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Bill would grant immediate sick leave to newly hired vets

Washington – Disabled veterans who have been newly hired to positions in the federal government could receive immediate access to sick leave as part of a proposed House bill.




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Report: DOD data systems hinder ability to monitor soldiers’ health risks

Washington – U.S. service members deployed to the Middle East may be facing occupational health risks due to a lack of health monitoring and flaws in the Department of Defense’s multiple data storage systems, according to a Government Accountability Office report released June 22.




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Military surgeons observe spate of chest tear muscles among weightlifting service members

Maywood, IL — Chest muscle tears caused by weightlifting were treated at an “alarming frequency” in 2013 and 2014 at one armed forces hospital overseas, according to a recent study conducted by military surgeons.




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Repetitive exposure to breaching-related blasts linked to brain damage in police, military: study

Charlottesville, VA — Frequent exposure to minor explosions may increase the risk of brain injury and inflammation among members of law enforcement and the military, results of a recent study led by researchers from the University of Virginia show.




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‘Health Effects of 9/11’: Online exhibit focuses on responders

Washington — The ongoing health problems of workers who responded during and after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks are the focus of an online exhibit recently unveiled by NIOSH and the Department of Health and Human Services.




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NIOSH seeks nominees for World Trade Center Health Program advisory committee

Washington — The NIOSH World Trade Center Health Program is accepting nominations for its Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee.




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Federal OSHA and Cal/OSHA reach agreement on enforcement authority

Washington — OSHA and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health have a new agreement that clarifies which agency has enforcement authority in certain situations.




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U.S. military rolling out targeted mental health care for service members

Washington — A new approach to assisting military personnel who have mental health concerns “helps people get the specific care they need in a timely manner,” a military health care provider says.




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FMCSA’s Martinez talks ELDs, driver shortages during House hearing

Washington — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Raymond Martinez affirmed his belief in electronic logging devices, but said “additional flexibility” is forthcoming for agricultural transporters, during a May 22 hearing before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Highways and Transit Subcommittee.




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FMCSA announces livestreamed listening sessions for proposed changes to trucker hours-of-service rules

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will conduct multiple public listening sessions regarding an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on its hours-of-service regulations for commercial truck drivers.




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ATA wants override of California’s meal and rest break requirements after PHMSA ruling on hazmat drivers

Washington — Three days after the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration determined that hazardous materials transporters do not have to comply with California’s rest and meal break requirements, the American Trucking Associations filed a petition asking the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to pre-empt the requirements for all commercial motor vehicle drivers.




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Survey finds driver shortage, HOS rules top list of trucking industry concerns; ATRI to create ELD data clearinghouse

Austin, TX — A perceived growing shortage of commercial motor vehicle drivers and potential changes to hours-of-service rules are the top issues affecting the trucking industry, according to an annual survey conducted by the American Transportation Research Institute.




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Lawmakers urge DOT to deny pre-emption petition on California’s meal and rest break rules

Washington — A group of 19 congressional Democrats is urging, “in the strongest possible terms,” the Department of Transportation to deny a recent American Trucking Associations petition on California’s meal and rest break rules for commercial truck drivers.




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FMCSA grants trucking industry request for federal pre-emption of California meal and rest break laws

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Dec. 21 granted a petition to pre-empt California’s meal and rest break rules for commercial motor vehicle drivers, stating that the rules are incompatible with current federal hours-of-service regulations and cause “a disruption in interstate commerce.”




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Washington state latest object of petition to preempt trucker meal, rest break rules

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking public comment as it considers a trucking industry petition to preempt Washington state’s meal and rest break rules for commercial motor vehicle drivers, less than a year after granting a similar request in California.




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FMCSA pilot program would allow CMV drivers to pause hours of service for rest break

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking public comment on a proposed pilot program that would allow commercial motor vehicle operators one rest break of up to three consecutive hours but no less than 30 minutes during every 14-hour on-duty period.




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FMCSA preempts Washington state’s meal and rest break rules for truck drivers

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted a petition to preempt Washington state’s rules on meals and rest breaks for commercial truck drivers, determining that federal hours-of-service regulations supersede the state’s rules.




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Should states be allowed to make their own rules for truckers’ meal and rest breaks?

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is asking for comments on petitions seeking to restore California’s and Washington state’s rules on meal and rest breaks for commercial truck and bus drivers.




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Heat stress materials from OSHA

OSHA's 2012 heat illness campaign aims to expand on last year’s campaign by providing more education materials and reaching more workers.




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EU-OSHA campaign reaches out to children

Bilbao, Spain – A campaign aimed at teaching children about workplace safety is available in 18 languages from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (also known as EU-OSHA).




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OSHA releases web tools for limiting chemical exposures

Washington – Calling current permissible exposure limits “antiquated” and “dangerously out of date,” OSHA administrator David Michaels unveiled two web-based resources he said will help companies keep workers safer around chemicals.




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CPWR website offers ‘Create-a-Plan’ for reducing silica exposure

Silver Spring, MD – A new online tool from the Center for Construction Research and Training (better known as CPWR) allows users to confidentially save, retrieve and edit plans for reducing worker exposure to silica.




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Universities partner on toolkit to improve health, safety and wellness

Lowell, MA – A new online toolkit aims to help employers integrate their health, safety and wellness programs.




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OSHA releases web resource for hospital workers

Washington – OSHA on Jan. 15 launched a web resource to help prevent injuries among hospital workers.




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Free workbook aims to help measure safety culture

Silver Spring, MD – Managers hoping to improve their workplace safety climate can reference a new workbook from the Center for Construction Research and Training (also known as CPWR).




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NIOSH releases online training for emergency responders who work long hours

Washington – An online training resource from NIOSH aims to help emergency responders who work long hours in demanding situations.




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NIOSH, OSHA offer toolkit on respiratory protection for health care workers

Washington – A new toolkit from OSHA and NIOSH aims to help protect health care workers from transmissible diseases and other respiratory hazards.




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Nova Scotia, industry group release safety toolkit for small businesses

Liverpool, Nova Scotia – Small to medium-sized employers have a new online resource to help them create a safer workplace.




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Small-business training tool now features health care scenarios

Washington – OSHA has updated an online tool aimed at teaching small-business owners and workers how to locate workplace hazards.




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New safety resources available to Spanish-speaking workers

Washington – Two agencies have released materials to help educate Spanish-speaking workers about occupational safety.




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CPWR releases alert, toolbox talk on lightning safety

Silver Spring, MD — Stressing the importance of lightning awareness while working outdoors, the Center for Construction Research and Training – also known as CPWR – has published a hazard alert and toolbox talk addressing the topic.




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OSHA launches webpage on using leading indicators

Washington — OSHA has created a webpage aimed at helping employers use leading indicators – tracking workplace conditions and events to prevent injuries and illnesses before they occur – to improve their safety and health programs, the agency announced Aug. 9 via Twitter.




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‘Safety at Heights’: ISEA launches campaign on fall protection, dropped objects prevention

Arlington, VA — The International Safety Equipment Association has introduced an initiative to help raise awareness of the dangers of working at height and dropped objects or equipment.




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Fatal falls in construction: Total deaths rise, but rate falls, report shows

Silver Spring, MD — The number of fatal falls to a lower level among construction workers increased from 2011 to 2017 – reflecting a surge in employment – although the rate of such incidents decreased 25%, according to a recent report from the Center for Construction Research and Training, also known as CPWR.




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Fall protection near exposed edges: Washington state issues hazard alert

Tumwater, WA — A new hazard alert from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is intended for employers and workers who use personal fall arrest systems positioned near exposed edges.




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Steel erectors association releases poster on pre-task meetings

Winston-Salem, NC — The Steel Erectors Association of America has created a downloadable poster for the 10th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction – set for May 1-5.




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Are you ready for the National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction?

Washington — The 10th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is fast approaching, and employers nationwide are being encouraged to host an event.




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5 reasons why falls in construction keep happening

“It’s definitely a difficult issue,” the associate director of the NIOSH Office of Construction Safety and Health says.




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Systems Integrator of the Year Honoree: 2 Basic Rules

MidCo Inc., Burr Ridge, Ill, was founded in 1960 by Edwin F. Janik and Albina Janik as a small intercom and paging company. What started out as a two-man operation




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‘Finish the job’: NTSB member leads push on Positive Train Control implementation

New Haven, CT — National Transportation Safety Board member Jennifer Homendy, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and railroad safety advocates repeated their call for full implementation of Positive Train Control – emergency slowing and stopping systems designed to help prevent train crashes and derailments caused by human error.




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Senate confirms Amit Bose as head of Federal Railroad Administration

Washington — The Senate has confirmed Amit Bose as administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, with a 68-29 vote Jan. 12.




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Train crew size requirements: FRA to host public hearing in December

Washington — The Federal Railroad Administration has scheduled a public hearing on a proposed rule that would require at least two crew members for most trains.




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Unintended train brake release spurs FRA advisory

Washington — In response to an incident involving the unintended release of a train’s automatic air brakes while stopped at a signal, the Federal Railroad Administration has issued a safety advisory.




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Railroad association announces new safety measures

Washington — Spurred by the Feb. 3 train derailment and fire in East Palestine, OH, the freight rail industry says it’s taking several “initial steps” to improve safety.




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FRA providing funding for rail safety research

Washington — The Federal Railroad Administration is making available $5 million in grants for the creation of a rail research and development Center of Excellence.




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PHMSA proposal calls on railroads to provide real-time hazmat info to emergency responders

Washington — The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is set to publish a proposed rule that would require railroads to maintain and update information about hazardous material shipments.




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Railroad agency issues safety recommendations about severe weather

Washington — Spurred by 123 rail incidents linked to severe weather over the past three years, the Federal Railroad Administration has issued a safety advisory.




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Transit agency aims to make workers safer near train tracks

Washington — The Federal Transit Administration is accepting comment on a proposed rule that would establish mandatory minimum safety standards for rail transit employees who work on or near tracks.




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OSHA, Health Canada create work plan for coordinated hazcom effort

Washington – OSHA and Health Canada have developed a work plan intended to align U.S. and Canadian requirements for classifying, and sharing information about, work-related chemical hazards.




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OSHA: No update to Hazard Communication Standard in near future

Washington – Any long-awaited update to OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard is not forthcoming, an agency official said June 20.