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Nice Brings Automation to Video Doorbell

Features like Auto Discover/Auto Configure ensure quick installation for the integrator, and complete integration with the Nice Home Management platform provides the homeowner with reliable surveillance access across multiple devices.




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Opioid-related worker deaths skyrocket in Massachusetts: report

Boston — The rate of opioid-related overdose deaths among Massachusetts workers in 2016 and 2017 rose 83.7% over the previous five-year period, with construction and agricultural occupations experiencing dramatic jumps, according to a recent report from the state’s Department of Public Health.




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Fall 2021 regulatory agenda: OSHA considers revoking Arizona’s State Plan status

Washington — The Department of Labor’s regulatory agenda for Fall 2021, released Dec. 10, includes a proposed rule that – should OSHA decide to move forward on it – would revoke Arizona’s State Plan status.




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AMA task force recommendations aimed at solving nation’s drug-related overdose, death epidemic

Elk Grove Village, IL — The American Medical Association, along with more than two dozen other organizations, has issued a list of recommendations to help end the nation’s epidemic of drug-related overdose and death.




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New York State DOL answers FAQs on cannabis use and the workplace

New York — More than six months after New York legalized recreational use of marijuana, the state’s department of labor has published a guidance document intended to help employers navigate the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act.




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DOT proposes oral fluid drug testing as an alternative method

Washington — The Department of Transportation has issued a proposed rule that would revise industry drug testing protocol by adding oral fluid testing as an alternative to urine testing for commercial motor vehicle operators and workers in other safety-sensitive transportation positions.




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Positive drug tests for U.S. workers at highest level in 20 years: annual index

Secaucus, NJ — Paced by a continuing increase in marijuana positivity rates, the positive drug test rate for U.S. workers reached its highest level in two decades in 2021, according to an annual analysis conducted by lab services provider Quest Diagnostics.




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Sharp uptick in fatal on-the-job drug overdoses in Kentucky spurs hazard alert

Lexington, KY — Responding to an “alarming trend” of drug overdose deaths in the workplace statewide over a recent 18-month period, the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center recently issued a hazard alert.




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Preventing Impairment in the Workplace Act calls for NIOSH training program

Washington — Legislation recently introduced in the House would direct NIOSH to create a national workplace training program aimed at helping employers recognize, respond to and prevent on-the-job impairment.




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DOT proposes use of electronic forms for drug and alcohol testing

Washington — The Department of Transportation is requesting public comment on a proposed rule that would allow the use of electronic forms and signatures for drug and alcohol testing.




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Freight-carrier alliance pushes for federal recognition of hair-sample drug testing

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking public comment on a freight-carrier alliance petition regarding the use of hair samples as a drug-testing method for commercial motor vehicle drivers.




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Marijuana and work-related asthma: New hazard alert

Tumwater, WA — Exposure to cannabis dust, fume or smoke can lead to the development of work-related asthma, warns a new hazard alert from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.




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Opioids and overdose risk: Study looks at on- vs. off-the-job injuries

Surrey, British Columbia — For people who are prescribed opioids to treat injury-related pain, experiencing their injury on the job may have a “protective effect” against the risk of future drug overdose.




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FMCSA denies petition for federal recognition of hair-sample drug testing

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has denied a petition calling on the agency to recognize hair samples as an alternative drug-testing method for truckers, reasserting a long-standing position that it lacks the statutory authority to do so.




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CPWR report examines causes of death for current, retired and former construction workers

Silver Spring, MD — Of the nearly 225,000 construction worker deaths recorded in 2020, 60% of those workers were at least 65 years old, according to a new report from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training.




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NTSB report spotlights ‘growing problem’ of cannabis and other substances

Washington — Although alcohol is a factor in nearly 1 out of 3 traffic deaths, federal and state agencies need to also address driver impairment from cannabis and prescription and over-the-counter drugs.




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Truckers: What’s your take on marijuana legalization?

Washington — The American Transportation Research Institute is asking truck drivers to take a survey on the impact of marijuana legalization on driving and industry operations.




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NSC launches cannabis safety resources

Itasca, IL — The National Safety Council wants to help employers and employees understand the impact cannabis use can have on workplace safety.




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DOT to include oral fluid option as alternative drug-testing method

Washington — The Department of Transportation has approved oral fluid drug testing as an alternative to urine testing for truck drivers and workers in other safety-sensitive transportation positions.




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Recovery-friendly workplaces can help combat the nation’s opioid crisis: report

Washington — The opioid epidemic has had a wide-ranging impact on U.S. workers, but employers who support recovery can help, a new policy report states.




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More workers testing positive for marijuana, annual index shows

Secaucus, NJ — The percentage of workers testing positive for marijuana after an on-the-job incident or injury hit a 25-year high in 2022, according to an analysis conducted by Quest Diagnostics.




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Many truckers say marijuana legalization doesn’t impact safety: report

Washington — Although initial data suggests that marijuana legalization has “negatively impacted highway safety,” it’s still “too soon to calculate” an overall relationship between the two, according to a new report.




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Researchers say zero-tolerance cannabis policies may be ‘too broad’

Toronto — Instead of having a zero-tolerance policy on cannabis use, employers may want to consider “minimum wait periods before a work shift when cannabis consumption is not allowed,” researchers say.




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FDA approves another over-the-counter spray for treating opioid overdose

Washington — The approval of a second over-the-counter naloxone nasal spray for emergency treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose is a “game-changer” for its lifesaving potential, the National Safety Council says.




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DOT goes ‘Back to Basics’ for drug and alcohol testing agents

Washington — The Department of Transportation has created “reminders” that highlight common issues service agents encounter during the drug and alcohol testing process.




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Becoming a recovery-friendly workplace: New guide for small businesses

Lexington, KY — A new toolkit from the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center is intended to help small businesses hire, support and retain workers recovering from a substance use disorder.




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Newly updated: Substance use disorder webpage for federal workers and contractors

Washington — The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has updated its online hub of information and resources on substance use disorder and recovery.




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Is your workplace ready to respond to an opioid overdose?

Itasca, IL — The National Safety Council is raising awareness of over-the-counter naloxone nasal spray for emergency treatment of opioid overdoses in the workplace.




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Study finds public transit workers exposed to fentanyl residue, meth smoke

Seattle — Public train and bus operators face secondhand exposure from passenger drug use, potentially affecting their physical and mental health, according to a new report.




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Login changes coming for users of DOT’s drug-testing database

Washington — The Department of Transportation is changing how users access the Drug and Alcohol Testing Management Information System.




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White House drug control policy office releases recovery-ready workplace toolkit

Washington — The White House wants to help employers support workers who are dealing with substance misuse – as well as those in recovery. As part of the effort, the Office of National Drug Control Policy has released a toolkit.




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Michigan OSHA launches emphasis program focused on cannabis industry

Lansing, MI — In an effort to protect workers in the rapidly expanding cannabis industry, Michigan OSHA has initiated a state emphasis program that covers the growing, harvesting and processing of the plant.




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Cannabis industry needs multifaceted approach to asthma prevention: CDC

Atlanta — Exposure control, safety training and medical monitoring are all needed to prevent occupational asthma among cannabis workers, a new study concludes.




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HHS calls for ‘safety stations’ with naloxone in federal buildings

Washington — Federal facilities should convert their current AED stations into “safety stations” that include naloxone – a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, the Department of Health and Human Services says.




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Marijuana use among younger workers may be leading to increased injuries

Somers, WI — States where recreational marijuana sales are legal have seen a nearly 10% increase in on-the-job injuries among 20- to 34-year-old workers, according to a new study.




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NSC calls White House initiative a ‘meaningful step’ toward ending opioid epidemic

Washington — The White House is calling on stakeholders across all sectors to “commit to save lives” by increasing training on – and access to – lifesaving opioid overdose reversal medications.




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Federal worker advisory committee will discuss naloxone at April meeting

Washington — OSHA’s Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health has scheduled a virtual meeting for April 18.




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NSC ramps up fight against workplace overdoses

Itasca, IL — The National Safety Council has launched a new set of initiatives targeting opioid overdoses in the workplace.




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Drug test cheating surges to highest rate ever, annual index shows

Secaucus, NJ — The percentage of U.S. workers whose drug test showed signs of tampering skyrocketed in 2023 to its highest level in over 30 years, according to Quest Diagnostics’ annual Drug Testing Index.




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COVID-19’s impact on mental health and substance use: tools now in Spanish

Washington — The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Worker Training Program has published Spanish-language versions of its resources on COVID-19’s impact on mental health and substance use.




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Workers injured on the job more likely to die from an opioid overdose, report shows

Boston — Workers in Massachusetts who reported a job-related injury in the past 10 years were 35% more likely to have died of an opioid-related overdose, the state’s Department of Public Health says.




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Overdose deaths hitting Massachusetts workplaces hard: report

Boston — Unintentional overdoses accounted for more than 1 out of 4 workplace deaths in Massachusetts between 2021 and 2022, the state’s Department of Public Health reports.




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Is naloxone in your first aid kit?

Be ready to respond to an opioid overdose at work. “It really is something that’s very simple to administer,” an NSC expert says.




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On the Safe Side podcast Episode 56: Recovery-friendly workplaces and a look back to NSC Safety Congress & Expo

We discuss content from the October issue of Safety+Health and share our thoughts on the 2024 NSC Safety Congress & Expo. Also, Jamie Osborne, a public health analyst at NIOSH, joins us to discuss recovery-friendly workplaces in the “Five Questions With …” segment.




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BLS releases revised workplace fatality figures

Washington – In 2011, 4,693 workers died on the job, according to revised numbers issued April 25 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.




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Injury rates within same industries vary by state: report

Belleville, IL – Injury and illness rates may differ greatly between states – even within the same industries, according to a new report from Allsup, a provider of Social Security Disability Insurance services.




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BLS: Fatal work injuries, rate declined in 2012

Washington – The number of fatal workplace injuries decreased in 2012 from the previous year, according to a preliminary report released Aug. 22 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.




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BLS: Nonfatal injuries, illnesses resume downward trend

Washington – The rate of nonfatal worker injuries and illnesses declined in 2012 from the previous year, resuming a recent downward trend, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2012 survey of occupational injuries and illnesses, released Nov. 7.




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BLS: Rate of injury-induced days away from work down; number of days up

Washington – The rate of nonfatal injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work dropped in 2012 from the previous year, but the median number of days away increased slightly, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.




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BLS puts ‘spotlight’ on state, local government workers

Washington – State and local government workers accounted for one-fifth of injuries and illnesses in 2011, and the incidence rate was highest among state hospital workers, according to a new analysis from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.