ic

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.




ic

Ferro testifies about hours-of-service regulations

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s updated hours-of-service regulations would prevent an estimated 1,400 crashes, 560 injuries and 19 fatalities each year, according to agency Administrator Anne S. Ferro.




ic

Quicker case resolution part of new OSHRC strategic plan

Washington – The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission intends to reduce the average length of time it takes to resolve cases as part of its new five-year strategic plan.




ic

Patrick Nakamura named acting chairman of FMSHRC

Washington – President Barack Obama has designated Patrick Nakamura as acting chairman of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission.




ic

OSHRC seeks comment on draft of Strategic Plan

Washington – The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission is seeking comments on a draft of its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan.




ic

FMCSA renews charter for Medical Review Board

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has renewed the charter for the Medical Review Board, according to a notice published in the Dec. 7 Federal Register.




ic

SCOTUS decision may have ramifications for OSHA and MSHA

Washington — A recent Supreme Court decision could affect how legal disputes with OSHA or the Mine Safety and Health Administration are settled.




ic

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.




ic

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.




ic

Is your office ‘scent free’?

From air fresheners, soaps and lotions to cleaning products, perfumes, colognes and deodorants, scents are often in the air at work.




ic

Train your public speaking muscles

Whether you're giving a toolbox talk or making a presentation to the C-suite, being a strong speaker is "an important part of the career," one expert says.




ic

Chemical Safety Board launches interactive PSM training based on Texas City disaster

Washington — Recently released interactive training from the Chemical Safety Board incorporates agency findings from a deadly refinery explosion to form guidelines for managing hazardous chemicals and complying with OSHA’s standard on process safety management.




ic

FD in Five Minutes: Nick Avery of Lepra

The finance director at the charity that works to beat leprosy on emotional moments and box sets




ic

FD in Five Minutes: Richard Taylor

Third Sector speaks to the finance director and chief operating officer at the United Synagogue




ic

Third Sector Awards 2019: Marketing Campaign of the Year - Islamic Relief UK for Ramadan Campaign 2018

Awarded to a charity with the best marketing campaign. Examples might include the successful marketing of an organisation's products, services or membership programmes




ic

Are you being fair? Researchers say workers returning from sick leave need to feel supported

Norwich, England — Managers need to “foster a supportive culture between colleagues” to help workers returning from sick leave feel they’re being treated fairly, according to researchers from the University of East Anglia and Stockholm University.




ic

Long-term opioid use significantly delays return to work, workers’ comp study shows

Cambridge, MA — A Workers Compensation Research Institute study of workers with low-back injuries shows those who receive longer-term prescriptions for opioid painkillers take significantly longer to return to work than those who are not prescribed opioids.




ic

When are stroke victims able to return to work? Researchers create ‘effective, low-cost’ test

Manchester, England — Walking speed is the strongest predictor of a stoke victim’s ability to return to work, with about 3 feet per second the “critical threshold,” say researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University.




ic

COVID-19 pandemic: CDC issues guidance for reopening businesses

Atlanta — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released guidelines intended to help businesses, as well as schools and mass transit operations, safely reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic.




ic

COVID-19 pandemic: Survey of remote workers shows opinions on returning to the office vary

Washington — Workers’ opinions about returning to the office amid the COVID-19 pandemic vary greatly based on each individual’s situation, but most want their employer to take certain actions to ensure their safety when they do, results of a recent survey show.




ic

ATA vice chairman calls for shift in law enforcement focus

Louisville, KY – Traffic law enforcement agencies should shift their priorities away from roadside inspections and instead focus on drivers’ unsafe behaviors – the cause of about 9 out of 10 crashes – according to an American Trucking Associations representative.




ic

Guns involved in most police officer homicides: study

A new study says firearms were responsible for more than 90 percent of on-the-job homicides among law enforcement officers from 1996 to 2010.




ic

Data shows police officer gun, traffic deaths decline in first half of 2013

Washington – U.S. law enforcement deaths in the first half of 2013 increased slightly from the previous year, but decreases occurred in firearms- and traffic-related deaths, according to preliminary data released July 11 by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.




ic

FBI: 95 police line-of-duty deaths in 2012

Washington – Ninety-five law enforcement officers died on the job in 2012, according to FBI data released Oct. 28.




ic

Police officers on night shift face increased injury risks: study

Buffalo, NY – Police officers working the night shift are more likely to suffer long-term workplace injuries than officers on other shifts, according to a new study from the University at Buffalo.




ic

Police exposed to health risks of excessive sitting: study

Iowa City, IA – Police work is mostly sedentary, with officers likely to be more active on their days off than while working, according to a new study from the University of Iowa.




ic

Chasing suspects puts police at higher risk of sudden cardiac death: study

Boston – Chasing and restraining suspects, in addition to other chaotic encounters, puts police officers at an approximately 30 percent to 70 percent higher risk of sudden cardiac death, suggests a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health and Cambridge Health Alliance.




ic

‘Simple’ steps can protect police officers from crash-related injuries, researcher says

Santa Monica, CA – More effort is needed to prevent injuries among police officers involved in traffic collisions – including those that occur when the vehicle is not moving – according to a study from nonprofit research institute RAND Corp.




ic

Ambush killings of police officers up over 366 percent: report

Washington – Ambush killings of law enforcement officers have increased more than 366 percent this year compared with the same time period one year ago, according to a report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.




ic

Indiana lawmaker looks to bolster protections for public safety officers and their families

Indianapolis – A recent spike in targeted attacks against public safety officers, including one in his home state, has prompted an Indiana lawmaker to take action.




ic

Law enforcement officer wins NIOSH Safe-in-Sound award

Washington – An innovative sheriff’s deputy has been named the winner of NIOSH’s Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award.




ic

Assaults leading cause of injuries among law enforcement officers: NIOSH

Washington — Law enforcement officers have a nonfatal injury rate nearly three times higher than the general workforce – with “assaults and violent acts” against them the leading cause – according to a recent NIOSH study.




ic

Indiana lawmaker introduces bill to create a public safety research fund

Indianapolis — Indiana Rep. Randy Frye (R-Greensburg) has introduced state legislation that would create a public safety research fund aimed at understanding and improving the physical health and safety and psychological well-being of first responders.




ic

PPE basics for first responders exposed to fentanyl: NIOSH releases video

Washington — NIOSH has released a video intended to assist first responders with understanding personal protective equipment protocol when facing potential exposure to fentanyl – a synthetic opioid considered up to 50 times more potent than heroin – and other illicit drugs.




ic

2021 on pace to be one of the deadliest years on record for law enforcement officers: report

Washington — At least 155 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty during the first half of the year – a 9.9% increase from the same period in 2020, according to a recently released report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.




ic

State transportation officials commit to reverse ‘unacceptable’ crash trend

Indianapolis — Members of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials have pledged to work together on a safety action plan aimed at reducing fatal traffic crashes.




ic

Fact sheet on amputations from food slicers, grinders features updated reporting info

Washington – A recently released OSHA fact sheet on preventing amputations from food slicers and meat grinders incorporates findings from the agency’s new injury reporting requirements.




ic

Smoking most prevalent among workers in food service, accommodation: report

Atlanta – Workers in the accommodation and food service industries have the highest prevalence of cigarette smoking, according to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.




ic

Chemical used in car, truck washes can injure workers: study

Tumwater, WA – A chemical used in car and truck washes can harm workers, according to research from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.




ic

Report on Louisiana workers shows poor health most common in service industry

Baton Rouge, LA – Service industry workers in Louisiana report a higher prevalence of poor health, chronic health conditions, and risk factors such as smoking and binge drinking than all other workers in the state, according to an analysis conducted by the state’s Occupational Health and Injury Surveillance Program.




ic

EPA proposes ban on trichloroethylene use in dry cleaning

Washington – The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to ban certain uses of the chemical trichloroethylene because of health risks associated with the toxic chemical when used as a degreaser and spot removal agent in dry cleaning.




ic

New NJ law mandates panic buttons for hotel housekeepers

Trenton, NJ — Calling it the first state law of its kind, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) on June 11 signed a bill intended to help protect hotel housekeeping and room service workers against assault and harassment.




ic

New Illinois law requires panic buttons for hotel, casino staff working alone

Springfield, IL — Beginning July 1, hotels and casinos in Illinois will be required to have anti-sexual harassment policies that include, for certain workers, access to a safety button or notification device that alerts security staff.




ic

COVID-19 pandemic: Hotel association expands cleaning, safety guidelines

Washington — The American Hotel and Lodging Association has developed what it calls “enhanced” cleaning guidelines and workplace protocols “to meet the new health and safety challenges and expectations presented by COVID-19.”




ic

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.




ic

New posters highlight 11 best practices for lowering firefighter cancer risk

Greenbelt, MD — Following up on their release of a report detailing 11 best practices for minimizing cancer risk among firefighters, the National Volunteer Fire Council and the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Volunteer and Combination Officers Section have unveiled new posters to highlight each practice.




ic

New NIOSH toolkit designed to protect first responders from illicit drug exposure

Washington — A new virtual toolkit from NIOSH is intended to help protect first responders from exposure to illicit drugs, including fentanyl – a synthetic opioid considered up to 50 times more potent than heroin.




ic

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.




ic

First responders, Congress unite in call to preserve T-Band for public safety use

Washington — Legislation that would prevent the T-Band spectrum – a public safety radio network intended to ease communication among first responders in 11 metropolitan areas – from being auctioned to other users has garnered support from International Association of Fire Chiefs President and Board Chair Gary Ludwig and International Association of Fire Fighters General President Harold Schaitberger.




ic

Transporting COVID-19 patients: CDC releases guidance on vehicle disinfection, driver protection

Washington — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published guidance on cleaning and disinfecting non-emergency vehicles used to transport patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, as well as safeguarding their drivers.