Is blogging an effective learning tool?

Throughout this class all semester long we have done blogs every week to learn more about what has been being lectured in class.  Sometimes, the blogs have been on topics that haven't been lectured much on, as well.  So the question is, if blogging has been an effective learning tool this semester.  I would say yes, blogging has definitely been an effective learning tool.  How can blogging be effective to help you learn?  Well, blogging has helped me learn things because I am doing the research myself.  Each blog had to be at least 300 words long and have two sources used to find information about the subject.  The fact that I am the one researching the topic, I find myself more engaged in the topic than I would be had I been sitting in a class being lectured on things and having to take a lot of notes.  Blogging instead of having to take quizzes or exams is definitely better because you are learning about things not just for the quiz or test, but for your own knowledge about things.  A lot of classes teach you for the test, and you easily forget the things you spent all semester studying and learning because of the way you learned the material.  Looking the information up yourself makes you become in control of how you learn things, thus making you remember and learn more of the things you research.  After we blog about something, usually the next class we would discuss what we have blogged about.  You find yourself remembering a lot of the things you researched and are able to have a very good discussion about the topic, whereas in other classes you might not remember what you did last class necessarily and may need a refresher of the last lecture.  I definitely think blogging is a great and effective way to make you learn more about things, because you are in control of what you learn and how you do it.  You can research anything, what videos, etc. and because you are the one doing it and not being lectured about it, you learn more.  That is how blogging is an effective learning tool. 

Permeation vs Penetration

Did you know that there is a difference in how some substance may come into contact with your skin, even if you are wearing protective clothing?  Understanding the proper clothing to wear when handling certain things is very important for your health, because some things can permeate through your clothing while others can penetrate our clothing.  So what is the difference between permeation and penetration?  Well, according to the site http://www.nitritex.com/news.php?article=96 , chemical permeation is basically when a substance is absorbed through the material.  Chemical penetration is when a substance passes right through holes of the material.  Penetration deals with a larger quantity of material where as permeation deals with small quantities.  Did you know there was a difference?http://ohsonline.com/Articles/2008/07/Permeation-vs-Penetration.aspx?Page=2  This site gives a lot of information about different tests that can be done on articles of clothing to test their penetration vs permeation characteristics.  For example, there are safety test done, as well as pressure tests and chemical tests to see what chemicals in certain materials and substances react with what.  Understanding the characteristics of the clothing you' re wearing is very important, because wearing the wrong type of material when handling certain materials and substances can be very dangerous.  Tests on penetration and permeation are very important; a lot of people don't really understand that there is a difference between the two and not knowing this may put you at serious risk of injury or health problems.  I hope this blog was helpful in providing information about the difference between penetration and permeation and also in explaining that certain types of clothing worn on the job will react to materials and substances differently.  If you would like a specific example of a chemical test done, go to the site http://www.lakeland.com/europe/our-products/fr-chemical-protective-clothing/further-information-permeation-vs-penetration-pyrolon-crfr.html.  This site gives information on some chemical and how they ere tested. 

WBGT

What is a wet bulb globe temperature?  Well, it is a way for measuring the stress that heat can cause when working in the sun.  The wet bulb globe temperature measures tings like wind speed, the temperature, and humidity according to the site http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tsa/?n=wbgt .  This too is very useful to help keep people safe while working if their job requires them to be outside a lot.  From this information gathered by the wet bulb globe temperature, the awareness of when people should take water breaks, or rest from working can be better understood and monitored, according to the site http://ksi.uconn.edu/prevention/wet-bulb-globe-temperature-monitoring/ .  Also, further down the page on this site is a picture of what exactly a wet bub globe temperature looks like.  The wet bulb globe temperature was made specifically for the use of calculating the environmental factors on someone in the workplace.  So, you might be thinking what are the proper temperatures you can work in while doing certain activities?  Well, the site https://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_iii/otm_iii_4.html has a table of temperatures and activities.  While doing light work, the temperatures can range from 86 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.  While doing moderate work, the temperatures appropriate to work in range from 80 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit.  While doing heavy amounts of work, the appropriate temperatures that are acceptable to work in range from 77 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.  The ranges of these temperatures have to do with how much work can be done at a certain temperature before needing to take a break.  If no breaks are taken and this information isn't know, it can have a seriously negative effect on ones health if people do not take caution.  I hope this blog was helpful in providing information about the wet bulb globe temperature and also in giving the temperature ranges appropriate to work in. 

Units of exposure and biological effects of ionization radiation

How do you measure something like exposure?  What unit of measure do you use to measure something like that?  Well, exposure has a unit of measure called a roentgen.  This is also abbreviated with R.  A roentgen measures the degree of ionization that a particle is able to make in air.  Now, there are three different units that a roentgen can be measured in.  One, is called the roentgen absorbed dose.  This unit measures the absorbed amount of ionization radiation.  This unit of measure is abbreviated by "rad".  Another type of measure for exposure is the "rem" or roentgen equivalent man.  This unit measures the amount of radiation that body tissue was exposed too.  This unit brings us to the third unit of measure known as the "mrem".  This unit measures the "rem"  and is also known as the millirem and it is equal to 0.001 rem.  What are some ways we are exposed to ionization radiation?  Well, things like flying in airplanes, getting an x-ray, even eating and breathing exposes you to ionization radiation.  So, what are some biological effects that can be caused due to exposure to ionization radiation?  Well, there are many, because it can be absorbed or ingested.  So, ionization radiation can cause damage to your skin, central nervous system, the blood forming system, cataracts, such as corneal burns, or retinal burns, and can cause cancer.  These were all found on the site http://www.hko.gov.hk/education/dbcp/rad_health/eng/r4.htm .  There can be things done to prevent ionization radiation exposure, like using sealants where removable contamination is present, simply using soap and water, or if it is vacuumed from the surface.  I hope this blog was helpful in providing some information about how exposure to ionization energy is measured and also how you can be exposed to it and the type of health problems it can cause.

Radon Testing

What is radon testing?  Well first, it might be helpful to know what radon is.  So what is radon?  Well, according to the site https://www.google.com/#q=what+is+radon , radon is a radioactive chemical element.  This element can make it into your homes as well. How, you might ask?  Well, according to the site http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html#overview , radon comes from the breakdown of uranium in the soil, water as well as rock.  With this being said, its no mystery that radon can also get into the air, so it can be anywhere.  So, there are tests that can be conducted to see if your house is being exposed to radon that you may not even know is there, because you cant see radon, or taste it and it also is odorless.  After hearing this, you might want to look up the different health effects radon can have because it is a very dangerous gas that you will not notice on your own.  Radon can cause a lot of health problems.  But, there are ways that you are able to test for the presence of radon.  According to the site https://public.health.oregon.gov/HealthyEnvironments/HealthyNeighborhoods/RadonGas/Pages/typesofradontesting.aspx , there are multiple ways to test for radon.  There are alpha track detection systems, Activated Carbon Adsorption (AC) & Charcoal Liquid Scintillation (LS): Short-Term systems, and Continuous Radon Monitoring (CR) .  You can also check for radon by installing a system in your home that reads and tests for radon present in your home.  The average radon level in Athens is 5 pCi/L.  I hope this blog was helpful in providing information about what radon is, and how it can be tested for because it is very dangerous.  It is highly recommended that you test for radon in your home in order to prevent the health hazards related to being exposed to radon.

Preventing Noise Induced Hearing Loss

What is noise induced hearing loss?  Well, according to the site http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/noise.aspx , noises we hear everyday are at safe levels.  However, loud noises that are unsafe can cause damage to our hearing and eventually make us lose hearing because those noises are so loud.  This is known as noise induced hearing loss.  So what is considered to be a loud noise?  Well, also on this site it explains that noises 75 decibels or less will more than likely not have a negative effect on your hearing.  However, noises that are 85 decibels or higher can cause serious damage to your hearing over time after repeated exposure or if exposed for a long amount of time.  Examples of these noises are also given.  At 45 decibels, that is the noise of your refrigerator making a humming noise.  Now on the other end, a firearm or firecracker is at 150 decibels.  Now, what about something close to 75 and 85.  Well, a conversation is said to be at 60 decibels, while a motorcycle/motor vehicle can range from 85-95 decibels.  Now that you know a little bit about how loud some things are, how do you prevent noise induced hearing loss?  Well, according to the site http://www.betterhearing.org/hearingpedia/hearing-loss-prevention/noise-induced-hearing-loss , you can do a couple different things.  If you listen to music too loud, you should take breaks so that you are not listening too long.  Also, you can wear noise canceling headphones to soften the noise.  This leads into using earplugs, earmuffs, or even both.  This may seem like a simple task, but a lot of people neglect to do these simple things in order to protect their hearing.  I hope this blog was helpful in providing information about what noise induced hearing loss is and how you can prevent getting it in simple ways!

Preventing Occuptational Skin Damage/Injury

Something you may not originally think of when thinking about workplace safety is the damages that can happen to your skin while on the job.  How can this happen you might ask?  Well, there are many ways your skin can be damaged while on the job.  According to the site http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/skin/ ,  your skin can be damaged by direct contact with something, having an allergic reaction to something, and these can cause skin cancers, injuries, infections and other diseases.  According to the same site, direct contact, or contact dermatitis, is very high on the charts for being on of the most common type of occupational health hazards at the workplace.  In fact, according to the site, http://ohsonline.com/articles/2009/04/01/preventing-occupational-skin-diseases.aspx , in 2006 skin diseases were the most common occupational health concern.  It may seem to be repetitive, but according to the same site hand washing and washing with soap and water is the best way to prevent occupational skin diseases.  Washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, with hot water scrubbing and drying properly, and using lotions is the best way to help prevent any skin injuries or diseases.  Obviously, wearing the proper uniform and equipment plays a huge role as well.  This site also suggests that if washing is not convenient, using sanitizers as a substitute for the time being will also be better than nothing, however, washing should occur immediately afterwards because the contact of soap and water to the irritant will help prevent the most, because some sanitizers have different levels of ethyl alcohol which reduce germs at different amounts.  I hope this blog was helpful in providing some useful information, even though it seems elementary, about how to prevent occupational skin damages while on the job.  Its not that hard to do, just wash your hands!

Localized Exhaust Ventilation

What is localized exhaust ventilation?  Well, according to the site http://www.hse.gov.uk/lev/ , it is a way for dust, fumes and air contaminants to be funneled away before they are breathed in.  How exactly does this work, you might think, however.  Well, basically a localized exhaust ventilator looks like a giant pump the is placed at a maximum distance away from the contaminant source that is equal or less than the diameter of the ventilator tube itself.  Why is this?  This distance results in the most efficient way of making sure no contaminants escape from the opening of the ventilation system, which would be dangerous to your health.  Taking the contaminants directly away from the source and into the ventilator is obviously very good in keeping workers safe.  Not only do localized exhaust ventilators keep people safe and protect their health, but according to the site http://en.sovplym.com/support/industry.htm , having a localized exhaust ventilation system can also increase productivity by ten to twenty percent.  If the contaminants aren't in the way of the workers, they are able to concentrate more on what they are doing and get more accomplished.  So where can you buy a localized exhaust ventilation system?  Well, simply researching localized exhaust ventilation systems creates many links about them and where to get them, there are companies who specifically make them.  According to the site http://www.lev-co.com/ , there are five types of localized exhaust ventilation systems that one can choose from depending on what the need.  These five types are hoods, ducts, fans, filters, and discharge stacks.  You might be familiar with the ventilation system hood, which is used at a lot of food businesses.  I hope this blog provided some helpful information about localized exhaust ventilation systems, and what one of these systems is used for and also that getting one of these systems installed is simply a matter of contacting a company that specialized in exhaust ventilation systems and discussing with them what system would be best for you.

Particulate Matter

What is particulate matter?  Well, basically, particulate matter is air pollution.  However, you may not be able to see particulate matter due to the fact that there are different particle sizes.  According to the site http://www.epa.gov/pm/ , this matter can be microscopic size particles, which would be particles in a haze or a smoke,  or coarse particles.  These coarse particles can be found near industries where pollution is visible, but they are considered coarse if they are larger than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, and smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter.  Obviously, pollution is not good for your health, so it is understood that particulate matter is not good for your health.  How exactly is it bad for your health?  Well, if particles are breathed in, they can enter the lungs which would effect your health negatively, and according to the site http://www.epa.gov/pm/basic.html , some particulate matter may even make its way into the bloodstream.  Also on this site is an example of just how big and or small particulate matter is.  Well, a human hair is approximately 70 micrometers in diameter.  So compare that to the largest particulate, with a diameter of 10 micrometers, that will give you some direction into just how small even the particulates that are considered large are, and also just how microscopic the smallest particulates are.  So, it is clear that particulate matter can cause some serious health effects.  According to the site http://www.sparetheair.org/Stay-Informed/Air-Quality-and-Your-Health/PM-Health-Effects.aspx , some of these include irritation to the lungs, chronic lung diseases, clotting of the blood, which may lead to a heart attack, and increase the likelihood of catching a virus or bacteria.  I hope this blog was helpful in providing a little more information to you about what particulate matter is and how it can be dangerous to your health. 

Wheatstone Bridge

The Wheatstone bridge is a circuit in a sensor used in recording air quality, specifically for combustible gases like carbon monoxide.  This type of sensor is also called a catalytic combustion sensor, and the Wheatstone bridge is the circuit inside the sensor that detects the combustible gases.  So how is the Wheatstone bridge used in air sampling?  Well, these sensors contain a Wheatstone bridge circuit which contains a catalyst that reacts with the combustible gas.  Once the gas reacts with the catalyst in the sensor, there is a noticeable difference in heat.  This changes the electrical resistance inside the sensor on the catalyst.  Once there's a change in the electrical resistance, there is a level in the circuit that is directly proportional to the level of combustible gas present.  So this change in the level of the circuit is measured, which then gives the reading of the level of combustible gas that is present.  It is obviously a lot more complex than this, but that is just a short summary of how a Wheatstone bridge circuit is actually used in air sampling because once the sensors react with a gas, there are readings for the level of gas present.  Also, Wheatstone bridge circuits are used in sensors that record thermal conductivity.  So, what exactly is a Wheatstone bridge? Well, it is a circuit inside a sensor used in measuring combustible gas levels, and also thermal conductivity.  It contains a lot of pipes and valves and meters needed to be used in the detection of a combustible gas in the area being recorded.  Once there is a reaction inside the circuit, levels and signals begin to change in the sensor and this change in the sensor is the level of combustible gas being recorded.  I hope this blog gave you a little more information about what a Wheatstone bridge actually is and how it is used in air sampling.  (Nims, 132-133)

Source- Basics of Industrial Hygiene by Debra K. Nims

Particle Size and Respiratory Disease

There are studies being done about the relationship between particle pollution and the size of particles and if this is directly related to health problems.  According to the site http://www.epa.gov/pm/health.html , the smaller the particle size the more dangerous.  Why is this you may ask?  Many people may think larger particles are more dangerous but that's not the case.  Smaller particles are more dangerous because they can get into the lungs and if small enough, into the bloodstream which is not good for your health.  Particles smaller than ten micrometers in diameter are the most deadly.  Also from this same site there were listed health effects that result from particle pollution.  Some of these health effects include aggravated asthma, irregular heart beats, nonfatal heart attacks, and more.  The reason for these health problems is from the particles in the particulate matter.  Particulate matter, according to the site http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/how_do.html , are solids and/or liquids that are distributed in a gas.  The fact that they are in a gas makes them very dangerous to peoples health, and this particulate matter can be very common in the workplace and may expose workers to dangerous particulates for hours at a time.  This obviously isn't good for someone's health, so the EPA is required to set air quality standards to keep these particulates and particulate matter at a minimum.  Sometimes particulate matter can be visible, which is when there is a haze somewhere present, and these particles can be spread through the air and contaminate the food and water we eat and drink, so these particulates can do a lot more damage than one might think.  These health effects don't necessarily happen from visible particulate matter, the fact that it can spread and travel into water and onto vegetation can also cause health problems.  I hope this blog was helpful in talking about the health effects that can be caused due to particulate matter. 

Botox

What is Botox, exactly?  Well, according to the site http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158647.php , Botox is a drug that is used for many things medically to cure certain muscle conditions, but it is probably most known for temporarily paralyzing muscles in order to remove wrinkles.  Botox is made from a neurotoxin, which are toxins that aim at the nervous system and disrupt signals.  So how does Botox work?  Well, the toxin is injected into neuromuscular tissue, and it can take up to 72 hours to take effect.  So, Botox seems to be pretty expensive, but just how expensive?  Well, according to the site http://www.realself.com/question/how-much-does-botox-cost , the three most common areas people get Botox injections are in between the brows, the crows feet, and the forehead.  It takes about 60 units to treat all three of those areas, and each unit costs about ten dollars a piece.  So it can be very expensive.  So ok, its expensive, but is it temporary or permanent?  Botox is temporary.  And according to the site http://www.realself.com/question/how-long-does-botox-last , Botox on average will last about three to four months.  So is it worth it?  Well, that's up to the individual.  Some people may think that Botox is outrageously expensive while others might think it is not that bad of a price.  According to the site http://www.youbeauty.com/face/botox-facts , Botox was first used in 1977 to treat eye muscle problems.  It later became known that wrinkles were nonexistent and it started to be used cosmetically.  The FDA approved the use of Botox cosmetically in 2002.  Ever since, it has been used for removing wrinkles rather than for how it was originally used in 1977, although it is still used for that purpose, just not as often.  I hope this blog was helpful in providing a little more information about what Botox actually is and how it started.