A Somerset County New Jersey flavoring and fragrance manufacturer exposed workers to respiratory and other workplace safety and health hazards. These exposures have created a new wave of occupation litigation by injured workers and their families.
Showing posts with label occupational exposure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label occupational exposure. Show all posts
Monday, December 28, 2015
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Weather Alert: Workers' Need to Prepare for Cold Weather Exposures
The United States weather bureau has predicted bitter cold for a vast segment of the nation. Workers who maybe exposed to frigid weather conditions should consult with the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health information in order to protect themselves from cold weather exposures. Such exposures may result in compensable injuries and illnesses for which workers' compensation benefits may be available.
***Bitterly cold temperatures from the Dakotas to the Northeast
***Lake effect snow continues downwind of the Great Lakes
***Mild and dry for the western part of the country
*** The weather pattern over the next few days will feature a massive surface high settling southward from Canada to the Great Plains on Wednesday, following by another large surface high by the end of the week.
Both of these features are of Arctic origin, and will bring bitterly cold weather from the western High Plains to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast U.S. Widespread subzero overnight lows are forecast for the Dakotas, Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and interior New England. Wind chill advisories and warnings are in effect for many of these same areas, with some of the coldest wind chill readings in the -25 to -45 degree range!
Some record low temperatures are also possible. In addition to the frigid temperatures, the cold air advection over the Great Lakes along with upper-level shortwave energy moving over the region is expected to produce significant lake effect snow downwind from the Great Lakes through midweek. The heaviest snow is likely to occur east of lakes Erie and Ontario, where local amounts will easily exceed one foot.
Some upslope snow is likely in the central and northern Appalachians as well. The western U.S. is expected to remain dry with mild temperatures through the end of the week. Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php
Monday, September 2, 2013
Long Overdue Silica Dust Rule Issued, Final Action Must Be Swift, Says Trumka
| Sixteen years ago, federal workplace safety officials began developing a rule to control and limit workers’ exposure to silica dust. Some 2 million workers are exposed to this deadly dust each year and, according to public health experts, more than 7,000 workers develop silicosis and 200 die each year as a result of this disabling lung disease. Today, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) finally issued a proposed rule. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka says the new rule was welcome but calls the proposed standard “long overdue” and notes that the rule is still only a proposal. Workers exposed to silica dust will only be protected when a final rule is issued. Some industry groups are certain to attack the rule and try to stop it in its tracks. The AFL-CIO will do everything we can to see that this does not happen. We urge the Obama administration to continue moving forward with the public rule-making process without delay. The final silica rule should be issued as fast as humanly possible, to protect the health and lives of American workers Silicosis literally suffocates workers to death. It also causes lung cancer and other diseases. Says Trumka: Silica dust is a killer. |
Thursday, August 22, 2013
CDC estimates Lyme disease hits 300,000 each year
A new estimate on Lyme disease suggests that about 300,000 Americans are sickened each year, which is about 10 times higher than the number of cases reported, according to an analysis of the latest information by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Scientists from the agency base their projection on findings from three ongoing studies that are designed to better gauge the number of people diagnosed with Lyme disease each year. CDC researchers reported the preliminary findings yesterday at a tickborne disease conference in Boston.
Ongoing studies are based on medical claims information for about 22 million insured people, a survey of clinical laboratories, and self-reported Lyme disease cases from a survey of the general public, the CDC said in a press release today.
Scientists from the agency base their projection on findings from three ongoing studies that are designed to better gauge the number of people diagnosed with Lyme disease each year. CDC researchers reported the preliminary findings yesterday at a tickborne disease conference in Boston.
Ongoing studies are based on medical claims information for about 22 million insured people, a survey of clinical laboratories, and self-reported Lyme disease cases from a survey of the general public, the CDC said in a press release today.
UW study finds link between lead paint, discipline problems
A new study that analyzed medical and discipline data from Milwaukee Public Schools found young children who are exposed to lead are nearly three times more likely to be suspended from school by the fourth grade.
Lead — commonly found in paint in older homes and rental properties — may be more responsible for school discipline problems than previously realized, according to the study's author, Michael Amato, a doctoral candidate in the psychology department and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Lead has been cited as a contributor to the academic achievement gap between black and white children because the powerful neurotoxin is more likely to be found in low-income housing. High levels of lead in the bloodstream may make children more likely to behave impulsively and may shorten their attention spans, according to previous research.
Lead — commonly found in paint in older homes and rental properties — may be more responsible for school discipline problems than previously realized, according to the study's author, Michael Amato, a doctoral candidate in the psychology department and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Lead has been cited as a contributor to the academic achievement gap between black and white children because the powerful neurotoxin is more likely to be found in low-income housing. High levels of lead in the bloodstream may make children more likely to behave impulsively and may shorten their attention spans, according to previous research.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Workers are too scared in the US to file claims
A recent research report indicated that workers fail to report occupational illness and accidents for fear of retribution by their employers. Most state laws prohibition retaliation by employers, but it is very difficult to enforce that aspect of workers' compensation statutes.
Health Serv Res. 2013 May 13. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12066. [Epub ahead of print]
The Proportion of Work-Related Emergency Department Visits Not Expected to Be Paid by Workers' Compensation: Implications for Occupational Health Surveillance, Research, Policy, and Health Equity.
Source
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To examine trends in the proportion of work-related emergency department visits not expected to be paid by workers' compensation during 2003-2006, and to identify demographic and clinical correlates of such visits.
DATA SOURCE:
A total of 3,881 work-related emergency department visit records drawn from the 2003-2006 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys.
STUDY DESIGN:
Secondary, cross-sectional analyses of work-related emergency department visit data were performed. Odds ratios and 95 percent confidence intervals were modeled using logistic regression.
PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:
A substantial and increasing proportion of work-related emergency department visits in the United States were not expected to be paid by workers' compensation. Private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, and workers themselves were expected to pay for 40 percent of the work-related emergency department visits with this percentage increasing annually. Work-related visits by blacks, in the South, to for-profit hospitals and for work-related illnesses were all more likely not to be paid by workers' compensation.
CONCLUSIONS:
Emergency department-based surveillance and research that determine work-relatedness on the basis of expected payment by workers' compensation systematically underestimate the occurrence of occupational illness and injury. This has important methodological and policy implications.
© Health Research and Educational Trust.
- PMID:
- 23662682
- [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Monday, June 3, 2013
Sunday, June 2, 2013
The Global Adult Tobacco Survey: Saving Lives From Tobacco Related Diseases
Antismoking mass media campaigns can help reduce the prevalence of smoking by discouraging young persons from initiating smoking and by encouraging current smokers to quit (1,2). Smoking cessation is a multistage process; intention to quit smoking precedes quit attempts (3).
To assess whether awareness of anti-cigarette smoking information in four mass media channels (television, radio, billboards, and newspapers or magazines) was significantly associated with a current cigarette smoker's intention to quit, CDC analyzed data from 17 countries that participated in the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS). Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between awareness of antismoking messages and intent to quit smoking; odds ratios were adjusted to control for demographic factors, awareness of warning labels on cigarette packages, and awareness of tobacco advertisements.
In nine of 17 countries, intent to quit was significantly associated with awareness of antismoking messages in a single media channel versus no awareness, with adjusted odds ratios ranging from 1.3 to 1.9. In 14 countries, intent to quit was significantly associated with awareness of messages in multiple channels versus no awareness, with adjusted odds ratios ranging from 1.5 to 3.2. Antismoking information in mass media channels can help reduce tobacco consumption by encouraging smokers to contemplate quitting and might be more effective when presented in multiple channels.
In nine of 17 countries, intent to quit was significantly associated with awareness of antismoking messages in a single media channel versus no awareness, with adjusted odds ratios ranging from 1.3 to 1.9. In 14 countries, intent to quit was significantly associated with awareness of messages in multiple channels versus no awareness, with adjusted odds ratios ranging from 1.5 to 3.2. Antismoking information in mass media channels can help reduce tobacco consumption by encouraging smokers to contemplate quitting and might be more effective when presented in multiple channels.
Friday, May 24, 2013
California Study Reveals Occupational Asthma Is A Major Problem
"It is estimated that over 974,000 adults in California have asthma that has been caused or aggravated by their work, but work-related asthma (WRA) is often not recognized or diagnosed."
Work-related asthma (WRA) is under-recognized and often undiagnosed, but a new report
estimates that nearly a million adults in California have had work-related asthma. “Asthma in California: A Surveillance Report” tracks asthma data for the state of California, and includes a chapter on WRA. The updated chapter includes rates of WRA by industry and occupation, types of exposure, measures of the impact of WRA, and data on the characteristics of people with WRA, such as gender and age.
View WRA chapter: Work-related asthma (PDF)
View entire report: Asthma in California: A Surveillance Report (PDF, 6 MB)
View executive summary: Asthma in California: Executive Summary (PDF)
For more information on OHB work in this area, see Tracking Work-Related Asthma
View WRA chapter: Work-related asthma (PDF)
View entire report: Asthma in California: A Surveillance Report (PDF, 6 MB)
View executive summary: Asthma in California: Executive Summary (PDF)
For more information on OHB work in this area, see Tracking Work-Related Asthma
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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. Click here now to submit a case inquiry.
Read more about "asthma" and workers' compensation
Oct 11, 2011
A recent study of pregnant working women reveals that their exposure to occupational pollution results in their children's development of asthma. The report was presented at the Eastern European Respiratory's annual ...
Oct 25, 2010
"Included in the study were thirteen cleaning employees with work-related asthma-like symptoms, three asthmatic controls and three atopic subjects without bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) who had no exposure to ...
Jun 18, 2010
However, in some conditions such as occupational asthma, a past history of childhood asthma and/or asthmatic attacks occurring before occupational exposure, does notautomatically rule out the possibility of a workplace ...
Jan 17, 2013
These pollutants are linked to health problems, including asthma, lung and heart disease and even premature death. Diesel engines are durable and often remain in use a long time. Older diesels that predate current and ...
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
US Surgeon General Alerts Americans to the Hazards of Asbestos Disease
The US Surgeon General issued an alert to Americans as to the hazards of asbestos disease, Dr. Regina Benjamin, on the occasion of National Asbestos Awareness Week 2013, has issued a statement alerting Americans to hazards of asbestos exposure.
The occupational exposure to asbestos remains a major health hazard to workers who are involved in the restoration, rehabilitation and repair of older buildings. Asbestos exposure causes latent medical conditions such as: asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, a fatal malignancy. Asbestos is still not banned in the US.
The occupational exposure to asbestos remains a major health hazard to workers who are involved in the restoration, rehabilitation and repair of older buildings. Asbestos exposure causes latent medical conditions such as: asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, a fatal malignancy. Asbestos is still not banned in the US.
During National Asbestos Awareness Week, April 1-7, I urge Americans to learn about the dangers of asbestos exposure.
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that occurs naturally in our environment; in rock and in soil. Because of its fiber strength and heat resistance, asbestos has traditionally been used in a variety of building construction materials, as insulation and as a fire retardant.
Activity that disturbs asbestos causes small asbestos fibers to float in the air. Inhaling these fibers leads to asbestos-related diseases. Three of the major health effects associated with asbestos exposure are lung cancer; mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that is found in the thin lining of the lungs, chest, abdomen and heart; and asbestosis, a serious progressive, long-term, non-cancer disease of the lungs.
Anyone who disturbs asbestos is at risk. However, it is of special concern for construction, insulation, and demolition workers, pipefitters, boilermakers and others who might disturb asbestos found in old buildings or equipment as part of their work. The hazard is also very real to home handymen, first-responders, and community volunteers.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Mercury to be Removed by US EPA From Pompton River in NJ
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced its plan to remove mercury contamination from the sediment of the Acid Brook Delta of Pompton Lake in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey to levels that meet stringent standards to protect people’s health and the environment. The plan will go into effect as a modification of a permit, which legally requires the E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc. to fund and perform the work. Under the permit modification, the EPA will require DuPont to dredge at least 100,000 cubic yards of mercury contaminated sediment from the bottom of a 40-acre area of Pompton Lake and remove at least 7,800 cubic yards of contaminated soil from a shoreline area of the lake affected by DuPont’s past discharges. All of the sediment and soil will be sent to a licensed disposal facility.
Mercury in the sediment and soil can build up in the tissue of fish and other wildlife and pose a threat to people who eat them. Exposure to mercury can damage people’s nervous systems and harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs and immune systems.
“The removal of mercury-contaminated sediment from Pompton Lake is a major step toward the recovery of the lake and the protection of people’s health,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “The expanded dredging and other revisions in the final cleanup plan reflect the EPA’s commitment to protecting public health and improving environmental quality in Pompton Lakes.”
In November 2011, the EPA proposed a preliminary permit modification to remove contaminated sediment from the bottom of Pompton Lake and encouraged the public to comment on it. A public hearing on the proposed permit modification was held in January 2012. The final permit modification announced today incorporates changes that were made in response to comments from the public and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and additional technical information received from DuPont after the proposed permit modification was issued. A public meeting to discuss the permit modification for the Acid Brook Delta of Pompton Lakes will be held on January 15, 2013.
Under the final permit modification, the area of sediment that will be removed has been expanded by approximately 35% and sediment sampling is required to identify additional areas of the lake that may require the removal of mercury-contaminated sediment. In addition, DuPont is required to implement long-term monitoring of the effectiveness of the dredging, restore the soil between Lakeside Avenue and the edge of the lake, and perform an ecological risk assessment to determine whether additional action may be needed in the future. DuPont will be required to develop work plans for these requirements, which must be submitted to the EPA for approval. The cleanup will be financed and conducted by DuPont with EPA oversight.
The E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc. operated the Pompton Lakes Works facility, located at 2000 Cannonball Road, from 1902 to April 1994. Products manufactured at the facility included explosive powder containing mercury and lead, detonating fuses, electric blasting caps, metal wires and aluminum and copper shells. The manufacturing operations and waste management practices contaminated soil, sediment and ground water both on and off-site. Lead and mercury from its operations were released into Acid Brook, which flows through the eastern part of the facility and discharges into the Acid Brook Delta of Pompton Lake. DuPont’s operations also contaminated the ground water with chlorinated volatile organic compounds, such as tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, cis 1,2-dichloroethylene and vinyl chloride.
The cleanup of the Acid Brook Delta requires a modification of the permit under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The final permit modification will become effective on February 4, 2013 pending any requests for appeal submitted prior to that date.
Plans to clean up the remaining areas of contamination will be proposed through future permit modifications after ongoing investigations by DuPont have been completed and reviewed by the EPA and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Opportunities for public participation will continue to be provided through regular updates, public notices and public meetings.
The permit modification and relevant documents are available at the EPA’s project website at:http://www.epa.gov/region02/waste/dupont_pompton/index.html.
The public also can review documents related to the permit modification and cleanup at:
Pompton Lakes Public Library
333 Wanaque Avenue, Pompton Lakes, New Jersey
(973) 835-0482
http://www.pomptonlakeslibrary.org/index.htm
....
Jon L.Gelman of Wayne NJ, helping injured workers and their families for over 4 decades, is the author NJ Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thompson) and co-author of the national treatise, Modern Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thompson).
Read more about "Mercury" and workers' compensation
Nov 26, 2012
Irving J. Selikoff Center for Occupational & Environmental Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine has released a guide to treatment for elemental mercury ((the pure form of the metal, when it is not combined with other ...
Mar 05, 2010
For example, nearly 70 years ago, on December 1, 1941, the U.S. Public Health Service ended mercury's use by hat manufacturers in 26 states through mutual agreements. The kinds of conditions that put hat-makers and ...
May 09, 2012
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will discuss plans to address high levels of contaminants, including PCBs, mercury and dioxin, which are present in Passaic River mud adjacent to Riverside Park in Lyndhurst, New ...
Aug 09, 2012
They concluded that there was enough evidence of a link to classify it as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” placing it in the same category as lead and mercury. The long-awaited Interphone study, a major inquiry into the ...
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Breast Cancer Linked to Workers' Exposure at Semiconductor Factory
Recent studies have associated exposure to solvents as an increased risk factor for breast cancer.
"Endocrine disrupting chemicals and carcinogens, some of which may not yet have been classified as such, are present in many occupational environments and could increase breast cancer risk. Prior research has identified associations with breast cancer and work in agricultural and industrial settings. The purpose of this study was to further characterize possible links between breast cancer risk and occupation, particularly in farming and manufacturing, as well as to examine the impacts of early agricultural exposures, and exposure effects that are specific to the endocrine receptor status of tumours."
Breast cancer risk in relation to occupations with exposure to carcinogens and endocrine disruptors: a Canadian case--control study
Environmental Health 2012, 11:87 doi:10.1186/1476-069X-11-87 Published: 19 November 2012
Read more about "Breast Cancer" and occupational exposures:
Environmental Health 2012, 11:87 doi:10.1186/1476-069X-11-87 Published: 19 November 2012
Read more about "Breast Cancer" and occupational exposures:
Dec 05, 2012
Susan G. Komen for the Cure® asked the IOM to review the current evidence on breast cancer and the environment, consider gene–environment interactions, review the research challenges, explore evidence-based actions ...
Nov 23, 2012
"A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that mammary carcinogens and/or EDCs contribute to the incidence of breast cancer. Yet there remain gaps and limitations. This exploratory population-based case–control ...
Mar 18, 2011
Fire fighters in Canada are supporting legislation that would establish a legal presumption that breast cancer is an occupationally related illness. The legislation also creates a presumption that 3 other cancers (skin, prostate ...
May 29, 2010
"Odds ratios (ORs) were increased for the usual risk factors for breast cancer and, adjusting for these, risks increased with occupational exposure to several agents, and were highest for exposures occurring before age 36 ...
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Evacuation Zone Expanded in NJ Toxic Train Derailment
The US Coast Guard has expanded the evacuation zone in Paulsboro NJ (Gloucester County) following the toxic derailment of a train carrying deadly cancer causing vinyl chloride. Evacuations have been mandatory since last Friday when a movable bridge failed to function and collapsed when a freight train was moving over it.
The National Transportation Safety Administration (NTSB) is co-ordinating an intensive accident investigation. The NTSB reported yesterday that the bridge had problem and that the train engineer contacted a Conrail dispatcher for authorization to cross the bridge even though the bridge signal was red indicating bridge trouble. The NTSB also reported that the bridge was inspected by two Conrail supervisors shortly before the event because of trouble signal being sent by the bridge safety mechanism.
Read more about "vinyl chloride"
Vinyl Chloride Workplace PoisonVinyl Chloride Conspiracy Documents
Related articles
Breast Cancer and the Environment: A Life Course Approach - Institute of Medicine
"With more than 230,000 new cases of breast cancer expected to be diagnosed in the United States in 2011, many wonder about the role that environmental exposures may be playing. Susan G. Komen for the Cure® asked the IOM to review the current evidence on breast cancer and the environment, consider gene–environment interactions, review the research challenges, explore evidence-based actions that women might take to reduce their risk, and recommend directions for future research. Overall, the IOM finds that major advances have been made in understanding breast cancer and its risk factors, but more needs to be learned about its causes and how to prevent it.
"The report urges a life-course approach to studying breast cancer because new information suggests that women and girls might be more susceptible to some risk factors during certain life stages.
Read more about "breast cancer" and workers' compensation
Read more about "breast cancer" and workers' compensation
Nov 23, 2012
"A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that mammary carcinogens and/or EDCs contribute to the incidence of breast cancer. Yet there remain gaps and limitations. This exploratory population-based case–control ...
Mar 18, 2011
Fire fighters in Canada are supporting legislation that would establish a legal presumption that breast cancer is an occupationally related illness. The legislation also creates a presumption that 3 other cancers (skin, prostate ...
May 29, 2010
"Odds ratios (ORs) were increased for the usual risk factors for breast cancer and, adjusting for these, risks increased with occupational exposure to several agents, and were highest for exposures occurring before age 36 ...
Jan 12, 2011
The Nevada Supreme Court has awarded workers' compensation benefits to a firefighter who alleged that her occupational exposure at work to toxic substances caused her breast cancer. The court held that there was ...
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Construction Injuries and Fatalities Cost California’s Economy $2.9 Billion Between 2008 and 2010
California Would Save Money by Using Its Buying Power to Reward Companies With Strong Safety Records
Occupational injuries and fatalities in the construction industry cost California residents $2.9 billion between 2008 and 2010, a new Public Citizen report shows.
The report, “The Price of Inaction: A Comprehensive Look at the Costs of Injuries and Fatalities in California’s Construction Industry,” quantifies the estimated costs of deaths and injuries in the state’s construction industry by considering an array of factors.
From 2008 to 2010, 168 construction workers were killed in workplace accidents in California. Additionally, the state recorded 50,700 construction-industry injuries and illnesses that required days away from work or a job transfer.
Drawing on a comprehensive 2004 journal article that analyzed the cost of occupational injuries, and combining the paper’s findings with updated fatality and injury data, Public Citizen determined that such incidents cost the state’s economy $2.9 billion during the three-year period.
“The economic picture is quite staggering,” said Keith Wrightson, worker safety and health advocate for Public Citizen’s Congress Watch division. “We now know that construction accidents impose huge economic costs in addition to tremendous pain for individual victims.”
As a partial solution, the report proposes that California pass a law requiring companies to demonstrate adherence to safety standards in order to be eligible to bid for state contracts. Such a solution not only would ensure that public-sector projects are fulfilled by responsible contractors but also would provide incentives for companies to maintain clean records while working on private-sector sites.
The report notes that California already screens construction companies to ensure that they have met performance standards in the past and haven’t violated any laws. The state also incorporates some safety standards in its prequalification system. But the system should be expanded to require construction firms to put greater emphasis on demonstrating that they provide safety training to workers and site supervisors, and that they have not had serious safety violations.
“Implementing a stricter prequalification process for public construction projects would not address all of the industry’s safety problems,” Wrightson said. “However, such a step would help further protect workers while also yielding significant gains to the economy for minimal costs.”
The report can be viewed at http://www.citizen.org/price-of-inaction-california-construction-safety-report.
Read more about "occupational" conditions and workers' compensation
Nov 26, 2012
Physician Stress - An Occupational Hazard for Oncologists. Physicians who treat terminally ill patients are reporting occupational stress. A recent article on the NY Times blog describes the problem of oncologists who treat ...
Nov 09, 2012
Going forward it is imperative that a universal medical program be established to provide medical treatment for all work-related occupational injuries and exposures. The delay and denial of medical benefits to those who suffer ...
Nov 23, 2012
This exploratory population-based case–control study contributes to one of the neglected areas: occupational risk factors for breast cancer. The identification of several important associations in this mixed industrial and ...
Jul 05, 2012
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requests public comments to inform its approach ...
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