Entries tagged with “ANSI”.


The big industrial hygiene conference (AIHCe) is held in a different city each year. This year was Indy, Indiana. Below is my personal top ten list  of “lessons learned” from last week.

  1. IH’s need to do a better job of sharing. We don’t share data, experiences, information, knowledge or our ideas well.
  2. CPWR is trying to share. Center for Construction Research & Training.  I’m looking forward to seeing their published independent review of local exhaust ventilation (LEV) units.
  3. The minimum exhaust rate for a portable exhaust unit must be 106 cfm (cubic feet per min) to capture particulates (dust, silica) during tuckpointing with a 5 in grinder (but it’s also a good rule of thumb).
  4. Asphalt milling machines are still a huge silica problem. Water controls are NOT enough. You need a local exhaust system too. (here’s an earlier post I made on it)
  5. GHS Safety Data Sheets – it’s not as complicated as you think. There are some significant changes, but don’t worry, OSHA’s here to help (ha). Seriously, more information will be available soon.
  6. Ignite. Have you seen these before? Short, stand up speeches about their ideas/passions. Similar to TED. Some were better than others. But, did I mention they were short?
  7. Committees. Be careful when you open your mouth. My idea was so great, they are making me do it.
  8.  ANSI A10.49! A health standard for construction. Great idea, but lots of work.
  9. Check out Environment for Children. I don’t know much about it, but they have a great mission.  Believe me, in the US, we’re WAY ahead.
  10. Presentation. It’s all up to you to make it. I will not cast blame on those who had bad presentations. BUT, it reminds me that I should work on this skill. Even if you have something good to say, if you give a horrible presentation, it’s likely no one will notice. On the other side, if your presentation is good, people will listen, even if you’re talking about nothing!  My favorite of the week: Dr. Mike Morgan (Univ. of Washington) on Chromium VI. He was very factual, not too flashy, and make the point without needless details.

 

On occasion, owners say they just want to do the minimum to be in compliance with OSHA. Most times this is due to lack of understanding.

For some rules OSHA’s standard is right on the money. Take, for instance, lead (leaded paint) exposure. They have specific rules and guidelines that, if followed, keep virtually everyone protected*. The trouble is that some of OSHA’s rules have not been updated since 1973. New research and industry practices have found these levels to be unsafe even at current standards and exposure limits (PELs).

So, how do you know if the OSHA standards are current?

The quick answer is, you don’t.

Good safety professionals and industrial hygienists study the standards, recommended guidelines, and occupational limits worldwide.  In the US, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) provides the most current best practices. However, there are other methods and standards for specific hazards. ANSI, AIHA (although getting more dated due to lack of funding), European OELs (occupational exposure limits), and others.

It is rare that an employer knowingly exposes employees to a hazard. On the other hand, ignorance isn’t acceptable either….which might be the best reason for OSHA to be in existence. I wish they would spend more money on resources, information and training.  Consult your safety professional!

 

*recently there is some discussion about low level lead exposure to children