Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration on Sept. 25 issued a new guide for miners’ representatives.

Tumwater, WA — In response to a labor union petition, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is working on new standards for reinforcing steel and post-tensioning in construction.

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.

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.

San Francisco — The Washington State Nurses Association is among four labor unions suing Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia and OSHA in an effort to compel the agency to move forward with rulemaking on an infectious diseases standard that would require employers in the health care industry to protect workers from exposure to harmful infectious diseases such as COVID-19, Ebola and influenza.

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.

Pittsburgh — A new guide on stop-work authority from the United Steelworkers is aimed at helping workers develop and bargain for programs that allow them to halt unsafe or unhealthy operations and processes until hazards are abated.

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?

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

Boston – A coalition of workplace safety groups has released a set of recommendations for OSHA to help improve safety for temporary workers.

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

Washington – The National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health is scheduled to meet June 18 in Washington to discuss key OSHA initiatives, including best-practice language for protecting temporary workers.

Washington — Federal lawmakers are divided down party lines over a proposed rule from the National Labor Relations Board that would restore the board’s previous definition of “joint employer.”

Washington — For the second time in less than four years, the National Labor Relations Board has changed its definition of a “joint employer.”

Washington — The National Labor Relations Board has pushed to Feb. 26 the effective date of its revised “joint employer” rule, saying the move will “facilitate resolution of legal challenges.”

Washington — The Department of Labor has issued a final rule that targets “employee misclassification” of workers as independent contractors.

Washington — The House Education and the Workforce Committee has advanced a resolution aimed at repealing the Department of Labor’s rule on determining if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor.

Washington — The National Labor Relations Board has withdrawn its appeal of a federal court decision that blocked the board’s joint employer rule.

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 Arsenal Hoist Bucket Line now includes four new buckets.

The Squids 3114 Pull-On Wrist Lanyard (Carabiner) and Squids 3116 Pull-On Wrist Lanyard (Buckle) are designed for tools at or less than 3 pounds.

Seven new hoist buckets have been added to the ARSENAL Gear Storage Line. Five are made of 24-ounce gray canvas with synthetic leather bottoms.

The user’s finger slips comfortably into the ring of the 10580 Precision Knife, which then rests on the knuckle.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has set a deadline of Sept. 30 for certified medical examiners to submit the results of physical qualification exams of commercial truck and bus drivers that were completed while the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners was offline from Dec. 1, 2017, through Aug. 13, 2018.

Washington — Truck drivers who operate in interstate commerce no longer will be required to annually submit to their employer a list of their convictions for traffic violations.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee has scheduled virtual meetings for June 6-7.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says scammers are sending “very convincing” emails that look like an agency notification to schedule a safety audit.

Uniquely constructed of single-layer flame-resistant cotton, the AH1630-GS Flame-Resistant Welding Cap provides lightweight protection from sparks, with less heat trapping.

The ANSI/ISEA 107-compliant Wide Brim Reflective Safari Hat is made from heavy-duty, high-visibility polyester fabric. It features an extra-wide brim 
(3 inches) to enhance sun protection and moisture-wicking fabric to keep sweat out of the wearer’s eyes.

Falls Church, VA – The average salary for industrial hygienists has increased more than $10,000 in the past five years, according to survey results released May 30 by the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

The CEL-350 dBadge Micro Noise Dosimeter is a compact safety tool designed to measure the noise exposure of an employee over the workday to uncover dangerous areas and ensure compliance with strict OSHA, NIOSH or ISO regulations.

The SM1R Industrial Headset was designed specifically to enhance two-way radio communication in high-noise environments.

The HD•3 High-Definition, Noise-Isolating Headset combines HD•5 Safety Earphones with an in-line microphone for communication by smartphone.

The dBadge2 Personal Noise Dosimeter has gained intrinsic safety certification for use in industries that operate in highly explosive environments, including oil and gas, chemical, and other sectors.

The HL400 Dispenser can distribute all Honeywell Howard Leight disposable foam earplugs, including MAX, MAXLite, Laser Lite, FirmFit, X-TREME and MultiMax.

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

The FPD-500L is a refillable dispenser that arrives prefilled with 500 pairs of foam earplugs. It can be quickly placed on a counter or mounted on a wall in high-traffic areas.

The TouchFree EcoStation is a 100% hands-free earplug dispenser. Users place their hand under the automatic sensor and a pair of earplugs will drop right into their palm.

The ATLAS Resonate App and Online Tool are designed for safe listening of environmental and audio streaming (headphone) sources. The app provides instant, color-coded noise exposures vs. safe listen times and daily/weekly total exposures vs. safe listen dose.

FREE 2.0 earbuds filter damaging noise levels while allowing users to listen to music and take phone calls without removing the earbuds.

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.

Basel, Switzerland – Health care professionals’ judgment varies significantly when they conduct medical evaluations to determine whether workers should receive disability benefits for an injury or illness, and standards are needed to improve the process, according to researchers from the University of Basel.

Austin, TX — The Texas Department of Insurance’s Division of Workers’ Compensation has produced a series of educational videos intended to simplify the subject of workers’ comp for employees.

Boston — Injury and illness prevention efforts are most needed in Massachusetts’ transportation and warehousing industry, results of a recent analysis of workers’ compensation claims show.

Austin, TX — The Texas Department of Insurance’s Division of Workers’ Compensation has published a plain language glossary intended to make workers’ comp insurance easier to understand.

Boca Raton, FL — A new report from the National Council on Compensation Insurance provides an overview of key legislative, regulatory and other developments affecting the workers’ comp system.

Melbourne, Australia — People who are unable to work because of a disabling on-the-job injury or illness are at greater risk for suicide or self-harm, according to the results of a recent research review.

Boca Raton, FL — The National Council on Compensation Insurance has released a new report detailing court cases and decisions that may affect workers’ comp.