Appropriate lighting in a workplace can have a profound effect on worker safety, as well as the bottom line. Offices, retail locations and industrial facilities can all benefit from the added productivity, enhanced safety, and improved employee morale associated with appropriate lighting. Proper illumination and electrical installation practices will also avoid possible Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) citations. Newer lighting technologies, such as light emitting diode (LED), reduce electrical demand and save energy and money. Continue Reading →
Category: HETI Horizons Newsletters
Ergonomics: What Is It…And Why Is It So Important?
Ergonomics is the science of fitting workplace conditions and job demands to the capabilities of the worker. The goal is to reduce work-related injuries – including musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) or cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) – that may occur from repetitive reaching, bending, or lifting; excessive force; working with vibrating equipment; and doing other tasks that require repetitive motion.
Emerging Fuels And Compatibility With Underground Storage Tanks
In 1925, Henry Ford said, “The fuel of the future is going to come from fruit like that sumac out by the road, or from apples, weeds, sawdust – almost anything.” Mr. Ford may have been foreshadowing “emerging fuels”. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines “emerging fuels” as new or different fuel formulations that enter the market for various reasons, such as policy changes or technical requirements. For example, biofuels (like ethanol), ultra-low sulfur gasoline, and biodiesel are examples of emerging fuels primarily derived from plants, animal products or other wastes.
Voluntary Respirator Usage: Respiratory Protection Considerations During The COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about near universal face mask use in indoor environments outside of the home. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) have guided the public and employees to wear “face coverings” that help prevent the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The primary function of these face coverings is to arrest transmissible respiratory droplets generated during talking, coughing, breathing, etc. Continue Reading →
Emerging Contaminants: An Update
In December 2020, the chemical industry publication, Chemical Watch 1, reported that New York had joined Washington and Maine in passing legislation restricting the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging. The significance of enactment of this and similar PFAS-related contaminant-of-emerging-concern (CEC) legislation at the State level cannot be understated. With the writing on the wall, major companies such as Amazon have taken steps to eliminate PFAS compounds in their Kitchen brand products.2
COVID-19 Cleaning & Disinfecting Agents: Health Issues/Effects In The Workplace
The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges for everyone across the globe. For those responsible for making workplaces safe with respect to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 disease, these challenges have resulted in additional measures relating to cleaning and disinfecting work areas.
PCBs: Still A Concern After All These Years
In response to evidence of adverse health and environmental impacts, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned the manufacture of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in 1979 and imposed controls on the majority of PCBs in use at that time.
PCBs are mixtures of synthetic organic chemicals valued for their stability, low flammability, and high thermal conductivity. Because of these properties, PCBs were extensively used as a non-flammable replacement for mineral oil to cool and insulate transformers, fluorescent light ballasts, and other electrical devices. The use and disposal of this equipment has been strictly regulated under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), found in the federal code of regulations at 40 CFR 761.50.
Tetrachloroethene: Contamination And Remediation Options
Tetrachloroethene (PCE) is a colorless, nonflammable, liquid solvent widely used in the dry cleaning industry and in the automotive and metalworking industries as a metal degreaser. PCE is a chlorinated compound with the chemical formula Cl2C=CCl2, and has a sweet odor that is detectable by smell at concentrations as low as one part per million (ppm). PCE and its various breakdown products – trichloroethylene (TCE), dichloroethylene (DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC) – are classified as toxic and carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
Bacterial & Viral Infections…And Wastewater Releases
In this time of COVID-19 – with flu season right around the corner and sometimes conflicting information making the rounds – it is a good idea to go over the basics of bacterial and viral infections. To begin with, what is the difference between bacteria and viruses?
Controlling Water Pollution In The United States: The NPDES Program
Since the first advanced human civilizations were founded on rivers, it has been a challenge to maintain surface water quality. As human populations have grown, particularly since the Industrial Revolution, the old habit of using bodies of water as a convenient dumping ground has proven unsustainable and dangerous. An unfortunate byproduct of the technological advances of the Industrial Revolution was the vastly increased amount of toxic chemical, radioactive, and biological waste that was commonly discharged into rivers and lakes. Disposal of industrial wastes and the sanitary household wastes from rapidly growing dense urban centers resulted in the discharge of an unprecedented amount of pollution to the surface waters of the United States. To further complicate the problem, the environmental and human health impact from these unfamiliar waste constituents was poorly understood. Consequently, at the turn of the twentieth century, a crisis was at hand.