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EPA reschedules virtual peer review of draft risk evaluation for asbestos

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency has moved to June 8-11 a Toxic Substances Control Act Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals virtual peer review of an EPA draft risk evaluation that states asbestos, a known human carcinogen, presents an unreasonable health risk to workers under certain conditions.




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EPA proposes ‘comprehensive’ reporting, recordkeeping requirements for asbestos

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.




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Workplace violence prevention law lets Utah employers seek protective orders

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.




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Young employees ‘need more protections’ against workplace violence: researchers

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




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EEOC proposing updates to guidance on preventing workplace harassment

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.




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On the Safe Side podcast Episode 46: Workplace violence prevention best practices and Safety Data Sheets

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.




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Preventing workplace harassment: EEOC updates guidance

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.




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House committee advances bill that includes a block on speed limiters

Washington — The House Appropriations Committee has approved legislation that would prohibit funding for a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration proposal to require the installation of speed-limiting devices on heavy trucks.




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Workplace violence in health care: Lawmakers seek stiffer penalties

Washington — Physical assaults on health care workers in hospitals could lead to federal penalties and up to 20 years of jail time, under new bipartisan legislation.




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Lawmakers seek to repeal final rule on NLRB’s definition of ‘joint employer’

Washington — A bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers have introduced a joint Congressional Review Act resolution to repeal the National Labor Relations Board’s recently revised joint employer rule.




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House committee resolution latest move in fight over ‘joint employer’ definition

Washington — The House Education and the Workforce Committee has approved a resolution intended to repeal the National Labor Relations Board’s recently revised joint employer rule.




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Speed-limiter proposal hot topic of House hearing

Washington — Members of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee veered from the focus of a recent hearing by challenging legislation that would require speed-limiting devices on heavy trucks.




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Lawmakers seek to strengthen federal building security

Washington — New bipartisan legislation is intended to better protect workers and visitors in federal buildings.




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The push for a 4-day workweek resurfaces in Congress

Washington — Two senators have reintroduced a bill to establish the 32-hour workweek as an American standard.




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Workers need protection from ‘spying bosses,’ two lawmakers say

Washington — A pair of House Democrats have introduced legislation that would “prohibit, or require disclosure of, the surveillance, monitoring and collection of certain worker data by employers.”




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First responders need training on EV-related emergencies, lawmaker says

Washington — Legislation recently introduced in the Senate is aimed at ensuring firefighters and other workers are properly trained to respond to emergencies involving electric vehicles.




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Understanding and Meeting Your First Aid Obligations

Get a complete overview of OSHA’s first aid regulations and what they mean for your business in this helpful white paper from J. J. Keller.




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Understanding and Meeting Your First Aid Obligations

Get a complete overview of OSHA’s first aid regulations and what they mean for your business in this helpful white paper from J. J. Keller.




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On the Safe Side podcast Episode 31: Volunteer first aid response teams and worker engagement

In Episode 31, the S+H editorial team dives into the September issue’s feature story on setting up a volunteer first aid response team in your workplace, and discusses the ins and outs of worker engagement and buy-in with Shawn Galloway, CEO of ProAct Safety.




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Keep lone workers safe

A lone worker is defined as a worker who cannot be seen or heard by another person, and cannot expect a visit from another employee.




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Tired? Don’t get behind the wheel

Drowsy driving is responsible for more than 6,400 U.S. deaths annually, according to the National Sleep Foundation, and you’re three times more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle-related crash if you’re driving tired.




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Protect chimney sweeps from respiratory hazards

Knowing which type of respirator to use – and how use it properly – is crucial to protecting chimney sweeps from exposure to airborne hazards, NIOSH says in a fact sheet.




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Prevent caught-in, caught-between incidents

Cave-ins during excavation work, body parts being pulled into unguarded machinery, standing within the swing radius of cranes and other equipment, and being caught between a piece of equipment and a fixed object – all of these are examples of caught-in or caught-between incidents that can occur at work.




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Steer clear of injury when using skid-steer loaders

Skid-steer loaders, often used on construction sites for excavating and other tasks, have features that expose workers to many injury risks, including caught-between incidents and rollovers.




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Protect your teen workers

Because of their youth and inexperience, extra attention needs to be paid to teen workers, cautions the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health.




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Help keep young workers safe

Having a job can be an exciting and rewarding experience for young people. But according to OSHA, people younger than 25 are 2 times as likely as older workers to be injured on the job, and more than 170,000 young workers were injured and 361 were killed at work in 2012.




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Keeping young workers safe behind the wheel

According to NIOSH, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related deaths among people ages 16 to 24 in the United States.




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FACEValue: Teen roofer electrocuted by power line

A 16-year-old worker died after his ladder came in contact with a power line.




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Keeping linemen safe

Utility linemen face a variety of on-the-job hazards. From high-voltage contact and confined spaces to working at height and exposure to inclement weather, what’s being done to promote a culture of safety within the industry?




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Fatigue, sleepiness major safety risks in ridesharing industry, sleep experts say

Darien, IL — Fatigue and sleepiness are inherent safety risks for ridesharing drivers and their passengers, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine declares in a recent position statement.




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Fact sheets offer tips for protecting workers in gas stations and convenience stores

Washington — New fact sheets from NIOSH are intended to help workers at gas stations and convenience stores – and their employers – reduce the risk of violence on the job.




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Electric wheel brake for cranes

BRBe is an electric wheel brake for electric overhead travel- ing cranes at ports and steel mills, as well as other heavy-duty applications.




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Going ‘green’

Today, there are an increasing number of environmentally friendly safety products to choose from. What are the real advantages of choosing “green” safety products?




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Workplace safety advocates, families: We need better laws

Los Angeles – Better laws and more resources are needed to protect workers throughout the country, several safety advocates said in an April 23 teleconference sponsored by the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.




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Groups claim poultry line speeds violate human rights

Washington – Three advocacy groups on June 25 filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights alleging that unsafe conditions in poultry plants threaten workers’ basic human rights.




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Health care industry needs more OSHA standards, inspections: report

Washington – OSHA needs to issue more regulations that protect health care workers and conduct more inspections of facilities in that industry, according to a report released July 17 by advocacy group Public Citizen.




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Farm safety week emphasizes ‘working together’

Washington – OSHA is supporting the efforts of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety in promoting National Farm Safety and Health Week, Sept. 15-21.




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Coalition continues push against proposal to increase poultry-processing line speeds

Atlanta – As the nation prepares to cook millions of turkeys in recognition of Thanksgiving Day, a coalition of worker safety and consumer advocates once again have voiced their opposition to a proposed Department of Agriculture rule that would speed up line speeds at poultry-processing plants.




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PETA to OSHA: Prohibit direct contact between elephants, handlers

Washington – A disturbing rate of worker injuries and fatalities involving captive elephants has led People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to submit a formal petition to OSHA asking for stronger worker protections in the industry.




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During Workers’ Memorial Week, safety advocates call for stronger protections

To mark Workers’ Memorial Week, advocacy groups issued reports and called for increased worker protections and additional research to prevent on-the-job injuries.




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Road safety advocates look to keep hours-of-service restart rule intact

Washington – At least one advocacy group and two truck safety advocates are calling for the federal government to maintain current hours-of-service regulations for commercial motor vehicle drivers as a way to combat fatigued driving.




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Groups file motion to intervene in lawsuit against OSHA recordkeeping rule

Washington – Several public health advocacy groups have filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit that aims to undo OSHA’s requirement for employers to electronically submit worker injury and illness data for public view.




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Safety advocates call for stronger protections during Workers’ Memorial Week

The AFL-CIO, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, and the National Safety Council are among the organizations renewing the call for improved worker protections as part of Workers’ Memorial Week (April 23-30).




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Rise in worker deaths a ‘national crisis,’ AFL-CIO president says during Workers’ Memorial Week

Washington — The state of workplace safety and health protections in the United States is a “national crisis,” according to Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, which has released its annual report detailing the hazards that workers face every day on the job.




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Worker advocacy groups file FOIA lawsuit seeking EPA notes on changes to pesticide regs

Washington — Advocacy groups Farmworker Justice and Earthjustice filed a joint Freedom of Information Act lawsuit April 17 seeking Environmental Protection Agency meeting notes related to a pair of regulatory changes regarding worker protection.




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Advocacy group claims USDA used flawed data to advance line-speed proposal for pork-processing plants

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture used flawed worker injury data to advance its controversial proposal to remove maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants, according to the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy group.




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‘Deadly Skyline’: Construction deaths keep climbing in New York state, but fall in New York City

New York — Construction worker fatalities remain on the rise in New York state while continuing to decline in New York City, according to an annual report released by the advocacy group New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health.




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Advocacy groups say proposed rule on teen workers violates Information Quality Act

Washington — The National Employment Law Project and two other labor advocacy groups have filed a complaint against the Department of Labor, claiming DOL violated the Information Quality Act in its move to roll back child labor laws to allow unsupervised teens to operate powered patient lifts in health care settings.




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Don’t become ‘numb’ to workplace deaths and illnesses, AFL-CIO president says during Workers’ Memorial Week

Washington — AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka cautioned the public not to become “numb” to workplace fatalities and illnesses, as the labor federation released its annual report detailing the hazards workers face every day.




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Learn to ‘see’ hazards

Once you train yourself to spot hazards, you’ll notice them all around you. They may not always be obvious or immediate concerns, but they can still pose a risk to you and your co-workers.