Local emphasis program will focus on Nebraska companies using highly hazardous chemicals

OSHA is launching a local emphasis program in Nebraska to educate employers and workers about highly hazardous chemicals, including formaldehyde and methylene chloride. The program will include outreach and education to employers, as well as programmed health inspections in industries, such as funeral homes, chemical and product manufacturing plants, printing facilities and outpatient care centers.

American workers use tens of thousands of chemicals every day. As a result, workers suffer more than 190,000 illnesses and 50,000 deaths annually related to chemical exposures. Workplace chemical exposures have been linked to cancers, and other lung, kidney, skin, heart, stomach, brain, nerve, and reproductive diseases.

"This local emphasis program will allow OSHA to use its resources efficiently by focusing on industries that are known to use these types of highly hazardous chemicals," said Bonita Winingham, area director for OSHA in Omaha. "Through this program, OSHA will improve education for company management and strengthen worker protections."

For more information, read the news release. To learn more about how safer chemicals can be used in place of hazardous ones in the workplace, visit OSHA's safer chemicals toolkit.

Ralph Stuart

secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org

Secretary

Division of Chemical Health and Safety

American Chemical Society