Industrial Hygiene

Elevator Ventilation and SARS-CoV-2 Particulate Matter Removal

About the Webinar:

Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in crowded, close-contact, and poorly ventilated indoor spaces is of increased concern with the emergence of the highly infectious Delta variant. As more people return to the workplace, layered control measures must continue to be taken to mitigate the spread of the virus. Ventilation and particulate matter (PM) removal within elevators is not well understood. Employees, particularly those with disabilities, may not be able to return to work without the use of elevators, especially in densely populated cities with buildings...

Respiratory Exposures and Outcomes Among Cannabis Workers

About the Webinar:

Commercial cultivation and processing of cannabis is a new and rapidly growing industry in many US states. Workers in this industry are exposed to a variety of occupational health hazards, however, the nature and intensity of many of these exposures has not been previously characterized. In this webinar, Dr. Simpson will report concentrations of PM and VOCs measured in two indoor cannabis cultivation facilities, and measurements of work-related respiratory symptoms, lung function, and cannabis allergy in workers.

Occupational Exposure and Ventilation Assessment in New York City Nail Salons

About the Webinar:

Nail salons are an important business and employment sector for recent immigrants offering popular services to a diverse range of customers across the United States. However, due to the nature of nail products and services, salon air can be burdened with a mix of low levels of hazardous airborne contaminants. Surveys of nail technicians have commonly found increased work-related symptoms, such as headaches and respiratory irritation, that are consistent with indoor air quality problems. In an effort to improve indoor air quality in nail salons, the...

Indoor Air Quality in Net-Zero Energy Schools

About the Webinar:

An indoor air quality study conducted on a ‘net-zero energy’ school found average indoor temperature, relative humidity, and carbon dioxide levels in several areas were not within IAQ guidelines. Three rooms on the school’s grounds also had radon levels exceeding the action level. This webinar will discuss testing equipment, methodology, and mitigation recommendations.

IH Pilot Studies: Current Research in Food Truck Exposure and Customized PPE

About the Webinar:

During this webinar, Dr. Oh will present a couple of recent IH pilot studies performed by her IH research group. Cooking emissions can contain harmful contaminants and food truck industry has rapidly expanded in the U. S. in the past years. In the first pilot study, the work environment of this emerging occupation was investigated by evaluating the levels of aldehydes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and PM2.5 in local food trucks as well as ventilation hood performance. As far as the second study, every year millions of workers in the US have reported eye...

Exposures to Viruses Among Healthcare Workers

About the Webinar:

This presentation will discuss current research findings about the exposures of healthcare workers to viruses during patient care, with a focus on viruses causing respiratory disease. Learners will also identify implications for infection risk and appropriate personal protective equipment for healthcare settings.

Heat Stress Management in 2020

About the Webinar:

The management of heat stress uses a wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) trigger that was established almost 50 years ago. While this exposure assessment tool remains valid, the surrounding actions to manage a heat stress exposure have evolved, especially over the last 10 years. This webinar is designed to address three issues associated with managing heat stress. The first is exposure assessment. While the standard of practice is a WBGT-based assessment using the NIOSH REL or ACGIH® TLV®, Heat Index has become a common substitute for outdoor exposures and...

Exposure Assessment for Epidemiology Research: Use of Routine Industrial Monitoring Data

About the Webinar:

This presentation will discuss methods for using routine industrial monitoring data in epidemiology research. We will present how job exposure matrices are designed and used, and how changes to occupational controls affect long term average exposures. Learners will also review the implications of exposure misclassification in epidemiology studies.

Data, Professional Judgment, and Modeling in Occupational Exposure Assessment

About the Webinar:

Exposure underestimates are a professional and ethical issue for Industrial Hygienists. This presentation will discuss the lack of adequate monitoring data for decision-making in industrial hygiene (IH), the over-reliance on professional judgment, and the limitations of professional judgments. Learners will also explore the use of heuristics and mathematical models, and distributed low cost networks for monitoring.

Biomonitoring and Risk Assessment: Essential concepts & Emerging Technology

About the Webinar:

Biological monitoring (biomonitoring) is a method for capturing information on cumulative exposures and health-related effects of chemical and nonchemical stressors. This presentation will examine the rapidly evolving state of biomarker research and application in risk assessment using polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure as an illustration. The effects of chemical toxicants can be described using the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework. An AOP is a sequence of measurable and necessary key events that originates with an initial molecular interaction...