Welcome to the December issue of the Safety Suzy Newsletter!
| | | | A MERRY HOLIDAY SEASON! We hope you're closing off November with a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner surrounded by friends and family. As we're heading into the holiday season, we bring you some timely H&S updates. EPA has issued updated guidance on IAQ to prevent viral infections, and new studies reveal a new approach for early detection and treatment of mesothelioma. We also share the salary survey findings for 2024 and the correlation between dust mites and allergic asthma response. At the end, you'll find some advice on working safely at night and an updated course schedule. if you have any questions or comments, please reply to this email.
| | | | | Updated IAQ Guidance | | EPA has released an updated Ventilation and Respiratory Virus guide to help people preserve indoor air quality and prevent viral infections in the winter season. Many viruses can spread more easily indoors than outdoors since their concentration can build up indoors and people are often closer to each other. Some of the recommended strategies for keeping the indoor air clean include ensuring proper ventilation indoors, filtering particles from the air, and providing supplemental air cleaning and air treatment. | | | Mayo Clinic: New Tests for Mesothelioma | | Mayo Clinic has developed innovative, new tests for early detection of mesothelioma called chromosomal rearrangements. This approach shuffles DNA sections and looks for more complex DNA patterns than just signle-point mutations. This allows for earlier diagnosis and can lead to a wider scope of targeted therapies. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that develops in the thin membranes that line the chest and abdomen, most commonly caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. | | | | | | | Save the Date: PACNY 2025 February 27-28, Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York. The Professional Abatement Contractors of New York’s (PACNY’s) is coming up in a few months and this is your reminder to book your spot. We've attended and sponsored the conference for many, many years and have found it to be one of the most educational and informative environmental abatement conferences. | | | | | | Salary Survey 2024 Results | | | | The National Safety Council has released a new study on salary trends in occupational safety and health. The survey looks at company size, education levels, and job titles to better understand how these influence individual salary levels. Here are some of the highlights: - Almost half of those surveyed work in construction and manufacturing, with another 20% working in utilities or public administration;
- Almost half hold a bachelor's degree and a quarter have a master's degree;
- Over half work in a managerial, directorial, or executive role;
- A quarter had an annual salary of $60-$80K while 18% made between $100-$125K.
Those working in consulting had the highest median of $121k. Job title, level of education, and years with the company all had an impact on salary levels, although tenure fluctuates where those who've been with the business for over 20 years earn less than newer hires. | | | | Head Protection Confusion | | | | | | | The International Safety Equipment Association and J. J. Keller & Associates Inc. recently teamed up on a study to better understand practices and challenges related to head protection. It turns out, choosing the right head protective equipment is more difficult than it looks. Ninety percent of those surveyed said they are involved in decisions on their PPE, but many are confused on what's what. Some of the things that make choosing the right head gear difficult are: - Unclear terminology - people can't easily tell the difference between hard hats vs helmets.
- More care is needed - only 54% of responding safety managers educate workers on how to maintain their head protection.
- Difficult adoption - managers struggle to get workers to comply and wear head protection in a consistent manner.
This presents a great opportunity for standards organizations and manufacturers to educate workers and managers alike to improve safety practices. | | | | | | | | Health Effects of 9/11 Exhibit Last month, NIOSH in collaboration with other institutions launched a new exhibit as a memorial for the victims of Flight 93 plane crash near Shanksville, PA and the hundreds of thousands first responders and other people who were exposed to toxins during 9/11. The exhibit features more information about WTC-related health conditions and exposures, as well as 9/11 responder survivor stories and a video of program member testimonials. | | | | | | House Dust Mites and Asthma | | | | A new research by the University of Pittsburgh has found that inhaling common household dust mites can activate the immune system and trigger an allergic asthma reaction. “We often think of the immune system as an army that fights the bad guys,” said senior author Dr. Amanda C. Poholek, director of the Health Sciences Sequencing Core and assistant professor in the Department of Immunology at Pitt’s School of Medicine. “And while that’s true, most of the time your immune system is dealing with dust and pollen that you breathe in, plants and animals that you eat, and things that you touch in the environment." Allergic asthma is the most common form of asthma, characterized by symptoms such as coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and wheezing. | | | | | | | Use SafetySuzy10FEDTC at checkout to get 10% off of any of our health and safety courses. Don't forget that our loyal customers get 15% off, so please get in touch if you'd like to find out more. | | | | | | A New Center for Firefighter Safety, Health and Wellbeing | | | | On October 7th, NIOSH announced a new center that aims to protect firefigthers from workplace injurty. NIOSH initiatives include: - Provide guidance and support so firefighters and first responders can do their jobs safely.
- Study the exposures firefighters face and provide recommendations to protect them both on and off the job.
- Conduct evidence-based research and provide interventions to support the mental health and well-being of firefighters.
- Understand and reduce the risk of cancer through research and active enrollment of firefighters into the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer.
- Conduct independent investigations of line-of-duty deaths and firefighter work conditions.
- Research, evaluate and certify personal protective equipment.
| | | | It's not uncommon for construction workers to have to conduct some of their work in the evening or later into the night. The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) says that employers should provide workers with high-visibility safety apparel, designed to reflect light.
| | | | | | CPWR also says a safe jobsite has these elements: - A site-specific plan to match the light level to the activity in each work area of the jobsite.
- Someone regularly checking field lighting for brightness.
- Larger traffic control devices, reflective materials and lettering.
- Arrow panels set to nighttime light levels.
| | | | | Important Links | | Upcoming FEDTC Courses (virtual, in-person, online).
FED Creates Asbestos Air Sampling Tables That Can be Used In the Field or the Office Order Here! ELEVATE YOUR SAFETY PROGRAMS with SiteDocs and Future Environment Designs. Contact SiteDocs here. "Do As I Say, Not As I Did! What I've Learned After 30-Years of Being in Business" - book by Angelo Garcia III Order Here!
FEDTC Training Library: Click Here to access our Library.
Additional Resources
FEDTC’s Recent Blogpost:
Conference Season Starts in Three Months New York Asbestos LinkedIn Group Recent Discussion:
Important Information on "5 Points to Remember About Self-Audits". Join the conversation and become a member of a thriving group of health and safety professionals.
| | | | | | | OSHA courses (Online & In-person): - AHERA/OSHA Asbestos Awareness
- OSHA/NYSDOL 4-hr Apprentice Asbestos Awareness (NEW) - Online
- OSHA Respirator User
- OSHA Crystalline Silica Standard for Workers
- OSHA Hazard Communication
- OSHA Hazard Communication plus NYS Right-to-Know
- Covid-19 Awareness Course
- Respirator Hierarchy
- Lead in Construction Awareness Course
- Mold in Construction Awareness Course
- Blood-borne Pathogen 4-Hour Course
Mold courses: - Keeping Your Family Safe Mold Awareness - Online
- Mold in Construction Awareness Course - Online
- Mold Assessment Initial
- Jan 10-15, 8:30AM - 5:45PM, FEDTC's Syosset
- Mold Remediation/Supervisor Initial
- Dec 11-13, 8:00AM - 4:00PM, York, PA
Jan 10-14, 8:30AM - 5:45 PM, FEDTC's Syosset - Mold Abatement Worker Initial
Jan 10-13, 8:30AM - 5:45 PM, FEDTC's Syosset - NYS Mold Refresher
Dec 17 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM, Virtual Jan 9, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM, FEDTC's Syosset
Asbestos courses (check our website for the full schedule of upcoming refresher courses): - AHERA/OSHA Asbestos Awareness Course - Online
- OSHA/NYSDOL 4-hr Apprentice Asbestos Awareness (NEW) - Online
- NYCDEP Handler/Supervisor Exam Prep - Online
- NYCDEP Investigator Exam Prep - Online
- AHERA LEA's Designated Person Training - Online
- AHERA/OSHA Asbestos Awareness Course
- Dec 10, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, LIU-Post
- Jan 16, 8:30AM - 10:30AM, 1:00PM - 3:00PM, Village of Rockville Ctre.
- Jan 17, 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM, Village of Rockville Ctre.
- NYS/NYC Asbestos Inspector Refresher
Dec 20, 7:30 AM - 11:30 AM, National Grid Inc. - Jan 6, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM, Virtual
Jan 22, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM, FEDTC's Syosset - NYS/NYC Asbestos Handler Refresher
- Dec 14, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, IUOE
- NYS Asbestos Project Sampling Technician Refresher
Dec 18, Jan 8, 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM, FEDTC's Syosset Jan 28 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Virtual
- Asbestos Management Planner Refresher
Jan 6, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Virtual Jan 22, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM, FEDTC's Syosset - Asbestos Supervisor Refresher
Dec 19, 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM, National Grid Inc. Jan 21, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, FEDTC's Syosset - Asbestos Project Monitor Refresher
Dec 18, Jan 8, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, FEDTC's Syosset Jan 28 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Virtual - Asbestos Operations and Maintenance Refresher
- Dec 9, 7AM-11AM & 11:30AM-3:30PM, PSEG
Dec 14, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM, IUOE - Asbestos Project Designer Refresher
Dec 16, Jan 7, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, FEDTC's Syosset Jan 27 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Virtual Please click on the individual courses' link to discover more dates!
| | | | Don't Forget Our Referral Program! If you refer asbestos, indoor air quality, or OSHA training to us we will provide you with a 5% discount on any training you book with us. This would be in addition to any other discounts we provide. Thank you to those who have taken advantage of this! | | | | |