Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is accepting comment until July 5 on a proposed rule that would establish reporting and recordkeeping requirements for asbestos – a known human carcinogen – under the Toxic Substances Control Act.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency has announced the availability of the final scope of Part 2 of the final risk evaluation to be conducted for asbestos.

Stockholm — Exposure to dusts and fumes from common workplace agents such as vapors, gases and solvents may increase workers’ risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, results of a recent study out of Sweden show.

Research Triangle Park, NC — To help protect workers who engage in mold cleanup and treatment, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Worker Training Program has updated its guidance document.

Washington — OSHA will prioritize rulemaking for a standard on preventing workplace violence in health care and social settings, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh testified during a May 17 House subcommittee hearing.

Pre-COVID-19 pandemic work life may not return as quickly for employees in customer-facing industries. As some experts see it, the immediate future for workers in grocery, retail, hospitality and similar sectors still includes the risk of stress and anxiety stemming from interactions with angry or aggressive customers.

Washington — Workplace violence led to nearly 18,000 deaths over a recent 27-year period, according to a recently published report from NIOSH and two other federal agencies.

Itasca — New guidance from the National Safety Council is aimed at providing organizations with information and solutions to effectively mitigate and address workplace violence.

Geneva — Nearly a quarter of workers worldwide have endured workplace violence or harassment, but only half of the victims discuss their experiences, results of a recent survey show.

Provo, UT — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) has signed a law allowing employers to petition for and obtain protective orders against anyone who poses a threat.

Cincinnati — A new guidance document from NIOSH outlines ways to reduce the risk of injuries and deaths associated with robbery-related violence at gasoline stations and convenience stores.

“The old methodology of, ‘Oh, it could never happen here’ – that has to go out of the window,” a workplace security expert says. “Because it can.”

Providence, RI — The Rhode Island Senate recently passed legislation aimed at protecting workers from psychological abuse – such as bullying – on the job.

Washington — New commercial passenger aircraft must have a secondary flight deck barrier to protect the cockpit from “unauthorized intrusion” under a Federal Aviation Administration final rule announced June 14.

Sacramento, CA — The California Senate has approved legislation aimed at preventing workplace violence, particularly by banning employer policies that direct non-security personnel to confront shoplifters.

Washington — Workplace-related strategies from the Department of Labor are part of a White House national plan to address gender-based violence.

San Mateo, CA — Nearly 2 out of 3 frontline workers don’t feel safe on the job, results of a recent survey show.

Iowa City, IA — Three out of 5 young employees have experienced some form of workplace violence, results of a recent study show.

Sacramento, CA — Employers in California will be required to establish, implement and maintain a workplace violence prevention program, under a new state law.

Washington — The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is asking for comment on proposed enforcement guidance aimed at preventing and addressing worker harassment based on sex, race and other protected traits.

Portland, OR — In light of the 29 workplace homicides that have occurred in the state since 2018, the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences has issued a hazard alert.

Washington — OSHA “continues to be hampered” by the lack of a permanent standard on infectious diseases and “needs to address worksite violence,” a new report states.

Buffalo, NY — What do workers do to recover when their boss or manager engages in “nonphysical aggression such as humiliating or threatening subordinates, or taking credit for their work”? A pair of researchers recently set out to answer that question.

Is your worksite ready to respond to an incident? Experts offer advice.

Cambridge, MA — Nine out of 10 customer service workers recently surveyed say they’ve experienced an increase in customer abuse and hostility over the past 12 months.

In Episode 46, the S+H team examines the December issue’s feature story on best practices for preventing workplace violence. Also, Atanu Das, owner of MSDS Writer, a consulting company, joins the podcast to discuss Safety Data Sheets in the “Five Questions With …” segment.

Victoria, Australia — “Transport workers are people too. Please respect them.” That request appears alongside the images of Public Transport Victoria workers clad in custom safety vests depicting their life stories.

Geneva, Switzerland — Around 20% of workers worldwide have reported some form of violence or harassment, according to a recent report from the International Labour Organization.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration wants input from truckers as it shapes a study to analyze how common sexual assault and harassment are in the trucking industry.

Washington — To address a sharp increase in assaults against public transit workers, the Federal Transit Administration has published a proposed directive tasking public transit agencies with monitoring safety risks more closely.

Washington — Female workers in the service industry face an elevated risk of gender-based violence and harassment, but “there’s a variety of means that can mitigate that,” OSHA administrator Doug Parker says.

Chicago — Chronic workplace harassment may increase the risk of coronary heart disease, arthritic/rheumatic conditions and migraines, results of a recent University of Illinois Chicago study show.

Albany, NY — Assaulting a retail worker is now a felony in New York state, under a new law signed May 1.

Washington — New guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is intended to prevent and address worker harassment based on sex, race and other protected traits, outlining when such behavior is against the law.

Washington — A handful of potential OSHA standards have advanced in the rulemaking process, according to the Department of Labor’s Spring 2024 regulatory agenda – released July 5.

Columbus, Ohio — Do some bosses who are abusive toward employees get away with it simply because they’re “high performers?” A recent pair of studies took a look.

Orlando, FL — Although OSHA remains largely a regulatory and enforcement agency, it’s recently started prioritizing safety culture.

Washington — On the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 becoming law, the Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau released three issue briefs on safe leave.

London — Around half of workers who’ve been harmed on the job in the past two years didn’t report it, according to a new report from Lloyd’s Register Foundation.

Dover, DE — More than half of public school teachers have been the target of verbal aggression or threats by a student in the past three years, according to a recent survey conducted by the Delaware State Education Association.

Orange Beach, AL-based Columbia Southern Universityhas been granted institutional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges board of trustees.

Work Health Solutions, a San Jose, CA-based provider of concierge-style occupational medicine for large-scale employers nationwide, recently announced it has opened an employee health clinic in Las Vegas.

Chris Martin is the new director of technical sales for Burlington, NC-based GlenGuard and its brand of flame-resistant and arc-resistant fabrics.

Bradley Corp. has promoted Latisha Rathell to director of customer service. Rathell brings to the position more than 20 years of experience in financial and business analysis, reporting, project management, and contract performance management roles.

Matrix Design Group, a provider of technology for mining and industrial safety and productivity located in Newburgh, IN, has named Mark Stanton vice president of industrial sales and business development.

E.A.R. Inc., based in Boulder, CO, has introduced an online extension to its marketing services: earprotection
store.com. In this store, E.A.R. will display standout products that have been carefully selected by the organization’s expert staff of audiologists, lab technicians, chemists and hearing health care professionals.

The MEMIC Group, Portland, ME-based specialists in workers’ compensation insurance, has awarded an Illinois State University research team $30,000 to investigate whether wearable sensors can maximize performance and minimize injuries in U.S. workplaces.

Origami Risk, a risk, safety and insurance software as a service technology firm in Chicago, has been profiled in the 2023 Green Quadrant report, issued by Verdantix, of the 23 most prominent environmental, health and safety technology providers.

Protective Industrial Products Inc., a Latham, NY-based personal protective equipment manufacturer, has appointed Curt Holtz president and CEO. In this role, Holtz will oversee the entire PIP Global organization, which includes the company’s commercial business units in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.

Rockford Systems LLC, a turnkey supplier of machine safeguarding equipment and services in Rockford, IL, has launched a newly redesigned website at rockfordsystems.com.