Washington — Legislation recently introduced in the House would equip OSHA and the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division with “the resources needed to tackle federal labor law violations.”

Tallahassee, FL — A bill that would roll back restrictions on the number of hours 16- and 17-year-olds can work, and when, is advancing in the Florida Legislature.

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

Providence, RI — Rhode Island lawmakers have reintroduced legislation intended to protect workers from psychological abuse – such as bullying – on the job.

Denver — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) has signed legislation that includes funding aimed at establishing recovery friendly workplaces and supporting people in recovery from substance use disorders.

Albany, NY — Retail workers in New York now have more protections against workplace violence and harassment, under a new state law.

Sacramento, CA — Naloxone hydrochloride or another Food and Drug Administration-approved opioid-reversal medication must be included in all workplace first aid kits in California no later than Dec. 1, 2028.

New York — Hotel operators in New York City now must provide panic buttons to their workers, under a new law signed by Mayor Eric Adams (D) on Nov. 4.

Approximately 70,250 cut or laceration cases involving days away from work occurred in the private sector in 2011, according to the 2014 edition of the National Safety Council’s “Injury Facts.”

In Episode 48, the S+H team examines the February issue’s CEO’s Who “Get It” feature and some of OSHA’s most unique cases. Also, National Safety Council colleague Maria Cordova joins the podcast to discuss the benefits of first aid at work in the “Five Questions With …” segment.

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Miners working alone should always tell a responsible person their location and travel path through a mine, the Mine Safety and Health Administration says.

Improper hitching to a tractor can cause severe injury and even death. NIOSH warns that attaching a tow chain at a point above the tractor’s drawbar can cause the vehicle to roll over backward – a highly dangerous occurrence.

Compacting and baling machines have uses in many industries, and also are involved in a number of fatalities and serious injuries.

The scrap metal recycling industry is large, intricate and full of dangerous processing techniques that pose a variety of safety and health hazards to workers, according to OSHA.

Woodworking machines – with their moving parts and sharp blades – can be extremely dangerous if not used correctly. Amputations, blindness and lacerations are common injuries related to working with these machines.

Used in the plastics industry, thermoplastic injection molding machines “produce molded plastic parts by converting plastic pellets into molten material, injecting the molten plastic into a mold and cooling the plastic material,” OSHA says. Industries that use these machines include toy, medical device and beverage container manufacturers.

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

Wearable technology offers EHS pros another way to help employees stay safer and healthier. But with its potential comes concerns.

Washington — Location geofencing is the subject of the latest white paper from the National Safety Council’s Work to Zero initiative

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.

The Icon LTET is a premium ANSI-compliant high-visibility jacket.

The Elements Flak Jacket features an innovative fusion of Polartec’s Wind Pro and patented HardFace FR fabrics.

The Workrite FR Tactical Pant is a durable, lightweight and stylish FR clothing option for industrial workers and firefighters.

The BP2CL3O 2-in-1 Insulated Bomber Jacket meets ANSI Class 3 standards and will help keep workers safe when high visibility is an important factor.

The Slice Smart-Retract Utility Knife combines a patented ceramic blade with the next advancement in safety features: smart-retract technology.

The National Safety Council recognizes April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. NSC urges drivers to put their cellphone down and focus on the road ahead.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month – the perfect time to review some safe driving tips from the National Safety Council.

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.

San Diego – Most U.S. workplace deaths are preventable, and several approaches can be taken to reduce exposures to hazardous conditions, suggests a new report from the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.

New York – A new report claims 42 percent of workers surveyed in New York City’s food manufacturing industry have been injured on the job.

Despite the downward trend in workplace fatalities, safety advocates are calling for stepped-up efforts to protect workers.

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.

Washington – President Barack Obama should veto proposed funding legislation that would cut OSHA’s budget, 76 advocacy groups urged in an Aug. 5 letter.

Washington – The National Consumers League has repeated its call for the Consumer Product Safety Commission to require injury-prevention technology on all table saws sold in the United States.

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.

San Diego – More needs to be done to protect workers, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health says. More than 90 other organizations agree. Those groups have endorsed National COSH’s action agenda, “Protecting Workers’ Lives and Limbs,” released March 15.

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.

Washington — Two months after Secretary of Labor R. Alexander Acosta touted OSHA’s increased number of inspections, the National Employment Law Project has released new data showing that the agency is coming up short in one measure.

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.

Washington — The National Employment Law Project and the Economic Analysis and Research Network recently released a policy brief intended to advise incoming governors and state legislators on best practices “to protect workers in their states so that all communities can thrive and grow.”

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.

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.

San Diego — The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health has published a list of best practices intended to “enhance workplace safety” for essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington — Two days after OSHA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued voluntary interim guidance aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 among workers in the meatpacking and poultry-processing industries, President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act of 1950 and declared the facilities “critical infrastructure” in an Executive Order intended to keep meatpacking facilities open.

Los Angeles — To help ensure the safety of people returning to work – as well as those already on the job – during the COVID-pandemic, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health has released guidelines for workplace safety; worker participation; and compensation for sick, injured and at-risk workers.

Washington — The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is evaluating its next course of action after the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Sept. 18 denied a CVSA petition requesting that the agency update its definition of “personal conveyance” and clarify a mileage limit.

Los Angeles — Workplace deaths as a result of trauma have increased at a significantly higher percentage for Black, Latino and Asian workers compared with white workers, according to the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.

Washington — The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health is calling on OSHA to enact an emergency temporary standard related to COVID-19 – an action the advocacy group says won’t require OSHA officials to reinvent the wheel.

Washington — OSHA is developing an emergency rule that will require employers with at least 100 workers to “ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated or show a negative test at least once a week,” President Joe Biden announced Sept. 9.