March 2024

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that Histoplasma spores circulate in the air after contaminated soil or materials are disturbed. When people breathe in the spores, they are at risk of developing histoplasmosis. After the spores enter the lungs, a person’s body temperature allows the spores to transform into yeast. The yeast can then travel to lymph nodes and can spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream.

Fortunately, most people exposed to Histoplasma never have symptoms and others may have symptoms that go away on their own. According to the CDC, symptoms may appear between 3 and 17 days after exposure and may include fever, cough, fatigue, chills, headache, chest pain and body aches. The very young, older adults and people with a weakened immune system are at higher risk for developing severe forms of the infection.

“An attic, roof top or any place where there are significant amounts of bird droppings or bat guano could put people at risk, especially workers that spend time in those locations conducting dust-generating activities,” said Derrick A. Denis, Disaster Ready Emergency Preparedness and Infection Control (DR EPIC) Program Industrial Hygienist and Senior Vice President for Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “In fact, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) brought renewed attention to work-related histoplasmosis several years ago. The agency reported people working in construction had a higher risk of getting the infection. Other occupations at elevated risk include those involved with demolition and renovation work, farmers, landscapers, and bridge workers to name a few.”

To help prevent new cases of histoplasmosis and protect workers and building occupants, CSC’s infection control and industrial hygiene professionals offer building and workplace assessments, testing, monitoring, consulting and training services. Their experts identify and mitigate exposure risks to Histoplasma capsulatum and many other microbial pathogens.

CSC has sponsored an educational video about histoplasmosis and Histoplasma exposure risks that can be seen below: 

To learn more about this or other infection control, indoor air quality, industrial hygiene, environmental, health and safety services, please:

Resources to Protect Workers and Communities from Combustible Dust Hazards 

Last year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a revised Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program (NEP). The original Combustible Dust NEP, issued in 2007, followed a number of combustible dust incidents that resulted in fatalities, serious injuries and property destruction.  

The purpose of the revised NEP is to continue OSHA inspections of facilities that generate or handle combustible dusts likely to cause fire, flash fire, deflagration, and explosion hazards. The agency reports the revisions introduce a new approach for locating and inspecting subject establishments.

Annually, OSHA conducts around 600 inspections per year looking for combustible dust hazards. In 2023, the agency announced proposed fines of over $300k for a company that experienced a combustible dust incident last April. That tragic case hospitalized three workers and caused significant property damage.

Combustible dust can burn rapidly. If such a dust is suspended in air in the right concentration, and under certain conditions, it can become explosible. Even materials that do not burn in larger pieces, such as aluminum or iron - given the proper conditions, can be explosible in dust form.

The good news is there are ways to monitor indoor conditions and test for combustible dusts to prevent these incidents. The industrial hygiene, indoor air quality and safety professionals at CSC proudly offer combustible dust testing and consulting services. They also provide employee and manager training to implement dust control, ignition control, prevention, and protection measures to mitigate combustible dust dangers. These resources protect people, property, and help to keep businesses in compliance with health and safety regulations.

CSC recently sponsored an educational video about combustible dust hazards that can be seen below:

To learn more about this or other industrial hygiene, building science, environmental, health and safety services, please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118.