Newly updated software from NOAA and experts at Dow Chemical could provide emergency workers responding to hazardous chemical spills more and better information about the chemical reactions they may encounter.
This significant update is the result of a two-year-long collaboration between NOAA chemical response specialists and technical experts at Dow Chemical.
“This innovative collaboration between industry and government scientists has produced a valuable tool that addresses reactive chemical hazards,” said Jim Farr, NOAA chemist and project coordinator. “We hope this effort paves the way for other projects that enhance our understanding of chemical hazards and lead to a safer work environment for the chemical industry, and especially those who respond to chemical incidents.”
“We’ve greatly appreciated the opportunity to partner with NOAA on this and see this as a win-win for everyone,” said Dave Gorman, Dow chemist and project leader. “This collaboration has allowed us to merge a number of best practices and tools used within Dow with the very powerful Chemical Reactivity Worksheet tool. The result is a much more powerful and versatile tool that we hope will become the gold standard within industry for determining chemical compatibility.”
The Chemical Reactivity Worksheet, currently for Windows only, is available for download. Versions for Mac and iOS will be available soon. The work was done as part of NOAA and the EPA’s joint development of a larger software suite, which provides valuable emergency response and planning tools for releases of hazardous materials.
The Chemical Reactivity Worksheet provides information about 5,200 chemicals, each assigned to one or more “reactive groups” of chemicals which may create a hazard if they come in contact with certain substances. The user creates a virtual mixture of chemicals, which could include the chemicals involved in a hazardous incident or stored in a laboratory, warehouse, or transport vehicle, and the program predicts the possible hazards, including fire or explosion, from mixing all possible pairs of those chemicals.
This latest release of the software increases the number of reactive groups, allowing for better predictions of potential chemical reactions, and expands the description of reactive chemicals. The program now also includes an alert for possible gases released from a chemical mixture, as well as information on the compatibility of common absorbents used in response to spills of hazardous chemicals.
In addition, managers of chemical facilities and university chemistry departments now can add chemicals unique to their facilities, enabling them to further customize their evaluations of potential hazards.
OSHA Issues New Resource to Protect Emergency Workers at Combustible Dust Fires
"This booklet will keep both emergency response and facility workers safe by giving them a framework to prepare for potential emergencies involving combustible dust," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "Stakeholders that have reviewed the booklet, including fire chiefs and union health and safety representatives, describe it as 'an excellent resource for explaining the hazards associated with combustible dust and outlining the best practices for pre-incident operational preparation by emergency responders.'"
Since 1980, more than 130 workers have been killed and more than 780 injured in combustible dust explosions. The publication describes how combustible dust explosions occur and uses previous incidents to illustrate how firefighting operations can prevent combustible dust explosions. The booklet explains the preparations emergency responders can make before a response and how these preparations will affect the operational plan during a response.
Combustible dusts include fine particles, fibers, chips, chunks, or flakes that, under certain conditions, can cause a fire or explosion when suspended in air. Types of dusts include metal (for example, aluminum and magnesium), wood, plastic, rubber, coal, flour, sugar, and paper, among others.
How to Implement OSHA’s Globally Harmonized Hazard Communication Standard (GHS)
OSHA has issued a final rule revising its Hazard Communication Standard, aligning it with the United Nations’ globally harmonized system (GHS) for the classification and labeling of hazardous chemicals. This means that virtually every product label, safety data sheet (formerly called “material safety data sheet” or MSDS), and written hazard communication plan must be revised to meet the new standard. Worker training must be updated so that workers can recognize and understand the symbols and pictograms on the new labels as well as the new hazard statements and precautions on SDSs.
Virginia Beach RCRA and DOT Training
Cary HAZWOPER 8-Hr. Refresher and IATA/IMO Training
St. Louis RCRA and DOT Training
California DIR Posts Updated Guidebook for Injured Workers
“This fourth edition of the injured workers’ guidebook helps workers and others understand the sometimes complicated process of workers’ compensation,” said DIR Director Christine Baker. “The guidebook has been updated to reflect the latest changes to California’s workers’ compensation system.”
The guidebook gives an overview of the California workers’ compensation system. It is meant to help workers with job injuries understand their basic legal rights, the steps to take to request workers’ compensation benefits, and where to seek further information and help if necessary. Also included are references to important laws and regulations and a glossary.
The fourth edition includes important changes since 2006 in the following areas:
- Pre-designation of one’s treating physician or a medical group
- Treatment under the medical treatment utilization schedule (MTUS) adopted by the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC)
- Independent medical review (IMR) to resolve disputes over denial of treatment
- Extension of time limits on receiving temporary disability (TD) benefits
- Return-to-work procedures
- Permanent disability (PD) benefits
- Supplemental job displacement benefits (SJDB)
The guidebook is available online in English, with a Spanish translation available soon. Because the workers’ compensation system is undergoing many changes with the implementation of Senate Bill 863, workers using the guidebook are urged to check updates posted at the DIR’s Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) website.
The California Department of Industrial Relations enforces the state’s labor laws to improve the workplaces of over 18 million wage earners and their employers. Its mission is to improve working conditions for California's wage earners, and to advance opportunities for profitable employment in California. DIR administers and enforces laws governing wages, hours and breaks, overtime, retaliation, workplace safety and health, medical care, and other benefits for injured workers, and apprenticeship training programs.
OSHA and NIOSH Host Webcast on Preventing Deadly Falls in Construction
At 11 a.m. EST on April 10, OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the National Occupational Research Agenda Construction Sector Council will co-moderate a free webinar on preventing deadly falls in construction. To register and learn more about the campaign partners' efforts to stop fatal falls, visit the registration page.
Hazard Communication: Workers Must be Trained by December 1
OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard is now aligned with the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. This update to the Hazard Communication Standard provides a common and coherent approach to classifying chemicals and communicating hazard information on labels and safety data sheets. The first deadline in the implementation phase is December 1, 2013, the date by which employers must train workers on the new label elements and safety data sheet. Environmental Resource Center is offering customized on-site training to ensure that your employees are trained on time.
Survey Finds 660,000 Drivers Using Cell Phones or Manipulating Electronic Devices While Driving At Any Given Daylight Moment
The DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released new survey results that show that Americans continue to use electronic devices while driving, despite warnings that it causes their own driving to deteriorate and can lead to crashes, injuries, and even death. The new data are being released at the start of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
The new data include statistics from the 2012 Distracted Driving Attitudes and Behaviors Survey and the 2011 National Occupant Protection Use Survey on Driver Electronics Use, as well as the 2011 Distraction Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data. All three reports are being highlighted in the premier issue of NHTSA’s Safety in Numbers online monthly auto safety newsletter.
The 2011 National Occupant Protection Use Survey shows that at any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010. According to separate NHTSA data, more than 3,300 people were killed in 2011 and 387,000 were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver.
“Distracted driving is a serious and deadly epidemic on America’s roadways,” said US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “There is no way to text and drive safely. Powering down your cell phone when you’re behind the wheel can save lives—maybe even your own.”
According to NHTSA’s 2012 National Survey on Distracted Driving Attitudes and Behaviors, most drivers support bans on hand-held cell phone use (74%) and texting while driving (94%). On average, these drivers thought the fines for these offenses should be at least $200.
So far 39 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands ban text messaging for all drivers. Also 10 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving.
“Many drivers see distracted driving as risky when other drivers do it, but do not recognize how their own driving deteriorates,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “I urge all motorists to use common sense and keep their attention focused solely on the task of safely driving.”
More than 6,000 respondents age 16 and older were interviewed by phone for the National Survey on Distracted Driving Attitudes and Behaviors. Almost half of drivers said they answer an incoming call and one in four drivers are willing to place a call on all, most, or some trips. Slightly fewer are willing to make a call while driving compared to 2010 (28% to 24%), but there is little if any change in those who answer a call while driving (52% to 49%). Considering that in 2011 there were almost 212 million licensed drivers in the America, about 102 million drivers were answering calls and 50 million drivers were placing calls while driving.
To prevent distracted driving, the Department of Transportation recommends that drivers:
- Turn off electronic devices and put them out of reach before starting to drive
- Be good role models for young drivers and set a good example. Talk with your teens about responsible driving.
- Speak up when you are a passenger and your driver uses an electronic device while driving. Offer to make the call for the driver, so his or her full attention stays on the driving task.
- Always wear your seat belt. Seat belts are the best defense against other unsafe drivers.
American Chemical Society introduces ACS ChemWorx™ Integrated Research Management Environment
The American Chemical Society (ACS) announced the launch of ACS ChemWorx, a powerful new research collaboration system designed to integrate all facets of the researcher’s work life. Every step of the research process—from forming an initial concept, to exchanging documents and literature references with a network of global collaborators, to assembling the resulting research findings with coauthors—can now be performed within the secure and interoperable ACS ChemWorx environment.
The ACS also announced its strategic investment in colwiz, Ltd. (colwiz), an early-stage company established by Oxford University scientists that is providing much of the underlying technology for ACS ChemWorx. Under the terms of the development agreement, ACS and colwiz will combine the Society’s trusted information services and membership benefits for chemistry professionals with the power of cloud-based social collaboration technology developed by colwiz, Ltd.
ACS ChemWorx enables researchers to quickly create online profiles with comprehensive messaging and social communication features, and to organize secure workgroups and projects, share document libraries, manage calendars and group task lists, and maintain private discussion areas. Integrated Web, desktop, and mobile applications provide powerful capabilities for content discovery, reference and document management, coordinated storage and retrieval of data, and collaborative manuscript preparation and editing, as well as personal publication tracking with ACS Publications. ACS ChemWorx is being offered free to any ACS-registered user, and to faculty and students based at any of the Society’s institutional customers worldwide.
“ACS welcomes the opportunity to leverage colwiz’s unique capabilities to speed the publication of research findings,” said Susan King, Ph.D., Senior Vice President responsible for the Society’s Journals Publishing Group. “ACS is leading the way in digital publishing, and we are delighted to find in colwiz a technology partner who supports our vision of being the most trusted source of the comprehensive knowledge needed to cultivate the chemists of tomorrow. To aid scientists with information solutions as part of their research workflows, we’re creating together with colwiz a powerful suite of integrated Web and mobile applications, starting today with ACS ChemWorx.”
“Our approach is to break down the research process into its key components, custom-build each tool from scratch, and integrate them seamlessly into a single platform for individual and group productivity,” said Tahir Mansoori, CEO and co-founder of colwiz. “At the moment, researchers are using a dizzying array of discrete applications for research management and collaboration—but because these are separate applications, they don’t always talk to each other,” said Mansoori.
“Researchers, the universities at which they work and the scholarly societies to which they belong, are natural partners for the advancement of scientific research,” said Professor Andrew Hamilton, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford. “As a member of ACS for over 30 years, I am delighted see technology solutions developed by colwiz, an Oxford University start-up company, underpinning the advancement of chemistry.”
“We at colwiz are delighted to be embarking on this partnership. ACS Publications has a distinguished publishing history and reputation for scientific rigor, and is known for facilitating rapid publication through its award-winning journal publishing platform and state-of-the art editorial and production operations, which integrate online submission, peer review and technical editing with web and mobile content delivery,” said colwiz Chief Scientist, Professor David Gavaghan of Oxford University. “Colwiz shares ACS Publication’s vision of providing researchers with the tools they need to work together across continents and across disciplines—via software that manages the entire research lifecycle from an initial idea, through complex collaborations, and on to publication of the results.”
Coinciding with the launch of ACS ChemWorx, ACS Publications also is introducing notable feature enhancements to the digital editions of its entire portfolio of peer reviewed research journals, including:
ACS ActiveView PDF—An interactive full text format that enables researchers to attach highlights and notes to ACS journal articles of interest, explore referenced abstracts via the CAS SciFinder®-powered Reference QuickView, make and save annotations in their ACS ChemWorx library, share links with colleagues and lab group members, and sync their libraries across smartphone, tablet, and desktop environments.
“Add to ACS ChemWorx” —Through a single click, researchers can export citations from any ACS article to their ACS ChemWorx reference libraries—via links found on search results, and on table of contents, abstract, and full text page types.
More information, including a comprehensive list of features and benefits, and instructions for individuals to enroll as ACS ChemWorx registered users, is available at www.acschemworx.org.
Contractor Fined $110,440 for Failing to Protect Workers in Trench
The inspection was initiated under OSHA's national emphasis program for trenching and excavation after an OSHA inspector witnessed apparent cave-in hazards while traveling past a construction site in Des Plaines on October 3, 2012. Proposed penalties total $110,440.
"This is not the first time this contractor has exposed vulnerable workers to dangerous excavation hazards," said Nick Walters, OSHA's regional administrator in Chicago. "These types of hazards result in numerous fatalities and injuries every year. No job should cost a worker's life due to an employer's failure to properly protect and train workers."
The three willful violations involve failing to provide cave-in protection to workers installing protective metal sleeves around an existing water main in a trench approximately 7 feet deep, and at a later date during an extension of another trench approximately 6 feet deep. The company failed to ensure that excavated materials that posed a hazard of falling or rolling into the trench were placed at least 2 feet back from the trench edge. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health.
"Mike Neri Sewer & Water Contractor has again failed to take adequate safety measures to protect workers from cave-ins at excavation sites despite being previously cited for these industry specific standards," said Diane Turek, OSHA's area director for its Chicago North Area Office in Des Plaines. "OSHA implemented a trenching and excavation special emphasis program in the 1980s, so the industry, including Neri, who has been in this business for decades, should be well aware of the safety regulations for trenching operations and the potential hazards to workers."
OSHA cited three repeat violations for failing to establish a safety and health program, provide training to workers on trenching and excavation hazards, and ensure that each worker exposed to struck-by hazards was protected by a helmet. A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years. Similar violations were cited at a job site in Montgomery in 2009.
Because of the hazards and the violations cited, Mike Neri Sewer & Water Contractor has been placed in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates targeted follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with the law. OSHA's SVEP focuses on recalcitrant employers that endanger workers by committing willful, repeat or failure-to-abate violations. Under the program, OSHA may inspect any of the employer's facilities or job sites.
One serious violation was cited for failing to protect workers in a trench from water accumulation. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Prior to this inspection, Mike Neri Sewer & Water Contractor had been inspected by OSHA three times in the past five years and had been issued serious, repeat, and willful citations related to various trenching hazards.
Aerospace Defense Coatings of Georgia Cited for Exposing Workers to Hexavalent Chromium
OSHA has cited Aerospace Defense Coatings of Georgia with one willful and two repeat health violations after a follow-up inspection of the Macon facility found several of the same violations identified in 2010. Proposed penalties total $83,160.
Two repeat violations, with $21,560 in proposed penalties, involve exposure to airborne concentrations of hexavalent chromium and allowing workers to consume food where hexavalent chromium was present.
"Aerospace Defense Coatings of Georgia was previously cited for the same violations and has failed to take action to protect workers from the hazards associated with hexavalent chromium exposure," said Nadira Janack, assistant area director of OSHA's Atlanta-East Area Office. "Management needs to take immediate action to eliminate these hazards from the workplace."
OSHA Proposes $52,280 in Fines to Metal Fabricator for Failing to Correct Previously Cited Hazard
OSHA has cited Rothe Welding, Inc., of Saugerties for alleged failure to abate and repeat and serious workplace health violations, some of which refer to a previous 2012 OSHA inspection.
The metal fabricator faces a total of $52,280 in proposed fines following an inspection initiated in September 2012 by OSHA's Albany Area Office to verify the correction of hazards cited during a January 2012 inspection. The company was previously cited for seven violations of safety and health standards.
One of the uncorrected hazards involves failing to provide workers with information and training about the hazards of lead and other substances in the workplace. As a result, OSHA cited Rothe Welding for failing to abate the hazard and has proposed a fine of $36,000. A failure-to-abate notice applies to a condition, hazard or practice found upon reinspection that the employer was originally cited for and was not corrected.
"Despite having sufficient time to correct all hazards cited during the previous inspection, this employer failed to do so. In addition, other hazards were allowed to recur and new hazards were identified," said Kim Castillon, OSHA's area director in Albany. "The proposed fines reflect both the severity of these hazards, which expose workers to potentially serious health conditions, as well as this employer's failure to take all effective corrective action."
Finally, citations for three serious violations carrying $5,720 in fines involve failing to clean and disinfect respirators before usage; store respirators in safe locations to protect them from damage, dust, extreme temperatures, or moisture; and to provide lead hazard information to potentially exposed workers.
"One means of preventing hazards is through an effective illness and injury prevention program in which workers and managers work together to identify and eliminate hazards that can injure or sicken workers," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's regional administrator in New York.
Twenty Safety Violations Found at Ohio Pallet Manufacturing Plant
OSHA has cited Scenic Wood Products for 20 serious safety violations at its pallet manufacturing facility in Sugarcreek, Ohio. OSHA has proposed penalties of $64,400 after opening a January inspection under the Site Specific Targeting Program, which directs enforcement resources to workplaces where the highest rates of injuries and illnesses occur.
"Scenic Wood Products has a responsibility to recognize the hazards that exist in its workplace and ensure workers are properly trained in the safe operation and maintenance of required equipment," said Deborah Zubaty, OSHA's area director in Columbus. "Employers are also responsible for ensuring workers are provided with personal protective equipment to guard against known hazards in the workplace."
The serious safety violations cited include failing to have adequate machine guarding and personal protective equipment; provide fall protection for workers conducting maintenance operations on unguarded platforms and on the roof; conduct annual periodic inspections and reviews of lockout/tagout procedures; and provide fire extinguisher and forklift operator refresher training. Three of the violations regard electrical safety practices, including not providing or requiring proper personal protective equipment for workers performing live electrical work or conducting a flash hazard analysis, and training workers on electrical safety hazards.
In addition to the SST program, OSHA implements both national and local emphasis inspection programs, which include programmed inspections, to target high-risk hazards and industries. OSHA currently has 11 National Emphasis Programs that intensify inspections on hazards or industries, such as lead, silica, shipbreaking, trenching/excavations, and process safety management, and approximately 140 Regional and Local Emphasis Programs.
This OSHA inspection is the fourth on the company since 2011.
Phoenix Electrical Manufacturing Faces $51,590 in Fines for Safety Violations
OSHA has cited Phoenix Electrical Manufacturing, Co., with three safety violations, including two repeat, at its Chicago manufacturing facility. Proposed penalties of $51,590 resulted from the January national emphasis program inspection on amputation hazards.
"Phoenix Electrical Manufacturing has a responsibility to provide proper machine guarding to prevent workers from amputations and other serious injuries when operating machinery in its facility," said Diane Turek, OSHA's area director for its Chicago North Office in Des Plaines. "Companies that are cited for repeat violations demonstrate a disregard for worker safety and health."
The repeat violations were cited for failing to guard all danger zones on a metal cutting saw and for allowing workers to use compressed air for cleaning that exceeded 30 lb per square inch. Similar violations were cited in 2008.
One serious violation was cited for failing to have adequate machine guarding in place on a broaching machine and a riveter.
Phoenix Electrical Manufacturing, which produces parts for electrical motors and generators, has been cited by OSHA seven previous times.
Ellicott Development Co. Faces $44,000 in Fines for Lead Exposure and Fall Hazards
OSHA has issued citations for 10 serious violations of workplace health and safety standards to Ellicott Development, Co., for exposing workers to lead and fall hazards at a Buffalo, New York, work site. The Buffalo-based real estate development and management company faces a total of $44,000 in fines following an inspection by OSHA's Buffalo Area Office begun in December 2012 in response to a complaint.
OSHA found that Ellicott's workers performing demolition work at 2017 Clinton St. were exposed to lead while tearing down and disposing of walls that contained lead paint. Ellicott did not conduct monitoring and sampling to determine the lead exposure levels and did not provide workers with training, respiratory protection, protective clothing, medical surveillance, and information about lead hazards.
"This employer failed to take the basic steps necessary to protect workers against a potentially significant health hazard," said Arthur Dube, OSHA's area director in Buffalo. "Exposure to lead can damage the blood-forming, nervous, urinary and reproductive systems. Even short-term exposure can have consequences. Ellicott Development must ensure that the proper safeguards are in place, in use and effective at this and all its job sites where workers may be exposed to lead."
The inspection also found workers exposed to falls of 15 feet from the unguarded edge of the roof, from which they were throwing materials into a dumpster. They were also exposed to unguarded floor holes on the roof. An additional hazard stemmed from a scaffold whose casters were not locked to prevent movement.
"Employers can address and prevent hazards, such as these, by establishing an injury and illness prevention program in which workers and management continually work to identify and eliminate hazardous conditions," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's regional administrator in New York.
FMCSA Shuts Down Atlanta-based Trucking Company Southern Transportation, Inc.
Earlier this week, Southern Transportation stopped cooperating with FMCSA safety investigators and failed to provide copies of company safety records. Under provisions contained in MAP-21, signed into law by President Obama in July 2012, FMCSA may place a motor carrier out of service if it fails to comply with a letter demanding release of company safety records.
“Truck and bus companies that refuse to cooperate with safety investigators have no place on our nation’s roadways,” said US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We will continue to use our authority to shut down motor carriers that endanger the public.”
“MAP-21 strengthens the ability of FMCSA investigators to take necessary and appropriate actions to protect innocent lives,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro. “We will not allow the safety of the traveling public to be compromised by an unsafe commercial truck or bus company.
Last week, FMCSA declared General Transportation, Inc., a trucking company operating out of the same location and with the same business model as Southern Transportation, to be an imminent hazard to safety, shutting down the company. FMCSA continues its investigation.
Bosco's Pizza Company Receives State Award for Outstanding Safety and Health Record
Bosco's Pizza Company received the CET Bronze Award for an outstanding safety and health record from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA). The MIOSHA program is part of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA).
"We are honored to present this award to Bosco's Pizza Company. Food production can have significant workplace hazards, and we are pleased to recognize Bosco's efforts to protect its workers," MIOSHA Director Martha Yoder. "Their dedication sends the message to Michigan employers that focusing on safety up front is a sound business decision."
Director Yoder presented the award to Connie Jaracz, HR Manager, and Bryan Wilson, Plant Manager, in front of invited guests, management personnel, and employees that attended the presentation.
"We are proud to receive this award and we appreciate the recognition from MIOSHA," said Jaracz. "The entire team has worked hard to improve our safety performance and this is a great way to celebrate those efforts."
The MIOSHA Consultation Education and Training (CET) Division recognizes the safety and health achievements of Michigan employers and employees through CET Awards, which are based on excellent safety and health performance. The CET Bronze Award recognizes companies that reduced the injury rate by 50% or more in the last three years.
Bosco's has completed the following criteria to receive the Bronze Award:
- Reduced injury/illness incident rate by more than 50% within the last three calendar years
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive safety and health management system
- Established a safety and health committee, with both employee and management participation
- Developed an employee training system, with an emphasis on how to do the work in a safe and healthful manner
- Worked diligently to change their workplace culture to reflect the importance of worker safety
Bosco's has more than 188 employees, and is located in Warren, Michigan. The facility has worked with the MIOSHA CET Division for several years. CET Senior Safety Consultant Jeff Kelley performed a hazard survey on site, which is a part of the award process. This survey allowed them an opportunity to walk through the facility with a MIOSHA representative and correct any problem areas that were noted.
"Companies that establish an integrated safety and health program reap the benefits of significantly reducing their injury and illness rates," said Yoder. "Reducing these rates not only protects employees—it has a healthy impact on a company's bottom line."
Bosco's Pizza Company started in 1988 by personally delivering restaurant-quality frozen pizzas to nearby customers. Since then, company sales have grown 20% every year. Bosco's Pizza and Bosco Sticks are served for lunch in many of the nation's schools, and are also offered in plants, restaurants, recreation centers, sports arenas, theme parks, and grocery stores. Last year, Bosco's sold more than 100 million of their pizza and Bosco's Sticks to 49 states.
AIHA? Releases Position Statement on Mold
Since 1996, AIHA has been a leader in the development of information and best practices on the management of mold and dampness problems in the built environment. This information has been relied upon by officials who develop and enforce public policy on indoor environmental quality (IEQ) for the non-industrial workplace, including schools. AIHA has also provided accessible information for individuals to enable more informed choices.
AIHA supports efforts to ensure that personnel who perform mold investigations and remediation are properly trained in the occupational and environmental hazards in buildings for all hazards. Qualified persons should be utilized for designing and managing mold assessments, directing others who perform initial mold assessments, writing protocols for mold remediation, and conducting post-remediation inspections. This may include Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIH) and/or Registered Occupational Hygienists (ROH) with the specific education, training, and experience in microbial contamination.
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