health and food

Purdue professors expand safety training for young farm workers

West Lafayette, IN — Two Purdue University professors have used a federal grant to expand their safety and health training program for beginning agricultural workers ages 12-20.




health and food

EPA aims to reinstate worker protections from pesticides

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is requesting public comment on a proposed rule that would retain various pesticide application exclusion zone requirements amended but not implemented as part of a previous agency final rule currently under a court-ordered stay.




health and food

National grain safety week set for March 27-31

Washington — OSHA and its Alliance Program partners in the agriculture industry are teaming up to host the seventh annual Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week.




health and food

Comment period open on Oregon OSHA’s pending oversight of temporary labor camps

Washington — Oregon OSHA is one step closer to having full oversight over temporary labor camps, after federal OSHA published a proposed final approval in the March 13 Federal Register.




health and food

Summer’s a busy (and dangerous) time for landscaping workers, OSHA says

Washington — Vehicles, moving machinery parts, falling trees, toxic chemicals and heat exposure are some of the many hazards that workers in landscaping are exposed to throughout the summer months.




health and food

OSHA issues its first hazard alert on heat

Washington — OSHA is urging employers to take steps to keep workers safe in extreme heat, including providing adequate cool water, rest breaks, and shade or a cool rest area.




health and food

2022 saw 24 deaths in ag-related confined space incidents: report

West Lafayette, IN — At least 83 incidents involving confined spaces in the agriculture industry were documented last year – up 41%, according to an annual report recently released by Purdue University.




health and food

OSHA approves Oregon’s oversight of temporary labor camps

Washington — Oregon OSHA now has full oversight of temporary labor camps in the state, after receiving federal OSHA’s final approval.




health and food

New fact sheet: Prevent skid steer loader injuries

East Lansing, MI — Employers who have skid steer loaders should develop, implement and enforce a comprehensive injury prevention program that includes training workers on hazard recognition and avoidance.




health and food

New surveillance system helps track work-related amputations

Tumwater, WA — In an effort to better identify, develop and evaluate effective efforts to prevent amputations, Washington state has created a surveillance system intended to augment employer-reported data.




health and food

Suicide rate among working-age people up 33% in past two decades: CDC

Washington — Workplaces can play an important role in suicide prevention, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say in a recent study.




health and food

Tree and landscape worker deaths spur OSHA emphasis program

New York — A new Regional Emphasis Program from OSHA is aimed at curbing worker fatalities and injuries in the tree and landscape services industries.




health and food

Is farmworker dehydration a widespread issue?

Chicago — A recent study of Florida farmworkers found that virtually all of them experienced dehydration at the end of their shift, and more than half were still dehydrated the next morning.




health and food

CDC updates guidance on protecting workers from bird flu

Washington — Responding to an outbreak of avian flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated interim guidance intended to protect workers exposed to certain animals and animal products.




health and food

EPA moves to protect people from pesticide drift

Washington — Assessment of a pesticide’s potential to drift from areas of application and expose people will now happen earlier in the chemical review process, the Environmental Protection Agency says.




health and food

EPA wants input on occupational exposure assessments for three pesticides

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking feedback on updated occupational exposure assessments for three seed treatment pesticides to which exposure may cause negative health effects.




health and food

New translation app connects employers, workers and Cal/OSHA

Sacramento, CA — A new interpretation app that can instantly translate more than 200 languages and dialects can be used by employers and workers in California to communicate more easily.




health and food

Wisconsin sanitation worker bill signed into law

Watertown, WI – New legislation in Wisconsin doubles the maximum and minimum fines for traffic violations that endanger sanitation workers.




health and food

Florida extends ‘move over' law to sanitation, utility workers

Tallahassee, FL – Florida legislators have expanded the state’s “Move-Over Act” to include protections for workers who operate or ride in or on sanitation and utility service vehicles.




health and food

Service, blue-collar workers more at risk for heart disease, stroke: report

Atlanta – Among workers younger than 55, employees in service and blue-collar jobs are more likely to report a history of coronary heart disease or stroke, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.




health and food

Most Americans don’t slow down for garbage trucks: survey

Washington – A recent survey from the National Waste & Recycling Association revealed that two-thirds of drivers do not slow down around garbage trucks, and almost 4 out of 10 drivers admit they feel tempted to speed past the vehicles.




health and food

Injury rates among recycling workers are twice national average: report

Berkeley, CA – Recycling industry employees face “unnecessarily hazardous” conditions on the job, but those conditions can be improved, according to a report released June 23.




health and food

‘In danger every day’: Report details hazards facing sanitation workers in NYC

New York – Injuries and fatalities are prevalent in the New York City commercial waste industry despite being easily preventable, according to a recent report from the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health.




health and food

Agencies partner on infectious disease response training for health care, hazardous waste workers

Research Triangle Park, NC – Outbreaks of viruses such as Ebola and Zika have prompted the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences – together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, OSHA, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response – to launch an infectious disease safety training program for first responders and hazardous waste workers.




health and food

OSHA launches webpage on HAZWOPER

Washington – OSHA has created a webpage intended to help workers and employers involved with the agency’s Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (1910.120) for construction and general industry.




health and food

‘It’s pretty dangerous to be a garbage man’

Hazards associated with working in traffic, handling materials, and moving on and off garbage trucks put sanitation workers at risk. In the first two days of 2018 alone, seven sanitation workers were killed, according to the Solid Waste Association.




health and food

Needlestick injuries common in trash and recycling facilities: report

Raleigh, NC — An estimated 781 to 1,484 needlestick-related injuries – a rate of 2.7 per 100 workers – occur annually at solid waste and recycling material recovery facilities, according to a recent report from the Environmental Research and Education Foundation and the Solid Waste Association of North America.




health and food

SWANA calls for renewed focus on safety amid ‘unacceptable’ surge in sanitation worker deaths

Silver Spring, MD — Seventeen sanitation workers – including 13 in the United States and four in Canada – were killed in the first three weeks of 2019, the Solid Waste Association of North America reports, a development the organization calls “unprecedented” and “unacceptable” as it urges industry employers and employees to renew their commitment to safety.




health and food

Sanitation worker deaths down slightly, but still high: analysis

Silver Spring, MD — At least 30 sanitation workers died from on-the-job injuries in the first seven months of this year – a 9.1% decrease from the same period last year, according to a recent Solid Waste Association of North America analysis.




health and food

Sanitation worker safety still a concern for SWANA despite ‘small decline’ in deaths

Silver Spring, MD — At least 53 sanitation workers in the United States (44) and Canada (nine) died from on-the-job injuries in 2019 – a 10.2% decrease from 2018, according to a recent analysis from the Solid Waste Association of North America.




health and food

COVID-19 pandemic: Association asks public to help keep sanitation workers safe

Silver Spring, MD — The Solid Waste Association of North America is asking the public to take simple steps to help protect sanitation workers from exposure to COVID-19. That includes holding off on cleaning projects that generate large amounts of trash.




health and food

COVID-19 pandemic: Sanitation workers association distributing millions of cloth facial coverings

Silver Spring, MD — The Solid Waste Association of North America has submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services orders for more than 2.4 million complimentary cloth facial coverings to be distributed to sanitation and recycling workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.




health and food

‘We can and must do better’: Report analyzes sanitation worker deaths

Silver Spring, MD — At least 52 sanitation workers in the United States and Canada died from on-the-job injuries in 2020 – a figure that remained steady from the prior year, according to a recent analysis from the Solid Waste Association of North America.




health and food

Sanitation worker deaths down in first half of 2021: analysis

Silver Spring, MD — At least 12 sanitation workers suffered fatal injuries on the job during the first six months of the year – a 57.1% decrease from the same period in 2020, according to a recent analysis conducted by the Solid Waste Association of North America.




health and food

Electric vehicles: Safety agency, auto group offer guidance for towing, recovery and recycling workers

Richmond, British Columbia — New safety guidelines from WorkSafeBC and Canada’s Automotive Retailers Association are intended to protect workers from shock-, fire- and fume-related hazards associated with electric vehicles and the high-voltage lithium-ion batteries that power them.




health and food

Sanitation worker deaths climbed sharply in 2022, industry association says

Silver Spring, MD — At least 46 sanitation workers in the United States and Canada died from on-the-job injuries last year – a 64.3% increase from 2021, a recent analysis shows.




health and food

Waste and recycling workers lack training on infection prevention: study

Ann Arbor, MI — Despite being regularly exposed to biohazards, fewer than 3 in 10 solid waste and recycling workers receive training on infection prevention, results of a recent study show.




health and food

Powered air-purifying respirators

Miller NIOSH-certified powered air-purifying respirators not only protect against welding fumes, but also incorporate features that result in a comfortable fit for the weld operator.




health and food

Welding helmet for powered air-purifying respirator

Bullard has launched a new Welding Helmet, SparxLift, for use with its EVA Powered Air-Purifying Respirator.




health and food

Facepiece

The AV-3000 facepiece with SureSeal system features a patent-pending design called “reverse reflex” that allows the SureSeal system to flex with every movement of the facepiece, providing superior fit and greater comfort.




health and food

Half-mask respirator

The Advantage 420 Half-Mask Respirator’s AnthroCurve II Sealing Surface and multi-ethnic face seal improve fit-testing among diverse workforces.




health and food

Smoke generator for fit testing

The VeriFit Irritant Smoke Generator for respirator fit testing features a patented design that integrates all components into one convenient device. Its plastic construction eliminates danger from broken glass.




health and food

Respirator

This NIOSH N95 Particulate Respirator features a one-way exhalation valve that helps keep workers comfortable and increases wear time.




health and food

Disposable respirator

Easier breathing and more comfort are what you get when you wear an AirWave Respirator.




health and food

Trends in ... respiratory protection

Compliance with OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard (1910.134) could prevent hundreds of deaths and thousands of illnesses every year, according to the agency. Below, experts highlight new technologies being used in the respiratory protection industry and offer tips.




health and food

Swing-activated eye and eye/face wash

All Bradley swing-activated eye and eye/face wash solutions now include the HALO eye and eye/face wash sprayhead.




health and food

Emergency shower booths

This emergency shower unit is fully assembled and ready for installation to water supply and waste systems.




health and food

Showerhead

The Model SP829 AXION MSR drench showerhead uses the AXION drench shower nozzle, which employs the latest in hydrodynamic principles to spin inlet water and break it into smaller, discrete droplets.




health and food

Eyewash station

Ideal for situations in which a continuous supply of potable water is not available, the Gravit-Eye 16-Gallon Eyewash Station uses gravity to deliver water through dual-spray heads.




health and food

Eyewash station with laboratory faucet

The SEF-1801 Eyesaver is an eyewash station that combines a fully functional laboratory faucet with an independently operated eyewash.