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Develop a ‘culture of listening’ to reduce digital barriers for disabled volunteers, charities urged

A new report highlights factors that stop many disabled adults from giving their time to good causes




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Trustees and volunteer managers urged to take part in study

A group of more than 40 volunteering organisations is surveying people in London as part of efforts to draw up a volunteering action plan for the capital




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Regulatory agenda: Silica, I2P2 rules expected soon

Washington – OSHA expects to issue highly anticipated proposed rules for its Silica and Injury and Illness Prevention Program standards within the next few months, according to the Spring Regulatory Agenda, published July 3.




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GAO: EPA's success on chemical management unclear

Washington – It is unclear whether the Environmental Protection Agency’s approach to managing toxic chemicals will be successful in ensuring safety, an official from the Government Accountability Office recently told legislators.




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Long-time OSHRC commissioner Thomasina Rogers retires

Washington – Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission Chairman Thomasina Rogers retired on April 27.




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OSHRC requests comment on possible changes to procedural rules

Washington — The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission is accepting comments until Oct. 9 on potential revisions to its procedural rules, in part to reflect technological advances, according to a notice published in the Sept. 7 Federal Register.




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OSHRC extends comment period on possible changes to procedural rules

Washington — The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has extended to Nov. 16 the comment period on potential revisions to its procedural rules, in part to reflect technological advances.




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Keep the office fridge clean – and safe

Is your shared office refrigerator filled with mystery items, funky smells and 5-month-old yogurt? It’s time to take action.




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Manager support helps reduce absenteeism among depressed workers: study

London — Workers who experience depression may be less prone to miss work when managers show greater sensitivity to their mental health and well-being, recent research from the London School of Economics and Political Science shows.




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Is your office respectful? Ten tips for getting there

Does your office pass the “civility test”? Workplaces that are civil and respectful have employees who are caring, considerate and courteous in their interactions with co-workers, clients and the public, notes the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety.




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Safety: Putting the pieces together

Join the National Safety Council at the world’s largest annual event for safety, health and environmental professionals – the 2014 NSC Congress & Expo. This year’s event, scheduled for Sept. 13-19 in San Diego, is your opportunity to meet with more than 14,000 safety professionals from across the world. Web extra: Online guide to Congress & Expo.




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Supercharge your safety training

Five tips for keeping workers engaged




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You’re in charge of safety – now what?

Whether you’ve been asked to move from another department or safety has been added to your list of current job duties, here’s where to start.




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Kate Sayer: Getting expenses right

It might sound easy, but there are dangers for charities that do not have effective expenses policies




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Kill zombie projects and review your targets: How charities can act now to protect their finances

Even charities with large reserves expect to be severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Liam Kay reports on the tough calls necessary for facing the future




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Targeted interventions may help workers after knee replacement: study

Newcastle upon Tyne, England – Increased awareness and targeted interventions may help improve return-to-work outcomes for workers who undergo total knee replacement procedures, according to a recent study from Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle University in England.




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As Minnesota businesses get ready to reopen, state issues instructions for mandatory preparedness plans

Minneapolis — The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry has published a template, instructions and checklist guidelines for a COVID-19 preparedness plan – a requirement for nonessential businesses that intend to reopen during the pandemic.




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Passenger car drivers speed more than commercial drivers, alliance finds

Greenbelt, MD – Passenger vehicle drivers were cited for speeding “significantly” more often than commercial truck and bus drivers during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Operation Safe Driver campaign in 2013, according to the alliance.




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‘5-Star Promise’: Hotel companies, industry association pledge to improve worker safety

Washington — The American Hotel and Lodging Association and five major corporations have announced their commitment to improve employee safety in the industry, including measures designed to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and assault.




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‘5-Star Promise’: Hotel industry pledge to improve worker safety gains momentum, association says

Washington — A total of 73 U.S. hotel companies have committed to the “5-Star Promise” – a pledge to improve employee safety in the industry, including measures designed to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and assault – since its launch in September 2018, the American Hotel and Lodging Association has announced.




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COVID-19 pandemic: OSHA releases guidance for food and beverage industry

Washington — Aimed at protecting restaurant/food and beverage workers from exposure to COVID-19, a new OSHA safety alert lists measures employers should take during the pandemic.




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Los Angeles fast-food workers ‘especially vulnerable’ to COVID-19 transmission, researchers say

Los Angeles — Adverse working conditions at fast-food restaurants – as well as worker and customer failure to comply with physical distancing and mask-wearing protocols – may put fast-food employees in Los Angeles at greater risk of contracting COVID-19, according to a recently released report from the University of California, Los Angeles and UC Berkeley.




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Protecting workers from wildfire smoke: Washington L&I launches webpage

Tumwater, WA — A new webpage from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is intended to help employers protect workers – both indoors and out – from the adverse effects of wildfire smoke.




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Fire service groups urge drivers to follow ‘move over’ laws

Chantilly, VA — The International Association of Fire Chiefs and eight other national fire service organizations are urging drivers to exercise extra caution when approaching emergency vehicles and respect move over laws.




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OSHA seeks volunteers to assist small business panel on emergency response

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.




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‘What’s killing us’: Firefighter groups warn of health risks linked to protective gear

Washington — Concerned that firefighters’ protective gear may contain potentially harmful “forever chemicals,” the International Association of Fire Fighters and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association are advising their members to take precautions to reduce exposure.




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New training for emergency responders on PPE use at roadway incidents

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.




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Fighting row house fires: NIOSH video spotlights challenges and tactics

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




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Helping firefighters respond to pipeline emergencies: new training

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




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OSHA proposed rule on emergency response set for publication

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.




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OSHA publishes ‘comprehensive’ proposed rule on emergency response

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




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OSHA extends comment period on proposed rule for emergency responders

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




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More time to comment on OSHA’s proposed rule for emergency responders

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




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OSHA hearing on emergency response standard set for Nov. 12

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




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Pipeline safety agency awards grants for firefighter training

Washington — The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is providing more than $41 million in grants for hazardous materials safety programs and hazmat training for firefighters.




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Survey: Construction firms with union workers more likely to engage in safety best practices, training

Silver Spring, MD — Construction firms that employ at least some union workers are more likely to perform safety best practices and undergo OSHA training than those with no union employees, according to the results of a biennial survey commissioned by the Center for Construction Research and Training – also known as CPWR.




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Lawsuit challenges MSHA’s removal of mine’s POV status

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.




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Labor union shares concerns about ‘outrageous’ West Virginia mining bill

Triangle, VA — United Mine Workers of America President Cecil E. Roberts recently called proposed legislation that would reduce the scope of mine safety inspections in West Virginia and amend the state’s underground ventilation laws “one of the most outrageous attempts to slash critical protections for miners’ safety and health on the job that I have ever seen.”




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Steelworkers sue EPA over changes to chemical safety rule

Washington — United Steelworkers is suing the Environmental Protection Agency and its administrator, Andrew Wheeler, over the agency’s recent changes to the Obama-era Chemical Disaster Rule.




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Coronavirus pandemic: Nurses union calls on OSHA to issue emergency standard

Silver Spring, MD — In response to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the nation’s largest union and professional association of direct care registered nurses is petitioning OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard to protect frontline workers, patients and the public from the potentially deadly respiratory illness.




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AFL-CIO calls for emergency standards, additional worker protections before reopening the economy

Washington — The AFL-CIO has outlined steps it says all levels of government should take to protect workers from exposure to COVID-19 before reopening the economy.




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AFL-CIO sues OSHA in effort to force emergency standard

Washington — The AFL-CIO has filed a lawsuit against OSHA and the Department of Labor, asking a federal court to require OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard on infectious disease amid the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.




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Court rejects AFL-CIO lawsuit to force OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard

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.




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COVID-19 pandemic: Labor unions sue MSHA to force an emergency temporary standard

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.




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Global nurses group pushes WHO for stronger stance on COVID-19 protections

Silver Spring, MD — Global Nurses United is demanding stronger COVID-19 guidance from the World Health Organization, including a call for more personal protective equipment for health care workers and acknowledgement from WHO on how the virus is spread.




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Nurses union urges Congress to pass legislation targeting ‘unsafe’ staffing levels

Silver Spring, MD — The nation’s largest union and professional association of registered nurses is urging Congress to pass pending legislation that would “end the industry-created nurse staffing crisis” by setting mandated staffing levels in hospitals, as well as take other actions that would improve working conditions for nurses.




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Nurses union urges CDC to reverse updated COVID-19 guidance

Silver Spring, MD — Claiming the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is “once again responding to political pressures from those desperate to remove any safety protocols during this deadly pandemic that is still causing unacceptable numbers of infections, hospitalizations and deaths every day,” the nation’s largest union and professional association of registered nurses is calling on the agency to reverse its most recent COVID-19 guidance.




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Chemical storage

What are some common chemical storage compatibilities?




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New bill would change recording requirements for site-controlling employers

Newly introduced legislation would mandate site-controlling employers to record all worker injuries and illnesses, regardless of who employs the worker.




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Federal judge delays effective date of NLRB’s joint employer rule

Tyler, TX — The National Labor Relations Board’s joint employer rule, originally set to go into effect Feb. 26, has been put on hold until at least March 11.