Best Practices on Preventing Heat Illness at Work

"With temperatures rising as we head into the summer months, so does the risk of heat hazards. In 2019, exposure to heat led to 43 work-related deaths and 2,410 injuries and illnesses, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has resources to help employers and workers beat the heat and stay healthy and safe.

Here are some practices to remember as you prepare for the summer heat:

1. Train all workers.

Employers should train supervisors and workers on how to control and recognize heat hazards. Workers should also know about first aid for heat illness. Training should always be conducted in a language workers understand.

2. Follow the 20% rule.

On a worker’s first day, no more than 20 percent of the duration of their shift should be at full intensity in the heat. The duration of time at full intensity should be increased by no more than 20 percent a day until workers are used to working in the heat.

3. Remember these three words: “Water. Rest. Shade.”

Workers should drink one cup of water every 20 minutes while working in the heat to stay hydrated. When the temperature is high, employers should make sure workers take frequent rest breaks in shaded, cool or air-conditioned areas to recover from the heat.

4. Workers new to the job are at higher risk.

Workers who are new or returning to working in warm or hot environments need more time to adapt. More than 75 percent of heat-related fatalities occur during a worker’s first week, which is why “acclimatization” – the process of building resistance to increased temperatures – is so important. Learn how to protect new workers from heat-related illness and monitor them until they are acclimatized.

5. Hazardous heat exposure can happen indoors or outdoors.

Though heat stress is typically related to outdoor work environments, and construction workers account for about one-third of heat-related deaths, workers in hot indoor environments like kitchens, laundries, warehouses and electrical utilities are also at risk.

6. Engineering controls and modified work practices can reduce the risk of heat illness.

Consider reducing physical activity as much as possible by planning for the work ahead and rotating job functions among workers to help minimize exertion. Find more work practices here.

Learn more about OSHA’s campaign to prevent heat illness and find resources in English and Spanish on our website. Workers and employers who have questions or concerns about workplace safety can contact us online or by phone at 1-800-321-6742 (OSHA).."
Heat illness 

Save Lives Now

"Overdose Deaths Have Increased During COVID-19 

The worsening of the drug overdose epidemic, along with the impact of COVID-19 prevention protocols, such as social distancing and quarantine, makes it more difficult for public health agencies and social services to treat those most at risk of overdose. Urgent actions for innovative strategies within the public health community are required to facilitate continued access to treatment.

Drug Overdose Deaths Increased During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Preliminary data indicates that the increases in drug overdose deaths appear to have accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By the Numbers

• Preliminary data show that 81,230 overdose deaths occurred in the United States from June 2019 through May 2020, the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a 12-month period.
• Synthetic opioids (likely illicitly manufactured fentanyl) appear to be the primary driver of the increases in overdose deaths.
• Overdose deaths involving cocaine increased by 26.5 percent. These deaths are likely linked to co-use of cocaine with illicitly manufactured fentanyl or heroin.
• Overdose deaths involving psychostimulants, such as methamphetamine, increased by 34.8 percent.

Preventing overdoses and deaths is critical

Medical and public health professionals, first responders, harm reduction organizations, and other community partners each have a critical role to play in overdose prevention. As the overdose epidemic continues to evolve, expand, and accelerate, the following are critical to preventing overdoses and deaths from overdose:

• Naloxone, which can reverse an opioid overdose, if administered in time
• Early detection of overdose outbreaks in communities
• Early interventions for people who are at highest risk for overdose
• Expand prevention and response activities

Health Alert Network (HAN) Advisory

CDC issued a HAN advisory to alert public health departments, healthcare professionals, first responders, harm reduction organizations, laboratories, and medical examiners and coroners to:

• Substantial increases in drug overdose deaths across the United States
• A concerning acceleration of the increase in drug overdose deaths
• Changing geographic distribution of overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids
• Significant increases in overdose deaths involving psychostimulants, such as methamphetamine
• Recommendations for communities when responding to the evolving overdose crisis.."
  Drug overdose 

Summer Grilling Food Safety Tips for Grill Masters and Rookies

"Families will once again commemorate Memorial Day with COVID-19 in mind. Keep your celebrations safe with CDC guidelines we’ve become accustomed to this past year.

We also have some important food safety tips for both first-time and experienced grill masters.

Know if Your Frozen Food is Raw

Grillers have the responsibility of delivering a safe and tasty meal. The convenience of ready to cook beef patties and chicken cutlets helps the process.

One important tip: know if your frozen food is raw.

Although frozen products may appear to be pre-cooked or browned, they need to be handled and prepared as raw food and cooked thoroughly. Frozen products labeled as “Cook and Serve,” “Ready to Cook” and “Oven Ready” must be cooked. Always use a food thermometer to check if your meal has reached a safe internal temperature:

• Beef, pork, lamb and veal (steaks, roasts and chops): 145 F with a three-minute rest time.
• Ground meats (beef, pork, lamb and veal): 160 F.
• Poultry (whole or ground): 165 F.

Use an appliance thermometer in your cooler to monitor that your pre-cooked food stays chilled at 40 F or below.

Thoroughly Cook Tenderized Meat

Experienced grillers love to get the most flavor out of their meat. However, mechanically tenderized meat, including cuts prepackaged in marinades, present different risks and must be cooked thoroughly.

If the outside is contaminated with bacteria, the inside meat will be as well once it is mechanically tenderized.

Ensure a safe barbecue by using a food thermometer! Don’t have a thermometer? Call us at the number below.

For more questions about food safety and for a free food thermometer, contact the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) to talk to a food safety expert or chat live at ask.usda.gov from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.."
Grilling 

Diarrhea and Swimming

"When someone swallows contaminated recreational water—water in pools, hot tubs, water playgrounds, or oceans, lakes, and rivers— they can get sick with diarrhea. In fact, diarrhea is the most common illness spread through recreational water.

Which germs in recreational water cause diarrhea?

Diarrhea can be caused by germs such as Crypto (short for Cryptosporidium), Giardia, Shigella, norovirus, and E. coli O157:H7. Some of these germs can survive in properly chlorinated water for almost an hour, or even days.

How do germs that cause diarrhea spread in recreational water?

Tiny amounts of poop are rinsed off swimmers’ bottoms as they swim through the water. If someone with infectious diarrhea (which can contain up to one billion germs) gets in recreational water, germs can be washed off their bottom and contaminate the water. These germs can make someone else sick if they swallow even a small amount of contaminated water.

In public pools, water playgrounds, and hot tubs, disinfection of the water (with chlorine or bromine) and filtration work together to help kill germs. Chlorine and bromine kill most germs within minutes, and filters remove debris (e.g., leaves, sticks), which use up the needed chlorine or bromine. Swimmers may still be exposed to germs during the time it takes for the chlorine or bromine to the kill germs or for the water to be recycled through filters. And certain germs, like Crypto, can stay alive for days, even in pools with proper filtration and disinfection.

Many facilities use one filtration system for multiple pools, which causes water from multiple pools to mix. This means germs from one person’s body could contaminate the water in multiple pools.

How do I protect myself and those I care about?

We all share the water we swim, play, or relax in, so each of us plays a key role in helping to protect ourselves, our families, and our friends from germs that can cause diarrhea.

Crypto and Swimming Pools

English pdf icon[PDF – 1 page]
Español pdf icon[PDF – 1 page]

Giardia and Swimming Pools

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Español pdf icon[PDF – 1 page]

All of us can take the following healthy swimming steps:

• Stay out of the water if you are sick with diarrhea.
  • If you have been diagnosed with Crypto, don’t go back in the water until 2 weeks after diarrhea has completely stopped.
• Use test strips to make sure the water has a proper free chlorine (amount of chlorine available to kill germs) or bromine level and pH.
  • Free chlorine level: at least 1 part per million (ppm) in pools and water playgrounds and at least 3 ppm in hot tubs.
  • Bromine level: at least 3 ppm in pools and water playgrounds and at least 4 ppm in hot tubs.
  • pH (affects how effectively germs are killed or inactivated): 7.2–7.8.
  • Most superstores, hardware stores, and pool supply stores sell test strips. Follow the manufacturer’s directions to ensure proper usage.
• Shower before you get in the water.
  • Rinsing off in the shower for just 1 minute removes most of the dirt or anything else on your body that uses up chlorine or bromine needed to kill or inactivate germs.
• Don’t poop in the water.
• Don’t swallow the water.
• Take kids on bathroom breaks and check diapers every hour.
  • Change diapers away from the waterside to keep germs from getting in the water..."
    Diarrhea and swimming 

Strokes May Lead to Epilepsy

"What is a Stroke?

A stroke happens when a clot blocks the blood supply to the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.¹ Every year, about 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke.¹ It is a leading cause of long-term disability and a leading cause of death.¹

Signs that someone is having a stroke are:

• Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or problems understanding speech.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.²

Call 911 right away if you or someone else has any of these symptoms.

Strokes Can Cause Seizures and Epilepsy³ 

Preventing Stroke

Lower your chance of having a stroke by:

• Controlling high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol
• Having a healthy weight
• Being physically active
• Eating a healthy diet
• Limiting alcohol
• Avoiding smoking.⁶

Epilepsy is a broad term used for a brain disorder that causes repeated seizures. There are many types of epilepsy, and there are also many different kinds of seizures.

A single seizure may happen soon after a stroke.³ You don’t necessarily have epilepsy if you have just one seizure, and you won’t necessarily develop it. Certain types of strokes, such as ones that cause bleeding, and more severe strokes may be more likely to cause epilepsy.³

One study found that among people who had strokes, 5% had one seizure and 7% developed epilepsy in the 30 months afterward.³

Epilepsy caused by strokes can usually be controlled with anti-seizure medicines.³ It’s important to take medicine as prescribed to keep seizures under control..."
Strokes and Epilepsy 

Work-related Asthma

"Asthma is a disease that affects the lungs; the airways become narrow and inflamed. Symptoms can include:

• Episodes of wheezing
• Chest tightness
• Shortness of breath
• Coughing

Asthma can be controlled by taking medicine and avoiding triggers that can cause asthma symptoms.

Work-related Asthma

Work-related asthma is asthma triggered by an exposure at work. Many asthma triggers can be found in the workplace. Over 300 known or suspected substances in the workplace can cause or worsen asthma. Avoiding triggers can prevent asthma from getting worse.

Worsening asthma or new onset asthma in a worker should raise questions about workplace causes. Asthma symptoms can develop shortly after exposure, or they can develop months or years after repeated exposures to harmful substances.

Spotlight

• A Cup of Health with CDC – Occupational Asthma

Indoor Environmental Quality

Exposure Removal for Occupational Asthma

Investigation of Bacterial and Fungal Communities

Indoor Environmental Quality

Exposure Removal for Occupational Asthma

Investigation of Bacterial and Fungal Communities

Indoor Environmental Quality

Employees and Employers

Learn about the triggers and causes of work-related asthma and how to prevent it as an employee or an employer.

Healthcare Professionals

Learn about diagnosing and managing work-related asthma.

Prevention of Work-Related Asthma Studies

Search a bibliography of 140 reports for different activities to prevent work-related asthma..."
Asthma 

Be Sure to Invite Food Safety to Your Next Pig Roast

"Long days, hot temperatures and family gatherings will soon return to America’s backyards. Also returning are traditions, like roasting a whole pig. Roasting a pig requires a lot of planning before, during and after the meal to ensure food safety. Over the past few years, there have been foodborne illness outbreaks associated with pig roasts in several states.

When purchasing a pig, here are some tips:

• Obtain your pig from a reputable supplier.
• Have the supplier wrap it in plastic to contain the juices.
• Use ice to maintain temperature during transport and until it is time to cook.
• If you can’t keep it refrigerated or on ice, pick it up just before you are ready to cook.

FSIS reminds cooks to follow the four food safety steps:

• Clean: Anything that comes into contact with the whole pig should be washed with hot soapy water afterward (hands, utensils and surfaces).
• Separate: Use different cutting boards when preparing meat, vegetables and ready-to eat-food. Don’t cross-contaminate.
• Cook: FSIS recommends that pork products be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145 F with a 3-minute rest time. Check the internal temperature with a food thermometer in several places. Don’t have a food thermometer? Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) to get a free one. Serve the meat you carve within 1-2 hours.
• Chill: After you have served your guests, remove remaining portions from the cooked pig, pack them into shallow containers, and refrigerate within 1-2 hours.

For questions about food safety, contact the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) to talk to a food safety expert or chat live at ask.usda.gov from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday..."
Pig Roast 

War Department General Order 143: Creation of the U.S. Colored Troops

"The War Department issued General Order 143 on May 22, 1863, creating the United States Colored Troops. By the end of the Civil War, roughly 179,000 black men (10 percent of the Union Army) served as soldiers in the U.S. Army, and another 19,000 served in the Navy.
Read more at Our Documents..."
U.S..Colored Troops 

Changes in the Arctic: Backgroundand Issues for Congress

"Summary

The diminishment of Arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the Arctic, and has heightened interest in, and concerns about, the region’s future. The United States, by virtue of Alaska, is an Arctic country and has substantial interests in the region. The seven other Arctic states are Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark (by virtue of Greenland), and Russia.

The Arctic Research and Policy Act (ARPA) of 1984 (Title I of P.L. 98-373 of July 31, 1984) “provide[s] for a comprehensive national policy dealing with national research needs and objectives in the Arctic.” The National Science Foundation (NSF) is the lead federal agency for implementing Arctic research policy. The Arctic Council, created in 1996, is the leading international forum for addressing issues relating to the Arctic. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) sets forth a comprehensive regime of law and order in the world’s oceans, including the Arctic Ocean. The United States is not a party to UNCLOS.

Record low extents of Arctic sea ice over the past decade have focused scientific and policy attention on links to global climate change and projected ice-free seasons in the Arctic within decades. These changes have potential consequences for weather in the United States, access to mineral and biological resources in the Arctic, the economies and cultures of peoples in the region, and national security.

The geopolitical environment for the Arctic has been substantially affected by the renewal of great power competition. Although there continues to be significant international cooperation on Arctic issues, the Arctic is increasingly viewed as an arena for geopolitical competition among the United States, Russia, and China.

The Department of Defense (DOD) and the Coast Guard are devoting increased attention to the Arctic in their planning and operations. Whether DOD and the Coast Guard are devoting sufficient resources to the Arctic and taking sufficient actions for defending U.S. interests in the region has emerged as a topic of congressional oversight. The Coast Guard has two operational polar icebreakers and has received funding for the procurement of two of at least three planned new polar icebreakers.."
Arctic 

Learn the ABCs of Viral Hepatitis

"Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. People who get hepatitis A may feel sick for a few weeks to several months but usually recover completely and do not have lasting liver damage. The hepatitis A virus is found in the stool and blood of people who are infected and can be spread when someone ingests the virus, usually through eating contaminated food or drink or through close personal contact with an infected person. Hepatitis A is very contagious and people can even spread the virus before they get symptoms. However, hepatitis A is easily prevented with a safe and effective vaccine, which is recommended for all children at one year of age and for adults who may be at risk, including travelers to certain international countries.

Since the hepatitis A vaccine was first recommended in 1996, cases of hepatitis A in the United States have declined dramatically. Unfortunately, adult vaccination rates remain low and in recent years the number of people infected has increased as a result of multiple outbreaks of hepatitis A across the United States. While hepatitis A can affect anyone, certain groups are at greater risk of being infected in these outbreaks. To help stop the outbreaks, CDC recommends the hepatitis A vaccine for people who use drugs (including drugs that are not injected), people experiencing homelessness, men who have sex with men, people with liver disease, and people who are or were recently in jail or prison.

 Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus. Some people who become infected, especially young children, can go on to develop a chronic or lifelong infection. Over time, chronic hepatitis B can cause serious liver damage, and even liver cancer. Hepatitis B is common in many parts of the world, including Asia, the Pacific Islands and Africa.
 

Hepatitis B is preventable with a vaccine. Hepatitis B can be passed from an infected woman to her baby at birth, if her baby does not receive the hepatitis B vaccine. As a result, the hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all infants at birth and adults at risk. Unfortunately, many people were infected before the hepatitis B vaccine was widely available. That’s why CDC recommends pregnant women, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, household and sexual contacts of someone infected, anyone born or whose parents were born in areas where hepatitis B is common, and others with certain medical conditions get tested for hepatitis B. Treatments are available that can delay or reduce the risk of developing liver cancer.."
Hepatitis