Inhalation of ferrous and other metal fumes may predispose metalworkers to a new form of severe pneumonia called welder’s anthrax, OSHA warns in a hazard alert. Welder’s anthrax is “a newly identified, deadly occupational disease” caused by Bacillus group bacteria that produce anthrax toxin, according to the authors of a March 2022 paper in the journal Pathogens. The hazard alert explains that these bacteria are found naturally in soils in and near subtropical locations. Seven metalworkers from Texas and Louisiana were diagnosed with welder’s anthrax between 1994 and 2020. Although welder’s anthrax is rare, researchers believe that cases may have been overlooked due to several factors, including limited detection and understanding of the pathogen. Marie A. de Perio, MD, informed The Synergist that while “metal fumes might increase susceptibility” to welder’s anthrax and other lung infections, “the hierarchy of controls can be applied to prevent workplace exposure to welding fumes and gases, and soils that may be contaminated with B. cereus group bacteria producing anthrax toxins.” Dr. de Perio is one of the lead authors for the Pathogens paper and an associate director for science at NIOSH. OSHA’s hazard alert urges employers with welding operations to implement several recommendations to help prevent employee exposures to anthrax bacteria. For example, OSHA recommends reducing workers’ exposures to environmental dust and welding fumes by using directional airflow from local exhaust ventilation to keep dust and fumes away from welders’ breathing zones. If welding is being performed outdoors, wind may be used for this purpose. Employers should also consider adding disinfectants to metalworking fluids to inhibit microbial contamination, OSHA says. Other recommendations include educating metalworkers about the symptoms of pneumonia, including welder’s anthrax, as well as cleaning the workplace to reduce workers’ exposure to dust and soils that may be contaminated with harmful bacteria. The alert also discusses personal protective equipment, including coveralls, work boots, and NIOSH-approved respirators. While OSHA does not have a standard that applies to welder’s anthrax, the agency’s respiratory protection standard may apply to some workers whose jobs require them to wear respirators. Dr. de Perio also stressed that communication and cooperation between welders, employers, clinicians, occupational safety and health professionals, and public health officials is important to identify cases of welder’s anthrax and occupational and personal risk factors. “Any cases of welder’s anthrax should be reported to CDC and a thorough work history should be performed,” she said. The next step to addressing this rare but serious disease includes conducting research to better understand how welders’ exposure to metal fumes and other welding hazards may increase their susceptibility to lung infection, according to Dr. de Perio. Researchers should also explore “the effectiveness of medical countermeasures,” such as antitoxins and vaccines, “as well as interventions to minimize workers’ exposure to metal fumes, including engineering controls and respiratory protection,” she said. The hazard alert is available as a PDF from OSHA’s website. Further information about welder’s anthrax can be found in an April 2022 NIOSH Science Blog post by the authors of the Pathogens article and in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for Oct. 15, 2021.

Some self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units and spare consoles manufactured by 3M Scott Fire & Safety were shipped with incorrect programming of the heads-up display, a secondary end-of-service time indicator, according to a user safety notice (PDF). Affected units include the company’s Air-Pak 75, Air-Pak NxG7 (upgraded), Air-Pak X3, and spare consoles manufactured between May 3, 2021, through Feb. 14, 2023. In a few reports, the primary end-of-service time indicator alarms at 35 percent of cylinder pressure, but the heads-up display console lights indicate low air at 25 percent. The heads-up display lights should illuminate at 35 percent, the notice explains. The notice provides instructions for inspecting SCBAs and spare consoles. Affected users should contact their 3M Scott Fire & Safety Authorized Service Center to complete the repairs required. The notice can be found on the NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory’s respirator user notices webpage.

A paper released by EPA for public comment and peer review in August describes the quantitative approach for human health assessment that the agency intends to apply during the second part of its risk evaluation for asbestos. Whereas Part 1 of EPA’s risk evaluation, completed in December 2020, focused on chrysotile asbestos, Part 2 will focus on all fiber types and legacy uses of asbestos. This will include talc and talc-containing products implicated as potential sources of asbestos exposure. According to EPA, the paper identifies existing hazard values for asbestos, outlines how the agency proposes to use them during the risk evaluation, and describes the considerations and criteria EPA intends to use to evaluate relevant studies for the quantification of asbestos-related hazards. “In order to evaluate the risks of asbestos in the manner required under the law, EPA needs to quantify these hazards,” the agency’s news release explains. “[This] systematic review approach helps ensure that Part 2 of the risk evaluation for asbestos is based on the best available science.” On Aug. 3, EPA published a request in the Federal Register seeking public comments to be provided to peer reviewers. The comment period ended Oct. 2. Peer review of the paper will occur between Oct. 25 and Nov. 24. According to the agency, Part 2 of the asbestos risk evaluation will be available for public comment early next year. Further details can be found in the agency’s news release.