Image Credit: Getty Images / Deagreez

The opinions, claims, conclusions, and positions expressed in this post are those of the author or person quoted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, AIHA, The Synergist, or SynergistNOW.

Welcome to the first installment of What You’re Reading, an occasional feature that reviews the most-read posts and articles from The Synergist over the previous month. Here, you’ll find recaps of the stories that generated the most interest in the digital magazine, our two weekly newsletters, and, of course, the SynergistNOW blog. This month, we revisit the successful treatment of an occupational disease that affects metalworkers, how the increasing numbers of Americans moving abroad might affect the OEHS profession, and the tragic story of a teenage worker at a Nebraska farm whose death appears to be linked to spray foam exposure.

Most read in Synergist Newswire:

The Mysterious Death of a Teen at Pillen Family Farms

Six weeks after starting a summer job at a hog farm near St. Edward, Nebraska, a 17-year-old was found dead inside the barn where he’d been using spray foam to seal cracks. A forensic pathologist said the most likely cause of death was an allergic reaction to a chemical in the spray foam, but as reported in the Nebraska Examiner, limited sharing of information, mistakes, and the accidental destruction of a blood sample hindered the investigation.

Most read in The Synergist Weekly:

CDC Report Documents Ninth Known Case of Welder’s Anthrax

CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report recently described the successful treatment of welder’s anthrax with the antitoxin obiltoxaximab. The patient, an 18-year-old apprentice, is the ninth person known to have contracted the disease, a form of severe pneumonia caused by Bacillus cereus group bacteria. MMWR reported that the patient performed shielded metal arc welding in areas with limited ventilation and minimal use of personal protective equipment. All nine cases involved welders or metalworkers, six of whom passed away. Read more on AIHA.org.

Most read in the digital Synergist:

The Great Safety Escape: Why OEHS Talent Is Packing Its Bags—And What It Means for the U.S.

This feature story reports on the U.S. “brain drain” phenomenon—the exodus of American occupational and environmental health and safety professionals choosing to live and work abroad—and examines how these changes are affecting the practice of OEHS in the United States. The author, who recently relocated to Spain, contemplates how OEHS might evolve in response to the sudden reductions in force across the U.S. government in 2025 and offers advice for professionals who are considering working in other countries.

Most read on SynergistNOW:

Introducing the Silica Symposium

The Respirable Crystalline Silica and Other Minerals and Metals Symposium will be held May 30–31 as part of AIHA Connect in New Orleans. Martin Harper, PhD, CIH, FAIHA, who has organized the symposium since its inception in 2004, spoke with SynergistNOW about the origins and evolution of the symposium, including the spikes in interest following the publication of OSHA’s rule on respirable crystalline silica in 2016 and the recent reports of silicosis among workers in the engineered stone countertop industry. The abstracts of more than 30 papers will be presented, followed by a group discussion of possible silica-related regulations, such as a potential ban of engineered stone in the U.S.

The Synergist, Synergist Weekly, and Synergist Newswire are benefits of AIHA membership. To receive SynergistNOW email alerts, subscribe online.