Results of a study conducted by Washington State University molecular biologist Michael Skinner on the lasting effects of toxic chemical exposure are published in the current issue of the online journal, PLoS ONE. The study concludes that in animals exposed to certain toxicants, their DNA sequence remains unchanged; however, the way genes turn on and off through future generations may change following toxicant exposure—which is considered an epigenetic effect.
While Skinner’s earlier research has shown similar effects from a pesticide and fungicide, this is the first to show a greater variety of toxicants—including jet fuel, dioxin, plastics, and the pesticides DEET and permethrin—promoting epigenetic disease across generations.
“We didn’t expect them all to have transgenerational effects, but all of them did,” Skinner told the technology website Gizmodo. “I thought hydrocarbon would be negative but it was positive too.”
This tells researchers that the ability to promote transgenerational disease is “not simply a unique aspect for a unique compound” but a characteristic of many environmental compounds.
The field opens new ground in the study of how diseases develop. While toxicologists generally focus on animals exposed to a compound, Skinner’s work further demonstrates that diseases can also stem from older, ancestral exposures that are then mediated through epigenetic changes in sperm. The work also points the way to identify and diagnose exposures through the use of specific epigenetic molecular markers.
“In the future we might be able to use these epigenetic biomarkers to determine your ancestral and personal exposure early in life and to predict your susceptibility to get a disease later in life,” Skinner said.
The study was funded by the US Army to study pollutants that troops might be exposed to. Skinner and his colleagues exposed pregnant female rats to relatively high but non-lethal amounts of the compounds and tracked changes in three generations of offspring.
The researchers saw females reaching puberty earlier, increased rates in the decay and death of sperm cells, and lower numbers of ovarian follicles that later become eggs. Future studies can use the molecular tools for risk assessment analysis.
How to Prepare for OSHA Adoption of the GHS for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals
This means that virtually every product label, material safety data sheet (soon to be called “safety data sheet” or SDS), 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.
Environmental Resource Center is offering webcast training for you to learn how the new rule differs from current requirements, how to implement the changes, and when the changes must be implemented.
- March 23
- April 17
- May 18
- June 26
- July 18
- August 15
- October 2
How to Author GHS Safety Data Sheets
- April 18
- June 27
- October 3
How to Label Hazardous Chemicals Using OSHA’s New GHS Hazcom Standard
- April 19
- June 28
- October 4
Indianapolis RCRA, DOT, and OSHA GHS Hazcom Training
Charleston RCRA, DOT and IATA/IMO Training
San Antonio RCRA and DOT Training
OSHA Cites Westinghouse for Inadequate Safeguards against Hexavalent Chromium
OSHA has cited Cranberry, Pennsylvania-based Westinghouse Electric Co., LLC, for alleged willful and serious violations of workplace health standards at its Newington, New Hampshire, stainless steel component manufacturing facility. The company faces a total of $82,000 in proposed fines following an inspection by OSHA’s Concord Area Office that was initiated in response to a complaint.
Additionally, employees were wearing respirators even though they had not been medically evaluated to determine if they could safely do so, initial monitoring to determine hexavalent chromium exposure levels had not been conducted, medical surveillance was not made available for all potentially exposed employees, and dry sweeping and brushing, rather than other methods that would minimize the likelihood of exposure, were used to clean work areas. These conditions resulted in citations for five serious violations with $27,000 in proposed fines. 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.
Westinghouse also was issued one willful citation with a $55,000 fine for failing to establish a regulated work area around employees exposed, or reasonably expected to be exposed, to excess levels of hexavalent chromium. 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.
“Workplace exposure to hexavalent chromium may cause irritation or damage to the eyes and skin upon contact and to the nose, throat and lungs if inhaled. Inhalation could also lead to lung cancer,” said Rosemarie Ohar, OSHA’s area director in New Hampshire. “That’s why it is critically important that employers such as Westinghouse take effective steps to monitor, identify and reduce exposure levels, and other necessary steps to safeguard their employees’ health.”
OSHA Fines Berridge Manufacturing $132,000 for Multiple Safety Hazards
An inspection, initiated on August 30, 2011, was conducted as part of the agency’s Site-Specific Targeting Program for industries with high injury and illness rates. Proposed penalties total $131,670.
Eight serious violations include failing to ensure workers were provided with fall protection while working from the tops of tanks; keep floors and surfaces clear to eliminate tripping hazards; ensure that equipment was free from electrical hazards; provide the required machine guarding for vertical belts and pulleys; and inspect overhead cranes and hoists, wire ropes, and hooks.
Five repeat violations involve failing to protect workers from unguarded and unprotected horizontal belts, pulley assemblies, and horizontal shafts on furnace motors; ensure that openings on electrical equipment were effectively closed; and provide proper relief strain for electrical cords. 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 in 2007.
“Repeat violations mean that workers are exposed to the same hazards over and over again,” said Jeff Funke, the agency’s area director in San Antonio. “Berridge Manufacturing has a responsibility to ensure that employees are protected from possible injuries and illnesses by correcting these hazards immediately.”
Four other-than-serious violations were issued for failing to adequately describe occupational injuries and illnesses on OSHA 300 logs, properly certify the OSHA 300A summary form, review the energy control program on an annual basis and ensure that electrical motors had legible markings indicating their electrical classification and division. An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.
AGrowStar Fined Over $74,000 for Combustible Dust and Other Hazards
OSHA has cited AGrowStar LLC, for 22 safety and health violations, including combustible dust accumulations, following an inspection that began in September after the agency received a complaint about the company’s grain handling facility in Fort Valley, Georgia. Proposed penalties for serious violations total $74,375.
The company has been cited with 20 serious violations for allowing combustible dust to accumulate, and failing to develop and implement lockout/tagout procedures for energy sources; develop a housekeeping program for areas where wheat, corn, and soybean were stored; train industrial truck operators; prevent amputation hazards by guarding machinery; develop an emergency action plan; train on an annual basis employees who are exposed to fire or explosion hazards; secure a permit prior to entering a confined space to perform maintenance; conduct atmospheric testing before entering silos; list chemicals in the hazard communication program; provide fall protection; and properly install and repair electrical equipment.
Two other-than-serious violations with no monetary penalties include failing to develop and implement a respiratory program for workers required to wear respirators, and to maintain inspection certification of storage and grain moving equipment at the facility.
“This employer put workers at risk of serious injury or death by failing to implement proper safety and health protections,” said Bill Fulcher, director of OSHA’s Atlanta-East Area Office. “Employers are responsible for ensuring that their employees have a safe and healthy work environment.”
Fritz Aluminum Services Cited for Combustible Dust and Other Hazards
OSHA has cited Fritz Aluminum Services Inc., for 37 violations for exposing workers to a variety of safety and health hazards, including combustible dust accumulations, at the company’s Eustis, Florida facility. OSHA opened an inspection in September after receiving a complaint. Proposed penalties total $139,800.
Fritz Aluminum also has been cited for the above-ground exposure of PVC piping used to transport compressed air at 130 lb per square inch and for allowing combustible dust to accumulate on electrical equipment.
Six other-than-serious violations include failing to maintain sanitary conditions in the powder booth, welding area, and break room bathrooms; have forklift operators complete a refresher training course in the last three years; certify the training of forklift drivers; remove defective or unsafe powered industrial trucks from service; appropriately store oxygen and acetylene compressed gas cylinders; and properly label circuit breaker panels.
“The level of disregard for workers’ safety demonstrated by this employer is irresponsible. Although the employer knows the fire and explosion hazards associated with the accumulation of combustible dust, a choice was made to do nothing about it,” said Les Grove, OSHA’s area director in Tampa. “It should not take a fire or explosion to implement necessary safety measures to protect employees.”
Due to the repeat violations and the nature of the hazards, OSHA has placed Fritz Aluminum Services in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates targeted follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with the law. The program focuses on recalcitrant employers that endanger workers by committing willful, repeat, or failure-to-abate violations.
OSHA Cites Yaskawa America after Worker Suffers Burns from Electrical Shock at Manufacturing Plant
OSHA cited Yaskawa America Inc., with six safety—including one willful—violations, after a worker suffered burns from an electrical shock on September 15 at the company’s Oak Creek, Wisconsin, manufacturing facility. Proposed penalties total $91,000. The Waukegan, Illinois-based company produces drives and motion control components for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
“Allowing workers to come in contact with exposed and energized parts without appropriate personal protective equipment demonstrates a lack of concern for their safety,” said George Yoksas, OSHA’s area director in Milwaukee. “Employers are responsible for knowing the hazards that exist in their workplaces and taking proper safety precautions. OSHA is committed to protecting workers on the job, especially when employers fail to do so.”
The worker suffered second- and third-degree burns on his hand after receiving an electrical shock from exposed parts that had the potential to be energized to 480 volts. The willful violation is allowing the worker to come in contact with exposed energized parts on testing equipment.
Additionally, three serious safety violations include using unapproved electrical equipment, failing to provide personal protective equipment to employees working on energized parts, and failing to implement electrical safe work practices, such as utilizing insulated tools while working on energized electrical equipment.
Two other-than-serious violations include not having strain relief on testing equipment and not completing OSHA 300 injury and illness logs as required.
Labor Department Lawsuit Seeks to Collect Over $234,000 in Penalties Assessed by OSHA
The US attorney’s office in San Antonio, Texas, has filed a complaint with the US District Court for the Western District of Texas against San Antonio Lath & Plaster Inc., to collect $234,450 in delinquent fines associated with 26 citations issued by OSHA during the course of six inspections at the San Antonio-based company’s various job sites in Texas between February 2007 and December 2010.
The company had 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. When the company failed to respond, the citations became final orders of the commission, and the penalties became due.
“Employers who violate safety and health laws and refuse to pay penalties for those violations will be held accountable,” said James Culp, the department’s regional solicitor in Dallas. “The Labor Department will not hesitate to pursue employers who disregard their responsibilities.”
Kuehne Chemical Fined $139,000 for Repeat and Serious Hazards at Delaware City Facility
OSHA has cited South Kearny, New Jersey-headquartered Kuehne Chemical Co., Inc., for eight repeat and 13 serious safety and health violations at its facility in Delaware City, Delaware. Proposed penalties total $139,000 following an inspection that was initiated as part of OSHA’s Site-Specific Targeting Program for industries with high injury and illness rates.
“By disregarding OSHA’s standards, this company is leaving its employees vulnerable to hazards that could cause serious injury or even death,” said Domenick Salvatore, director of OSHA’s Wilmington Area Office. “It is imperative that Kuehne Chemical Co. address the cited violations immediately.”
OSHA cited the company for the same violations in 2008 and 2011.
Free Webinar on Industrial Steel Storage Racks
As part of its alliance with OSHA, the American Supply Association will host a free webinar on Wednesday, March 14, at 2:00 pm EST. The webinar, “Industrial Steel Storage Racks—Minimizing Your Risk Over the Life Cycle,” explains current standards and codes, employer and worker roles and responsibilities, and components of a safe and effective rack storage system.
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