READ: US DOT 2020 Emergency Response Guidebook Part One

READ: US DOT 2020 Emergency Response Guidebook Part One

(4 RC) - A guidebook intended for use by first responders during the initial phase of a transportation incident involving hazardous materials/dangerous goods. Based on information provided, this will set in motion a series of events. Actions may range from dispatching additional trained personnel to the scene, to activating the local emergency response plan… (US DOT, Jan. 2020)

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READ: Proposed Guidance for COVID-19 Pneumonia Respiratory Follow-up

READ: Proposed Guidance for COVID-19 Pneumonia Respiratory Follow-up

(1/2 RC) - This guidance is intended to be pragmatic but sufficiently detailed to allow timely identification of patients experiencing persistent or evolving respiratory complications of COVID-19. Where possible this guidance suggests virtual solutions at relevant points along the patient pathway with the goal of mitigating … (British Thoracic Society, May 2020)

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READ: NHS (UK) Clinical Management for suspected COVID-19 infection

READ: NHS (UK) Clinical Management for suspected COVID-19 infection

(1 RC) - This guidance is for clinicians caring for adults and children admitted to hospital with suspected COVID-19 infection. It does not replace clinical judgement or specialist consultation. COVID-19 infection may present with mild, moderate or severe illness; the latter includes severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis and septic shock. Early recognition of suspected patients… (NHS, Jan. 2020)

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WATCH: OSHA - Respiratory Protection in General Industry

WATCH: OSHA - Respiratory Protection in General Industry

(0.50 RCs) - This video provides a brief overview and general information on respiratory hazards in General Industry and respiratory protection program requirements. OSHA uses the term General Industry to refer to all Industries not included in agriculture, construction, or Maritime. Federal occupational safety and health administration (also called OSHA) and state OSHA agencies require employers … (OSHA, 2012)

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READ: CDC - Weekly Report 69:44 (COVID-19)

READ: CDC - Weekly Report 69:44 (COVID-19)

(4 RC) - These findings suggest that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 within households is high, occurs quickly, and can originate from both children and adults. Prompt adoption of disease control measures, including self-isolating at home, appropriate self-quarantine of household contacts, and all household members wearing a mask in shared spaces, can reduce the probability of household transmission … (CDC, Nov. 2020)

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READ: OSHA - Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

READ: OSHA - Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

(3 RC) - Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It has spread from China to many other countries around the world, including the United States. Depending on the severity of COVID-19’s international impacts, outbreak conditions—including those rising to the level of a pandemic—can affect...(OSHA, 2020)

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READ: WHO - COVID-19 Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities

READ: WHO - COVID-19 Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities

(3 RC) - WHO has developed the “Infection prevention and control health-care facility response for COVID-19” monitoring tool. This tool has been designed to assess infection prevention and control capacities to respond to COVID-19 in health facilities. This tool forms part of a wider suite of health service capacity assessment tools…(WHO, 2020)

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READ: CDC - COVID-19 Infection Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel

READ: CDC - COVID-19 Infection Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel

(1 RC) - This document provides CDC recommendations for healthcare workers with respect to infection control concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. This guidance is applicable to all U.S. settings where healthcare is delivered. This guidance is not intended for non-healthcare settings (e.g., restaurants) OR for persons outside of healthcare settings…(CDC, 2019)

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READ: Thunderstorms, Asthma, and Pollen Allergy

READ: Thunderstorms, Asthma, and Pollen Allergy

(1 RC) - These papers discuss thunderstorms as a risk factor for asthma and explore their relationship to pollen allergy. There is evidence that thunderstorms trigger epidemics of exacerbations of asthma during the pollen season by washing down pollen grains and concentrating them in a band of air at ground level…(Thorax/BMJ, 1997)

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READ: Endotoxin and (1--3)-beta-D-Glucan in Homes and Farms

READ: Endotoxin and (1--3)-beta-D-Glucan in Homes and Farms

(1 RC) - This study compares the proportions of PM1 endotoxin and 1-3-beta-D-glucan in homes compared to farms. The study emphasizes the importance of conducting size-selective air sampling for microbial exposure assessment in homes. Personal exposure to microbial biomarkers including gram-negative bacterial endotoxin…(Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 2011)

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READ: (1--3)-beta-D-Glucan and Indoor Air-Related Effects

READ: (1--3)-beta-D-Glucan and Indoor Air-Related Effects

(1 RC) - This paper reviews field studies in which (1-3)-beta-D-Glucan was measured as a marker to characterize the extent of symptoms and measures of inflammation among subjects exposed to indoor mold. Many studies show a relationship between symptoms and a history of dampness or flooding of buildings…(Environmental Health Perspectives, 1999)

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READ: Reducing Allergen Exposures

READ: Reducing Allergen Exposures

(1 RC) - This paper discusses strategies for reducing allergen exposures in the home. Homes cannot be made allergen free, but exposure to the major indoor allergens can be reduced. All reduction recommendations are based on the principle of reducing or isolating the source, certain recommendations can be made on the basis of published evidence…(Johns Hopkins University, 2005)

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READ: HUD - Healthy Homes Issues: Residential Assessment

READ: HUD - Healthy Homes Issues: Residential Assessment

(4 RC) - This background paper addresses the assessment of all types of hazards that may exist in homes, including biological, chemical, physical, structural, and behavioral. It introduces the reader to methods to assess for health and safety hazards, and discusses widely available visual assessment…(HUD, 2012)

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READ: House Dust Endotoxins and Asthma in Children

READ: House Dust Endotoxins and Asthma in Children

(1 RC) - This study explores the relationship between endotoxins and other contaminants found in house dust and the exacerbation of asthma symptoms in children. Microbial exposure in the indoor environment has long since been recognized as a potential cause of respiratory or other disorders. Reports of ill health related to microbial exposure have already appeared…(American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2000)

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READ: NIOSH - HHE Fayette County Courthouse

READ: NIOSH - HHE Fayette County Courthouse

(4 RC) - This HHE conducted by the CDC and NIOSH investigates the air quality of a county courthouse in Fayette county, looking for mold and other noxious air quality influencers. Employees had reported a variety of health concerns: headaches, nausea, tiredness, nasal and sinus symptoms, vomiting, burning eyes, sore throats, breathing problems, coughing, ear infections…(NIOSH, 2002)

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READ: NIOSH - HHE Teletech

READ: NIOSH - HHE Teletech

(1 RC) - This HHE conducted by NIOSH and the CDC investigates a Teletech call center building to monitor and adjust the indoor environmental quality. Primary health concerns were: frequent sinus infections, respiratory infections, indoor allergies of unknown origin, hives, and skin rashes. Listed exposures included air fresheners, dirty air ducts and vents…(NIOSH, 2004)

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READ: NIOSH - HHE Environmental Protection Department West Virginia

READ: NIOSH - HHE Environmental Protection Department West Virginia

(1 RC) - In June 2001, a middle-aged couple with a history of smoking moved into a newly built, two-story, woodframed home with a finished basement and adjacent crawlspace on land that was formerly mined. Shortly after occupancy, the 42-year old woman noted new-onset shortness of breath, lightheadedness, dizziness, and fatigue while in the basement… (NIOSH, 2004)

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