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Night shift workers and cancer risk: Researchers find new clues

Spokane, WA — Night shift schedules “throw off the timing of expression of cancer-related genes in a way that reduces the effectiveness of the body’s DNA repair processes when they are most needed,” results of a recent study led by researchers from Washington State University show.




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Sleep health experts release guidance on customizing shift-work duration

Darien, IL — In an effort to balance “the need to meet operational demands with the need to manage fatigue-related risks” related to shift work, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society have issued guidance on designing optimal work shift durations.




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Regular night shift work may lead to A-fib, other heart problems

Shanghai — Night shift workers may be at increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation – an abnormal heart rhythm that can trigger serious health issues – as well as coronary heart disease, according to a recent study led by researchers at Jiao Tong University and Tulane University.




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Shift work may delay menopause for some women, study shows

Toronto — Researchers at York University say they’ve found a link between women who perform shift work and delayed onset of natural menopause.




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Stroke risk related to shift work may linger, researchers say

College Station, TX — Adverse health effects of shift work – including increased risk of stroke – may persist even after workers resume traditional, 24-hour circadian cycles, according to a recent study by researchers from Texas A&M University.




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‘Time-restricted eating’ boosts health of firefighters and other shift workers: study

San Diego — Eating within set times while not skipping meals can reduce the cardiovascular health risks of firefighters and other shift workers, results of a recent study show.




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Unpredictable schedules adversely affect worker well-being: report

Lansing, MI — Service sector workers with irregular schedules often experience greater levels of stress and exhaustion, according to a recent report.




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Study ties shift work to unhealthy eating habits

Melbourne, Australia — Rotating shift workers are more likely than other workers to eat unhealthy foods, a new study has found.




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Study examines frailty among female shift workers

Toronto — Middle-aged and older shift workers are more likely to be considered frail – particularly women who work rotating shifts, a recent study out of Canada suggests.




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Shift workers’ sleep schedules may interfere with vaccine effectiveness

Chicago — If you’re unable to get more than six hours of sleep a night in the week before and after getting a vaccine, researchers say its effectiveness may be reduced – something shift workers should keep in mind.




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Study links shift work to potential fertility problems

Istanbul — A recent study involving female mice shows that only four weeks of shift work-like light patterns were enough to disrupt their biological clock and reduce fertility.




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Study links shift work to cognitive impairment

Toronto — Middle-aged and older adults who have worked the night shift or rotating shifts are significantly more likely to experience cognitive impairment, results of a recent study suggest.




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Shift work is an occupational hazard, researchers say

Wuhan, China — Shift work is linked to two kinds of mental health issues – and lifestyle factors can play a role, results of a recent study out of China suggest.




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Pregnant workers face preterm birth risks from shift work and long hours: study

Melbourne, Australia — Shift work and long hours can significantly raise the risk of preterm birth for pregnant workers, according to the results of a recent study.




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Study shows the night shift’s impact on diabetes and obesity risks

Richland, WA — Spending just three days working a night shift “can knock the body’s biological rhythms off course, disrupting important processes related to blood glucose regulation, energy metabolism and inflammation,” researchers from Washington State University and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory say.




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HiveWatch & Genea Partner to Provide Cloud-based Solutions

Genea offers a cloud-based access control and visitor management platform built on non-proprietary hardware that empowers users with the ability to monitor their buildings and provision credentials from anywhere.




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Migrant farmworker housing offers no relief from heat: study

Winston-Salem, NC – Housing for migrant farmworkers may not provide adequate relief from hot temperatures, reducing workers’ ability to rest and recover from work exposure to heat, according to a new study from the Wake Forest School of Medicine.




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Gene increases risk of developing Parkinson’s from pesticide exposure: study

Los Angeles – Pesticide exposure may increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, and individual risk varies based on a person’s genetic makeup, according to a new study from the University of California, Los Angeles.




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EPA proposes ‘commonsense’ changes to protect farmworkers from pesticides

Washington – The Environmental Protection Agency on Feb. 20 proposed new safety measures intended to protect farmworkers from the harmful effects of pesticide exposure.




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Government undercounts agriculture injuries, study says

Sacramento, CA – Federal agency statistics vastly undercount the number of nonfatal injuries and illnesses in the agricultural industry, according to a new study from the University of California Davis School of Medicine.




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Group tours North Carolina tobacco fields; claims worker abuse is common

Washington – After a recent visit with workers in tobacco fields and labor camps in North Carolina, members of an international delegation said they were shocked and saddened to see widespread worker abuse.




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USDA inspection rule will not increase poultry-processing line speeds

Washington – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s controversial final rule on its New Poultry Inspection System is set to be published and, in response to public comment, will not increase the maximum speed of processing lines.




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New Mexico partners with Mexican Consulate to help Spanish-speaking workers

Santa Fe, NM – The New Mexico Occupational Health & Safety Bureau has teamed up with the Consulate of Mexico to provide the state’s Spanish-speaking employees with workplace safety training.




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EPA program targets pesticide drift

Washington – A new voluntary program from the Environmental Protection Agency aims to protect agricultural workers from pesticide drift.




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CPWR translates safety materials into Spanish

The Center for Construction Research and Training (also known as CPWR) is now offering several of its resources in Spanish.




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Worker safety bulletin aimed at preventing ‘Green Tobacco Sickness’

Washington – OSHA and NIOSH have published recommended practices to help tobacco workers and employers avoid a potentially deadly combination of illnesses.




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Lawmakers: Ban children from tobacco work

Washington – Lawmakers in both chambers of Congress are proposing legislation that would prohibit children younger than 18 from working directly with tobacco plants or dried tobacco leaves.




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Immigration reform would reduce Latino worker deaths, National COSH claims

San Diego – Immigration reform can directly improve the safety and health of Latino workers, the only demographic group to experience an increase in fatalities in 2013, according to the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.




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La seguridad de los trabajadores latinos

Hispanic and Latino workers were the only demographic to see its fatality figures increase from 2012 to 2013. Experts explore why Latinos are at a higher risk of workplace injuries and death, and provide potential solutions to reverse the growing trend.




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Matching art to message: NIOSH offers glimpse into creating safety materials

Washington – A recent blog post by NIOSH sheds light on the thought process that goes into choosing the most effective art for safety materials.




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Pesticide exposure mainly affects agriculture workers: study

Cincinnati – Rates of occupational injury and illness from pesticides are much higher among agricultural workers than workers in other industries, according to NIOSH research.




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House Democrats introduce bill on immigrant worker safety

Washington – Immigrant workers who report unsafe or unfair work practices would become eligible for a type of visa reserved for victims of criminal activity, under legislation recently reintroduced by House Democrats.




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CSB to offer materials in Spanish

Washington – The Chemical Safety Board is including Spanish language translations of some of its safety materials, the independent agency announced Nov. 20.




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EPA issues second extension for comments on ‘restricted use’ pesticide rule

Washington – The Environmental Protection Agency once again has extended the comment period for a proposed rule that would create stronger standards for workers who handle “restricted use” pesticides.




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EPA launches online ‘dashboard’ on ag worker pesticide exposure

Washington – A new resource from the Environmental Protection Agency aims to help regulators and the public learn more about pesticide exposure incidents among agricultural workers.




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EPA releases guidance on revised Worker Protection Standard

Washington – The Environmental Protection Agency and the Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative have released a guide intended to help agricultural pesticide handlers, workers and managers comply with 2015 revisions to the federal Worker Protection Standard.




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Farmworker advocates ask EPA for immediate ban on pesticide chlorpyrifos

Washington – United Farm Workers and several community health groups have petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to immediately suspend widespread use of chlorpyrifos, a neurotoxic pesticide already acknowledged to pose poisoning risks to workers.




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Minority workers have the highest risk for injury, disability: study

Los Angeles – Latino immigrants and African-American men are most at risk for being injured on the job, according to a study from the University of Southern California.




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EPA to seek comment on draft of risk assessments related to glyphosate

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency has released a draft of its human health and ecological risk assessments for glyphosate, a commonly used herbicide, and stated that it intends to seek public comment on the draft.




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New hazard alert targets confined space dangers of pesticide spray tanks

Olympia, WA — Pesticide spray tanks are considered confined spaces if they’re big enough to enter (through a manhole cover or access port) and occupy, and require a permit for full or partial entry, emphasizes a new hazard alert from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries’ Division of Occupational Safety and Health.




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Safety training falls short for immigrant workers at small construction companies: study

Washington — Immigrant construction workers employed by small companies do not receive the same amount of safety and health training as their counterparts at larger companies, according to a recent study from NIOSH and the American Society of Safety Engineers.




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Three states sue EPA over delay on enhanced pesticide safety training

Albany, NY — Attorneys general from New York, California and Maryland have filed a lawsuit challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to indefinitely delay a requirement for employers to provide enhanced training intended to protect farmworkers, pesticide handlers and their families from exposure to pesticides.




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EPA to publish enhanced pesticide safety training materials, ending delay

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency on June 14 announced its intent to publish a Federal Register notice establishing the availability of expanded pesticide safety training materials, in accordance with 2015 revisions to the federal Agricultural Worker Protection Standard.




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Pesticide safety training materials: EPA announcement of availability will reduce worker injury, illness risk, OIG says

Washington — By publishing the availability of expanded pesticide safety training materials after previously resisting the move, the Environmental Protection Agency will reduce risks of injury and illness among employers, farmworkers, pesticide handlers and their families, the EPA Office of Inspector General asserts in an audit report released Aug. 30.




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OSHA announces new emphasis program for reducing exposures to ammonium nitrate, anhydrous ammonia

Kansas City, MO — OSHA has launched a Regional Emphasis Program addressing hazards stemming from exposure to fertilizer-grade ammonium nitrate and agricultural anhydrous ammonia.




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Preventing tractor rollovers: OSHA publishes guide

Washington — OSHA has released a guide intended to protect farmworkers from tractor rollovers, which result in about 130 fatal injuries a year.




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Fear of employer retaliation leads immigrant seafarers to delay, avoid medical care: study

Houston — Filipino seafarers often delay or completely avoid medical care – despite their rights to it under maritime law – for fear of retaliation from employers, including potentially losing their jobs, results of a recent study show.




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Reintroduced bill aimed at protecting immigrant workers from retaliation

Washington — Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) has reintroduced legislation that would provide temporary protection from deportation to immigrant workers who are victims of, or witnesses to, unsafe working conditions and other labor rights violations.




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OSHA debuts Spanish-language newsletter

Información Rápida (Quick Information) will feature regular updates on workplace safety and workers’ rights.




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Study of stone countertop workers ‘raises the alarm’ on silicosis risk

San Francisco — A recent study of stone fabricators in California who have been diagnosed with silicosis shows that virtually all of them were immigrant, Latino men.