Hexavalent Chromium or CrVI is a known toxic form of chromium (Cr) which can cause adverse health effects on humans. Known health effects due to exposures to hexavalent chromium include lung cancer, nasal and sinus cancer, irritation of eyes and ...

Over my 35 year career in Occupational Health and Safety, I have worked in several different but related roles.  I’ve been on the treatment side of healthcare, a safety and health director for a large manufacturing employer, and lastly, in...

Scaleni what? While the scaleni (plural), or scalene muscles, aren’t as familiar as the pecs, abs, and biceps, or for that matter the glutes, quads, and triceps, they are an important muscle group from the standpoint of their location in relati...

You are uncomfortable in your chair at work. Do you toss it? Chairs are expensive, and most businesses want to exhaust all options before replacing a chair. Here are a few tips on how to get that chair working for you, and even a few little known er...

For the movie buffs out there you’ll recognize this title as a very famous quote from the movie Top Gun. May 16, 2016 marked the 30th anniversary of the release of the Paramount picture. This need seemed to be just perfect for Maverick, but unf...

We knew the “dog days of summer” were coming. Now that they are here, we should all be thinking about taking care of our skin. We spend more time outdoors during the summer months and we’re more exposed to the sun. The summer heat m...

On March 25, 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published the long awaited respirable crystalline silica standard which they say will affect 2 million construction workers who drill, cut, crush, or grind silica-containing ...

Today is the first day of summer!  The Summer Solstice, being the longest day of the year, is a glorious day for those who like fun in the sun.  However, heat related illnesses in the workplace present a significant hazard.  Early in ...

This is the second post in a three-part series reviewing OSHA’s new standard for respirable crystalline silica.  In part one, we mentioned that the new permissible exposure limit (PEL) for respirable crystalline silica is 50 µg/m3 wi...

Our prior posts covered the new exposure limits, exposure assessments, regulated areas, methods of compliance, and housekeeping requirements of the new standard.  Now we will cover the medical surveillance and training requirements and the ...