Public Health & Safety

Asbestos is a group of minerals that are silicate compounds, resistant to heat or chemicals and used widely for insulation. They are made out of long thin fibers.

Hazardous chemicals exist in industrial work places as lubricants, solvents, cleaning compounds, reagents, ingredients, and include many other chemical types and uses. Chemicals exist as gases,...

Area and personal monitoring are two methods for determining actual exposures to workplace chemical hazards. In area monitoring, grid sampling is performed and average exposures are calculated...

There are several methods to control hazardous chemicals. The best method is to eliminate it; the next best solution is to substitute a less toxic or less hazardous chemical for the one in use. If...

The type and extent of first aid treatment depends on how life-threatening a victim's wounds, burns, and trauma are. In general, the first aid response priority should be restoration of the use of...

You will receive training on wearing PPE while performing work activities that require you to handle, pour, store, move, and dispose of potentially hazardous chemicals. That training should...

Toluene is an organic solvent use for industrial and research purposes. It is a clear liquid with a distinct odor. The smell often reminds people of latex paint because toluene is often the...

According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 3,000 types of mold exist. These grow in damp, dark environments indoors and outdoors, including in homes. When the mold spores are present...

You've probably had X-rays taken or know someone who had cancer treatments at the hospital. At your dentist's office, you've likely had X-rays of your teeth and jaw several times during your life....

The most pressing environmental health problems are climate change, specifically, global warming, unsafe drinking water, poor air quality (indoors and out), and contaminated food supplies. ...

While the sun is a part of our everyday life, prolonged exposure without protection can lead to harmful effects on your body. There are, however, several arguments both for and against exposure to...

A primary pollutant emits from the source into the atmosphere directly, retaining the same chemical form. This differs from secondary pollutants, which are formed by atmospheric reactions to...

Indoor air pollution is caused by high levels of contaminants that become trapped indoors because of poor ventilation. Some sources of contamination include asbestos from building materials, lead...

Radiation is found in many objects and produced by others, including many types of computer monitors. Dr. Herbert L. Abrams, emeritus professor of radiology at Stanford University, states that...

Urea nitrogen is manufactured to be used in fertilizer, in the making of some plastics, in decreasing the emissions of diesel engines and also as a dietary supplement for cattle. Urea nitrogen is...

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral. Before 1972, these versatile fibers were used mostly in building materials and in friction products such as brakes and clutches. Asbestos quickly lost...

Mold is a naturally occurring fungus that requires moisture to grow. Standing water in dishwashers, bathtubs, basements and outdoor areas provides the ideal environment for mold growth. While it...

Exposure to the sun is a necessary component to living a healthy life. The sun provides vitamins and nutrients needed to promote healthy bones and teeth while balancing the hormones that affect...

Mercury toxicity can cause a variety of severe reactions in healthy adults and developing fetuses. Exposure to mercury comes from both natural environmental causes, such as the absorption of...

Asbestos exposure can have serious medical consequences. The most common disease associated with asbestos exposure is a type of lung cancer known as mesothelioma. There are some natural ways to...

Cedarwood oil is a hazardous chemical with potential to cause damage to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. When working with cedarwood oil, you should wear protective...

Mercury is a silver liquid and evaporates into the air at room temperature and even more quickly if it is heated; it is very toxic if it is inhaled. Mercury in liquid form can also be absorbed...

Treatment should be started as early as possible after exposure to rabies, but the suggested post-exposure treatment depends on the type of contact with the rabid animal. Therefore, first identify...

Diatomaceous earth is a powdery mineral made from the remains of fossilized plankton, called diatoms. While touching it is safe, potential side effects of inhaling the powder include a number of...

Polyurethane spray is a liquid chemical insulation material applied by spraying. Personal protective equipment is required to handle and apply it, including special gloves.

Xylene is a naturally occurring white and sweet-smelling liquid found mostly in petroleum and coal tar deposits. It is also synthesized industrially from petroleum. A marginal amount of xylene is...

Lead chips can put your health at risk if not treated in a timely manner and in a correct way. Any surfaces that contain lead-based paint that children have access to chew on or have a lot of wear...

The Occupation Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) defines radiation as, "...energy traveling through space." Most radiation is electromagnetic and includes radio waves, microwaves, gamma...

The end of the World War II saw the first military use of atomic weaponry and demonstrated the effects radiation can have on humans. The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were both devastated by...

Evidence is mounting that continuous and extended exposure to light, as opposed to having the completely dark evenings and nights we evolved with, has ill effects on human health that we were...

Ultraviolet light, UV for short, is an often ignored part of the light spectrum, mostly because it is invisible to the naked eye. The short-term dangers of UV exposure are usually fairly minor and...

Methyl ethyl ketone, also known at butanone, is an organic compound used as a liquid solvent in countless commercial products. Exposure to methyl ethyl ketone, however, does pose some potentially...

Concerns about electromagnetic fields emitted by electric blankets spurred modifications. Newer blankets have not been found to pose a risk, although some safety concerns do apply to electric...

Hexavalent Chromium (chrome 6) is a highly toxic, man-made form of chromium. Chrome 6 can be used in multiple industrial applications. The effects of chrome 6 were brought to the attention of...

There are many species of mold that have varying effects on a person's health. Possible health risks are allergic reactions, asthma and other respiratory conditions. Physical symptoms also vary...

Phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are a group of chemicals that give materials a flexible feel, such as in PVC pipe, or can provide lubrication. Fetuses with high exposure to phthalates may be at...

Asbestos shingles are a type of construction material used to form the exterior sheathing of a roof. They are very similar to today's fiber cement shingles, but contain some quantity of asbestos...

Old houses, apartments and commercial buildings that have sustained water damage and have not been properly maintained often contain dangerous airborne molds that can affect people in subtle and...

Although prohibited in times of war under the terms of the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention (see References), tear gas (CS) is used by many police forces in the United States, as well as in many...

Asbestos is a highly regulated health hazard that the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration describes as an extremely dangerous substance that threatens job-site...

We live in troubled and dangerous times. Every day our government and citizens work together to protect Americans from possible terrorist attacks, both foreign and domestic. A “dirty bomb” is...

Mercury is a heavy metal that occurs naturally in small amounts. It is a known neurotoxin with systemic effects, ranging from kidney damage to mental retardation and death, and may play a role in...

The word "smog" is a combination of the words "smoke" and "fog." It originally referred strictly to a combination of exactly those two things. Nowadays, however, the word "smog" refers more...

OC (oleoresin capsicum) spray, commonly called pepper spray, is used by law enforcement, the military and private citizens to deter attackers. It is derived from the oil found in chili peppers and...

Tear gas is a chemical compound commonly used by police to control riot situations and evacuate buildings. The military uses tear gas to test soldiers' ability to put chemical warfare suits on in...

Radon is a natural radioactive gas that comes from the earth and can seep into homes, where it can become trapped and builds to dangerous levels. Because radon is invisible, odorless and...

Asbestos is a fiber that was formerly used often in construction as an insulation material, in floor tiles, and in materials used for soundproofing. Although a person exposed to asbestos won't...

Toxins are an ever-present threat in our modern world. They permeate our food, water and air, posing both immediate and long-term health effects that can include everything from cancer to...

Stachybotrys, better known as toxic black mold, is linked to a number of symptoms signaling deteriorating health and subsequent illnesses. Stachybotrys thrives in environments where the humidity...

Smog, a hybrid of the words "smoke" and "fog," is a term for air pollution. It creates a hazy, fog-like atmosphere, typically around a major urban area that has many pollutants present. Some...