Welcome to our January 2018 Phylmar Update, 

We begin by highlighting an OSHA publication that contains training requirements across OSHA standards including general industry, construction, maritime, and agriculture.  The publication is part of OSHA's Training Requirements and Resources webpage, and presents all training-related requirements at the time of publication in an excerpted and organized form.  Also included are links to related OSHA training resources including techniques for developing and delivering effective training to employees.

We then turn to a recent publication by the World Health Organization (WHO) on protecting workers from potential risks of manufactured nanomaterials.  We take a look at the Guideline Development Group's recommendations for assessing health hazards, assessing exposures, and controlling exposures for manufactured nanomaterials is provided. 

We hope you enjoy this month's Phylmar Update and please let us know if there are any topics you would like to see covered, 

Mark Katchen
Managing Principal
The Phylmar Group
Training Requirements in OSHA Standards  
Summarized from OSHA Publication 2254-09R 2015, Training Requirements in OSHA Standards, 2015

Many OSHA standards include explicit safety and health training requirements to ensure that workers have the required skills and knowledge to safely do their work.  These requirements reflect OSHA's belief that training is an essential part of every employer's safety and health program.  To assist employers, safety and health professionals and training directors, OSHA's training-related requirements have been excerpted and collected in this document.

Training requirements are organized into five categories of OSHA standards: General Industry, Maritime, Construction, Agriculture, and Federal Employee Programs.  Requirements for posting information, warning signs, and labels are excluded, as are most references to the qualifications of people assigned to test workplace conditions or equipment. 

For more information and resources visit OSHA's Training Requirements and Resources webpage.  This includes the Training Requirements in OSHA Standards publication as well as OSHA's Resource for Development and Delivery of Training to Workers publication. 
WHO Recommendations to Protect Workers of Manufactured Nanomaterials  
Summarized from WHO Guidelines on Protecting Workers from Potential Risks of Manufactured Nanomaterials, Geneva: World Health Organization, December 12, 2017

Many OSHA standards include explicit safety and health training requirements to ensure that workers have the required skills and knowledge to safely do their work.  These requirements reflect OSHA's belief that training is an essential part of every employer's safety and health program.  To assist employers, safety and health professionals and training directors, OSHA's training-related requirements have been excerpted and collected in this document.

The term nanomaterials refers to materials that have at least one dimension (height, width or length) that is smaller than 100 nanometres (10−7 metre), about the size of a virus particle. Manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) may present health hazards that differ from those of the counterpart substance in bulk form, and may require different test methods for hazard, exposure and risk assessment. The WHO Guideline Development Group (GDG) recommendations include:
  • Assigning hazard classes to all MNMs according to the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals for use in safety data sheets.Updating safety data sheets with MNM-specific hazard information or indicating which toxicological end-points did not have adequate testing available.
  • Assess workers' exposure with methods similar to those used for the proposed specific occupational exposure limit (OEL) value of the MNM. (List of proposed OEL values provided in Annex 1 of the guidelines).
  • Focusing control of exposure on preventing inhalation exposure.
  • Recommends taking control measures based on the principle of hierarchy of controls and a precautionary approach. 
  • Prevent dermal exposure by occupational hygiene measures such as surface cleaning, and the use of appropriate gloves.
To view the WHO guidelines and complete recommendations go  here.  For background on the potential risks of working with nanomaterials see the  NIOSH Nanotechnology Topic webpage.

The Phylmar Group's Website Has a New Look & Feel
The Phylmar Group is excited to announce the launch of its new website! It is now easier to learn more about the environmental health, product stewardship, and training services that The Phylmar Group provides as well as find out why it's beneficial to become a member of the Phylmar Regulatory Roundtable, AFIRM, or BioPharma's consortium. Please visit the newly redesigned www.phylmar.com   and let us know what you think. 
Upcoming Environmental, Health, Safety, and Sustainability Events

American Society of Safety Engineers Seminar Fest 2018, Las Vegas, NV, February 1-8, 2018

GRI Reporters' Summit North America, Phoenix, AZ, February 5, 2018

GreenBiz 18 Conference, Phoenix, AZ, February 6-8, 2018

Chemical Watch AsiaHub Summit USA, San Francisco, CA, February 26-27, 2018

California Industrial Hygiene Council and AIHA Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Summit, Sacramento, CA, March 14, 2018. Phylmar Group's Mark Katchen will be giving a presentation on risk communications. It's an event not to miss!

Responsible Business Summit, New York, NY, March 26-27, 2018

Society for Chemical Hazard Communication Conference, Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL, April 20-25, 2018
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