaners for auto body shops and garages can tackle large amounts of indoor air pollutants and help keep the air clean and healthy.

One of the most recommended air cleaners for this industry is the AirRhino, a versatile air cleaner that can hang from the ceiling or stand on the ground and that features up to 100 lb. activated carbon filter and/or superior dust and particle filtration.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and options.

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Health and Safety claims cost a quarter of a trillion annually

Workplace injury and illness can be costly.

Work injuries and sick days cost companies $250 billion each year, according to a study by J. Paul Leigh, professor of public health services at the University of California at Davis.

Much of the cost of being absorbed by Medicare, Medicaid and insurance provided by employers, the researcher says, but the numbers mean that workplace injury and illness are responsible for direct and indirect costs for cancer, diabetes and strokes (taking up $31 billion, $76 billion and $187 billion respectively).

Occupational health should be a more pressing concern in the workforce, Leigh says in an article on BusinessNewsDaily.com.

With most people between the ages of 22 and 65 spending 40 percent of their time at work, the potential for health risk is high and keeps on growing, he says.

The figures are based on occupational injury and illness data from 2007, which recorded the costs shouldered by workers, and Leigh also factored in underreported injuries and illnesses.

By taking the estimated number of cases and multiplying that by the average cost per case, he got the final estimation of $250 billion.

This research was published in a December issue of the Milbank Quarterly: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Population Health and Health Policy.

Source: Business News Daily 

Prevention is best when it comes to occupational health and safety

Risk awareness, appropriate safety measures and action plans are extremely important to keep workers safe and healthy and to keep costs down.

One major part of occupational health and safety is indoor air quality, which is often overlooked, but can become a huge contributor to workplace illness and injuries.

Most buildings have some IAQ problems. The solutions for better indoor air quality include source control, ventilation and air cleaning.

A good air cleaner with the right amount of filtration media and the right type of filters can help keep the air clean. For example,activated carbon is the most important filter media for gaseous pollutants and odors, while high-dust environments require an effective particle or bag filter.

Electrocorp specializes in air cleaners for commercial and industrial applications and offers an extensive product line that incorporates

• Air cleaners for wood shop workers
• Welding fume extraction
• Offices and office printer air cleaners
• Solutions for laser cutting and engraving
• Air cleaners for the hospitality industry
• Salon and spa source capture units
• Air cleaners for the health care industry
• And many more…

Contact Electrocorp for more information and recommendations based on your IAQ concern.

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Welding can lead to increased clumsiness, study shows

Welding can expose workers to toxic fumes and particulate matter.

A new study shows that former welders who were exposed to manganese from welding fumes have a risk of developing increased clumsiness.

The effects last long after the exposure has stopped, according to the study of former shipyard workers in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Previous research has linked exposure to manganese and welding fumes to effects on the central nervous system, but this study focused on the long-term effects on fine motor skills.

The welders in the study underwent several tests that measured their manual dexterity and motor speed, eye-hand coordination, tremor and balance. The results were compared to the results of other shipyard workers that did not do any welding.

Those participants that had a higher total manganese exposure showed a poorer performance, the study authors say, giving reason to believe there is a lasting effect of manganese exposure.

What is manganese?

Manganese is a naturally occurring metal in the environment and human bodies, where it aids in the turnover of carbohydrates and fats.

Workers who are exposed to high concentrations of manganese over a considerable time can develop a condition called manganism, a disease with symptoms similar to Parkinson disease.

Experts say that many welders may be regularly exposed to high-risk levels of manganese that exceed official exposure limits.

Source: Health Canal

Source capture air cleaners for welding applications

Electrocorp fume extractors offer a high-draw solution to welding smoke and fumes.

Welding fume extractors help remove dangerous toxins.

The portable fume extractors feature at-the-source protection for removing airborne chemicals, vapors, fumes and smoke directly from the workstation.

The air cleaners feature 2″ HEPA fume filters that capture airborne smoke particles and a 40 lb. deep-bed activated carbon filter for chemicals, gases and smoke odor.

The fume extractors are ideal for MIG, TIG, arc and robotic welding.

Contact Electrocorp for more information.

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Asbestos and air contamination

The medical community agrees that asbestos can scar the lungs and cause illness.

This is a guest post from Mesothelioma Center.

Air contamination occurs when unwanted or hazardous materials, such as asbestos, affect the air around us.

Asbestos is odorless, tasteless and the fibers are invisible to the naked eye. In comparison to a human hair, an asbestos fiber is about one ninth of the width.

Exposure to asbestos fibers can cause severe health problems including mesothelioma cancers, lung cancer and asbestosis, as well as other conditions.

Airborne asbestos fibers are the most dangerous because they can be easily inhaled into the lungs. The fibers can become lodged in the lining of the lungs and are unable to be broken down or expelled by the body’s natural defenses.

There are no immediate symptoms of an asbestos-related disease, in fact mesothelioma symptoms may take 20-50 years to develop.

Could you be at risk for exposure?

Asbestos was widely used as a building material for insulation and fireproofing up until the late 1980’s.

Rooms with poor ventilation keep fresh air from circulating in, making it hazardous for people entering into rooms with asbestos such as attics and basements. Also, workers that installed asbestos-containing products are at a greater risk due to the large disturbance of loose fibers.

Concentration of fibers in homes, schools, or other buildings can range from 30 to 6,000 fibers per cubic meter. It is important to know if the buildings you spend time in contain asbestos.

The presence of loose or disturbed asbestos in your work or home creates a larger danger since you generally spend the majority of your time in those places.

Home renovations on houses built before the 1990’s can be another potential dangerous situation due to the likelihood of asbestos being present.

If you are conducting a home renovation remember to keep your working area well ventilated, and if you come across a substance that might be asbestos or contains asbestos, stop and get it inspected. Asbestos removal should be performed by a professionally trained contractor.

As you can see, air contaminated with asbestos poses severe risks to your health. No amount of asbestos exposure is safe.

Feel free to learn more about asbestos and mesothelioma at the Mesothelioma Center and visit them on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

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Links:

• Air cleaners for mold and asbestos abatement (Electrocorp)