Page 21 - Occupational Health & Safety, November 2017

The alliance partnership aims to provide information, guidance, and access to training resources to members, occupational physicians, stakeholders, and others in the polyurethanes value chain.
testing in accord with American Thoracic Society standards, and consider referring the patient to an occupational medicine, pulmonary, or allergy specialist for supple- mental testing.
Jerry Laws is the editor of Occupational Health & Safety.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/alliances/acc/ acc.html
2. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/ OSHA3707.pdf
the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act).”
It explains that the goals of the alliance include:
■ sharing information on OSHA’s National Emphasis Programs, regulatory agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process
■ promoting, through seminars and workshops, industry-wide use of medical surveillance programs
■ encouraging employers to develop new programs or enhance existing ones, including Safety and Health Management Systems.
■ speaking, exhibiting, or appearing at OSHA or ACC conferences, local meet- ings, or other regional events
Also, OSHA offers a fact sheet2 about work-related asthma from isocyanate expo- sure. It says these chemicals “are one of the most common chemical causes of work- related asthma,” which can cause long-term lung damage, disability, or death.
The fact sheet points out that work-re- lated asthma can develop over any period of time, from days to years; that it is pos- sible to develop work-related asthma even in a workplace equipped with protective equipment such as exhaust ventilation and respirators; and that, before working with isocyanates or any other asthma-causing substances, workers should ask their em- ployer for training as required by OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard.
It says typical jobs and tasks where ex- posures to isocyanates can occur include:
■ car manufacture and repair
■ building construction (plaster, insu- lation)
■ foam blowing and cutting ■ painting
■ truck bed liner application
■ foundry work (casting)
■ textile, rubber, and plastic manufac-
turing
■ printing
■ furniture manufacturing
■ electric cable insulation
The fact sheet recommends that clini-
cians obtain a patient’s detailed medical history, document a history of occupation- al exposures, perform pulmonary function
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ACC’s Center for the Polyurethanes Industry offers information about the potential health effects of diisocyanate exposure and worker protections, including respiratory PPE and the use of engineering controls, at https://polyurethane. americanchemistry.com/Health- Safety-and-Product-Stewardship/.
www.ohsonline.com
Experience the benefits of the Dräger X-plore® 8000
with a 90-day free trial.
The Dräger X-plore® 8000 Powered Air-Purifying Respirator stands up to the harshest environments.
Challenging workplace conditions demand reliable solutions. The new Dräger X-plore® 8000 offers rugged design, intuitive operation, and a superior fit to keep your team safe and focused. Now, for a limited time, discover just how innovative this respirator is with a free, 90-day trial. Terms and conditions apply. Call today for more info.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 90-DAY FREE TRIAL AT 1-800-4DRAGER
Circle 4 on card. 21
6679