OSHA 3351-07, Preventing Skin Problems from Working with Portland Cement. Portland cement is a generic term used to describe a variety of building materials valued for their strong adhesive properties when mixed with water. Employees who work with Portland cement are at risk of developing skin problems, ranging from mild and brief to severe and chronic. Wet Portland cement can damage the skin because it is caustic, abrasive, and absorbs moisture. Portland cement also contains trace amounts of hexavalent chromium Cr(VI)], a toxin harmful to the skin. Dry Portland cement is less hazardous to...

OSHA 3373-10, "Hexavalent Chromium" is intended to supplement OSHA's Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Hexavalent Chromium Standards published in 2006 and to give readers an overview of the provisions and requirements of the Hexavalent Chromium standards for general industry (29 CFR 1910.1026), shipyards (29 CFR 1915.1026), and construction (29 CFR 1926.1126). Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is a toxic form of the element chromium. Hexavalent chromium is rarely found in nature and is generally man-made. Cr(VI) is widely used in pigments, metal finishing (electroplating), wood preservatives...

OSHA 3249-08N, Best Practices for Hospital-Based First Receivers of Victim's from Mass Casualty Incidents Involving the Release of Hazardous Substances, 1) provides information to assist hospitals in selecting personal protective equipment (PPE) based on current interpretations of OSHA standards, published literature, current hospital practices, stakeholder input, and the practical limitations of currently available respiratory protective devices and 2) consolidates OSHA standards and interpretations on training needs of first receivers. These best practices build on health and safety...

OSHA 3253-05N, Reducing Worker Exposure to Perchloroethylene (PERC) in Dry Cleaning, has been prepared by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to help dry cleaning establishments reduce employee exposures to perchloroethylene (also known as perc, tetrachloroethylene, C2Cl4 or Cl2C=CCl2). The dry cleaning industry has improved the control of perchloroethylene in recent years, and modern dry cleaning equipment involves much lower exposures than older style equipment. However, there is still a need to reduce employee exposure to the chemical to reduce any possible health...

OSHA 3317-06N. First aid is emergency care provided for injury or sudden illness before emergency medical treatment is available. The first-aid provider in the workplace is someone who is trained in the delivery of initial medical emergency procedures, using a limited amount of equipment to perform a primary assessment and intervention while awaiting arrival of emergency medical service (EMS) personnel. A workplace first-aid program is part of a comprehensive safety and health management system that includes the following four essential elements: management leadership and employee...

OSHA 3341-03N - Ergonomics for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders: Guidelines for Shipyards. Many proactive initiatives taken by the shipyard industry have resulted in a reduction in injuries and illnesses. Shipyards have reported that many shipyard tasks are performed in awkward body postures, at nonadjustable workstations, on scaffolds, and in enclosed or confined spaces (1, 2, 3). Even in this environment, the shipbuilding industry has found ways to make shipyard work easier through ergonomic solutions. However, the industry still has higher injury rates than general industry and...

In 2005, OSHA published the Best Practices for Hospital-Based First Receivers guide that provided guidance for those healthcare facilities that receive and treat victims of hazardous substance releases. At the request of stakeholders that participated in the development of that guide, OSHA has developed a similar guide for emergency medical service (EMS) responders who provide medical assistance during an incident involving a hazardous substance release. This guide, OSHA 3370-11, Best Practices for Protecting EMS Responders, is intended for employers of EMS responders and discusses the...

More than 500,000 workers are employed in laboratories in the U.S. The laboratory environment can be a hazardous place to work. Laboratory workers are exposed to numerous potential hazards including chemical, biological, physical and radioactive hazards, as well as musculoskeletal stresses. Laboratory safety is governed by numerous local, state, and federal regulations. Over the years, OSHA has promulgated rules and published guidance to make laboratories increasingly safe for personnel. This document, OSHA 3404-11R, Laboratory Safety Guidance, is intended for supervisors, principal...

This guide, OSHA 3433-05, Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Final Rule for Cranes and Derricks in Construction, is intended to help small businesses comply with OSHA's standard for Cranes and Derricks in Construction. It is designed to address the most common compliance issues that employers will face and to provide sufficient detail to serve as a useful compliance guide. It does not, however, describe all provisions of the standard or alter the compliance responsibilities set forth in the standard, which is published at 29 CFR 1926.1400 - 1442. The reader must refer to the standard...

OSHA 3335-10N, Preparing and Protecting Security Personnel in Emergencies, addresses emergencies involving hazardous substance releases and provides guidance for employers, and their security personnel, who may be involved in the emergency response. In this guidance document, OSHA provides practical information to assist employers of security personnel in addressing employee protection and training as part of emergency planning for hazardous substance, natural disaster, and WMD-type incidents. While terrorist incidents are not emergencies that OSHA expect an employer to reasonably anticipate,...