Cal/OSHA's Standards Board passed the Indoor Heat standard, California Code of Regulations, Title 8, section 3396, "Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment" on June 20th. The standard offers protections to indoor workers from heat hazards and will be under review by the Office of Administrative Law for 30 days. The standard, if approved, would address workplace cooling, provision of water, as well as rest breaks for employees.

The updated Cal/OSHA lead standard was approved on Feb 15, 2024, and is anticipated to go into effect Jan 1, 2025. It will replace the original standard from 1978. Changes to the permissible exposure limit and action level, workplace hygiene practices, as well as medical surveillance were updated in the new standard.

The present permissible exposure limit (PEL) for lead is 50 µg/M3, as an eight-hour time-weighted average, with an action level of 30 µg/M3.

Climate change is a pressing public health crisis that is already impacting the world of work. Join the Northern California Centers for Occupational and Environmental Health for a deep dive into the chemical, biological, and physical hazards of navigating climate extremes. Learn about the rising prevalence of Valley Fever, a fungal infection caused by inhaling dust or soil particles, particularly in drought-affected regions.

Summer weather is here, and Cal/OSHA's heat illness prevention standard must be followed at all outdoor worksites. Employer responsibilities include providing outdoor workers with:

• Fresh water
• Access to shade
• Cool-down rest breaks

Training is KEY to preventing heat-related injuries. Both supervisors and employees must know the common signs and symptoms of heat illness, and how to respond in case of emergency.

In August 2022, the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association provided updated guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure). The new categories include:

The COEH Builds Bridges symposium was launched in 2017 and rotates biannually between Berkeley and Sacramento, CA. The 2023 event will be held in person in Sacramento, CA serving as a merger of the 45th Annual UC Berkeley Lela Morris Symposium and 41st Annual UC Davis Occupational and Environmental Medicine Symposium.

California has been experiencing some extreme weather during this last week. Painfully hot and humid conditions have been making it difficult to stay cool. Preventative and occupational medicine expert, and our Medical Director, Dr. Sheri Belafsky was able to provide some helpful advice to avoid overheating in a recent interview with ABC 10. Read up on her tips for staying cool HERE or watch the video below.

A recent graphic created by Dr. Phil Harber, Prof. of Public Health, University of Arizona and Prof. Emeritus, UCLA
illustrates the decision-making in selecting personal protective equipment.  In choosing the right protection, consider these factors:

The California Department of Public Health in raising awareness about lead safety this week.  The most common way for adults to encounter lead is in their workplaces.  Safe practices when working around lead can entirely prevent lead poisoning.  Visit the CDPH’s Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Program for more information for both employees and employers: click here 

How lead can enter the body: 

On July 18, 2019, California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards board adopted an emergency regulation to protect outdoor workers from wildfire smoke exposure.  Employers, please be aware of your new responsibilities:

Check the Air Quality Index (AQI) for PM 2.5 in areas where workers are located (airnow.gov).  If the PM2.5 is > 151, then employers must:

1. Relocate employees to work indoors or to an outdoor location where the PM 2.5 level is 150 or lower

OR

Does plant-based mean vegetarian?

Plant-based eating means focusing on eating foods from plant sources, such as vegetables, grains, and legumes.  People who choose to eat this way may still eat meat and dairy, they do so in smaller amounts.

Why adopt this style of eating?

Decades of research on plant-based eating have shown considerable health benefits such as lower risks of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.

Which diets in particular are recommended?

UC Davis Medical Surveillance Program Medical Director, Dr. Sheri Belafsky, was recently interviewed by Healthline's Health News. Her expert opinion was solicited to weigh in on the correlation between an increased risk of miscarriage and pregnant women working night shifts, a concern that was researched in the Danish Study.

Dr. Belafsky had advised that further research following the Danish study would be beneficial.

Why replace traditional cleaning products with plant-based ones? 

New recommendations may change the way you think about blood pressure.  The ACC/AHA* developed these categories for defining and treating high blood pressure in 2017: