In the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Congress declared that its purpose was to assure, so far as possible, safe and healthful working conditions for every working man and woman and to preserve our human resources. In this Act, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is charged with recommending occupational safety and health standards and describing exposure concentrations that are safe for various periods of employment-including but not limited to concentrations at which no worker will suffer diminished health, functional capacity, or life expectancy as a result of his or her work experience. By means of criteria documents, NIOSH communicates these recommended standards to regulatory agencies (including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA]) and to others in the occupational safety and health community. Criteria documents provide the scientific basis for new occupational safety and health standards. These documents generally contain a critical review of the scientific and technical information available on the prevalence of hazards, the existence of safety and health risks, and the adequacy of control methods. In addition to transmitting these documents to the Department of Labor, NIOSH also distributes them to health professionals in academic institutions, industry, organized labor, public interest groups, and other government agencies. In 1972, NIOSH published Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Noise, which provided the basis for a recommended standard to reduce the risk of developing permanent hearing loss as a result of occupational noise exposure [NIOSH 1972]. NIOSH has now evaluated the latest scientific information and has revised some of its previous recommendations. The 1998 recommendations go beyond attempting to conserve hearing by focusing on preventing occupational noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). This criteria document reevaluates and reaffirms the recommended exposure limit (REL) for occupational noise exposure established by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in 1972. The REL is 85 decibels, A-weighted, as an 8-hr time-weighted average (85 dBA as an 8-hr TWA). Exposures at or above this level are hazardous. By incorporating the 4000-Hz audiometric frequency into the definition of hearing impairment in the risk assessment, NIOSH has found an 8% excess risk of developing occupational noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) during a 40-year lifetime exposure at the 85-dBA REL. NIOSH has also found that scientific evidence supports the use of a 3-dB exchange rate for the calculation of TWA exposures to noise. The recommendations in this document go beyond attempts to conserve hearing by focusing on prevention of occupational NIHL. For workers whose noise exposures equal or exceed 85 dBA, NIOSH recommends a hearing loss prevention program (HLPP) that includes exposure assessment, engineering and administrative controls, proper use of hearing protectors, audiometric evaluation, education and motivation, recordkeeping, and program audits and evaluations. Audiometric evaluation is an important component of an HLPP. To provide early identification of workers with increasing hearing loss, NIOSH has revised the criterion for significant threshold shift to an increase of 15 dB in the hearing threshold level (HTL) at 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, or 6000 Hz in either ear, as determined by two consecutive tests. To permit timely intervention and prevent further hearing losses in workers whose HTLs have increased because of occupational noise exposure, NIOSH no longer recommends age correction on individual audiograms.

Used by the OSH Administration's compliance officers as a reference for technical information on safety and health issues, this manual enables both business and industry to evaluate their own facilities for compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The manual features all compliance and regulatory revisions issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, effective January 20, 1999, and covers such topics as sampling and measurement methods, health hazards, construction operations, health care facilities, ergonomics, and personal protective equipment.

Topics covered include fundamentals of sound, vibration and hearing, elements of a hearing conservation program, noise interference and annoyance, regulations, standards and laws.

Safety in any workplace is extremely important. In the case of the electrical industry, safety is critical and the codes and regulations which determine safe practices are both diverse and complicated. Employers, electricians, electrical system designers, inspectors, engineers and architects must comply with safety standards listed in the National Electrical Code, OSHA and NFPA 70E. Unfortunately, the publications which list these safety requirements are written in very technically advanced terms and the average person has an extremely difficult time understanding exactly what they need to do to ensure safe installations and working environments. Electrical Safety Code Manual will tie together the various regulations and practices for electrical safety and translate these complicated standards into easy to understand terms. This will result in a publication that is a practical, if not essential, asset to not only designers and company owners but to the electricians who must put compliance requirements into action in the field. - Best-practice methods for accident prevention and electrical hazard avoidance - Current safety regulations, including new standards from OSHA, NEC, NESC, and NFPA - Information on low-, medium-, and high-voltage safety systems - Step-by-step guidelines on safety audits - Training program how-to's, from setup to rescue and first aid procedures

Does the identification number 60 indicate a toxic substance or a flammable solid, in the molten state at an elevated temperature? Does the identification number 1035 indicate ethane or butane? What is the difference between natural gas transmission pipelines and natural gas distribution pipelines? If you came upon an overturned truck on the highway that was leaking, would you be able to identify if it was hazardous and know what steps to take? Questions like these and more are answered in the Emergency Response Guidebook. Learn how to identify symbols for and vehicles carrying toxic, flammable, explosive, radioactive, or otherwise harmful substances and how to respond once an incident involving those substances has been identified. Always be prepared in situations that are unfamiliar and dangerous and know how to rectify them. Keeping this guide around at all times will ensure that, if you were to come upon a transportation situation involving hazardous substances or dangerous goods, you will be able to help keep others and yourself out of danger. With color-coded pages for quick and easy reference, this is the official manual used by first responders in the United States and Canada for transportation incidents involving dangerous goods or hazardous materials.

OSHA Training Handbook for Healthcare Facilities Sarah E. Alholm, MAS Take OSHA compliance off your "to do" list! Practical OSHA compliance strategies you can implement today! This concise primer cuts through the clutter and illustrates how to maintain compliance. Save time trying to interpret vague OSHA standards and discover specific methods to train staff, identify hazards, and document accurately, enabling you to become a highly effective safety professional."OSHA Training Handbook for Healthcare Facilities" will help you: Implement a compliant safety program using proven successful case studies, and action-oriented strategies as your guide Navigate the complex crossover of OSHA regulations with other organizations, such as CDC, EPA, and FDA Save time researching the right training methods and documentation with customizable, downloadable sample forms and tools Keep employees safe and avoid costly fines Execute your OSHA plan with help from "Top 10 Action Items" lists at the end of every chapter Take a look at the Table of Contents Chapter 1: Roles and Responsibilities You're the Safety Officer...Now What? Tailoring Your Job Description to the Needs of Your Facility Your Safety Committee Helpful Resources Top 10 Safety Officer Action Items Chapter 2: Creating a Compliance Program Bloodborne Pathogens Hazard Communication Emergency Action Plans Electrical Issues Protection, Ionizing Radiation, and Chemical Hygiene General Duty Clause MRSA and more Ergonomics Workplace Violence Risk Assessments Recordkeeping Exemption Top 10 Compliance Action Items Chapter 3: Employee Training Hazard-by-Hazard Approach vs. Best-Practice Approach Training Basics for All OSHA Training Unique Training Required by Specific Standards The Problem of Physician Training Training Ideas Top 10 Action Items for Training Employees Chapter 4: Inspections, Violations, and Fines The Knock on the Door During the Inspection TRUE STORY: One Practice's Experience During an OSHA Inspection Receiving a Violation Warning Responding to and Rectifying Violations Challenging or Mitigating Fines Top 10 Inspection Action Items Chapter 5: Beyond OSHA: Other Safety or Regulatory Responsibilities Patient Safety Waste: Where OSHA Ends and State/Federal Regulations Begin Top 10 Action Items for Additional Safety and Regulatory Concerns Appendix Appendix A: Common and Expensive OSHA Citations Appendix B: Checklists Appendix C: Sample Training Exams Appendix D: Frequently Asked Questions Figure List Table 1.1 States With OSHA-Approved Plans Table 1.2 Favorite Online Resources Table 2.1 Exposure Prone Activities Table 2.2 Occupational Exposure Resources Figure 2.1 Determining Whether a MSDS Is Necessary Figure 2.2 Using an Inverted Bin to Reduce Reach Into a Deep Sink Table 2.3 Web Resources for Potential Occupational Hazards Table 2.4 Federal Recordkeeping Exemption by SIC Code Figure 3.1 PASS Technique for Using Portable Fire Extinguisher Table 3.1 Considerations in Incipient Stage Fire Fighting Table 3.2 Summary of OSHA Training Requirements Table 4.1 Important Inspection-Related Time Periods Table 4.2 Fine Adjustments Based Upon Business Size Table 5.1 Annual TB Risk Assessment and Staff TB Skin Test Frequency Table 5.2 Performing Baseline TB Skin Testing Table 5.3 Rate Of Illicit Drugs and Heavy Alcohol Use, Dependence, or Abuse Among Healthcare Workers Table 5.4 Patient Safety Resources Figure 5.1 Ordinary Solid Waste in the Red Bag Container Table 5.5 Biohazardous and Regular Waste Examples Table 5.6 Characteristic Wastes: Guidelines to What's Ignitable, Corrosive, Reactive, and Toxic Table 5.7 Common P-Listed Medical Wastes Table 5.8 Common U-Listed Medical Wastes Table 5.9 CMS-Recognized Accreditation Organizations for Ambulatory Facilities Figure B.1 Weekly Facility Review Checklist Figure B.2 Monthly Facility Review Checklist Figure B.3 Annual Facility Review Checklist Figure B.4 New Employee OSHA Orientation Checklist

Used by the OSH Administration's compliance officers as a reference for technical information on safety and health issues, this manual enables both business and industry to evaluate their own facilities for compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The manual features all compliance and regulatory revisions issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, effective January 20, 1999, and covers such topics as sampling and measurement methods, health hazards, construction operations, health care facilities, ergonomics, and personal protective equipment.

Quick Selection Guide to Chemical Protective Clothing provides the reader with the latest information on Selection, Care and Use of Chemical Protective garments and gloves. Topics in the widely-used reference guide include Selection and Use of Chemical Protective Clothing, Chemical Index, Selection Recommendations, Glossary, Standards for Chemical Protective Clothing, Manufactures of Chemical Protective Clothing and European requirements for chemical resistant gloves. The key feature of the book is the color-coded selection recommendations. The red, yellow or green indications are highly appreciated by the users. This sixth edition of the Quick Selection Guide to Chemical Protective Clothing has been updated, to include approximately 1,000 chemicals/chemical brands or mixture of chemicals more than twice the information provided in the original edition. The performance of 9 generic materials and 32 proprietary barriers are compared against the 21 standard test chemicals listed in ASTM F1001. The color-coded recommendations against the broader list of materials now contain 27 representative barrier materials. This best selling pocket guide is the an essential field source for HazMat teams, spill responder, safety professionals, chemists and chemical engineers, industrial hygienists, supervisors, purchase agents, salespeople and other users of chemical protective clothing.

The Complete Guide to OSHA Compliance is an easy-to-understand, one-stop resource designed to help safety professionals, industrial hygienists, and human resources personnel ensure compliance with existing and upcoming OSHA regulations. This essential book explains employer and employee rights and responsibilities, and it provides everything you need to know about employer standards and standards for specific operations. The Complete Guide to OSHA Compliance describes the process of injury/illness recordkeeping and the reporting system required by OSHA. It also explains how to conduct a self-audit to determine whether a company is in full compliance. Furthermore, it informs companies of their rights in an inspection and explains how to handle citations and appeals, should they arise.