Low-cost interventions to improve ventilation in long-term care facilities.

Residents of long-term care facilities are particularly vulnerable to communicable diseases. Low-cost interventions to increase air exchange rates (AERs) may be useful in reducing the transmission of airborne communicable diseases between long-term care residents and staff. In this study, carbon dioxide gas was used as a tracer to evaluate the AER associated with the implementation of low-cost ventilation interventions.

Wearable Spectroradiometer for Dosimetry.

Available wearable dosimeters suffer from spectral mismatch during the measurement of broadband UV and visible radiation in environments that receive radiation from multiple sources emitting differing spectra. We observed this type of multi-spectra environment in all five Washington State cannabis farms visited during a field study investigating worker exposure to ultraviolet radiation in 2018. Spectroradiometers do not suffer from spectral mismatch in these environments, however, an extensive literature review conducted at the time of writing did not identify any spectroradiometers that were directly deployable as wearable dosimetry devices.

Trends in the Use of Face Coverings in Publicly Accessible Spaces During the COVID-19 Pandemic, King County, Washington, November 2020-May 2021.

Objectives: Appropriate face covering use at public venues can help mitigate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the absence of widespread vaccination and provide protection when viral variants become more infectious. The objective of this study was to evaluate compliance with a statewide face mask mandate by examining trends in face covering use in publicly accessible spaces in King County, Washington.

Methods: From November 27, 2020, through May 11, 2021, we conducted a repeated cross-sectional observational study of face covering use across publicly accessible venues (eg, grocery and convenience stores, airport, transit center, post office).

Potential impacts of Washington State's wildfire worker protection rule on construction workers.

Driven by climate change, wildfires are increasing in frequency, duration, and intensity across the Western United States. Outdoor workers are being exposed to increasing wildfire-related particulate matter and smoke. Recognizing this emerging risk, Washington adopted an emergency rule and is presently engaged in creating a permanent rule to protect outdoor workers from wildfire smoke exposure.

Using an alternatives assessment framework to evaluate waterborne versus solventborne basecoats used in automotive refinishing.

We evaluated two types of automotive basecoats used in automotive refinishing (i.e., in auto body shops): waterborne and solventborne.

Prospective study of particulate air pollution exposures, subclinical atherosclerosis, and clinical cardiovascular disease: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution (MESA Air).

The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution (MESA Air) was initiated in 2004 to investigate the relation between individual-level estimates of long-term air pollution exposure and the progression of subclinical atherosclerosis and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). MESA Air builds on a multicenter, community-based US study of CVD, supplementing that study with additional participants, outcome measurements, and state-of-the-art air pollution exposure assessments of fine particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen, and black carbon. More than 7,000 participants aged 45-84 years are being followed for over 10 years for the identification and characterization of CVD events, including acute myocardial infarction and other coronary artery disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease, and congestive heart failure; cardiac procedures; and mortality.

Approach to estimating participant pollutant exposures in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution (MESA Air).

Most published epidemiology studies of long-term air pollution health effects have relied on central site monitoring to investigate regional-scale differences in exposure. Few cohort studies have had sufficient data to characterize localized variations in pollution, despite the fact that large gradients can exist over small spatial scales. Similarly, previous data have generally been limited to measurements of particle mass or several of the criteria gases.

The spatial relationship between traffic-generated air pollution and noise in 2 US cities.

Traffic-generated air pollution and noise have both been linked to cardiovascular morbidity. Since traffic is a shared source, there is potential for correlated exposures that may lead to confounding in epidemiologic studies. As part of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution (MESA Air), 2-week NO and NO(2) concentrations were measured at up to 105 locations, selected primarily to characterize gradients near major roads, in each of 9 US communities.

Work-related deaths in Washington State, 1998-2002.

Introduction: In Washington State, 87 workers are killed each year, on average, while in work status. To understand these incidents and to assist in focusing on and development of potential prevention measures, they must be well characterized.

Methods: Work-related fatalities between the years 1998 and 2002 are described by the demographics of the victims, types of incidents, the victims' occupations, and industries and location in which they worked.