11/28/2016 In 1884, a woman named Mary Mallon arrived in the United States from Ireland. She was able to find employment within the New York City area: first as domestic help for wealthy families and then finding her niche as a cook. Unbeknownst to her, Mary was a carrier of the bacteria, Salmonella Typhi. The disease caused by this bacteria is widely known as typhoid fever, or simply, typhoid. Symptoms of typhoid vary from mild Read more…
10/10/2016 Of all the animals that humans have been in fear of running into a face-to-face confrontation, it is without a doubt, those creatures that come equipped with sharp teeth, long claws, and flexing coils. But after about 4.5 billion years of being on our guard from attack from such beasts, surprisingly, it’s the smallest of living things that are often the most lethal. So what are the odds you’ll meet your match against a Read more…
9/26/2016 Safety and health documents are designed to inform personnel of the hazards associated with field activities. Health and Safety Plans (HASPs), Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs or sometimes referred to as AHAs – Activity Hazard Analyses) and Integrated Work Documents (IWDs) are all focused in this regard. Their primary purpose is to, not only ensure all hazards associated with the scope of work are identified, but that the appropriate controls are also specified. The word, Read more…
9/19/2016 Those of us that enter into the field of Occupational Safety and Health will inevitably learn about Pliny the Elder. Although his actual birth date was never recorded, it has been calculated, through his death, that he was born in the year 23 AD. Gaius Plinius Secundus (Latin name), was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire. His life spanned the reign Read more…
5/7/2018 Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS): this is a condition that is caused when the main nerve in either wrist – known as the median nerve – gets compressed as it travels through the tight space in the wrist; most commonly known as the carpel tunnel. As a result of the median nerve getting compressed (or pinched) one may experience pain, numbness, or even tingling in the thumb, index finger, middle finger, as well as the Read more…
6/4/2018 In 1970, the revolutionary book, Future Shock, hit the NY Times Bestseller list. Millions of Americans were suddenly thrown into a new reality; one that we today understand all too well. This book presented a warning to the world as a futuristic vision for which the human race was about to enter a technological revolution; one of an accelerated rate of scientific advances and social change and, as book critics described, would leave many Read more…
5/14/2018 Any of us old rock n’ rollers can recall (hopefully) the cover of the first Led Zeppelin Album, as it depicted one of the most notable disasters in modern history: The passenger airship Hindenburg bursting into flames as it was ready to land in Manchester Township, New Jersey. The event occurred on May 6, 1937 with the backdrop of international tensions as the Second World War was approaching. Of the 97 people on board Read more…
4/16/2018 If you have ever read the contents of a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) – which, by the way, is not just a right, but an obligation for anyone working with a specific hazardous material – you will notice that Section 11, titled Toxicological Information, lists a number of organizations that may categorize the health effects of that material as a carcinogen. The organizations typically referenced are: the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), Read more…
4/2/2018 There are times when a piece of equipment or heavy load needs to be moved; however, the ability to transfer it manually is clearly beyond our physical capability. This is the time when slings and straps can become useful. However, it is nevertheless a critical time as there have been many instances where the wrong slings/straps have been used and therefore, become a potential of failure or the straps recoil, causing serious injury and Read more…
2/12/2018 The heart is really amazing. It pumps oxygen and nutrient-rich blood throughout the body to sustain life. This fist-sized powerhouse beats (expands and contracts) 100,000 times per day, pumping five or six quarts of blood each minute, or about 2,000 gallons per day. Your heartbeat is triggered by electrical impulses that travel down a special pathway through the heart. The impulse starts in a small bundle of specialized cells called the SA node (sinoatrial Read more…