Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-81-011-1009: San Carlos Reservation; Globe, Arizona

A proportional mortality study (PMR) and a cross sectional medical survey were conducted among chrysotile-asbestos (12001295) miners and millers at the San Carlos Reservation in Globe, Arizona, during March 1970, to determine if a health hazard from asbestos exposure existed for these workers. The evaluation was requested by the Arizona Department of Health Services on behalf of an unspecified number of workers. The PMR revealed that 18 of the 44 deaths in miners and millers were from alcohol related diseases, while none of the deaths were from lung cancer. A low response rate among workers for the cross sectional medical survey obviated completion of the medical survey. The author concludes that the absence of asbestos related morbidity should not be taken as evidence against the hazard of chrysotile asbestos but may reflect the small size of the study, the inadequate latency between exposure and follow up, and the effects of alcohol. He recommends that the Arizona Center for Occupational Safety and Health continue the medical survey with the workers who did agree to participate, medical monitoring for those workers who did not agree to participate in the study, and attention to the problem of alcohol abuse among the workers

J Occup Environ Med

Objective:This study assesses whether chronotype is related to COVID-19 infection and whether there is an interaction with shift work.Methods:Cross-sectional survey of 19,821 U.S. adultsResults:COVID-19 infection occurred in 40% of participants, 32.6% morning and 17.2% evening chronotypes. After adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic factors, shift/remote work, sleep duration and comorbidities, morning chronotype was associated with a higher (aOR: 1.15, 95% CI 1.10-1.21) and evening chronotype with a lower (aOR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.78-0.87) prevalence of COVID-19 infection in comparison to an intermediate chronotype. Working exclusively night shifts was not associated with higher prevalence of COVID-19. Morning chronotype and working some evening shifts was associated with the highest prevalence of previous COVID-19 infection (aOR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.28-2.74).Conclusion:Morning chronotype and working a mixture of shifts increase risk of COVID-19 infection.K01 HL150339/HL/NHLBI NIH HHSUnited States/R01 OH011773/OH/NIOSH CDC HHSUnited States/R56 HL151637/HL/NHLBI NIH HHSUnited States

In-Depth Survey Report: Control Technology for Dowel Drilling in Concrete [Springfield-Branson National Airport]

Background: Workplace exposure to respirable crystalline silica can cause silicosis, a progressive lung disease marked by scarring and thickening of the lung tissue. Quartz is the most common form of crystalline silica. Crystalline silica is found in several construction materials, such as brick, block, mortar and concrete. Construction tasks that cut, break, grind, abrade, or drill those materials have been associated with overexposure to dust containing respirable crystalline silica. Highway construction tasks that can result in respirable crystalline silica exposures include breaking pavement with jackhammers, concrete sawing, milling pavement, clean-up using compressed air, and dowel drilling. Dowel drilling machines are used to drill horizontal holes in concrete pavement so that dowels can be inserted to transfer loads across pavement joints. NIOSH scientists are conducting a study to assess the effectiveness of dust control systems sold by dowel drill manufactures by measuring exposures to workers operating dowel drills with and without dust controls installed. This site visit was part of that study. Assessment: NIOSH staff visited the Fred Weber Company site at the Springfield-Branson National Airport on August 1-4, 2011, and performed industrial hygiene sampling on August 2 and 4, 2011. The sampling measured exposures to respirable dust among two workers that operated five-gang dowel drills to drill holes in a new concrete runway. One worker operated a rented drill, while the other ran a drill owned by the paving contractor. The NIOSH scientists who visited the site also monitored the wind speed and direction, and collected data about the dust controls and the work process in order to understand the conditions that led to the measured exposures. Results: Air sampling for respirable dust found concentrations that ranged from 1.1 mg/m3 to 3.3 mg/m3, 8-hr TWA. For the actual sampling times, TWA respirable dust exposures ranged from 1.7 mg/m3 to 6.0 mg/m3. Those actual TWA respirable dust data were assumed to follow a log-normal distribution, with a geometric mean of 3.0 mg/m3, and a geometric standard deviation of 1.9. Unfortunately, a laboratory error occurred during the analysis of the air samples for respirable crystalline silica. Due to this error, it was not possible to compare the air sampling results to the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit for crystalline silica or the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit for respirable dust that contains greater than 1% quartz (because that limit varies with the quartz content measured in the airborne dust samples). The quartz content in bulk concrete dust samples collected on August 2 and 4, 2011, ranged from 2.2 to 12 percent by weight, with an arithmetic mean quartz content of 6.4 percent. Video exposure monitoring revealed that the practices of reversing air flow through the dust collection system and kneeling near the drills to mark the pavement may have contributed to the measured respirable dust exposures. The air flows measured at the drills' dust collectors were 1.5 m3/min (53 cfm) for the rental drill and 1.6 m3/min (56 cfm) for the company-owned drill. Those flow rates would have resulted in duct velocities of 12 and 13 meters/second (m/sec)(2400 and 2600 feet per minute (fpm)), respectively, excluding the friction losses due to the corrugated duct (the measurements were made with the duct disconnected from the dust collector). Conclusions and Recommendations: The ACGIH industrial ventilation manual recommends a transport velocity of 3500 to 4000 fpm for "average industrial dust" (e.g., granite or limestone dust, brick cuttings, silica flour). The observed slower flow rate in the dust control systems may explain the tendency for dust to settle in the corrugated hose and the need to periodically purge the dust collection system with the reverse-pulse to maintain performance. The purging process resulted from a pulse of reverse high-pressure air flow that blasted clogged concrete dust back out through the hood inlets as well as through any other gaps in the system. The dust clouds that result from the periodic purging of the system seem to defeat the purpose of an industrial ventilation system - to reduce exposures by capturing the contaminant. In other words, it does little good to capture the concrete dust during drilling only to re-aerosolize a portion of it during the purging process. According to the drill manufacturer, the reverse pulse system was not used as intended. The reverse pulse is only designed to remove the dust cake from the filter in the dust collector. Newer models of the same drill are programmed with a 1-second automatic pulse for this purpose. Options that may help to improve the performance of the dust collection system include increasing the air flow through the system to achieve the recommended transport velocity, using smooth-bore flexible duct, minimizing the use of flexible duct to the extent possible (using rigid duct for long horizontal runs, for example), and emptying the dust collection receptacles more frequently. The length of duct and number of elbows, bends, and sags should be kept to a minimum. In addition, the drill operator should be trained to mark the pavement when the drills are not running or be provided with a long-handled marking device that eliminates the need to bend or kneel to mark the pavement

Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-85-150-1767: Warwick Fire Department; Warwick, Rhode Island

In answer to a request from the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), an evaluation was made of health complaints noted by fire fighters exposed to plastic products and pesticides during two separate fires attended to by the Warwick Fire Department (SIC- 9224), located in Warwick, Rhode Island. Questionnaires were administered to 43 persons who were only present at the plastics fire and 46 who were only present at the pesticide fire and to 13 present at both fires. These included 14 volunteer fire fighters and one policeman; of the 132 exposed individuals, 13 did not participate in the evaluation. Clinical evaluations were not undertaken because of the time elapsed since the fires. The men who fought the plastic products fire and the pesticide fire apparently experienced acute symptoms related to smoke and chemical inhalation during the fires, including headache, cough, sore throat, wheezing, shortness of breath, rash, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, and numbness. No long term health effects resulting from exposures to fire products were detected. The authors conclude that fire fighters at these two fires experienced acute irritant symptoms from smoke and chemical inhalation. The authors recommend use of protective clothing, use of protective equipment, prefire planning, implementation of medical surveillance for all fire fighters, and the proper cleanup of protective clothing and equipment after fires

Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-86-410-1772: HCFA-Meadows East Building; Baltimore, Maryland

In response to a request from the Health Care Financing Administration (SIC-9441), an investigation was made of complaints of irritation to the eyes, mucosa, skin and respiratory tract among employees in the HCFA Meadows East Building (MEB), Baltimore, Maryland. An additional concern was the incidence of fungal sinusitis and cancer at MEB. Questionnaires were obtained from 406 of 690 current MEB employees. Nearly 60 percent reported discomfort believed to be work related. Windows in the building did not open and the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system was the primary source of outside air supply. Measured levels of airborne dust, gas and vapor concentration were below permissible exposure limits and exposure guidelines. Only one case of fungal sinusitis was confirmed. Mean airborne fungal concentration was 75 colony forming units per cubic meter. The authors conclude that the symptoms experienced resulted from substandard ventilation in conjunction with low level indoor pollutants such as tobacco smoke. Neither an increased prevalence of cancer nor a building related cancer risk appeared to exist. The authors recommendations include readjustment of the ventilation system to operate according to design specifications, routine maintenance and surveillance of the ventilation system, adoption and enforcement of a no smoking policy, institution of a more formal medical surveillance system, and rolling/changing of roll filters in the ventilation system when the system is turned off

Hansen's disease: (Week 46) Weekly cases* of notifiable diseases, United States, U.S. Territories, and Non-U.S. Residents week ending November 16, 2024

This data includes weekly cases of notifiable diseases, United States, U.S. Territories, and Non-U.S. Residents, specifically covering Hansen's disease cases. The weekly data are considered provisional and collected locally due to state, territorial, and local regulations. Healthcare providers, medical labs, and other entities report conditions to public health departments, varying by jurisdiction. Case notifications for national notifiable conditions are voluntarily submitted to CDC. NNDSS data are provisional and subject to change until reconciled with state and territorial providers. Weekly cumulative counts may increase or decrease as updates occur. Finalized annual data often differ from provisional counts. CDC aggregates data for national notifiable diseases and conditions on a weekly and annual basis. To see specific surveillance Case Definitions for this disease, go to: https://ndc.services.cdc.gov

Invasive pneumococcal disease, all ages Confirmed: (Week 46) Weekly cases* of notifiable diseases, United States, U.S. Territories, and Non-U.S. Residents week ending November 16, 2024

This data includes weekly cases of notifiable diseases, United States, U.S. Territories, and Non-U.S. Residents, specifically covering Invasive pneumococcal disease, all ages: Confirmed cases. The weekly data are considered provisional and collected locally due to state, territorial, and local regulations. Healthcare providers, medical labs, and other entities report conditions to public health departments, varying by jurisdiction. Case notifications for national notifiable conditions are voluntarily submitted to CDC. NNDSS data are provisional and subject to change until reconciled with state and territorial providers. Weekly cumulative counts may increase or decrease as updates occur. Finalized annual data often differ from provisional counts. CDC aggregates data for national notifiable diseases and conditions on a weekly and annual basis. To see specific surveillance Case Definitions for this disease, go to: https://ndc.services.cdc.gov

Melioidosis: (Week 50) Weekly cases* of notifiable diseases, United States, U.S. Territories, and Non-U.S. Residents week ending December 14, 2024

This data includes weekly cases of notifiable diseases, United States, U.S. Territories, and Non-U.S. Residents, specifically covering Measles: Melioidosis cases. The weekly data are considered provisional and collected locally due to state, territorial, and local regulations. Healthcare providers, medical labs, and other entities report conditions to public health departments, varying by jurisdiction. Case notifications for national notifiable conditions are voluntarily submitted to CDC. NNDSS data are provisional and subject to change until reconciled with state and territorial providers. Weekly cumulative counts may increase or decrease as updates occur. Finalized annual data often differ from provisional counts. CDC aggregates data for national notifiable diseases and conditions on a weekly and annual basis. To see specific surveillance Case Definitions for this disease, go to: https://ndc.services.cdc.gov

Hepatitis C, acute, Probable: (Week 47) Weekly cases* of notifiable diseases, United States, U.S. Territories, and Non-U.S. Residents week ending November 23, 2024

This data includes weekly cases of notifiable diseases, United States, U.S. Territories, and Non-U.S. Residents, specifically covering Hepatitis, viral infection: Hepatitis B, Perinatal: Confirmed cases. The weekly data are considered provisional and collected locally due to state, territorial, and local regulations. Healthcare providers, medical labs, and other entities report conditions to public health departments, varying by jurisdiction. Case notifications for national notifiable conditions are voluntarily submitted to CDC. NNDSS data are provisional and subject to change until reconciled with state and territorial providers. Weekly cumulative counts may increase or decrease as updates occur. Finalized annual data often differ from provisional counts. CDC aggregates data for national notifiable diseases and conditions on a weekly and annual basis. To see specific surveillance Case Definitions for this disease, go to: https://ndc.services.cdc.gov

Health Hazard Evaluation Report 72-43-57: Fortune Industries Inc.: Chelsea, Michigan

Environmental samples for airborne silica containing dusts are collected at seven different job areas involved in making abrasive chips, 18 samples for total dust and 16 samples for respirable dust. The substances evaluated include aluminum-oxide (1344281), silicon carbide, iron-oxide (1332372), quartz (14808607), and tremolite (14567738), and the standard concentration is given for each substance. The physical agent evaluated, noise, has a standard level of 90 decibels. The silica (7631869) dust levels are found to exceed the Federal silica standard in the aluminum oxide separation area, inspection and boxing area, material handling area, special refracting area, and batch-mixing area. The tremolite concentrations exceed the standard in the batch mix area. No radiographic or other evidence is found for any serious respiratory problem from the dusts, although much dust is found accumulated in workers' nose at the end of the day. Recommendations include replacement of tremolite by a non-fibrous material; installation of a local exhaust system on the vibrating screens and hoppers, improved housekeeping, provision of respirators and ear protectors, periodic medical examination, and introduction of a hearing correction program. [Description provided by NIOSH]Original title is missing part of the report number \u2013 full number is shown in alternate titl