Formaldehyde: Is It a Problem in My Home?

This guide is intended to help you decide if you want to investigate a possible indoor formaldehyde problem that you suspect is attributable to laminate flooring

E-Cigarettes: A Hazy Hazard

• Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or e-cigs) are battery-powered devices that deliver vaporized nicotine and other substances, such as flavorings, to users without smoke or combustion. They are commonly marketed as smoking cessation tools and, as such, are promoted as being a healthier alternative to smoking. • A common misperception is that that e-cigarettes only release water vapor. In reality, though, these devices release nicotine and other chemicals in a vapor form that can expose both the user (a.k.a., the vaper), as well as those in the immediate vicinity, to those contaminants. While the health risks of e-cigarettes compared to regular cigarette smoking is greatly reduced, many toxic compounds are still present. • The rapid increase in use of electronic cigarettes has generated a potential concern for indoor air quality in that there is still limited data on potential exposures and human health risks for users, or for others through second- and third-hand exposures

OSH Certifications: Behind the Exams

• The process for developing and scoring a certification exam is complicated and uses a scientific and mathematical psychometric process to achieve defendable outcomes. • However, how much of the process is well understood by either the general public, employers or even safety and health professionals? • The information presented is intended to help the safety and health professional understand why and how a properly developed and administered certification exam shows the mark of excellence in the field of safety and health

Developing Certification Exam Questions: More Deliberate Than You May Think

For more than 40 years, the multiple-choice examination has been the standardized assessment tool used in the certification process of OSH professionals (Wright, Turnbeaugh, Weldon, et al., 2015). The use of a multiple-choice exam to award a credential, however, has been criticized by many OSH professionals. This may be primarily due to a perception that relates to their previous academic experience with multiple-choice exams and a misunderstanding of the science behind the development of such exams. The use of standardized tests clearly ensures a consistent and rapid method of scoring, but the use of such tests is legally defensible only if the test is developed through a systematic, psychometric process that objectively measures the relevant skills and knowledge of the individuals being assessed (Wright, et al., 2015). These exams are not, as many perceive, developed solely by individual certificants intending to make the test questions as hard or as trivial as possible

Formaldehyde: Is It a Problem in My Home?

This guide is intended to help you decide if you want to investigate a possible indoor formaldehyde problem that you suspect is attributable to laminate flooring

E-Cigarettes: A Hazy Hazard

• Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or e-cigs) are battery-powered devices that deliver vaporized nicotine and other substances, such as flavorings, to users without smoke or combustion. They are commonly marketed as smoking cessation tools and, as such, are promoted as being a healthier alternative to smoking. • A common misperception is that that e-cigarettes only release water vapor. In reality, though, these devices release nicotine and other chemicals in a vapor form that can expose both the user (a.k.a., the vaper), as well as those in the immediate vicinity, to those contaminants. While the health risks of e-cigarettes compared to regular cigarette smoking is greatly reduced, many toxic compounds are still present. • The rapid increase in use of electronic cigarettes has generated a potential concern for indoor air quality in that there is still limited data on potential exposures and human health risks for users, or for others through second- and third-hand exposures

Online Vs. Conventional: Safety Training Approaches

A meta-analysis of multiple studies comparing classroom lessons with electronic distance learning lessons reported that no major differences exist in learning between the two styles of presentation (Bernard, Abrami, Lou, et al., 2004). [...]many recent news stories report that college degrees may not have a positive return on investment in lifetime earnings. [...]there is evidence that anecdotal stories unrelated to the learning objective, while interesting, may interfere with the student\u27s ability to retain the important information intended to be conveyed in the training (Clark, 2010). The trick is to determine which mode of training is the best choice for each safety training requirement and employ the optimal modality. Because of the widespread diversity of knowledge, skills, abilities and comprehension levels required to be conveyed in the vast range of safety training programs, OSH professionals should carefully evaluate and identify the specific hazards for which training is needed and determine what competencies are required to mitigate these risks

OSH Certifications: Behind the Exams

• The process for developing and scoring a certification exam is complicated and uses a scientific and mathematical psychometric process to achieve defendable outcomes. • However, how much of the process is well understood by either the general public, employers or even safety and health professionals? • The information presented is intended to help the safety and health professional understand why and how a properly developed and administered certification exam shows the mark of excellence in the field of safety and health

Developing Certification Exam Questions: More Deliberate Than You May Think

For more than 40 years, the multiple-choice examination has been the standardized assessment tool used in the certification process of OSH professionals (Wright, Turnbeaugh, Weldon, et al., 2015). The use of a multiple-choice exam to award a credential, however, has been criticized by many OSH professionals. This may be primarily due to a perception that relates to their previous academic experience with multiple-choice exams and a misunderstanding of the science behind the development of such exams. The use of standardized tests clearly ensures a consistent and rapid method of scoring, but the use of such tests is legally defensible only if the test is developed through a systematic, psychometric process that objectively measures the relevant skills and knowledge of the individuals being assessed (Wright, et al., 2015). These exams are not, as many perceive, developed solely by individual certificants intending to make the test questions as hard or as trivial as possible