Washington – Employees who work with stone countertops are at risk of crystalline silica exposure, and employers should take steps to protect them, OSHA and NIOSH stated Feb. 18 in a joint hazard alert.

Washington – Firefighting exposures “modestly” increase the risk of death from cancer, according to a NIOSH study.

Cincinnati – Firefighters have an elevated risk for several major cancers, and black and Hispanic firefighters are at risk for even more types of the disease, according to research from NIOSH.

San Francisco – A nonprofit organization has released a report identifying more than 20 occupations associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.

Sheffield, England – The risk of bladder cancer is rising in some occupations, a review of research from the University of Sheffield indicates.

Washington — Bipartisan legislation to establish and maintain a voluntary registry intended to improve research into firefighters’ risks of cancer was passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on April 24.

Boston — Flight attendants may be at greater risk of developing several types of cancer, recent research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health indicates.

Dallas — A recent report from the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Volunteer and Combination Officers Section and the National Volunteer Fire Council details 11 best practices for minimizing cancer risk among firefighters.

Washington — NIOSH is gauging the feasibility of a national registry intended to track cases of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer linked to on-the-job exposure to asbestos.

Oslo, Norway — Offshore petroleum workers engaged in rotating shift work may face increased risk of prostate cancer, according to the results of a recent study.

Montreal — Women employed in hairdressing, construction and accounting may face a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer, a recent study out of Canada suggests.

Madrid — Solar ultraviolet radiation and diesel engine exhaust emissions top the list of most frequent exposures that put European workers at risk for cancer, results of a recent survey show.

Telework!VA, part of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, publishes a telework office safety checklist to assess work-at-home employees' work areas.

Washington – Workers can now submit whistleblower complaints electronically, OSHA announced Dec. 4.

Atlanta – To help protect health care providers and facilities from the dangers of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed checklists for infection control actions.

Olympia, WA – The Safety & Health Assessment & Research for Prevention Program at the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has released six industry-specific checklists and summary reports aimed at helping employers identify risk factors that may contribute to work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

A new foot safety hazards checklist from Red Wing covers specific sources of foot injuries – with some more obvious than others. From slippery floors and automatic closing doors to uneven surfaces and puncture hazards, the list takes a proactive approach to avoiding foot-related injuries and keeping your business running safely.

Download this checklist to get practical ways to plan for and prevent heat-related illnesses.

The Environment, Health and Safety Compliance Checklist itemizes some of the documents, training and procedures that are required by many state and federal agencies, including hazard communication, emergency response, and environmental documentation.

Is your training program encouraging a strong safety culture? Establishing a thoughtful training strategy helps your organization reduce costs, generate revenue and mitigate risks.

Heat-related illnesses such as heat stress, heat exhaustion and heatstroke are a very real threat for workers during the summer months.

Washington – A new final rule from OSHA expands the exemption for digger-derrick operations in the Cranes and Derricks in Construction Standard.

Portland, OR – A hazard alert from the Oregon Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program emphasizes the importance of abiding by the manufacturer’s instructions for construction equipment and building materials.

Washington – OSHA will not issue citations to employers whose monorail hoists fail to comply with requirements in the Crane and Derricks in Construction Standard – as long as they adhere to other regulations, the agency announced in a recent memorandum.

Washington — OSHA is moving to finalize changes to its crane operator certification requirements, according to a proposed rule published in the May 21 Federal Register.

It has taken many years, but OSHA’s construction crane operator requirements are finalized and nearly in full effect.

Washington — OSHA has issued a temporary enforcement policy for the construction industry after being informed by the Sanford, FL-based Crane Institute Certification that the organization no longer is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency, as required under section 1926.1427(d) of OSHA’s Cranes and Derricks in Construction Standard.

Gaithersburg, MD — Using an equation they derived while studying the “motion of a so-called torsional pendulum,” researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology have found a “surprising link” between the equation and the work of crane operators on construction sites.

Columbia, SC — South Carolina OSHA has announced its plan to adopt a standard on infectious diseases in the workplace, including COVID-19.

Salem, OR — Extreme heat in the Pacific Northwest this summer has spurred Oregon OSHA to launch a Local Emphasis Program aimed at preventing heat-related illness.

Washington — OSHA has warned Arizona, South Carolina and Utah to adopt their own version of the agency’s emergency temporary standard on COVID-19 for health care workers or face possible revocation of their State Plan status, according to multiple reports.

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA has launched a Spanish-language online training course on bloodborne pathogens for health care, emergency response, hospitality and other industries.

Oakland, CA — The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is requesting nominations for members to serve on its recently established advisory committee focused on the safety and health of household domestic service workers.

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA has launched a free online training course on silica hazards for Spanish-speaking workers.

Oakland, CA — Two fact sheets, along with an updated FAQ document, from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health highlight the latest revisions to the state’s emergency temporary standards on COVID-19 – adopted April 21 by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board.

Lansing, MI — Michigan OSHA has launched a state emphasis program aimed at identifying and reducing exposures to indoor and outdoor heat-related hazards.

Portland, OR — A recent study of residential construction supervisors in Oregon who received toolbox talks via text messages showed that their compliance with Oregon OSHA’s standard on safety meetings increased – and the delivery method was welcomed.

Washington — OSHA has added two series of FAQs to its State Plan whistleblower information website.

Rosemont, IL — The OSHA region that Bill Donovan oversees will soon be renamed, but what won’t change are the agency’s efforts to promote and protect worker safety and health.

Washington — OSHA has unveiled a new mission statement that “more fully reflects the agency’s purpose and the work we do to serve that purpose.”

Washington – Beginning Nov. 1, Department of Transportation safety inspectors must follow new notification procedures when opening packages containing perishable hazardous materials that are deemed unsafe or non-compliant with safety regulations, according to a final rule from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Washington – A new advisory bulletin from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration recounts one of the largest pipeline spills in the past five years and encourages pipeline owners and operators to take new preventive measures against leaks.

Villejuif, France – Frequent use of workplace disinfectants may increase health care workers’ risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, suggest researchers from France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research.

San Diego — More than 4,600 coal miners have developed the most severe form of black lung disease since 1970, with nearly half of the cases emerging after 2000, according to a recent study from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

East Lansing, MI — Estimating that up to half of the 600,000 or so adult cases of asthma in Michigan may be caused or aggravated by on-the-job exposure, the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine has launched a campaign intended to raise awareness of work-related asthma.

Washington — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning of “an emerging public health threat” after researchers identified an increase in cases of silicosis – an incurable lung disease – among workers who handle engineered stone used to make household countertops.

Villejuif, France — Frequent use of common cleaning products and disinfectants at work may increase female nurses’ risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by up to 38%, results of a recent study led by researchers from France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research suggest.

Berkeley, CA — Cannabis industry workers may be at increased risk of respiratory problems as a result of on-the-job exposure to various hazards, results of a recent study led by a University of Washington professor indicate.

Manchester, England — Shift workers, particularly those working permanent night shifts, may be at elevated risk for moderate to severe asthma, according to a study led by British researchers.

London — Workers who use cleaning and disinfecting products may be more likely to develop asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – 50% and 43%, respectively – than those who don’t, results of a recent study led by British and Italian researchers show.