Published in Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene
The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of an aerodynamic separation scheme for obtaining aerosols with nearly monodisperse fiber lengths as test samples for mechanistic toxicological evaluations. The approach involved the separation of aerosolized glass fibers using an Aerodynamic Aerosol Classifier (AAC) or a multi-cyclone sam...
Published in Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene
Carbon monoxide (CO) exposure levels encountered by wildland firefighters (WLFs) throughout their work shift can change considerably within a few minutes due to the varied tasks that are performed and the changing environmental and fire conditions encountered throughout the day. In a U.S. Forest Service study during the 2009-2012 fire seasons, WLFs...
Published in Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene
Wildland firefighters are exposed to numerous noise sources that may be hazardous to their hearing. This study examined the noise exposure profiles for 264 wildland firefighters across 15 job categories. All 264 firefighters completed questionnaires to assess their use of hearing protection devices, enrollment in hearing conservation programs, and ...
Published in Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene
The Underground Transport Restoration (UTR) Operational Technology Demonstration (OTD) was a full-scale field study focused on remediation of a subway system after contamination with a Bacillus anthracis (Ba) surrogate (Bacillus atrophaeus, subspecies globigii [Bg]). The study involved all aspects of subway system remediation following contaminatio...
Published in Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene
Noise is a constant and ongoing health hazard across many workplaces and industries worldwide. The effective management of noise-related health effects is primarily dependent on accurate measurements of sound levels. The accuracy and feasibility of smartphone sound level meter applications (apps) for noise monitoring in occupational and environment...
Published in Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene
Metal gouging and lancing liberate particles of an unknown size and composition. Fumes are formed when vaporized materials condense in air, creating fine and ultrafine particles which can agglomerate. Particle sizes may be
Published in Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene
Cleaning workers are exposed to many risk factors, including handling of cleaning products. Epidemiological studies show that they have a high incidence of asthma and other respiratory symptoms. Some studies have indicated an even higher incidence of asthma in individuals using cleaning sprays regularly. It is known that sprays produce an aerosol t...
Published in Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene
An ideal inhalable aerosol sampler for occupational exposure monitoring would have a sampling efficiency that perfectly matches the inhalable particulate matter (IPM) criterion. Two common aerosol samplers in use worldwide are the closed-face cassette (CFC) and the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) sampler. However, the CFC is known to under...
Published in Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene
Recent studies have shown the 2001 American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®) Threshold Limit Value (TLV®) for Hand Activity was not sufficiently protective for workers at risk of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). These studies led to a revision of the TLV and Action Limit. This study compares the effect of applying the 2018 TLV...
Published in Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene
While wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is the long-accepted index to represent the environmental contributions to heat stress, Heat Index (HI) is a commonly reported index and is used for heat stress guidance. The purpose of this article was to propose an HI-based heat stress exposure limit. The data came from previous progressive heat stress stud...
