Intermediat School Evacuated in Blue Island, IL

BLUE ISLAND, IL — according to the Chicago Tribune nearly two dozen student and 10 adults from an intermediate school were taken by ambulance to seven near by hospitals because of hazardous materials exposure.

According to Mayor Don Peloquin, a janitor mixed bleach with drain cleaner and was overcome by fumes.

The nursing supervisor at the Metro South Medical Center said the students brought to the hospital were observed for any adverse effects from the fumes, were treated and released, the article stated.

My Notes:

Who in the world trained this person, and why do they have Bleach in a school? Have you ever picked up an MSDS sheet on Bleach? It can cause Death, and mixed with a drain cleaner, your just asking for trouble. That's why MSDS, Blood Born Pathogens, and Right to Know training are very inportant. I belive in the dilution system where chemicals are premixed for you. Lesson to learn... NEVER MIX CHEMICALS!

Click here to read the complete article.

UPS Fined $1.3M by New York State

It seems that UPS has great procedures for inspecting vehicles but they fail to use them. The Investigation found that UPS was inspecting and passing their own vehicles even though they were in very poor condition. Becuase UPS has such a large fleet of vehicles they are licensed to condut their own inspections. They now must pay $1.3 million to New York State. As part of the agreement UPS now has an independent inspector who is approved by the attorney general's office to conduct vehicle inspection for five years.

One of their own mechanics blew the whistle on the company after he removed four truck from service in 2006 because they had cracked frames. UPS allowed the truck back on the road with out being repaired. It seems, throught the investigation, that this has been going on since 2004.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman stated "UPS knowingly endangered not only the lives of their own employees but the lives of the driving public by keeping these rotting and decaying trucks on the roadways, UPS was an accident waiting to happen."

OSHA Whistleblower Protection

What rights do you have when your employer takes action against you because you reported them to OSHA for safety violations in the workplace? Know your rights as an employee, everyone deserves to work in a safe environment and should not be forced to preform duties that endangers your livelihood.

For more information on how to report unsafe situations go here.
For more information about Title 29 of Code of Federal Regulations.

Environmental Toxins: Hindering Our Efforts To Live A Green & Healthy Lifestyle

Written by Krista Peterson

Both our planet and our health are worth preserving. Unfortunately, the manufacturing and circulation of environmental toxins like BPA, asbestos, and particulate matter are suffocating the efforts of many Americans who are striving to live green.

Bisphenol A (BPA) and chemicals called phthalates are ingredients in many of the plastic products we use today, including baby bottles and children’s toys. Studies are showing that these chemicals are the cause of developmental issues brought on by the altering of the endocrine system’s processes. In fact, these toxins may be partly to blame for diseases that have haunted us for ages, including diabetes, autism, ADHD, and cancer. We are often exposed to BPA through food packaging, though, according to the EPA, food packaging manufacturing accounts for only 5% of BPA used in the United States.

Besides BPA and the negative effects it can have on our health, there are other environmental toxins. Asbestos is a natural mineral that was used in the construction of buildings, ships, and car parts in the US as early as the 1920’s. Asbestos was used for its fire resistance, and is generally harmless when left undisturbed. However, when asbestos products are tampered with or damaged, their fibers are released into the air and inhaled or ingested. The result is a cancer called mesothelioma. Mesothelioma symptoms are latent for 20-50 years after asbestos exposure and those diagnosed with the cancer statistically live for a few short months.

In addition to the dangers of asbestos, particulate matter, yet another environmental toxin, negatively affects our health. It is a complex conglomeration of tiny particles and drops of liquid consisting of nitrates, sulfates, metals, and organic chemicals. The smaller the particles, the more detrimental they are to our well-being and the easier it is for them to enter the lungs. Particulate matter poisoning may result in asthma, chronic bronchitis, heart disease, coughing, and difficulty breathing. By reducing our dependency diesel and petroleum powered vehicles and power plants.

Though the 2010 Californian BPA ban was unsuccessful, it is up to us to protect ourselves and to preserve our planet. By reducing our usage of plastic products, we can reduce the manufacturing of BPA and similar toxins. Also, if mesothelioma symptoms or asbestos exposure are suspected, see a physician. Those around you may be at risk as well, and your vigilance could better their chances of avoiding or recovering from mesothelioma. Finally, by speaking out against businesses and products that produce particulate matter, we can free our air and secure our long-term health.

What's in your hotel room?

WASHINGTON — Philip Tierno doesn't feel comfortable staying in hotels because he knows too much, according to CNN Travel.

The microbiologist travels with an impervious mattress and pillow cover to protect against the unseen debris that guests leave behind in what he compares to the lost Roman civilization, particles "literally buried over time" in the bed, the article stated.

"What I'm saying is it's not just you in bed, it's who comes after you," said Tierno, director of microbiology and immunology at New York University's Langone Medical Center.

More disturbingly, it's who comes before you, too, the article noted.

According to the article, you can probably imagine what might be lurking in the mattress, but here's a sampling for those who hesitated: skin cells (when humans sleep they shed about 1.5 million cells or cell clusters an hour), human hair, bodily secretions, fungi, bacteria, dust, dust mites, lint, insect parts, pollen, cosmetics ... and more.

Germs also tend to congregate in places touched multiple times by multiple people that may not be cleaned thoroughly, if at all — the interior doorknob, the telephone, the remote control and the alarm clock, the article added.

Click here to read the complete article.

The Smell in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco's big push for low-flow toilets has turned into a multimillion-dollar plumbing stink, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Skimping on toilet water has resulted in more sludge backing up inside the sewer pipes, which has created a rotten-egg stench near AT&T Park and elsewhere, especially during the dry summer months, the article stated.

The city has already spent $100 million over the past five years to upgrade its sewer system and sewage plants, in part to combat the odor problem, the article noted.

According to the article, officials are stocking up on a $14 million, three-year supply of highly concentrated sodium hypochlorite — better known as bleach — to act as an odor eater and to disinfect the city's treated water before it's dumped into the bay: It will also be used to sanitize drinking water.

That translates into 8.5 million pounds of bleach either being poured down city drains or into the drinking water supply every year, the article added.

Click here to read the complete article.

UGL Services contracted to clean New Meadowlands Stadium

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — UGL Services, a division of UGL Limited, has announced that it has signed a five-year contract, with three one-year extensions, with the New Meadowlands Stadium Company LLC, according to a press release.

Under the contract, UGL Services provides pre-event, event and post-event stadium cleaning, plaza policing and snow removal services, the release noted.

Along with the full portfolio of value-added services, the New Meadowlands Stadium will benefit from UGL Services' advanced employee training, the UGL Services GreenClean sustainability and recycling program, the UNI-Q^® proprietary handheld inspection and web-based performance reporting system and the company's Program Absolutes quality assurance initiative, the release stated.

"The New Meadowlands Stadium is a significant addition to our prestigious lineup of sports and entertainment customers. They'll reap the benefits of our extensive facility services capabilities in the tri-state area. UGL Services is proud to support this fantastic new venue," said UGL Services Senior Vice President Michael Dunn.

Click here to read the complete release.

Cleaning firms accused of defrauding seniors

SCHAUMBURG, IL — Attorney General Lisa Madigan is suing a Schaumburg man and his two cleaning businesses, claiming he targeted senior citizens by encouraging them to purchase services they didn't need, according to Trib Local.

The lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, names Moshe Kesem of Schaumburg and his two Schaumburg-based businesses, Warranty USA Inc. and Air Duct Cleaning Pros, the article noted.

Since November 2009, Kesem charged customers for expensive work repairing mold and mildew damage, but, according to the lawsuit, there was no damage, the article stated.

"This company targeted vulnerable seniors and deceived homeowners into purchasing services they didn't need," Madigan said in a statement.

According to the article, Madigan alleges Kesem showed customers fake photos of mold and mildew damage in order to prompt them to purchase the services.

Customers have reported to Madigan's office more than $17,350 in fraudulent charges from Kesem, the article added.

Click here to read the complete article.

EPA honors Navato Unified School District's efforts to improve indoor air quality

SAN FRANCISCO — The Novato Unified School District has been honored with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 2010 Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools National Excellence Award for its exemplary efforts to improve indoor air quality for students, teachers and staff, according to a press release.

EPA created the IAQ Tools for Schools program nearly 20 years ago in response to studies that revealed the increasing age and deterioration of the nation's school buildings, the alarming rise in asthma and allergies among schoolchildren and the knowledge that indoor air pollutants can bring about or even worsen a variety of health problems, the release stated.

"Novato Unified School District is demonstrating national leadership through its commitment to promote healthy indoor air quality in their community's schools," said Mike Flynn, director of EPA's Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.

"Their work is helping to protect the health and support the performance of students, faculty and staff. We are proud of their valuable efforts and commend them on this outstanding accomplishment," Flynn added.

The relationship between indoor air quality and student performance and productivity is clear: Research suggests that students attending schools in poor conditions score 11 percent lower on standardized tests than students who attend schools in good conditions, the release noted.

According to the release, with nearly 55 million children spending their days inside 132,000 public and private school buildings in the United States, managing indoor air quality in schools is a vital part of improving student performance and achievement.

Click here to read the complete release.

Dirtiest hotels in the United States

WASHINGTON — With the recent resurgence of bedbugs, most hotels are being extra careful when it comes to cleanliness; some, however, haven't done such a good job, according to TripAdvisor.

TripAdvisor has compiled a list of the dirtiest hotels throughout Asia, Europe, India and the United States, based on user reviews of those hotels, the site stated.

The site compiled a list of the top 10 hotels with the highest percentage of reviewers who would not recommend staying there.

The list is accompanied by excerpts from actual reviews, along with photo documentation of all the dirt and decay.

Click around, if you dare.

Florida gets first LEED-certified acute care building

LUTZ, FL — St. Joseph's Hospital-North, incorporated with evidence-based and eco-friendly design features, has achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certification, becoming the first acute care hospital in Florida to do so, according to the World Interior Design Network.

The $225 million facility has been designed based on environmentally sustainable philosophy featuring ample landscape of open space, providing habitat for wildlife and natural views for patients, the article noted.

The environmentally-friendly building is made of materials that support energy conservation and clean air with low chemical emissions and recycled content; it is designed and developed to meet key categories to achieve green building certification, the article stated.

According to the article, some of the energy saving strategies include: Individual controls for lighting and heating to promote productivity, comfort and well-being of building occupants; high-efficiency systems to lessen energy consumption; and usage of 12 percent less energy than a standard building.

Click here to read the complete article.

Maintenance man escaped Metrodome collapse on forklift

Click here to read the complete article.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — It was one of the most-viewed videos of the weekend: Fox Sports' exclusive footage of the collapse of the Metrodome from inside, according to City Pages.

Producers suspected the Dome was going to give-way and wisely left their cameras running overnight, which is how they captured the 5 a.m. collapse, the article noted.

According to the article, one question remained unanswered — who or what was the shadowy creature on the far sideline who just barely escaped the deluge with his life?

Some suggested it looked like a dog, a horse or a ghost, while some jokingly suggested it was Brett Favre or Zygi Wilf running away from the hole with scissors, the article stated.

"It is one of our maintenance men who was emptying large buckets," said Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission Director Bill Lester.

The maintenance man, who wishes to remain anonymous, wasn't even supposed to be on-duty at the time of the collapse, but was helping out, the article added.

Most Americans consider showing up to work when sick

PARSIPPANY, NJ — It's going to take more than a cold or a flu to get between most Americans and their jobs this cold and flu season, according to a press release.

A national telephone survey conducted by HALLS^®, America's number one selling cough drop, found that most working Americans won't sacrifice a sick day this year for most cold and flu symptoms, including a cough, sore throat, body aches and sinus headache, the release noted.

Nearly half of Americans, 44 percent, would consider going to work with a fever, while about a third of Americans, 32 percent, said they would show up to work no matter how sick they get this season, the release stated.

According to the release, the results aren't all that surprising based on the country's current economic conditions: With an unemployment rate upwards of nine percent this October, according to the latest from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the survey revealed that one in five Americans, 19 percent, feel pressure by their boss or supervisor to head into work when they're sick.

"While HALLS doesn't condone anyone going to work when they're sick, it's clear that many Americans plan to defy the advice of most experts and try to fight through this cold and flu season at work," said Sebastian Genesio, marketing director at HALLS.

"Since we know that the economic climate has made an impact on the workplace, we conducted the survey to specifically see how Americans are affected by common cold and flu symptoms when it comes to work, and to identify any concerns they have about taking time off when they're sick," Genesio added.

Click here to read the complete release.

Housekeeper finds body parts

LOS ANGELES — What was a typical day for a housekeeper in a Los Angeles hotel turned into a real life nightmare, according to USA Today.

During a routine cleaning of a room at the Continental Hotel in Los Angeles, a housekeeper picked up a backpack left behind in a guest room and found body parts, the article stated.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the body of 49-year-old Herbert White was found on November 29 and was "cut up into five different parts — basically his limbs were removed," the article noted.

According to the article, a Pennsylvania couple has been charged with heinous crime and the Los Angeles district attorney issued a warrant for the couple's arrest, charging them with capital murder involving torture.

Additional body parts were found wrapped in blankets underneath the bed, and a knife was found in the hotel room, the article added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Superbugs hit crowded Ottawa hospital

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Hospital is blaming overcrowding for an outbreak of antibiotic-resistant "superbug" bacteria at its Civic and General campuses, according to CBC News.

Both campuses of the hospital are fighting outbreaks of vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), while the Civic campus's intensive-care unit has six patients who've been isolated with Clostridium difficile (C. diff), which causes severe vomiting and diarrhea, the article stated.

An outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has also hit a section of the Civic campus, the article noted.

Dr. Kathy Suh, director for infectious diseases at the hospital, said hospitals often have to deal with these germs each year, but said the incidents of VRE this year are particularly high.

"We try to identify patients who have these early, admit them to private rooms where possible, and then for staff we require they wear special protective equipment before they go in to care for these patients," said Suh.

According to the article, the hospital has increased cleaning and housekeeping of patient rooms and equipment and is reminding all visitors and staff to wash hands frequently and use alcohol-based hand rubs to stop infection.

Click here to read the complete article.

Shigellosis cases on the rise in child care facilities

WILMINGTON, NC — The number of Shigellosis cases in New Hanover County are on the rise, according to WECT-TV.

The health department stresses the importance of good hand washing practices to prevent the spread of the illness, the article noted.

According to the article, Shigellosis is a diarrheal illness caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella and is usually transmitted when an infected person fails to properly wash their hands after using the restroom.

Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, cramping, nausea and vomiting: Children and providers can quickly spread the infection to parents, siblings or other children, the article stated.

Daycare facilities are responsible for excluding any child from care that has diarrhea and refer them to their medical care provider for evaluation, the article added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Former janitor accused in $340,000 stock scam

CLEVELAND — A former custodian with stem cell developer Athersys has been accused by federal prosecutors of running a stock scam that bilked would-be investors out of $340,000 over six years, according to MedCity News.

Ronald Olear, 57, in some cases stole stock certificates to aid in his scheme, which involved selling bogus shares of stock to about 30 investors, the article stated.

The plot ran from 2003 to 2009, the year in which Olear was fired from his Athersys job, the article noted.

According to the article, Olear allegedly used the proceeds to help build a $600,000 house.

Athersys fired Olear shortly after learning of the allegations and said the ex-custodian's actions have had no impact on the company or its operations, the article added.

Click hereto read the complete article.

Shigellosis cases on the rise in child care facilities

WILMINGTON, NC — The number of Shigellosis cases in New Hanover County are on the rise, according to WECT-TV.

The health department stresses the importance of good hand washing practices to prevent the spread of the illness, the article noted.

According to the article, Shigellosis is a diarrheal illness caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella and is usually transmitted when an infected person fails to properly wash their hands after using the restroom.

Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, cramping, nausea and vomiting: Children and providers can quickly spread the infection to parents, siblings or other children, the article stated.

Daycare facilities are responsible for excluding any child from care that has diarrhea and refer them to their medical care provider for evaluation, the article added.

Click here to read the complete article.

'Project Haiti' to help orphans build a home

WASHINGTON DC — The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is hosting a fundraising drive to help design and construct a new Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified orphanage in Haiti replacing the facility that was destroyed during the recent earthquake, according to a press release.

The announcement was made at Greenbuild 2010 in Chicago during the closing plenary, the release noted.

Together with the Lend Lease Corporation, USGBC has committed to catalyzing the unrivaled passion, expertise and generosity of the green building movement to provide the people of Haiti with both a powerful symbol of hope for the future and a model of sustainable building practices upon which to rebuild their nation, the release stated.

According to the release, once the center is constructed, it will be operated by Fondation Enfant Jesus, which operated the original orphanage on the building site.

Donations can be made through the USGBC site, the release added.

Click here to read the complete release.

ARAMARK Sports and Entertainment achieves ISSA certifications

I worked for Aramark Sports and Entertainmet back in 2007 so I am happy to report this story:

PHILADELPHIA — ARAMARK Sports and Entertainment, a leading provider of professional services at sports and entertainment facilities, convention centers and parks and other destinations, has received Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) and CIMS-Green Building (CIMS-GB) certification with Honors by ISSA, according to a press release.

This achievement recognizes ARAMARK's commitment to promoting cleaning operations that deliver consistent, quality services designed to meet customers' needs and expectations, the release stated.

"This prestigious honor is a testament to our facility services team's hardwork and devotion to developing cleaning programs and solutions that produce fresh and inviting environments for guests every time they attend an event at one of our venues," said Jack O'Brien, president of convention centers, facilities and culinary operations, ARAMARK Sports and Entertainment.

ARAMARK Sports and Entertainment partners with 19 clients to provide a wide variety of facility services, including maintenance, engineering, janitorial, custodial, landscaping, housekeeping, energy management and set-up and venue conversion, the release noted.

Click here to read the complete release.