Questions and Answers
NIST stands for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, it was founded in 1901 by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The National Institute of Standards and Technology aims to promote innovation and industrial competitiveness within the United States through measurement science, standards, and other technology. To do this, NIST activity is broken up into … Read more
LEL (lower explosive limit) and LFL (lower flammable limit) are used interchangeably according to fire science literature and regulation. The LEL is the defined minimum concentration of gases and vapors suspended in the air that allows for ignition in the presence of an energy source. On the opposite spectrum there is the UEL (upper flammable … Read more
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention known as the CDC, is one of the largest components of the Department of Health and Human Services. The federal agency’s story began during the summer of 1946 when malaria was rampant in the South. Their sole mission back then was to prevent the disease from spreading any … Read more
An automated external defibrillator, also known as an AED, is used in emergency situations where someone is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. AEDs are small easy to use devices that deliver an electrical shock, known as defibrillation, to the affected person. That shock assists in re-establishing the heart’s proper rhythm. The two abnormal heart rhythms that … Read more
A Material Safety Data Sheet, often referred to as an MSDS, holds pertinent information about the physical properties of a hazardous substance. However, the term MSDS has been changed to SDS, Safety Data Sheet, in recent years. This type of document is required by OSHA under the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) in 29 CFR 1910.1200(g). … Read more
Air-purifying respirators, commonly known an APRs come in handy when working in hazardous environments. They can be seen in situations where healthcare professionals are dealing with infectious diseases, first responders may use them during natural disasters, and more commonly used in occupations that entail working in conditions with high volumes of particulates like dust, vapors, … Read more
The Code of Federal regulations, also referred to as CFR, is a compilation of mandatory laws that have been created by several federal regulatory agencies. An example of one of those regulatory agencies is OSHA, one of the most familiar organizations to all those involved in the workforce. Currently, there are a total of 50 … Read more
HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. These are essential components in any sort of industry as they not only provide comfort to the employer, employees, and visitors, but they also mediate the indoor air quality (IAQ). Without proper attention, the IAQ conditions can become dangerous due to poor ventilation of things such as … Read more
ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, is an independent non-government affiliated standard setting entity founded in February of 1947. There are three different membership opportunities attainable in this standard setting organization. The first and most influential position is the “Full member” who participates and votes in ISO policy meetings. Currently there are 164 full members … Read more