EH & S Bulletins

OSHA Hazard Communication Update

bcabezas — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 20:24:03 +0000

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued an updated Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) that is aligned with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). Changes to the standard include revised definitions, additional label elements and standardization of Safety Data Sheets. Employees must be trained on the new label elements and the Safety Data Sheet format by December 1, 2013. Additional information on the new OSHA Haz Com Standard may be found at http://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/index.html.

Hurricane Preparedness Week 2012

bcabezas — Thu, 31 May 2012 15:42:10 +0000

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Hurricane Center has kicked off hurricane season with Hurricane Preparedness Week from May 27th to June 2nd. Among the features of the week is an instructional video series consisting of brief videos focused on hurricane hazards, the forecast process, preparing a plan and taking action. New York City’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is also taking part in Hurricane Preparedness Week and has released an updated “Ready New York: Hurricanes and New York City” guide and issued a press release emphasizing the importance of preparing for hurricane season. The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1st to November 30th.

September is National Preparedness Month

bcabezas — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:52:26 +0000

NYC Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Joseph Bruno kicked off National Preparedness Month recalling the recent Hurricane Irene and earthquake events. National Preparedness Month is a nationwide campaign to promote emergency preparedness and encourage volunteerism and it continues to expand. OEM has developed an initiative, “Partners in Preparedness”, that challenges businesses to prepare their employees for emergencies; has developed Ready New York public service advertisements; and reminds everyone through demonstrations and presentations to make a plan and have an emergency kit.

As part of National Preparedness Month, OEM encourages everyone to sign up for Notify NYC https://a858-nycnotify.nyc.gov/notifynyc/, the city’s source of information for emergency events and important City services. CUNY also encourages you to sign up for the local CUNYAlert that will provide important information on campus emergencies, http://www.cuny.edu/news/alert.html. For more information about NYC’s preparedness month events, visit http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/get_prepared/prepared_npm.shtml.

Hurricane Preparedness 2011

bcabezas — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 21:41:00 +0000

As hurricane season continues in the Northeast, the Office of Environmental, Health, Safety and Risk Management wanted to impart some information on precautions that may be taken to ensure the safety of each student, faculty and staff member. New York City’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has developed informational brochures to prepare New Yorkers for hurricanes as well as a map identifying evacuation zones and centers. Use the zone finder to determine if you are in an evacuation zone. For up to date announcements, visit the Mayor’s Office at nyc.gov.

Increased Temperatures, Increased Risks

bcabezas — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:56:29 +0000

As the heat rises, so too does the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The extreme heat is particularly difficult on the elderly and individuals living with chronic health conditions. The best way to prevent heat-related health risks is to stay in an air-conditioned place. If you must exercise or work outside, make sure you do so in the coolest part of the day and stay hydrated. When the heat index – a measure of temperature and humidity – is expected to be dangerously high, cooling centers – public spaces open to anyone to cool off – will be opened to provide relief.

It is also important to remember that opening a fire hydrant without a spray cap is illgal and could hamper firefighting efforts by reducing the water pressure. You can get an approved spray cap at your local firehouse.

For more information on etreme heat, please visit the New York City Office of Emergency Management website.

NYC DOHMH Launches Bed Bug Website

bcabezas — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:57:55 +0000

To address the concern over bed bugs, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has launched a new bed bug website – www.nyc.gov/bedbugs. This interactive website has useful information on several topics as well as links to a wide variety of related resources. Some of the topics covered are precautions to take to prevent bed bugs in your home, what to do if bed bugs are found, and how to select and work with a pest management professional.

Business Continuity Awareness Week 2011

bcabezas — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 14:54:15 +0000

The Business Continuity Institute (BCI), an international resource for business continuity practitioners, declared March 21st to March 25th Business Continuity Awareness Week. The week is designed to promote business continuity management through educational events. BCI will be conducting free webcasts throughout the week to educate interested participants on the nuances of business continuity management. BCI has also developed a business continuity simulation game, BC24, to provide players the opportunity to manage a complex and unexpected crisis scenario. For more information on the webcasts and simulation game, please visit http://www.bcaw2011.com/.

Additional business continuity training opportunities are being offered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Training opportunities include a Joint NYC/NJ COOP Manager’s Course, a Pandemic Course and a NYC/NJ Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) Training Course. For more information on these training opportunities, please visit the NYC and Northern NJ Continuity Working Groups 2011 Schedule.

Cold Weather Safety

bcabezas — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 22:20:54 +0000

New York City is turning into a winter wonderland, which makes for some treacherous conditions. The regular snowfalls and cold temperatures have led to icy walkways and roads and can affect the integrity of your home. A number of different agencies have provided safety tips for this winter season. Here are some highlights: wear a hat, hood, or scarf; wear layers; avoid overexertion outside; stay dry; keep combustible materials away from a portable space heater; install a smoke detector and a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector and test the batteries each month; caulk and weather-strip doors and windows; insulate any water lines that run along outer walls; and check the antifreeze level in your car. For more information, please visit:

New York City Housing Authority, http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycha/html/home/home.shtml

New York City Department of Buildings, http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/html/home/home.shtml

New York City Office of Emergency Management, http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/home/home.shtml

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/

Con Edison, http://www.coned.com/customercentral/coldweather.asp.

NYC DOHMH Briefs EHSO Council on Bed Bugs

bcabezas — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 21:54:10 +0000

Sharon Heath of the NYC Department of Mental Health and Hygiene briefed the EHSO Council on bed bug control practices at the Council’s October meeting. Although bed bugs do not pose any health risk, quick and decisive action is required to minimize the bed bug’s notoriously bad stigma.

According to Ms. Heath, proper preparedness for bed bug cases requires a dynamic toolkit, including Bed Bug Response Procedures, adequate training of facilities staff, and a Bed Bug Control Log to track past sightings and mitigation strategies. Students must also be informed of their control responsibilities to maximize the effectiveness of the campus’s bed bug action plan.

Access to informational materials on bed bug, such as the complete National Center for Healthy Housing’s analysis on best practices for bed bug control may be found here.

September 2010 = National Preparedness Month

bcabezas — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:23:04 +0000

National Preparedness Month (NPM) calls our attention to the importance of being prepared for all emergencies. Proper preparedness includes having an Emergency Supply Kit, making a Family Emergency Plan, and staying informed about emergencies and appropriate responses. Activities stressing the importance of emergency preparedness will be held throughout the month and a calendar of events may be found online at the NYC Office of Emergency Management’s (OEM) website (http://www.nyc.gov/oem). To commemorate the start of NPM, on September 2^nd, OEM is hosting kick-off events in all five boroughs. OEM is also taking this opportunity to remind New Yorkers to stay informed of emergency events and important NYC services by signing up for Notify NYC (https://a858-nycnotify.nyc.gov/notifynyc/). Visit Ready.gov (http://www.ready.gov/) for more information on NPM activities and emergency preparedness.