Atlanta — Aimed at protecting wildland firefighters from exposure to COVID-19, a new website from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention features answers to a series of frequently asked questions.

Piscataway, NJ — A recent study of volunteer firefighters shows that their bodies have higher levels of “forever chemicals” than those of people in the general public, and the amount of these potentially harmful substances likely rises with time and exposures.

Washington — OSHA is planning to convene a small business panel on Oct. 4 to discuss a potential standard on emergency response, the Small Business Administration has announced.

Harrisburg, PA — The combination of high-intensity lights and high-visibility markings on emergency vehicles may make first responders working nighttime roadway scenes difficult for approaching motorists to see – even when the responders are wearing hi-vis vests, the “surprising” results of a recent study show.

Durham, NC — Researchers at Duke University have identified a new tool they say can help doctors and public health officials track firefighters’ exposures to cancer-causing chemicals, as well as determine when and where the risks may be greatest.

Philadelphia — Drexel University’s Center for Firefighter Injury Research & Safety Trends has created model organizational policies aimed at addressing stress and violence in fire-based emergency medical services workers.

Emmitsburg, MD — A new training module from the Emergency Responder Safety Institute focuses on the use of personal protective equipment when responding to roadway incidents.

Washington — A new video is intended to help firefighters stay safe when responding to fire incidents at row houses.

Washington — New online training from the National Volunteer Fire Council is intended to help fire departments better respond to pipeline emergencies.

Washington — OSHA is eyeing January for publication of a proposed update to its standard on emergency response to expand safety and health protections for first responders.

Washington — OSHA is seeking to “address the full range of hazards currently facing emergency responders” via a recently released proposed rule.

Washington — OSHA has extended until June 21 the comment period on proposed updates to its emergency response standard.

Washington — Comments on proposed updates to OSHA’s emergency response standard are now due July 22.

Washington — OSHA has scheduled a public hearing on proposed updates to its emergency response standard.

Can today’s gas detector technology keep up with the current trends in lowering gas exposure limits?

How can the spread of bacteria and viruses in the workplace be controlled?

Chicago — People exposed to organic solvents on the job may have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure, according to a recent study of Latino workers.

Triangle, VA — The United Mine Workers Association is suing the Mine Safety and Health Administration and its administrator, David Zatezalo, over the legality of the agency’s removal of a Sophia, WV, mine from Pattern of Violations status.

Washington — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on June 11 rejected an AFL-CIO lawsuit calling on the Department of Labor and OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard on infectious diseases amid the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington — The United Mine Workers of America and the United Steelworkers are suing the Department of Labor and the Mine Safety and Health Administration in an effort to compel MSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard on infectious diseases amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington — The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on workplace safety is among the issues explored in the AFL-CIO’s annual report on the state of safety and health protections for U.S. workers.

Washington — The full extent of the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on the nation’s workforce will likely remain unclear because of the lack of a comprehensive national system to gather such information, according to the AFL-CIO’s annual report on the state of safety and health protections for U.S. workers.

La Grange, IL — Unionized construction worksites may be nearly a fifth less likely to incur OSHA health and safety violations than their nonunionized counterparts, with positive effects on safety even more prevalent in the Midwest, a recent report shows.

Washington — “The nation must renew its commitment to protecting workers from job injury, disease and death, and make this a high priority,” the AFL-CIO says in its annual report on the state of safety and health protections for U.S. workers.

Washington — OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration have scheduled a national Workers Memorial Day ceremony for April 27 at the Department of Labor headquarters.

Can you provide me with information about isocyanate exposure?

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists has set new recommendations around lower hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) monitoring, and I have heard that OSHA may consider doing the same. How will these changes impact my gas monitoring program and safety audit?

Is our company at risk of litigation (i.e., employee health concerns) regarding chemical exposure in the workplace, provided we are following OSHA’s permissible exposure limits?

I own a cannabis business. What chemical hazards are my employees exposed to, and how can I assess and prevent health and safety risks?

How can hazardous chemicals enter the human body? What should safety professionals know about each avenue of entry?

Washington – OSHA has launched an initiative to help ensure temporary workers are better protected.

Washington – The safety of temporary workers will be the topic of discussion during a meeting, scheduled for May 9, of a National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health workgroup.

Washington – OSHA recently sent a memo about its Temporary Worker Initiative to regional administrators.

Temporary and contractor workers should be included in all efforts employers take to ensure the safety of workers, according to National Safety Council recommendations released Dec. 18.

Washington – An OSHA workgroup tasked with examining temporary worker safety issues is scheduled to meet monthly through November, the agency announced Aug. 18.

Washington – Both host employers and staffing firms are responsible for protecting temporary workers, OSHA administrator David Michaels stresses in a recently released video.

Philadelphia – Staffing agencies that hire temporary workers need to be regulated more vigorously, and employers that use those agencies should carry a heavier load of responsibility for workers’ safety, a trio of Temple University law students concluded in a recent report examining how staffing agencies and host employers may “pass the buck” to get around proper safety training and other requirements.

Washington — The National Labor Relations Board is requesting public comment as it seeks to return to its previous definition of a “joint employer.”

Washington — Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) is threatening acting Labor Secretary Julie Su with a subpoena over her “failure to provide the requested information” on the Department of Labor’s independent contractor rule.

The Pocket Blade Dispenser helps reduce worker injuries by safely dispensing one blade at a time.

The Jobsite Saw is the lightest, most portable and most affordable SawStop yet.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is moving forward with – and seeking comment on – a proposed rule that would require the installation of speed-limiting devices on trucks, buses and multipurpose passenger vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds.

Washington — Responding to stakeholder requests, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has extended until July 18 the comment period on a proposed rule that would require the installation of speed-limiting devices on trucks, buses and multipurpose passenger vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds.

The e684 Helmet has been added to the e3000 Powered Air Purifying Respiratory system.

What should I know about polyurethane foot protection?

Sacramento, CA – Almost 1 million people in California have work-related asthma, according to a new surveillance report from the California Department of Public Health.

Falls Church, VA – Workers may be exposed to a group of synthetic chemicals used in building materials without realizing it, according to a new white paper from the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

This comprehensive lineup of disposable earplugs features 14 new products that include corded, uncorded and metal-detectable styles.

Hopkinton, MA – “Overexertion involving outside sources” was the leading cause of disabling injuries in the United States in 2014 for the third consecutive year, according to the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, an annual ranking of serious, nonfatal workplace injuries based on direct workers’ compensation costs.

New York — Fewer than 10% of the estimated 250,000 employees who contracted COVID-19 while on the job last year in New York state filed for workers’ compensation benefits, and fewer than 1% have received a hearing, according to a recent report from the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health.