The Pump Handle

TSCA Reform: from quick start to choke point

by Richard Denison, PhD, cross-posted from EDF’s ChemNano Blog Over the last few months, I was heartened to hear a number of industry stakeholders in the debate over TSCA reform embrace the idea of designating in TSCA reform legislation a “jump...

Published Wed, Nov 18 2009 7:52 AM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Confined Space @ TPH, Regulation, Environmental Health, Environmental Protection Agency, Politics

Imagine Health and Safety

As I mentioned in my earlier post about the OHS Section’s Award Luncheon, the section’s musical skit is one of the most eagerly anticipated events for worker health and safety advocated attending the APHA annual meeting. This year, vocal and lyrical master...

Published Tue, Nov 17 2009 12:27 PM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Confined Space @ TPH

Swine flu and bird flu and lessons learned and to be learned

by revere, cross-posted from Effect Measure The blogosphere (DemFromCT at DailyKos) and the main stream media (Alan Sipress at the Washington Post) brought us the two faces of the current flu pandemic. Like Janus, one took lessons from the present and...

Published Tue, Nov 17 2009 9:05 AM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Influenza

BPA and Male Sexual Problems

There are plenty of studies about the effects of bisphenol A on animals, but it’s always challenging to study the effects of a ubiquitous chemical in humans. Findings from a new epidemiologic study helps fill in some of the gaps in understanding...

Published Mon, Nov 16 2009 12:39 PM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Environmental Health

Peer review needed on NIOSH firefighter reports

Jay Lowry, the editor of FirefighterHourly.com is calling on NIOSH to obtain the input of front-line firefighers before publishing its investigation of firefighter deaths. In “NIOSH Firefighter Reports Need Overhaul”, Lowry writes: While the...

Published Sat, Nov 14 2009 1:21 PM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Occupational Health & Safety, Confined Space @ TPH, Safety

World’s largest public health group calls for global asbestos ban

by Andrew Schneider, cross-posted from Cold Truth At last, the world’s oldest public health organization has joined the funeral dirge-paced parade to ban asbestos in the U.S. The 50,000-member American Public Health Association adopted a resolution at...

Published Thu, Nov 12 2009 11:24 AM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Occupational Health & Safety, Confined Space @ TPH, Regulation, Mining, Environmental Health, Environmental Protection Agency

Recognizing OHS Achievements with Speeches, Skits, and Song

The Occupational Health & Safety Section’s Annual Awards Luncheon is always one of the highlights of the APHA Annual Meeting, due its combination of inspiring awardees and creative musical skit. This year’s award winners won well-deserved recognition...

Published Wed, Nov 11 2009 3:58 PM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Occupational Health & Safety, Confined Space @ TPH

New Agency Leaders Have Big Plans, Lots of Work Ahead of Them

It’s a tradition for APHA’s Occupational Health & Safety section to invite top officials from OSHA, MSHA, and NIOSH to a “Talking Heads” session at each APHA annual meeting. The session “The Future of Occupational Safety and Health in the Obama Administration...

Published Wed, Nov 11 2009 9:09 AM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Occupational Health & Safety, Confined Space @ TPH

Health and Safety in Healthcare

As is always the case at APHA, there are far too many fascinating presentations for one person to see – so I hope those of you who are also here in Philly will add comments about some of the sessions you’re attending and what you’re...

Published Tue, Nov 10 2009 11:40 AM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Occupational Health & Safety, Healthcare

Port Wentworth Tragedy Profitable for PR Firm

Each year, the Public Relations Society of America gives a Silver Anvil Award, which “acknowledges the very highest level of achievement and is the established icon of the ‘best of the best’ public relations practices.” The latest Silver Anvil has just...

Published Tue, Nov 10 2009 11:14 AM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Occupational Health & Safety, Combustible Dust

Making Green Jobs Safe Jobs

I feel like I’m pretty up on the push for green jobs (creating jobs in the building and installation of wind turbines, construction of energy-efficient buildings, etc.) but this morning at the APHA meeting, I learned something about the occupational...

Published Mon, Nov 09 2009 9:30 AM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Occupational Health & Safety, Global warming

Healthy People 2020 Open for Public Comment

The US Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People program, which for the past several decades has provided “science-based, 10-year national objectives for promoting health and preventing disease,” has opened its 2020 iteration...

Published Mon, Nov 09 2009 7:04 AM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Health, Politics

APHA Annual Meeting Opening Session: Lessons on Chemicals, Culture, and More

At the opening general session of the American Public Health Association’s annual meeting, I learned a few things about Philadelphia, where this year’s meeting is happening. Philadelphia opened the nation’s first public hospital, nursing...

Published Sun, Nov 08 2009 1:30 PM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Environmental Health

A Broken Process on Burn Pits

Earlier today, the Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing on the use of burn pits for trash at military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan – a practice that may be exposing thousands of soldiers and civilians to carcinogens, respiratory irritants...

Published Fri, Nov 06 2009 2:31 PM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Health

Cool Lab Safety Training for Students

Beth Griffin was a Research Assistant at Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center at Emory University when she was splashed in the eye with fluids from a rhesus macaque. She acquired a Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1 (B virus) infection and died 42 days after...

Published Fri, Nov 06 2009 8:34 AM by The Pump Handle

Filed under: Occupational Health & Safety, Safety

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