Nitrous Oxide Staff Hazards During Oral Surgery

Quick Summary Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a medical gas used during oral surgery to help patients relax and reduce discomfort. The main staff safety concern is waste anesthetic gas (WAG)—nitrous oxide that leaks into room air from a poor mask seal, patient exhalation, equipment leaks, or weak scavenging and ventilation. Oral surgery can increase exposure… Read more »

Mold and Moisture Guide for Property Owners and Maintenance Teams

Mold doesn’t care about your schedule, your budget, or your best intentions. If moisture gains entry to your property and meets the right material and conditions, mold will grow. The goal of this article is to give property owners, maintenance staff, and facilities managers the practical knowledge they need to handle mold and moisture problems—before… Read more »

EHS and EAP Program Essentials

OSHA regulations require written plans for a range of specific safety and health topics, but there is no universal requirement for a single, all-encompassing written EHS (Environmental Health and Safety) plan and an EAP (Emergency Action Plan) for every employer. The need for your EHS program depends on the hazards and operations present at each… Read more »

Silica Exposure and Cal/OSHA’s Silica Emergency Rule

Respirable crystalline silica is a mineral so fine that it is able to lodge deep in the lungs, potentially causing silicosis long after the job has been completed. California has logged more than 230 confirmed silicosis cases and 14 deaths since 2019. In 2024 alone, more than a quarter of California’s inspected engineered-stone shops were… Read more »

Beating Heat Stress on the Jobsite: A Field-Tested Playbook

Last summer the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported more than 2,300 heat-related deaths nationwide—the steepest one-year spike in 45 years. For industrial health consultants like FACS, that sobering trend is an urgent conversation point with every client who pours concrete, lays pipe, welds, roofs, landscapes, farms, or performs other work in elevated temperatures during… Read more »

California’s New Indoor Heat Illness Prevention Regulation

California’s new indoor heat illness prevention regulation is the first comprehensive law of its kind in the United States, requiring significant protective measures for workers in indoor environments where temperatures meet or exceed 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Effective immediately, this regulation mandates that employers develop an Indoor Heat Illness Prevention Plan (IHIPP) that ensures worker access… Read more »

Infectious Disease and Species: Level Sampling For Mold in Healthcare Settings

Sampling for Mold in Healthcare Settings Mold in healthcare settings can pose significant health risks and liability issues. Along with an effective mold and moisture management program, consulting with an environmental health consultant to assist in evaluations will help achieve a safe environment for patients, staff, and visitors. This article outlines key standards and guidelines,… Read more »

CAL/OSHA Lead Standards Updates: How We Got Here and Where We’re Going

2,000 years ago lead was used for piping water, minting coins, as an ingredient in cosmetics, to sweeten wines, and for many other things. Lead is malleable, durable, and abundant — all valuable properties for many products still produced today. Unfortunately, lead is also toxic to humans. The Roman architect, Vitruvius, warned about the negative… Read more »

New MSHA Silica Rule Overview

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) recently updated its standard on respirable crystalline silica (RCS) that took effect on June 17, 2024. These changes follow extensive review of testimonies and written comments from a broad range of stakeholders. Companies operating any mine (metal, non-metal or coal), quarries, sand, gravel, and other aggregate activities should… Read more »

Heat-Related Illness in Industrial Environments: Risks and Prevention Strategies

Heat-related illnesses pose a significant threat to worker health and safety. That’s why it is essential for owners and managers to understand the causes of heat stress, recognize the types of heat-related illnesses, and be ready to implement effective prevention strategies. This article will explore the key factors contributing to heat stress, the various heat-related… Read more »

Heavy Metal Poisoning and You

Dust is everywhere. You’ll find dust in your home, your workplace, and even in your favorite restaurant. Sources of dust are abundant: clothing fibers, paper fibers, skin cells, dust mites, and more. When we walk from one place to another, we create and transport dust. Microscopic particles that present themselves as dust buildup create the… Read more »

Heavy Metal Poisoning: FAQs

Lead is an excellent additive for extending the durability of paint, but lead is toxic to humans. That’s why the residential use of lead-based paint was banned in the United States decades ago. But lead is just one of a group of elements known as “heavy metals.” Your body needs some of those metals (iron,… Read more »

How To Decide Which Supplied Air Respirator Is Best

Choosing a supplied air respirator (SAR) can be a stressful task. Even if you pay top dollar and shop with a trusted supplier, there’s no guarantee the SAR you choose is best for your situation. How, then, can you confirm the supplied air respirator you buy is the best fit for your needs? That’s simple:… Read more »

Navigating Indoor Mold Risks in Post-Wildfire or Flood Events

When a building survives a wildfire or flood, it’s easy to breathe a sigh of relief and assume the worst is over. But the truth is, recovery has only begun. One of the most persistent—and often hidden—after-effects of disasters is mold growth. Long after the flames are out or the water recedes, mold can silently… Read more »

Respirator Fit Tests vs User Seal Checks: Why Both Matter

Those who wear a respirator on the job, safety leaders, industrial hygienists, and supervisors, need both seal checks and respirator fit tests. If you are responsible for keeping people safe around airborne hazards, this information will help you explain to workers what to do and why it matters. The Short Answer A user seal check… Read more »

Healthcare Construction Guidelines Under ICRA 2.0

Infection control risk assessment (ICRA) guidelines clarify the need for careful assessments of construction project activity at healthcare facilities. The ICRA guidelines are not a set of burdensome rules. They provide a framework that can help you navigate the healthcare construction process. Healthcare construction and renovation projects tend to be more strategically demanding than other… Read more »

HVAC Systems Maintenance in Healthcare Settings

Hospitals, clinics, and other specialized healthcare providers present a unique environment where air quality is paramount. Hazards such as surgical smoke, aerosolized medications used in treatments, and airborne infectious agents are commonplace in healthcare and go well beyond the challenges faced in a typical office building or school classroom. The healthcare environment is further complicated… Read more »

Respirable Crystalline Silica Regulations – Cal/OSHA Adopts Emergency Temporary Standard for General Industry

On December 14, 2023, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) approved Cal/OSHA language for the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) on respirable crystalline silica for General Industry (under California Code of Regulation, Title 8, section 5204). The ETS went into affect on December 29, 2023, which includes and emphasizes revisions to protect workers engaged… Read more »

Changes in COVID Guidance in Regard to Building Ventilation

Building ventilation requirements came to the forefront of indoor environmental quality concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers worldwide asked, “How do we promote healthier indoor environments through effective and efficient ventilation and filtration?” The pandemic was undoubtedly an eye-opener on the importance of mechanical ventilation. The threat helped building managers better understand the performance, maintenance,… Read more »

Change Orders That Never Had To Happen

You win the bid, lock the schedule, and open the ceiling. Then come the “discoveries”: asbestos in the mastic, lead on a “non-lead” door frame, PCB caulk nobody priced. Costs climb and tempers flare. For some building contractors, it’s business as usual. But for those who know the importance of a pre-renovation hazardous building materials… Read more »

The Formaldehyde Threat: Enhancing Safety in University Laboratories

Often times preservation solutions used to keep the integrity of specimens utilized for educational purposes in upper education anatomy laboratory courses are overlooked as a source of exposure to harmful agents, one of which is formaldehyde. Faculty and staff who work with specimens in an educational setting may be exposed to harmful levels of agents,… Read more »

Lead in School Drinking Water

Is School Water Safe to Drink? The reality is that lead in school drinking water continues to be a serious concern, with children in many schools potentially drinking water with dangerous levels of lead. Even when water entering a facility meets all federal and state public health standards for lead concentrations, older plumbing materials found… Read more »

Illinois Asbestos Disclosure Requirements for Property Sales and Renovations

Illinois has had a complex history with asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral once widely used in various industries due to its resistance to heat and corrosion. However, its fibers pose serious health risks when inhaled, leading to diseases such as mesothelioma and asbestosis. Due to these risks, the state has established stringent asbestos disclosure laws… Read more »

Chicago Asbestos Regulations: Navigating Compliance for Property Owners

Asbestos has long been a concern in urban environments due to its prevalence, especially in older buildings, and the significant health risks it poses when fibers become airborne. In response to these risks, Chicago has implemented strict regulations on the handling, removal, and disposal of asbestos-containing materials. These regulations are designed to protect public health… Read more »

Air Sensor Technology and Indoor Air Quality

A direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a heightened awareness of indoor environmental quality by both building occupants and property owners in the built environment. Direct-reading air quality instruments have long existed to monitor indoor air quality pollutants in real-time. Still, in recent years, advances in sensor technology have resulted in an expansion… Read more »

Influenza and RSV Prevention: Don’t Let Your Guard Down

Don’t let your guard down quite yet. Not only is COVID still a threat to your health, cases of influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) are hospitalizing people at abnormally high rates. Those three — COVID, influenza, and RSV — are often collectively termed a “tripledemic.” We’ve written extensively about COVID in previous articles. Here,… Read more »

Fit Testing Respirators

Not only is fit testing required by OSHA, but — when done well — it provides assurance to workers that the employer is properly protecting their health in a potentially hazardous environment. For example, the COVID pandemic created an unprecedented need for healthcare staff to wear respirators during patient care. Entering a room where you… Read more »

The Rising Danger of Fentanyl on Campus

What are the biggest threats colleges and universities face today? You might mention rising tuition rates or the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on classroom teaching – but there’s something else creeping onto campuses at an alarming rate.  Much too often, we’re hearing stories like these: The Los Angeles Police Department stepped in during the… Read more »