2008 BLS stats

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics has released the official Injury and Illness statistics for the 2008 calendar year. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/osh2.nr0.htm Table 23 is usually one of particular interest to me: this breaks down the data by causation, rather than industry. Not that the social demographics aren't interesting - but I can't control the demographics of my work place. The cause (fall, exposure, etc.) are what industrial hygienists are out to control. Hopefully the fatality data will be later today.

Ammonia - again

Monday afternoon in Twin Cities: 1 trucker dies and another is seriously injured after a release of anhydrous ammonia. Wednesday afternoon on border between MN / SD: tractor-trailer accident carrying 40,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia caused evacuation of SD town. No one killed; injuries from exposure for truck drivers. "... estimated that between 500 and 1,000 pounds of chemical leaked, creating only a small cloud."

age-limited access to health care

Access to health care is usually presented as a function of income, proximity to services, or cultural dictates. Oddly, it can also be a function of age: Children also need a birth certificate to be eligible for the vaccination programme available to under five year olds. Those who are ineligible are left vulnerable to preventable diseases, a common problem in Cameroon. Given the child mortality rates (i.e. deaths under 5 yrs age) in under-developed countries, and the urgency to vaccinate as a public health measure ... I'm stunned that the gov't would refuse to vaccinate anyone under 5 just because of a birth certificate. I understand the need to control when the child gets vaccinated and make sure the child doesn't get too many. Although I'm equally sure that if the parents are well-off they could get their kid the shots.

Lego safety

Of course, you go looking for one thing on YouTube, you find zillions. This is totally awesome:

Bad engineering?

Sure, knock down the end of the shelves ... knock over all of the boxes ... but this degree of destruction? Holy cow. According to the video poster, it's in a Russian vodka warehouse. Now, lest you think we are exempt from disasters due to employee ignorance/inadequacy: WGN, a radio station in Chicago, has a video that's rather amusing, especially the last 20 seconds of their commentary.