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Occupational Health

Heat Stress Prevention Guidance

NAVMED P-5010, Chapter 3, Prevention of Heat and Cold Stress Injuries (Ashore, Afloat, and Ground Forces) - Guidance in the prevention of heat stress

Other Preventive Medicine and Navy Medicine Publications

Chemical Stressors List with Medical Surveillance and BEI Information and Skin Notation

A Chemical Stressors List with Medical Surveillance and Biological Exposure Indices (BEI) Information and Skin Notation spreadsheet was developed by the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center, Industrial Hygiene Department, to provide a quick reference for determining the medical surveillance procedure requirements for a specific chemical stressor and to provide a list of chemicals that fall under a specific medical surveillance program (Medical Matrix Number). The hyperlink for this spreadsheet is located under NMCPHC Occupational Medicine, Medical Surveillance Procedures Manual and Medical Matrix (Edition 11), Chapter 4. This updated Chemical Stressors List can also be viewed or downloaded under Industrial Hygiene Files for Download, Chemical Stressors List.

Advisory Notice for 3M FF- 400 Respirators

Recent 3M quality testing indicated the lens of certain 3MT Ultimate FX FF-400 Full Facepiece respirators may have experienced a performance issue related to lens integrity. FF-400 facepieces currently in use should be immediately removed from service. 3M will replace these facepieces free of charge when this issue is resolved and replacement FF-400 facepieces are available. During the interim, 3MT 6000 Series Full Facepiece respirators will be offered free of charge as a replacement product to customers who purchased the FF-400 facepiece. See full details.

The FX FF-400 is a new respirator design. If you're not familiar with it, see a brochure explaining the features of this new respirator.

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NIOSH Alert - Lead and Noise at Indoor Firing Ranges

NIOSH Alert Preventing Occupational Exposures to Lead and Noise at Indoor Firing Ranges

OSHA ID-215 Method for Hexavalent Chromium Sampling

OSHA has issued a revised version of the OSHA ID-215 method for hexavalent chromium sampling.

OSHA has issued a revised version of the OSHA ID-215 method for hexavalent chromium sampling - Method Number ID-215 (version 2), Control Number T-ID215-FV-02-0604-M. The significant modification (related to sample collection) in the method is that when using the 37 or 25 mm PVC filter with cellulose back-up pad for welding operations, or chromium plating operations, special handling requirements have been added.

A summary of the new special handling requirements follows:

  1. Samples collected on PVC filters must be shipped overnight to the laboratory within 24 hours of sampling.
  2. Samples collected on PVC filters from welding operations must be analyzed within 8 days of sampling.
  3. Samples collected on PVC filters from chromium plating operations must be analyzed within 6 days of sampling or be stabilized at the laboratory upon receipt.

The Salt Lake Technical Center has done studies, since the original fully validated method was promulgated, that show sample loss/degradation on welding operation samples due to interaction of the Cr(VI) and Fe(II) after collection. They also found that chromium plating operations typically had significant amounts of sulfuric acid that reacts with the Cr(VI) after collection to form Cr(III). These interferences have caused OSHA to modify the method to reduce potential bias. If the samples are not treated according to these requirements - the results may be biased low. Their studies show up to approximately 25% negative bias after 14 days.

You can determine the amount of time between sampling and analysis from our analytical report. The date of analysis is provided in the top header information on the hexavalent chromium results page, the date sampled may also be found there if provided to us - or it may be on the chain of custody. If your samples were analyzed outside the new analytical holding time, but within 14 days, and they are less than 75% of the PEL or your target air concentration, then the results should be considered usable and defensible. At this time we are uncertain how OSHA will treat the results of samples collected from welding or chromium plating operations under Version 1 of the method. If you have collected samples from welding or chromium plating operations for hexavalent chromium and have not met the special handling requirements of the new version of the method, you should contact OSHA to determine their opinion on the validity and usability of the results. Samples from other operations are not affected.

http://www.osha.gov/dts/sltc/methods/inorganic/id215/id215.pdf

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Formaldehyde Sampling Method

New Sampling Method To Be Used For Industrial Hygiene Formaldehyde Samples Being Sent For Analysis To The Navy Comprehensive Industrial Hygiene Laboratories

The Navy Comprehensive Industrial Hygiene Laboratories (CIHLs) will no longer be using the OSHA 52 method for formaldehyde. All the CIHLs will now be using the NIOSH 2016 method for formaldehyde. Therefore, formaldehyde sampling will now have to be performed using a 2,4-DNPH-treated Silica Gel (SKC ST 226-119) tube or the Waters XPO SURE 2,4-DNPH pouch media. According to the CIHLs, this change was made because NIOSH 2016 is more sensitive and more reliable. Questions regarding the NIOSH 2016 method can be directed to the CIHLs at 757-444-7671 in Norfolk, VA or 619-556-1427 in San Diego, CA.

Indoor Environmental Quality: Mold Remediation Guidelines

Mold remediation is a leading topic concerning Indoor Environmental Quality. BUMED guidance for mold assessment, sampling and remediation is now available in Chapter 13 of the Industrial Hygiene Field Operations Manual (IHFOM)

Don't Ignore Chemical Exposure Via Skin Absorption

Skin diseases of occupational origin outnumber all other work-related illnesses. Airborne exposures often receive more attention because they are easier to measure and compare to standards and guidelines. However, safety and health professionals should not neglect the evaluation and control of chemical exposures that cause dermatitis and/or systemic effects through skin contact and/or absorption. A short summary of significant items and resources related to these issues is provided in this discussion. Protective equipment manufacturers also provide good information on this topic.

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Isocyanate Interim Guidance (14 May 2002)

This document presents general issues regarding the workplace assessment for isocyanates. This guidance presents current sampling and analytical methods and a recommended interim occupational exposure limit for the prepolymers. Guidance for recommending personal protective equipment is also presented along with interpreting the results of the dual filter method if this sampling and analysis method was used.

TM 6290.99-10 Rev 1; Indoor Firing Ranges Industrial Hygiene Technical Guide (July 2002)

A reference guide is available to provide general information regarding indoor firing ranges (small arms ranges). The purpose of the guide is to assist in recognizing, evaluating and controlling safety and health hazards. The guide should be useful to range operators, safety professionals, industrial hygienists and technicians in performing range evaluations, understanding conditions that require additional expertise, and developing operation and maintenance procedures.

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This page last updated on August 30, 2011.
Content last reviewed on June 23, 2011.