Cambridge, MA — Injured workers who are older, employed by organizations with smaller payrolls and in counties where more people have health insurance are more likely to receive opioid prescriptions, according to a recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute.

Cambridge, MA — More than half of U.S. states have not adopted medical treatment guidelines for workers’ compensation cases, a recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute shows.

Cambridge, MA — Certain programs and policies may help curb the excessive prescribing of opioids and potential misuse, results of a recent study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute suggest.

Austin, TX — The Texas Department of Insurance’s Division of Workers’ Compensation has published a plain language glossary intended to make workers’ comp insurance easier to understand.

Washington — The House has passed legislation that would expand the types of medical professionals who can treat injured employees under the Federal Workers’ Compensation Program.

Austin, TX — In Texas, 69% percent of employees who returned to work within six months of being injured in 2020 remained on the job for at least nine months.

Toronto — Aiming to improve diagnosis and treatment of work-related diseases, Minister of Labor David Piccini has announced that the Ontario government plans to establish an Occupational Exposure Registry by 2025.

Volatile organic compounds are common chemical contaminants found in offices and workplaces and are a source of odors, some of which can be a health hazard for workers.

Toluene – often used in paint, metal cleaners and adhesives – is a clear, colorless liquid that vaporizes when exposed to air at room temperature. According to OSHA, it also has a sharp and sweet smell, which is a sign of exposure.

Storrs, CT — Heat exposure and heat-related illness cause the vast majority of exertion-related injuries and deaths in the workplace, according to researchers from the University of Connecticut.

Raleigh, NC — The longer the heat index remains above 90° F, the more employers may pay in workers’ compensation costs for missed workdays, a recent study of North Carolina workers shows.

Washington — President Joe Biden is directing OSHA to “ramp up” enforcement to protect workers from extreme heat and to issue a hazard alert.

Washington — Certain personal risk factors increase workers’ risk for heat-related injury and illness, OSHA cautions.

Montreal – The scientific research organization IRSST recently released the second edition of its guide on safe use of isocyanates.

Silver Spring, MD – The Center for Construction Research and Training (also known as CPWR) has published 52 free toolbox talks on construction topics.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has released guidance on break requirements for short-haul commercial truck drivers who unintentionally exceed time or distance driving limits.

Portland, OR – Three preventable logging fatalities in Oregon have prompted a new set of discussion points for supervisors to share with their crews.

Portland, OR – The Oregon Occupational Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program has released new toolbox talks focusing on three fatal incidents.

Cincinnati – Employers whose workers are exposed to diacetyl now can obtain guidance from a new NIOSH document.

Washington – Newly released interim guidance from OSHA and NIOSH urges employers to train employees on the risks of exposure to the Zika virus and outlines protective measures.

The newly improved GD-888 Series of Portable Carbon Dioxide Gas Monitors include a digital display, a built-in air pump, backlighting, alarms and an optional data-logger.

The Monoxor XR (extended range) is a handheld exhaust gas analyzer for measuring carbon monoxide in ambient air or directly from the exhaust pipe of forklifts; floor burnishers; or other equipment burning propane, gasoline, diesel or compressed natural gas.

The External Pump is a single-button motorized sampling pump that gives any Gas Clip diffusion detector (single-gas and multi-gas) the ability to take remote samples from up to 75 feet away, drawing in air at 2 feet per second.

iControl Networks Inc, Palo Alto, Calif., a provider of broadband home management, and Visonic Ltd., Tel-Aviv, Israel, a developer and manufacturer of wireless home security and safety systems and components, have partnered to integrate Visonic security peripherals into the iControl OpenHome™ software platform.

Energy Squad, a new distribution company on a mission to provide the green technology customers need, made its official debut to the custom installation industry at CEDIA EXPO 2012.

Optex Co. Ltd. announced that Sloan Security Technologies Inc. integrated Optex sensor/detector products into the GenLux® line of security poles. The platform uses a wrap-around solar laminate to provide reliable off-grid power to sensors and surveillance devices, Optex stated. The sensors/detectors increase the efficiency of the poles by triggering cameras based on detector activity.

Allure Energy Inc., Austin, Texas, introduced its latest product, EverSense 2.0 at CES in Las Vegas.

Rosewater Energy Group introduced its Residential Energy Storage Hub, designed to allow homeowners to take advantage of renewable energy sources and harness all power that comes into their home.

HAI by Leviton, Melville, N.Y. announced the launch of its KNX Gateway, an interface allowing HAI by Leviton’s Omni and Lumina Ethernet-based controllers to communicate with and control KNX devices through KNX’s standardized network communications BUS protocol.

Overexertion injuries – which most often occur when a load is being lifted or otherwise handled – accounted for 22 percent of nonfatal workplace injuries in 2009, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In 2011, the back was the body part involved in the largest percentage of injuries involving days away from work, according to the 2014 edition of the National Safety Council’s “Injury Facts.”

The Monitoring Association (TMA) announced the 12 finalists for the 2019 TMA Excellence Awards.

TMA announced the finalists for this year's 2020 Excellence Awards that name the Monitoring Center of the Year, along with the Manager, Operator and Support Person of the Year.

The Monitoring Association (TMA), along with co-sponsor SDM, unveiled the 2020 Monitoring Center Excellence Award Winners for Monitoring Center of the Year, Manager of the Year, Operator of the Year and Support Person of the Year. 

The Monitoring Association (TMA) is pleased to announce the winners of its 2022 Excellence Awards. This year’s awards were presented virtually on Monday, April 25 by TMA President Morgan Hertel and the award sponsor, SDM Magazine.

Central stations and the monitoring professionals who work there offer inspiration and exemplary ideas to the security industry, through their knowledge, work and achievements.  

SDM will publish a feature story on this year’s TMA Excellence Awards winners in its August emagazine and online.

Washington — Stakeholders now have until Nov. 29 to comment on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s process for determining whether truck and bus companies are able to operate safely.

What are the differences between a permissible exposure limit and a threshold limit value?

TWA/STEL/PEL/WEEL/IDLH … What does this all mean?

Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration has extended the comment period for a proposed rule that would require underground coal mine operators to equip coal-hauling machines and scoops with proximity detection systems.

Arlington, VA – A recent rise in fatalities and injuries among less-experienced coal miners has prompted the Mine Safety and Health Administration to launch a training assistance initiative.

Washington — The Mine Safety and Health Administration is extending to July 2022 the deadline for comment on a Request for Information concerning a retrospective study of the agency’s respirable coal mine dust rule.

Washington — Surface coal miners, especially those who work in drilling, may be exposed to higher concentrations of respirable dust or quartz. This puts them at elevated risk of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis – a deadly but preventable disease known as black lung, results of a recent NIOSH study show.

Energy-saving light control manufacturer Lutron Electronics announced that its Washington, D.C. Commercial Experience Center was awarded LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is the USGBC’s leading rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy-efficient and high-performing buildings.

Honeywell, Melville, N.Y.,announced that the Pro-Watch Integration Kit has been successfully deployed to protect the largest complex of the federal justice system in Mexico.

What should be the first steps in an incident investigation?

College Station, TX – The lack of a consistent eating and sleeping schedule may disrupt the circadian rhythms of shift workers and make them more likely to suffer a severe stroke, according to a recent study from Texas A&M University.

Spokane, WA — Individual organs in the digestive system contain separate biological clocks that may influence the metabolism of people who work the night shift and help explain a link to shift worker health problems such as obesity and diabetes, a recent study from researchers at Washington State University suggests.

Uppsala, Sweden — Losing sleep, even for one night, can negatively impact metabolism and help trigger excess weight gain – possibly explaining a link between sleep deprivation and shift worker health problems – according to the results of a recent study conducted by researchers at Uppsala University.