Iowa City, IA – Police work is mostly sedentary, with officers likely to be more active on their days off than while working, according to a new study from the University of Iowa.

Washington – Sixty-seven law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty during the first half of 2014 – a 31 percent increase from the same period last year, according to a report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund released July 22.

Boston – Chasing and restraining suspects, in addition to other chaotic encounters, puts police officers at an approximately 30 percent to 70 percent higher risk of sudden cardiac death, suggests a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health and Cambridge Health Alliance.

Washington – A pilot program that provides prison workers with pepper spray as a safety measure has been expanded to six additional correctional facilities.

Santa Monica, CA – More effort is needed to prevent injuries among police officers involved in traffic collisions – including those that occur when the vehicle is not moving – according to a study from nonprofit research institute RAND Corp.

New York – A new report compiles accounts from 9/11 responders recalling their experiences responding to the attacks and, later, managing their World Trade Center-related health conditions.

Montreal – Emergency dispatchers who work at 911 call centers face a variety of physical and mental challenges in a high-stress environment, according to a study conducted by scientific research organization IRSST.

Washington – Ambush killings of law enforcement officers have increased more than 366 percent this year compared with the same time period one year ago, according to a report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Indianapolis – A recent spike in targeted attacks against public safety officers, including one in his home state, has prompted an Indiana lawmaker to take action.

Chicago – Law enforcement officers who wear body armor are 76 percent more likely to survive a bullet to the torso than officers who don’t wear the gear, according to a study from the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.

Washington – An innovative sheriff’s deputy has been named the winner of NIOSH’s Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award.

Washington – In response to a spike in the number of police officers killed in the line of duty in 2017, the House on May 18 passed a bill that seeks stricter penalties for people who harm or attempt to harm first responders.

Washington — Fatal motor vehicle crashes among law enforcement officers are on course for their lowest total since the 1980s, according to an analysis by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis.

Washington — Law enforcement officers have a nonfatal injury rate nearly three times higher than the general workforce – with “assaults and violent acts” against them the leading cause – according to a recent NIOSH study.

Indianapolis — Indiana Rep. Randy Frye (R-Greensburg) has introduced state legislation that would create a public safety research fund aimed at understanding and improving the physical health and safety and psychological well-being of first responders.

Washington — NIOSH has released a video intended to protect first responders who face potential exposure to fentanyl – a synthetic opioid considered up to 50 times more potent than heroin – and other illicit drugs.

Washington — NIOSH has released a video intended to assist first responders with understanding personal protective equipment protocol when facing potential exposure to fentanyl – a synthetic opioid considered up to 50 times more potent than heroin – and other illicit drugs.

Washington — At least 155 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty during the first half of the year – a 9.9% increase from the same period in 2020, according to a recently released report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Lowell, MA — Noting that corrections officers have an average life expectancy that’s 16 years less than other occupational groups, the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace has created a mentoring toolkit aimed at combating a decline in health early in correctional workers’ careers.

Hyattsville, MD — Workers in protective services had the highest rate of COVID-19 deaths in 2020, according to a recently published report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington — A $2 million federal grant will be used to establish the Department of Justice Jails and Justice Support Center, intended to create and maintain safe environments for workers and others in jail facilities.

Indianapolis — Members of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials have pledged to work together on a safety action plan aimed at reducing fatal traffic crashes.

Waterloo, Ontario – Coffee shop workers often experience pain in their shoulders and lower backs caused by preparing and serving beverages, according to a recent study from Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada.

Washington – The Environmental Protection Agency has identified health risks from exposure to the chemical compound trichloroethylene and is calling on Congress to pass stronger federal toxics laws.

Lansing, MI – Free videos offering safety tips and best practices for employers in the accommodations industry will be available to stream as part of a pilot program from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Longmeadow, MA – A majority of fast-food workers have suffered an injury while on the job within the past year, a new report from the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health indicates.

Washington – A recently released OSHA fact sheet on preventing amputations from food slicers and meat grinders incorporates findings from the agency’s new injury reporting requirements.

Richmond, British Columbia – New videos from WorkSafeBC show best work practices for hotel housekeeping workers to prevent injuries while cleaning bathrooms, dusting, making beds and more.

Atlanta – Workers in the accommodation and food service industries have the highest prevalence of cigarette smoking, according to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Tumwater, WA – A chemical used in car and truck washes can harm workers, according to research from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

As hotels compete to offer more luxurious settings for their guests, “housekeepers often are having to work even harder and more quickly,” one expert says. While one state considers a safety and health standard for hotel housekeeping workers, advocates are calling for stronger protections and better ergonomics training.

Baton Rouge, LA – Service industry workers in Louisiana report a higher prevalence of poor health, chronic health conditions, and risk factors such as smoking and binge drinking than all other workers in the state, according to an analysis conducted by the state’s Occupational Health and Injury Surveillance Program.

Seattle – Seattle voters on Nov. 8 approved a measure intended to make working conditions safer for the roughly 7,500 workers in the city’s hotel industry, including housekeepers, room service servers and other employees.

Washington – The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to ban certain uses of the chemical trichloroethylene because of health risks associated with the toxic chemical when used as a degreaser and spot removal agent in dry cleaning.

Washington – Texas and Wyoming earned the lowest possible scores from the American Lung Association when it comes to smoke-free workplaces, the association states in its annual “State of Tobacco Control” report for 2017.

Oakland, CA — Hospitality workers are praising the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board for unanimously approving a standard designed to protect housekeepers from workplace hazards.

Oakland, CA — California’s Office of Administrative Law on March 9 approved a workplace health and safety standard for the state’s hospitality workers, completing a multiyear push by hospitality workers union UNITE HERE.

Denver — In Colorado, marijuana use among workers in certain jobs “in which workers have responsibility for their own safety or the safety of others” exceeds that of the state’s general workforce, according to a recent study from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Washington — The American Hotel and Lodging Association and five major corporations have announced their commitment to improve employee safety in the industry, including measures designed to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and assault.

Richmond, British Columbia — WorkSafeBC has published a safety bulletin and blog post intended to help food truck owners and workers avoid hazards associated with propane tanks.

Trenton, NJ — Calling it the first state law of its kind, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) on June 11 signed a bill intended to help protect hotel housekeeping and room service workers against assault and harassment.

Springfield, IL — Beginning July 1, hotels and casinos in Illinois will be required to have anti-sexual harassment policies that include, for certain workers, access to a safety button or notification device that alerts security staff.

Washington — A total of 73 U.S. hotel companies have committed to the “5-Star Promise” – a pledge to improve employee safety in the industry, including measures designed to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and assault – since its launch in September 2018, the American Hotel and Lodging Association has announced.

Washington — The American Hotel and Lodging Association has developed what it calls “enhanced” cleaning guidelines and workplace protocols “to meet the new health and safety challenges and expectations presented by COVID-19.”

Washington — Aimed at protecting restaurant/food and beverage workers from exposure to COVID-19, a new OSHA safety alert lists measures employers should take during the pandemic.

Los Angeles — Adverse working conditions at fast-food restaurants – as well as worker and customer failure to comply with physical distancing and mask-wearing protocols – may put fast-food employees in Los Angeles at greater risk of contracting COVID-19, according to a recently released report from the University of California, Los Angeles and UC Berkeley.

Washington — E-cigarette use among U.S. adult workers rose slightly in recent years, results of a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show.

Los Angeles — Nearly a quarter of the fast-food workforce in Los Angeles County tested positive for COVID-19 during the first 18 months of the pandemic, a likely result of adverse working conditions and shaky compliance with safety measures, a recent report from the University of California, Los Angeles and UC Berkeley suggests.

Sacramento, CA — Legislation signed into law by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Sept. 5 authorizes the creation of a council charged with establishing minimum standards on working conditions, hours and wages for fast-food workers statewide.

Greenbelt, MD — Following up on their release of a report detailing 11 best practices for minimizing cancer risk among firefighters, the National Volunteer Fire Council and the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Volunteer and Combination Officers Section have unveiled new posters to highlight each practice.