Synergist - November 2009

New York Times Finds Routine Violations of Clean Water
Regulations

A study of EPA records by the New York Times shows an alarming increase in violations of clean water laws, the paper reported. According to an article by Charles Duhigg published Sept. 13, EPA has documented over 500,000 violations by workplaces in the past five years. Duhigg reports that about 60 percent of violations were serious, including illegal dumping of carcinogenic chemicals, and that approximately 10 percent of Americans have been exposed to drinking water containing dangerous chemicals. The Times study indicates that only 3 percent of Clean Water Act violations have resulted in fines or other punishment by EPA.

The article, part of a Times series on water pollution, is available at www.nytimes.com. The Times website also includes an interactive database that contains data from over 200,000 facilities that discharge pollutants.

Study Identifies Job Insecurity as Major Health Threat
Researchers at the University of Michigan and the University of
California at Los Angeles have found that job insecurity is more
detrimental to worker health than actual job loss, according to
an Aug. 31 article from United Press International. The re-
searchers based their findings on an analysis of data collected
from approximately 1,700 men and women over a period of
several years. People who were employed but worried about job
loss demonstrated more significant health difficulties than peo-
ple who had lost their jobs. The study was published in the
journal Social Science and Medicine.

Handheld Electronic Nose Shows Promise

Researchers have developed a prototype of an inexpensive electronic “nose” that can sense the presence of toxic chemicals. Using LED indicators, flatbed scanners, and an inexpensive camera, the device can detect within minutes a range of industrial toxins by recognizing their unique molecular fingerprints. A marketable device is expected within a few years.

The research team was led by Kenneth S. Suslick of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The device was featured in the Sept. 13 advanced online edition of Nature Chemistry and the Sept. 28 issue of NIH Research Matters.

Check out the newest publication to hit the shelves of AIHA

The Radiation Safety Officer Survival Handbook

By Joseph Vincelli, Norman W. Henry III, MS, CIH, John Miller, CHP, James R. Weldy, CHP, CIH

The use of radiation in research, medicine, and industry is highly regulated. Safety professionals working with radiation must possess not only a good understanding of science but also of regulatory requirements. The RSO Handbook provides an introduction to radiation safety, including basic radiation science, radiation safety practices and procedures, and federal or state regulations. References and examples of forms to be used for surveys, audits, or other specific investigations. The information provided in this reference will benefit the RSO working in an academic, research or medical facility.