Synergist - April 2011

exposure affect physical and mental health. GuLF STUDY investigators hope the results of the study will assist policy-makers with decisions involving health care and health services in the region.

GuLF STUDY is funded by NIH, and a small portion of the funds have been provided by BP; however, BP is not involved in the study.

The NIH press release is available at www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2011/niehs -28.htm. More information about GuLF STUDY can be found at www.niehs.nih. gov/about/od/programs/gulfspill/ gulfstudy/ index.cfm.

OSHA Timeline Commemorates
40th Anniversary
In the 40 years since the establishment
of OSHA, work-related deaths and in-
juries have been significantly reduced,
according to data from OSHA’s new in-
teractive timeline. The timeline cele-
brates OSHA’s success and notes the
advancements the agency has made.

out the year, OSHA will host a variety of activities to commemorate the achievements of the agency.

For access to the OSHA timeline, Michaels’ statement, and other historical information, visit www.osha.gov/osha40/ index.html.

OSHA Directive Clarifies PPE
Requirements

OSHA issued a directive Feb. 10 to provide guidance on personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance to enforcement officials. Enforcement Guidance for Personal Protective Equipment in General Industry replaces Inspection Guidelines for 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I, the revised Personal Protective Equipment Standards for General Industry, which was issued in June 1995.

New information in the directive in-
cludes clarification of the type of PPE
employers are required to provide to
workers for free and when PPE must be
supplied by the employer. The directive
also updates enforcement policies for PPE
based on decisions by the Occupational
Safety and Health Review Commission
and other courts, and helps employers
know which PPE to use to comply with
current consensus standards.

The OSHA directive on PPE in general industry is available from www.osha. gov/OshDoc/Directive_pdf/CPL_02-01- 050.pdf.

[Continued: 16]

“Today workplaces in America are far
safer than forty years ago. Our progress
gives us hope and confidence that OSHA
will continue to make a lasting difference
in the lives of our nation’s 130 million
workers, and their families,” Assistant
Secretary David Michaels, PhD, MPH, said
in a message honoring the 40-year an-
niversary of the creation of OSHA. “Look-
ing to the future, OSHA remains
committed to protecting workers from
toxic chemicals and deadly safety hazards
at work; ensuring that vulnerable workers
in high-risk jobs have access to critical
information and education about job haz-
ards; and providing employers with vig-
orous compliance assistance to promote
best practices that can save lives.”
April 28 marks the 40th anniversary
of the establishment of OSHA. Through-