Clearing the Air on Wildfire Smoke Exposure

Home Monday, November 27, 2023 CURRENT ISSUE | WEBINARS | LATEST NEWS | HOT TOPICS | BUYERS GUIDE | ADVERTISE Clearing the Air on Wildfire Smoke Exposure By Alex Saurman Wildfires have hit North America hard in recent years. The wildfires that struck Canada in the summer of 2023 are perhaps one of the most devastating recent examples. Of course, these disasters have many harsh effects on the land and its people, but the damage to air quality resulting from wildfire smoke is perhaps one of the most pervasive. On June 7, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that the Air Quality Index (AQI), which measures air pollution using a scale of 0, representing good air quality, to 500, representing hazardous air quality, had reached 484. New York and other areas, like Washington D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia, issued air quality health advisories and alerts. In such situations, residents are often advised to stay indoors and wear masks if they go outside. But what effects does wildfire smoke have on people, like outdoor workers, who are exposed to it? Though not much is known about the effects of wildfire smoke specifically on outdoor workers, those exposed to wildfire smoke may experience eye irritation, coughing and pneumonia, per the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), or more severe side effects such as chest pain, heart attacks and lung complications, according to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Events Calendar December 6 Are Your Workers Flying High? December 7 What You Need to Know about the OSHA National Emphasis Program for Fall Protection December 12 What Is Total Worker Health and How Can Your Site Benefit from It? December 13 Preventing Bullying and Violence in the Workplace: 5 Strategies to Reduce Risk December 14 Hearing Protection: Measuring Noise and Selecting Hearing Protection December 20 HazCom, Hazmat, HazWaste, and HAZWOPER: Navigating OSHA, DOT, and EPA Chemical Compliance News Update SafetyPod: SDS Sections You've Been Ignoring Every section of a Safety Data Sheet is important, but there are several sections of SDS that often get less attention than they should. Well-known workplace safety expert Stephen E. Badger, CSP, OHST, WCP, manager of loss control for The MEMIC Group, joins the SafetyPod to share his insights on four key SDS sections employees and employers need to follow more closely and why. Badger focuses his attention on sections 8, 9, 7, and 11 and digs into the crucial details of each. ASSP Updates Safety Standard for Communication Structures Effective Jan. 1, 2024, the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) has revised the ANSI/ASSP A10.48 standard for the construction, demolition, modification and maintenance of communication structures, mitigating safety risks for work with antennas and broadcast supports. OSHAs Nation Advisory Committee on OSH Meets December 12 OSHA has announced its National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH) will next meet on Dec. 12, 2023. According to a release dated Nov. 14, the meeting—which is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST—will include new member introductions, updates from OSHA and discussions on the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH) Mental Health for Healthcare Workers Campaign. Other significant topics include the integration of safety as a core value in workplaces and the protection of whistleblowers. View More News Featured Products Check out all the new products: Occupational Health & Safety Products Free Business Insights for ChatGPT Generative AI technologies like ChatGPT are powerful business tools - if you know how to use them! Sign up today for the Bytes of AI newseltter for an easy, once-a-week read that will keep you up to date on the news and use cases you need to know about. Free for a limited time! Subscribe for FREE now! Resources Visit the OHS magazine Web site at http://www.ohsonline.com Searching for a particular company? Check out our Industry Directory Online. If you have a tip of the week or a question to share for publication, please e-mail it to us. Please include your name, title, company name, city and state with your submission. Due to security concerns, we are unable to accept tips sent in the form of an e-mail attachment. Feel free to forward this newsletter to a colleague or associate. Subscribe to OH&S magazine Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Customer Service Copyright 2023, 1105 Media Inc., 6300 Canoga Ave., Ste. 1150, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express permission of 1105 Media Inc. is prohibited. All product names contained herein are the trademarks of their respective holders. To review our Privacy Policy, visit our Web site.