Our First Line of Defense
Protecting the Skin Against Chemical Agents
CONTENTS
OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE
PROTECTING THE SKIN AGAINST CHEMICAL AGENTS
Despite the resilience of our skin, industrial hygienists should not overlook it as a route of exposure for occupational disease. If we do, we may not adequately recognize, evaluate, and control potential risks. Skin exposure should be integral to our hazard assessment and management system for workplace chemicals.
BY ROBERT N. PHALEN
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EMERGING ISSUES IN CANNABIS AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
SETTING PRIORITIES FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
All cannabis products except hemp remain illegal under U.S. federal law. But many states allow cannabis consumption for medicinal purposes, and the use of cannabis for treatment of work-related health conditions and coverage under workers’ compensation insurance are emerging occupational health and safety issues.
BY JOHN HOWARD, STEVEN WURZELBACHER, AND JAMIE OSBORNE
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BEHIND THE SCENES
AN INTRODUCTION TO IH AND OEHS IN TELEVISION AND FILM
Though the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes have temporarily halted the production of many films and television shows, Hollywood’s hazards and risks will remain when affected productions resume. To better understand the role of IH and OEHS in the entertainment industry, The Synergist spoke with several professionals who protect cast and crew members.BY KAY BECHTOLD
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CONTRIBUTORS
ROBERT N. PHALEN, FEATURE AUTHOR
Robert N. Phalen, PhD, CIH, FAIHA, is an industrial hygienist with expertise in chemical protective clothing, as well as a professor and program chair of Occupational Safety and Health at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, Houston, Texas.
JOHN HOWARD, FEATURE AUTHOR
John Howard, MD, MPH, JD, LLM, MBA, is the director of NIOSH and the administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
KAY BECHTOLD, FEATURE AUTHOR
Kay Bechtold is managing editor of The Synergist.
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The Synergist's mission is to provide AIHA members with news and information about the occupational and environmental health and safety fields and the industrial hygiene profession. The Synergist focuses on industry trends and news, government and regulatory activities, key issues facing the profession, appropriate technical information and news on association events and activities.
The Synergist's objective is to present information that is newsworthy and of general interest in industrial hygiene. Opinions, claims, conclusions, and positions expressed in this publication are the authors' or persons' quoted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, AIHA, or The Synergist.