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(c) 2010-2024 Jon L Gelman, All Rights Reserved.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Very High Blood Lead Levels Among Adults — United States, 2002–2011

Over the past several decades there has been a remarkable reduction in environmental sources of lead, improved protection from occupational lead exposure, and an overall decreasing trend in the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) in U.S. adults. As a result, the U.S. national BLL geometric mean among adults was 1.2 µg/dL during 2009–2010 (1).

Nonetheless, lead exposures continue to occur at unacceptable levels (2). Current research continues to find that BLLs previously considered harmless can have harmful effects in adults, such as decreased renal function and increased risk for hypertension and essential tremor at BLLs µg/dL (3–5). CDC has designated 10 µg/dL as the reference BLL for adults; levels ≥10 µg/dL are considered elevated (2).

CDC's Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program tracks elevated BLLs among adults in the United States (2).

In contrast to the CDC reference level, prevailing Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lead standards allow workers removed from lead exposure to return to lead work when their BLL falls below 40 µg/dL (6). During 2002–2011, ABLES identified 11,536 adults with very high BLLs (≥40 µg/dL).

Persistent very high BLLs (≥40 µg/dL in ≥2 years) were found among 2,210 (19%) of these adults. Occupational exposures accounted for 7,076 adults with very high BLLs (91% of adults with known exposure source) and 1,496...
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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Exposure to Shift Work as a Risk Factor for Diabetes

Today's post was shared by Safe Healthy Workers and comes from jbr.sagepub.com

Using telephone survey data from 1111 retired older adults (≥65 years; 634 male, 477 female), we tested the hypothesis that exposure to shift work might result in increased self-reported diabetes. Five shift work exposure bins were considered: 0 years, 1-7 years, 8-14 years, 15-20 years, and 20 years. Shift work exposed groups showed an increased proportion of self-reported diabetes (χ2 = 22.32, p < 0.001), with odds ratios (ORs) of about 2 when compared to the 0-year group. The effect remained significant after adjusting for gender and body mass index (BMI) (OR ≥ 1.4; χ2 = 10.78, p < 0.05). There was a significant shift work exposure effect on BMI (χ2 = 80.70, p < 0.001) but no significant gender effect (χ2 = 0.37, p 0.50).
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U.S. methane emissions may be 50% more than EPA measure

Today's post was shared by FairWarning and comes from www.usatoday.com

methaneplane

U.S. emissions of methane, a potent heat-trapping greenhouse gas, may be 50% higher than federal estimates, reports a team of Harvard and other researchers today.

Nationwide, emissions from cows and livestock operations may be twice as high as previously thought, and in the south-central region, those from fossil fuel extraction and refining may be almost five times higher than calculated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"It's really a very clear signal" of how much methane U.S. industry and other sources emit, says co-author Anna Michalak of the Carnegie Institution of Science's Department of Global Ecology. She says the study of the continental USA combines an unprecedented amount of data, taken by federal agencies from the tops of telecommunication towers, with newer statistical tools and meteorological models to calculate how much methane is actually in the atmosphere and where it probably came from.

This top-down approach is notably different from the EPA's bottom-up estimates, which calculate emissions based on the amount of methane typically released per cow or per unit of coal or natural gas sold.

"The main result is significant," says co-author Colm Sweeney of the University of Colorado-Boulder, who leads the aircraft group that does flyovers to measure methane for NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory Global Monitoring System. Sweeney says it provides an overall...

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Workers’ Comp will cover hijacked UPS driver with PTSD

Risks associated with employment are usually covered under Workers' Compensation claims. Assaults usually are traumatic in nature and having a component of psychological stress manifested in post traumatic stress disorders.Today's post is shared from wvrecord.com
The state Supreme Court has ruled that a UPS driver’s post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from a hijacking is a compensable injury in the Workers’ Compensation system.
The court made the decision Oct. 25 in UPS’ appeal of a Board of Review decision in Jay Hannah’s case.
Justices of the state Supreme Court

Justices of the state WVSupreme Court
Hannah had his UPS truck hijacked by a man with a rifle on Aug. 11, 2010. The events of the hijacking are summarized by the court in the opinion as follows:
“The gunman fired a shot in the air near Mr. Hannah’s driver side door. He then threatened Mr. Hannah’s life and forced Mr. Hannah to drive him towards the police station. On the way to the police station, the gunman saw a police cruiser parked at a gas station and forced Mr. Hannah to pull over.
“The gunman then took the keys to the truck, stepped out of the passenger side door, and fired a shot at the ground. As the gunman was getting out of the truck, Mr. Hannah was able to escape and hide behind a nearby store. The gunman was subsequently fatally shot by law enforcement.”
According to a 2012 report in the Parkersburg News and Sentinel, the hijacking occurred in Elizabeth by Joseph Dennis...
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SeaTac workers celebrate win on $15 minimum wage as opponents request recount

Today's post was shared by Steven Greenhouse and comes from www.kirotv.com

Supporters of SeaTac Prop 1 celebrate at rally photo
Supporters of SeaTac Prop 1 celebrate at rally

SEATAC, Wash. —

Workers in SeaTac celebrated a victory in the battle for a better paycheck, but a hand recount has been requested by opponents and several big companies say they'll keep up the fight to keep workers from making nearly six more dollars an hour.

The initiative to create a $15 an hour minimum wage in the City of SeaTac was certified by King County Election officials on Tuesday with a 77-vote lead. But the group opposing Proposition 1, Common Sense SeaTac, has requested a recount and is pursuing a lawsuit against the measure.

“When an election is this close, everyone should be assured the outcome is as certain as possible,” said Scott Ostrander, co-chair of Common Sense SeaTac.  “If there’s one thing we all learned from the 2004 recounts of the governor’s race, counting ballots has a margin of error like any other human endeavor.  And we learned, too, recounts can change the result.  So we are asking for a hand count of the ballots to get the most accurate possible count.”

Airport workers know the fight is far from over, but held a victory celebration at the airport Tuesday morning.

“It will allow me just to work one job spend more time at home with my wife, go back and be able to finish my education hopefully,” said Ahmed Jama. Jama said he works 16 hours a day holding down two jobs at the airport, but that neither pay more than $10.05 an hour.

If it...

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Living with Safety this Thanksgiving

Motor vehicle accidents are among the highest causes of injuries to workers. The suggestions issued by the NJ State Police provide a helpful guidance for a safe Thanksgiving Day Weekend.Today's post is shared from njsp.org.
The weather is getting nasty just in time for the busiest travel holiday of the year.  With a little planning and a focus on safety, you can make your Thanksgiving travels the most uneventful of your holiday activities.  When gearing up for your trip, prepare for winter even though the calendar still says fall.  That means filling your tank, checking your tire pressure and wiper blades, and packing a blanket, snacks & water in case of a breakdown.  And to keep your blood pressure in check, just leave early because your trip will take much longer than usual because of traffic and road conditions.
In relation to roadway safety, the 2012 Thanksgiving holiday was no reason to celebrate in New Jersey with eight fatal accidents and 10 deaths over the holiday period. Alcohol or drugs was a factor in six of those fatalities.  Four of those killed were pedestrians.  These are sobering statistics that we do not want to repeat this year.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re driving five minutes up the road or through several states, the basics of safety remain the same,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.  “Troopers and other law enforcement officers will have zero tolerance for those who create dangers on the roads.”
Distracted driving and aggressive driving are at the top of the list for causing motor vehicle crashes.  Troopers will be using a variety of marked and unmarked vehicles to look for texting drivers, unbelted occupants (especially children), speeders, and of course, intoxicated drivers. 
New Jersey’s “Move Over” law is still unheeded by many drivers.  This law helps protect roadside emergency workers and vehicles including police, fire, medical services, highway maintenance, tow trucks, and official motorist aid vehicles displaying amber, red, or blue emergency lights.  Where possible, drivers are required to move over to create an empty lane next to the emergency vehicle.  When safely changing lanes is not possible, drivers must slow down below the posted speed limit prior to passing emergency vehicles. Drivers should also be prepared to stop, if necessary.
Increase your travel safety by using these common sense tips:
  • Make sure your cell phone is fully charged
  • Carry a flashlight with new batteries.
  • Bring bottles of water and snacks such as protein bars.
  • Insist that all vehicle occupants use seatbelts.
  • Don’t drive drowsy.  The symptoms of driving tired are similar to those of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.  Make sure you get enough rest.  Use service areas to pull over, stretch your legs, or grab a cup of coffee.
  • Steer clear of “road ragers.”  Challenging an aggressive driver for a position is a dangerous way to get to your destination a few seconds sooner. 
  • Use a designated driver.  If alcohol figures into your Thanksgiving plans, plan to have one driver stay sober.
  • Prepare before you drive. Map your route; fill your tank; check your tire pressure, lights and wiper blades.  These simple steps may save you more than just time on the highways.
More than 100 additional state troopers will be supplementing the usual patrols.  These troopers are looking for specific violations that lead to crashes, including driving while intoxicated, aggressive driving, and using handheld phones/tablets.
The official Thanksgiving driving period begins at 6:00 p.m. on November 27, and runs through 6:00 a.m. on December 2.

The World Trade Center Registry Opened Again to Register 9-11 Workers

On November 13, 2013, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed significant protections for World Trade Center workers into the Workers' Compensation Law under Article 8-A. The legislation extends and enhances workers' compensation eligibility and benefits for World Trade Center workers. Most notably, the legislation reopens the World Trade Center Registry; extends the deadline period for filing Form WTC-12, Registration of Participation in World Trade Center Rescue, Recovery and/or Clean-up Operations, with a deadline to September 11, 2014; reopens previously time-barred World Trade Center claims and considers them timely; and adds qualifying conditions to the law.

Reopening of Registry and Extension of Filing Period for Form WTC-12

The World Trade Center Registry, which preserves workers' compensation rights for those who performed rescue, recovery, and clean-up operations after the World Trade Center attacks, is now reopened and will remain open until September 11, 2014. Previously, any claims for which the associated Form WTC-12 was received after September 13, 2010 were time-barred. Those workers were not entitled to benefits. These claims will now be reopened and considered timely.
Workers who participated in the rescue, recovery, and clean-up operations of the World Trade Center between September 11, 2001 and September 11, 2002, should promptly register their service participation with the NYS Workers' Compensation Board (Board). This registration will preserve workers'...
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Jon L. Gelman of Wayne NJ is the author NJ Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thompson) and co-author of the national treatise, Modern Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thompson). For over 4 decades the Law Offices of Jon L Gelman  1.973.696.7900  jon@gelmans.com  have been representing injured workers and their families who have suffered occupational accidents and illnesses.