What's New from the Occupational Health Branch
Revised Consensus Standard for Safer Cleaning Products
Some cleaning product ingredients can be hazardous and can cause breathing problems like asthma. The people most at risk are those who work every day with these chemicals such as janitors, cleaners, and maintenance workers. However, other workers, building occupants, and bystanders can also be affected by the use of these chemicals. To promote the development of safer cleaning products, staff from the Occupational Health Branch’s Work-related Asthma Prevention Program helped revise the Green Seal “Environmental Standard for Industrial and Institutional Cleaners – GS-37.” Green Seal is a non-profit organization that issues environmental standards and reviews and audits applicants according to those standards. Buying products that have been Green Seal certified is one way that employers can have some assurance that the products they use are safer.
Full announcement - Revised Cleaning Products Standard (PDF)
For more information about Green Seal and the GS-37 standard go to their website: http://www.greenseal.org/index.cfm
For more information on OHB work in this area, see Tracking Work-Related Asthma
Novartis Flu Vaccine Syringe Lacks Safety Needle
The California Department of Public Health has learned that one of the Novartis Flu Vaccine products distributed nationwide lacks a safety device that can protect the user from needlesticks. This product was labeled as having a pre-filled syringe; however, the label did not indicate that the pre-filled syringe had a permanently affixed 5/8” needle. Cal/OSHA requires employers to use syringes and needles with built-in engineered sharps injury protection. Most employers in other states are required by OSHA standards to provide this protection. Needlestick injuries expose healthcare workers and others to bloodborne pathogens that cause illnesses such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.
Novartis has agreed to replace the pre-filled syringes lacking safety devices with syringes with a “luer” connection so that safety needles can be attached. For more information or to request replacements, contact your supplier or Novartis at (800) 244-7668.
For more information about needle safety and bloodborne infectious diseases:
Conducting Effective Tailgate Trainings
Workers in the construction industry have a high risk for injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. Effective tailgate trainings (brief jobsite safety meetings) can be a powerful tool to promote hazard awareness and safe work practices. OHB’s BuildSafe California project conducted training-of-trainers for over 1,500 construction contractors and supervisors to improve their ability to provide effective tailgate trainings. This article in the journal Health Promotion Practice describes the intervention and evaluation findings.
For more information on our work in this area, see:
Report
Supports Improved Standard Setting for Cancer and Reproductive Hazards
Many California environmental regulations are based on scientific “risk assessments” performed by the Cal/EPA Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). OHB commissioned OEHHA to assess the feasibility of using the same scientific methods to develop recommendations for health-protective exposure limits in the workplace. The project focused on evaluating chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm (i.e., chemicals on California’s “Proposition 65” list). The report shows that health-protective exposure limits for workers can be calculated based on existing OEHHA risk assessments. This information will assist OHB in recommending priorities for Cal/OSHA rulemaking and promoting an improved methodology for health-based PELs.
For more information on OHB’s work in this area, see: Recommending Workplace Standards
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