OSHA extends some compliance dates for beryllium standard
OSHA is extending the compliance date for specific ancillary requirements of the general industry beryllium standard to Dec. 12.
This extension affects provisions for methods of compliance, beryllium work areas, regulated areas, personal protective clothing and equipment, hygiene facilities and practices, housekeeping, communication of hazards and recordkeeping. The extension does not affect the compliance dates for other requirements of the general industry beryllium standard.
For more information, visit www.osha.gov or call (800) 321-6742 [OSHA].
ASSP Certification and Accreditation Institute debuts
The new American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Certification and Accreditation Institute LLC, an independent entity of ASSP, has begun working with companies to certify their workplace safety and health processes meet established standards that demonstrate a commitment to quality. The institute's certification mark, which confirms adherence to specific standards, reflects a company's investment in occupational safety and health management, and is expected to provide a competitive advantage in the industry.
ISO certification is a selling point across all industries and is essential for companies conducting business globally. According to a survey by the Independent Association of Accredited Registrars, 86 percent of companies that certify with a reputable accreditation organization realize a positive return on investment.
For more information, visit www.assp.org or contact ASSP Standards Development Manager Ovidiu Munteanu at OMunteanu@assp.org.
Data reveals rise in hearing loss among oil, gas drilling workers
WorkSafeBC is raising concerns about an increase in hearing loss among workers in the oil and gas drilling sector and is alerting employers and workers with a new safety bulletin.
Hearing test data collected by employers in the oil and gas drilling sector over five years indicates the percentage of workers showing signs of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) has increased from 33 percent in 2012 to 45 percent in 2017. By comparison, 13 percent of workers in all other noisy industries tested positive for NIHL in 2017.
Employers can take measures to prevent NIHL, such as ensure all workers who are at risk wear sufficient hearing protection that fits and understand how to properly wear it, ensure workers insert or wear the correct hearing protection prior to entering a noisy environment and wear it until after exiting the noisy location, rotate workers to different positions so they spend less time in noisy environments, identify potential engineering controls to mitigate risk of exposure, and ensure workers have their hearing tested and are aware of their hearing test results.
For more information, visit www.worksafebc.com or call (604) 276-3100.
NIOSH to reevaluate REL for inorganic lead
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has submitted a request for information (RFI) on its intention to establish an updated recommended exposure limit (REL) for inorganic lead. The current REL for inorganic lead is 50 μg/m3 as a time-weighted average concentration for an eight-hour work shift during a 40-hour workweek. NIOSH also intends to develop updated recommendations on the potential health risks, medical surveillance and recommended measures for the safe handling of inorganic lead. The RFI is part of NIOSH's effort to identify RELs that may not be adequate to protect workers from adverse health effects due to exposure.
Occupational exposures to inorganic lead -- a naturally occurring, soft, gray metal -- are found in many industries, including construction, electronic waste recycling, and smelting and refining. Workers can be exposed through inhalation, ingestion and through the skin.
For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/niosh or call (800) CDC-INFO [232-4636].
CSHS helps propel new global protocol on human capital
The Center for Safety and Health Sustainability (CSHS) is helping push forward a new global protocol that aims to improve the measurement and value of human capital in corporate decision making and government policy. The protocol is driven by the Social and Human Capital Coalition (SHCC).
In its public comments, CSHS stressed the coalition's protocol must take a strong stand on the public reporting of human capital metrics; assume a leadership role in the standardization of data collection methodology, reporting formats and definitions of terms used in reporting; and conduct pilot programs to test theories and approaches.
For more information, visit www.assp.org or call (847) 699-2929.
