Hazards of exposure to UV light

       There are many hazards associated with the human body's exposure to ultraviolet light. These rays are a part of sunlight that is a form of radiation but is invisible to the human eye. These rays can penetrate skin cells and charge their structure.  There are three types of ultraviolet radiation. The three types of ultraviolet radiation are ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and ultraviolet C (UVC). The most abundant form of these on the surface of the earth is ultraviolet A (UVA). This form of ultraviolet radiation can penetrate the top layer of the human skin and do serious harm to the human body.  Scientists believe that this type of radiation can cause damage to connective tissues and even can be a cause of skin cancer.  Ultraviolet B cays generally don't penetrate as deep into the skin as ultraviolet A rays but can still cause skin cancer. Ultraviolet C rays don't pose as much of a risk to workers because most are absorbed by the earths atmosphere. Exposure to these harmful rays is the highest during the summer and between the times of 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. If you are working outdoors during these times your risk of getting sunburned is increased. Some substances that reflect UV light and also increase your chances of getting sunburned are snow and light colored sand. Even on cloudy days workers are still at risk from uv light and can still get sunburned. Some drugs that you take can even increase your sensitivity to sunlight and chances of getting sunburned. The most common of these drugs would be ibuprofen. Some professions have an increased risk from UV damage in the workplace. Some of these professions include life guards, construction workers, agricultural workers, landscapers and gardeners. Overall to prevent the development of sunburn and skin cancer it is recommended to take promotions when working outside during the summer months.

Center for disease control and prevention
Brown University

The first picture is of a common sunburn that is caused by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation and the second is a malignant mole that is a sign of skin cancer most likely caused by ultraviolet radiation.

heat exhaustion vs. heat stroke

       There are many differences between heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Both heat exhaustion and heat stroke have a negative effect of the human body. These are both heat related illnesses. First i am going to start with heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is commonly accompanied by dehydration and is a heat related illness caused by being exposed to high temperatures for extensive periods of time without proper rehydration. There are two different types of heat exhaustion. The first of these types is called water depletion. The most common signs of this type of heat exhaustion is excessive thirst, headache, loss of consciousness, and headaches. The second type of heat exhaustion is salt depletion. The signs associated with this type of heat exhaustion is nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, and dizziness. Although this is not as severe as heat stroke, heat exhaustion should not be taken lightly by any means. Some other symptoms associated with heat exhaustion are dark colored urine, fatigue, fainting, pale skin, perfuse sweating, rapid heart beat, and confusion. There are many very easy treatments for heat exhaustion. Some of these methods are to drink plenty of fluids, take a cold shower or bath, and to remove any tight or excessive clothing. Heat stoke is similar to heat exhaustion but also still very different. Unlike heat exhaustion, heat stroke can be fatal if not taken care of immediately. Heat stroke can also cause permanent damage to the brain and other organs in the body. the definition of heat stroke is if a persons core body temperature exceeds 105 degrees Fahrenheit. fainting is most commonly the first sign of heat stroke. Some other symptoms of heat stroke are dizziness and light headedness, a throbbing headache, a lack of sweating despite very hot temperatures, red, hot, and dry skin, muscle weakness or cramps, nausea and vomiting just like heat exhaustion, disorientation, and seizures.
heat exhaustion
heat stroke

The first picture shows someone suffering from heat exhaustion and the second picture is showing someone who has died or has fainted due to heat stroke.

is blogging an effective learning tool

     In my opinion blogging is a very effective learning tool. There are far more pros to blogging than cons. For example, when blogging you have to research your topics on your own. Due to this you must learn about the topic on your own through your research. By doing this it will provide you with a more extensive knowledge of the topic that you are conducting research on. Also by having to research the topics on your own it tends to be easier to remember the information that you have learned rather than forgetting it right after you are done with your quiz or test. When you learn through powerpoint and notes most people just simply remember the facts for a short period of time and simply regurgitate the memorized information on the quiz or test and forget everything that they have learned directly after taking the quiz or test. This method of teaching is simply prehistoric due to the inefficiency it has when correlating to long term knowledge of the information. the use of blogs is a lot more innovative to the new generation of students in their quest for long term knowledge and comprehension of topics. Also with the advancements in technology and communication, this method of learning is simply the easiest to do for students of this generation. The use of pictures and links in the blogs also helps further the understanding of the topics. By including imbedded links into the blogs, it helps other students or any viewers of your blog go straight to the sources where you uncovered your information. students could use these links to further understand more specific details on the topic that maybe you did not include in your blog. The use of pictures is also very helpful in the quest for deeper knowledge of the topics. When searching pictures you can look up many things that contribute to the topic. You can first include pictures of what the substance or topic that you are blogging about actually looks like. You can include what examples of where you can find some of the toxins in everyday items used by people in real life. Another way that a picture could be helpful is you can include what instruments or tools are used to prevent human contact with the substances.

Skin Infections

       There are many different skin infections that are common among wrestlers. During wrestling season it is very common for a wrestler to contract these skin infections numerous times. One of the most common skin infections among wrestlers is known as ringworm. Ringworm is the most commonly used name for the infection but the clinical name is Dermatophytosis. This infection can form anywhere on the body and form past experiences it can be contracted more than once during a single season. This infection can also show up in more than one place at a single time.  It is actually not uncommon for there to be more than one lesion at a single time. Ringworm can be spotted due to its very distinct red circle that it leaves on your skin. The outer rim of this circle is usually darker and thats the portion that carries most of the infection. It is also not uncommon for there to be small pockets of pus that look like pimples on the outer ring. This infection also causes the feeling of itchiness at the location of the lesion. This skin infection is caused by the fungus that grows on the wrestling mats due to the constant humidity and sweat that covers the mats. In order to prevent this infection it is required that the wrestling mats get cleaned daily with very strong chemicals like bleach. Even though the mats are cleaned daily it still doesn't kill all of the bacteria left on the wrestling mat. Another way that you can help prevent these infections are to take a shower with antibacterial soap right after practice in order to further kill all fungi and bacteria on your skin. Once you have contracted the infection there are many different topical ointments that you can use to get rid of it. You can get many different over the counter anti fungal creams such as Tinactin and Lamisil. Most cases of ringworm will improve within 2 weeks of treatment but it usually takes 2-4 weeks to fully get rid of most fungal infections completely. There are also prescription strength ointments and oral medications for this skin infection even though they are usually not needed.

Medications
healthline (Dermatophytosis)

The first picture is what ringworm commonly looks like. It has a raised and more red outer ring and is in the shape of a circle. The Second picture is an over the counter anti fungal cream that you can buy to treat ringworm. There are many other brands of anti fungal creams that will also work when treating ringworm.

Asbestos

         Asbestos is a very lethal airborne hazard in many job sites and even in your homes. Asbestos has been used widely thought many industries due to it not being able to conduct electricity and it being resistant to fire,heat, and chemicals. These naturally occurring  minerals have been used in the production of items such as vehicle clutches and brakes, insulation, flooring and ceiling tiles, roofs and other building materials due to its resistance to corrosion. Now that this material has been associated with many health risks, it is now highly regulated by OSHA and the EPA in order to prevent long term health problems for workers. There are many different forms associated with these asbestos fibers. Some of these types include chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, and tremolite. The fibers that are associated with asbestos are very small and can not be seen with the naked eye. This is why asbestos is so dangerous to humans. Breathing in these fibers causes asbestosis in the lungs which is a buildup of scar like tissues. This disease often causes a loss of lung function and can progress to disability and even death. Asbestos can also cause other diseases such as mesothelioma and is even associated with lung cancer. It is proven that all asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma in humans. Since the late 1800's asbestos has been mined and used commercially in North America and its use increased exponentially during World War II. In 1979 manufacturers of electric hairdryers discontinued their use of asbestos in their products. Asbestos was banned in the manufacturing of wallboard patching products and gas fireplaces in the late 1970's by the CSPC (U.S. consumer product safety commission) due to the fact that the asbestos fibers in these products could get released into the environment during use. Overall asbestos has been regarded as a very dangerous carcinogen and humans should try to avoid it as much as they could.
Asbestos risk (Cancer.gov)
OSHA

The first picture is an asbestos ceiling tile which can be found in the workplace and household.
The second picture is an asbestos roof which can be found on very old homes.

Risks Associated With Wrestling

      There are many risks associated with the sport of wrestling. Day to day we encounter many hazards not only on the mat but off the mat as well. Most injuries occur during practice or in matches. Back in the day wrestling was even more dangerous due to the precautions that they did not take when cutting weight. It is very common in the sport of wrestling that competitors lose large amounts of weight in order to compete at a lower weight class. This used to be a problem because before there were regulations wrestlers used to lose to much weight and die of dehydration and heat stroke from sauna suits. Sauna suits are now banned in the sport of wrestling due to these unfortunate events. Also now it is required that all wrestlers must endure testing at the beginning of the season to prevent them from losing to much weight where it could harm your health. These tests consists of fat measuring and hydration tests which tells you the exact weight that that you are allowed to make each week throughout the season. If you do not make the certification then you are not able to wrestle at the lower weight. Also there are many injuries that wrestlers face during the season. It is very common for wrestlers to get concussions during the season. In order to prevent long term damage you are required to undergo concussion protocol and will not be able to compete until they are cleared by a trainer. The most common injury that wrestlers face is known as cauliflower ear. This is when the blood vessels break in your ear due to many hard hits to the ear. This is why most wrestlers have very deformed and ugly ears throughout their whole life. In order to solve this problem they are required to wear an ear protection device called head gear to protect their ears from filling up with blood and getting deformed. Due to the very physical moves in wrestling it is also very common for wrestlers to tear major ligaments in their knees. The more flexible a wrestler is the lower their chances of these injuries are. The most common of these knee injuries for wresters is a torn meniscus, followed closely by a torn ACL,MCL, and PCL.

The first picture is what cauliflower ear looks like after it fills up with blood.
The second picture shows a wrestler wearing headgear during a match to prevent cauliflower ear.

Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL,PEL,TLV)

       In the field of occupational hygiene there are many limits that have to be set in place to ensure the safety of employees in the workplace. These occupational exposure limits vary for different substances. These different substances that could harm your health could be gasses,vapors or aerosols which could be dust, fibers, smoke, etc. The limits OEL's or PEL's were set in place after the 1970 occupational safety and health act. Other standards that were adopted by OSHA  were the 1968 threshold limit values, also known as TLV's  which were put in place by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. OSHA has set these limits based on 8 hour work days and 40 hour work weeks. These increments are calculated by the time weighted average or also referred to as TLV. OEL's are calculated as parts per million (ppm) and then converted to milligrams per cubic meter. These values could also be represented as ceiling values, short term exposure limits which are usually around 15 minutes of exposure, and IDLH which stands for immediately dangerous to life or health. Short term exposure limits (STEL) are limits where workers can be exposed for short intervals without suffering. The ceiling value is a concentration that should not be exceeded at any point during the workday and is represented with a C. This C comes after the substance listing.  There are many problems with OSHA's enforcement of PEL's and TLV's in the workplace due to the outdated limits that were set almost 43 years ago. OSHA tried to adopt new limits in 1989 but due to many complications they dropped the newly found limits and continued to use the old limits adopted in 1971. The people in charge of recommending occupational exposure limits now is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. This institute has recommended exposure levels for around 700 substances to this day.

OSHA
PEL and TLV

The first device has a pump and shows how much air is coming in and the second device is a cyclone and collects the contaminants in the air.

Dose and Response

       In the study of occupational hygiene there is a very important relationship between dose and response. It is actually one of the most important relationships when referring to toxicology. Dose is the time of exposure to a poison or toxic substance white the response is the effect that it has on the organism that was exposed to the toxin.In the field of occupational hygiene they determine the dose as the amount of the toxin that is absorbed by the organisms that were exposed to the poison. The dose response relationship doesn't always have to adhere to toxins and poisons but also can deal with drugs or chemicals. There comes a point in the relationship that too little of a dose and too much of a dose could effect you negatively. If there is too little of a dose then the expected response could not be met and if the dose is too much then the the response could be harmful and even fatal to the exposed organism.  in order to get the most effective dose and response relationship it is important to find what is known as the dose-response threshold. What you do to find this is a create a graph and find the point where the threshold is. This system is very useful in occupational hygiene because it helps establish what the correct doses appropriate to achieve the level of response desired. On the graph the dose is set on the x axis while the response is labeled on the right axis. In this graph you have to create a curve. You can also test this between different substances and create a graph with two separate curves and find the relationship between the two as well as their intended response. Another thing that is very important to the dose and response study is the susceptivity of the organism to the different substances. The organisms that are more susceptive to the chemical,toxin, or drug have a far worse response to the dose. If an organism is less susceptive to a chemical then it will take a higher dose to effect it the same as it would to effect a more susceptible organism.

References-Dose and Response

John Hopkins school of public health( industrial hygiene)

The raid and windex are both poisons. The raid is a poison that has a response to insects and the windex is a poison that negatively effects humans.