Washington – Poultry workers and officials from 13 nonprofit organizations and unions met with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service on Oct. 16 to urge the department to reject an industry petition to allow faster and unrestricted line speeds in production plants, according to the National Employment Law Project.

San Diego — A U.S. Department of Agriculture proposal to remove maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants “will translate into even more illness and injury” among workers, according to the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service has denied a National Chicken Council petition seeking unrestricted line speeds in poultry-processing plants.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service will allow poultry-processing plants to increase line speeds if they meet certain criteria, even as critics claim the move will expose workers to injuries and was made without public input.

Morgantown, WV — Two potentially hazardous chemicals are missing from the Safety Data Sheets for bulk liquid flavorings, findings from a recent NIOSH Respiratory Health Division study show.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General is investigating the effectiveness and integrity of USDA’s procedures to develop and advance a controversial proposed rule that would remove maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants, according to a letter obtained by multiple media outlets.

Washington — More than 3 out of 5 Americans are against a U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed rule to remove maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants, according to the results of a recent survey.

Washington — A controversial U.S. Department of Agriculture final rule unveiled Sept. 17 removes maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants and transfers certain inspection responsibilities to plant workers.

Minneapolis — A coalition consisting of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, three local affiliate unions and watchdog group Public Citizen is suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture over a controversial final rule that removes maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants and transfers certain inspection responsibilities to plant workers.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service in April approved 15 poultry processing plants’ requests to increase line speeds 25% – despite reported cases of COVID-19 among workers and at least one fatality related to the ongoing pandemic, according to a new policy brief from the National Employment Law Project.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture “did not take adequate steps to determine whether the worker safety data it used … were reliable” when proposing a controversial rule that removes line speeds in pork-processing plants and transfers certain inspection responsibilities to plant workers, the USDA Office of Inspector General concludes in a report released June 25.

Washington — A controversial U.S. Department of Agriculture rule that would permit line speeds at certain poultry processing plants to increase to 175 birds a minute from the current 140 is under review by the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Washington — President Joe Biden on Jan. 22 signed an Executive Order withdrawing a controversial U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed rule that would have permitted line speeds at certain poultry-processing plants to increase to 175 birds a minute from the current 140.

Washington — Legislation reintroduced March 11 by Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Bennie Thompson (D-MS) would prohibit line speed increases in meat and poultry-processing plants during the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

Minneapolis — The U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota upheld a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture on March 31, ruling that a controversial final rule that removes line speeds in pork-processing plants and transfers certain inspection responsibilities to plant workers compromises worker health and consumer welfare.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has indicated it will accept a March ruling of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota that prohibits the removal of maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service, in collaboration with OSHA, will allow select pork-processing facilities – on a trial basis – to operate at increased line speeds for up to one year while gathering data that “measures the impact of line speed on workers.”

Washington — Seeking to “best assess” the impact of increased line speeds on worker safety in poultry-processing plants, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service plans to study the effects.

Washington — A trial that allows select pork-processing facilities to operate at increased line speeds will continue, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service says.

The funding round included participation from Shasta Ventures, Slow Ventures, UP2398 and TheSyndicate.com, an angel investing club led by Jason Calacanis.

London — A group of physicians is calling on health care employers to provide female workers who are exposed to on-the-job radiation with added protections to minimize their risk of breast cancer.

Washington — The developer of an N95 respirator validation phone app and website is the winner of NIOSH’s Counterfeit N95 Challenge.

Many employees spend the majority of their days working on computers. That adds up to a lot of screen time, which can result in eyestrain.

Download a free white paper containing expert guidance to help you keep your business, your employees and the environment safe when dealing with universal wastes.

Washington — OSHA is informing certain nuclear industry employees of their whistleblower protections, in a recently issued fact sheet.

The National Safety Council Construction & Utilities Division has launched an Excavation Toolkit.

Washington — The Department of the Interior – not OSHA – will oversee workplace safety and health at offshore renewable energy facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf, according to a policy statement published in the Oct. 18 Federal Register.

Washington — The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement will govern workplace safety and environmental compliance at offshore renewable energy facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf, according to the Department of the Interior.

Dayton, OH — A new video from NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association highlights the efforts of its Safety Equipment Manufacturers Committee to “test equipment the way it’s being used in the field.”

Dayton, OH — Communications tower workers using cable safety sleeves for fall protection must make sure the cable is secured and properly tensioned before starting work.

"Whether you're a member or the chairperson, you can add energy and life to the committee in a number of ways," says safety pro turned motivational speaker Richard Hawk.

“Don’t let the fear created by peer pressure dominate your behavior,” says safety pro turned motivational speaker Richard Hawk.

Practicing mindful breathing can help you relieve stress and focus on the present moment, safety pro and motivational speaker Richard Hawk says.

“Encouraging others is one of our best tools for creating a vibrant safety culture and helping others succeed,” safety pro and motivational speaker Richard Hawk says.

In Episode 43, the S+H team examines the September issue’s feature story on aerial lifts. Also, Ryan Pietzsch, a program technical consultant for driver safety at the National Safety Council, joins the podcast to discuss fleet safety in the “Five Questions With …” segment.

Richard Hawk has tips to help you and others recognize and defuse potentially upsetting situations.

“I want to help others and support people. As a safety pro, I have plenty of opportunities to do that. You do, too.”

In Episode 52, the S+H team examines content from the June issue, including a feature story with tips on keeping your safety committee fresh and effective. Also, Iowa OSHA Bureau Chief Peggy Peterson joins the podcast to discuss how to keep workers safe in the heat during the “Five Questions With …” segment.

“In all aspects of our lives, confirmation bias can hinder our ability to stay open-minded. As safety pros, it can make us less effective.”

A NIOSH publication addresses preventing slips, trips and falls in wholesale and retail trade establishments.

Advocacy group Mental Health America is providing workplace wellness resources as part of National Workplace Wellness Week (April 1-7).

Washington – Screening data for nearly 2,000 chemicals is available through the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Interactive Chemical Safety for Sustainability Dashboard.

Washington – Two new fact sheets from OSHA aim to protect workers who design and erect tube and coupler scaffolds.

Washington – OSHA has released new fact sheets for workers in the agriculture and maritime industries.

Washington — OSHA has published a fact sheet intended to help employers comply with the agency’s standard on worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica (1926.1153) for general industry and maritime.

This speed gate introduces modern technological features, refined aesthetics, and expanded lane options to meet the constantly evolving demands for modern security entry control projects.

The solutions addressed concerns through its display-free design and highly secure 'Template on Mobile' (ToM) authentication method.

Sentry Enterprises has launched SentryCard360 to address the escalating risks of employee identity fraud, including the rise of new hire bait & switch schemes.

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

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