Cashins & Associates Blog

The OSHA Construction Lead Standard requires that employers shall provide adequate hand washing facilities for use by employees exposed to lead in accordance with 1926.51(f). The General Industry Lead Standard requires employees to wash their hands and face prior to eating, drinking, smoking or applying cosmetics if they are exposed above the PEL.

A recent study carried out by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham suggests that aflatoxins – poisonous compounds produced by some molds – may be worsening the AIDS epidemic in Ghana.

The researchers sampled blood from 314 Ghanians who had not received antiviral treatment. They found that the individuals that had higher concentrations of aflatoxins in their blood were more likely to have high HIV blood levels.

The research team theorizes that the aflatoxins either provide a protein that assists in the reproduction of the HIV virus, or reduces the number or effectiveness of white blood cells, thereby allowing the HIV to reside and propagate more freely.

Aflatoxins are a known danger. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration sets limits on the quantity of aflatoxins certain foods and animal feed may have.  These concentrations range from 20 to 300 parts per billion (ppb). In developed countries, commercial crops are routinely screened for aflatoxin using detection techniques that are performed in a laboratory setting. Food supplies that test over the regulatory limit are considered unsafe for human consumption and destroyed.

In developing nations, many people are exposed to aflatoxin through food grown at home. Inadequate harvesting and storage techniques allow for the growth of aflatoxin-producing fungus. Homegrown crops are not routinely tested for the presence of aflatoxin.

It is estimated that approximately 4.5 billion people worldwide are overexposed to aflatoxins. Consistent exposure to the compounds leads to liver damage and certain cancers, as well as stunted growth and delayed development in children. In 2004, 125 people in Kenya died from aflatoxins exposure – analysis of moldy corn located in the region revealed that aflatoxins levels reached as high as 8,000 parts per billion in some samples.

There is much confusion surrounding mold air sampling – when to do it, what it means, methodology, interpretation of results, and the like. This article is meant to shed a little light on when and how mold sampling should be conducted.

In 2002, the Joint Commission implemented the 2001 AIA health care Guidelines as the required documents for the Infection Control compliance during construction. Below are a few key terms you should know.

Preparing Your Facility for a Joint Commission Review for Life Safety, by using a Tour Checklist

Carbon dioxide (CO₂)is a gas that is exhaled by humans during the respiratory process.  This gas is measured during Indoor Air Quality studies because it provides a good indication if the ventilation system is bringing in enough fresh air for the amount of people utilizing the space.  It is typically measured not as a pollutant, but as an indicator as to whether other pollutants may be in the air.

In other words, whereas it is known that CO₂ can cause some sleepiness at levels in the low thousands, it really isn't considered a big deal in and of itself.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) belong to a group of commercially-made organic compounds also known as chlorinated hydrocarbons. From 1929 to their ban in 1979, these compounds were used in a wide variety of commercial and industrial processes because of they were anti-corrosive, chemically stable, and had a high boiling point. It was also mixed with products as a plasticizer in order to make things more durable, flexible, and weather-resistant.

As a result of the falls being the leading cause of death within construction the Occupational Safety & Health Association (OSHA) has launched a new Fall Prevention campaign.  In 2010 there were 774 total fatalities in construction, with 264 of those fatalities from falls.  That’s more than a third of construction related deaths (34.1 percent), and OSHA’s stance is that all of these deaths are preventable.  OSHA has teamed up with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and The National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) for this campaign.