Falls are a common cause of serious work-related injuries and deaths. Employers whose workers are exposed to fall hazards are responsible for ensuring not only that those workers have appropriate fall protection, but also that they’re trained on how to use it. Here, fall protection industry insiders describe what’s new in the field and why it’s important to remember that fall protection can be more intricate than meets the eye.

'Herd immunity' can help prevent spread of flu: study

CDC: Influenza fatality rates vary widely

Deer and other wildlife often cross our paths during the fall season. What should I keep in mind whi

Tempe, AZ – School closings and social distancing measures helped limit transmission of influenza in Mexico during the 2009 pandemic, indicates research released May 25 by the Fogarty International Center at the National Institutes of Health.

Although motor vehicle-deer collisions can happen year-round, November is the month with the highest risk, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

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Bologna, Italy – International scientific academy Collegium Ramazzini is emphasizing its position that all use of asbestos should be banned.

Bologna, Italy – International scientific academy Collegium Ramazzini is emphasizing that the risk for the cancer mesothelioma is connected to both early and recent exposures to asbestos.

Washington – A group of Senate Democrats and an independent have introduced legislation seeking to amend the Toxic Substances Control Act to eliminate human or environmental exposure to asbestos, a known carcinogen still legal in the United States.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking comment on problem formulation documents for the first 10 chemicals slated for evaluation for potential health and environmental risks under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, as well as a systematic review approach document and a proposed significant new use rule for asbestos.

Washington — A pair of recent Environmental Protection Agency proposals regarding asbestos are cause for alarm, Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) is cautioning, while the agency contends it is attempting to expand restrictions on the substance.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a final rule on asbestos intended to keep manufacturers from reintroducing “discontinued uses” of the known human carcinogen into the market without EPA approval.

San Francisco — Attorneys general of 10 states and the District of Columbia are suing the Environmental Protection Agency and its administrator, Andrew Wheeler, over the agency’s refusal to issue a rule to further regulate asbestos – a known human carcinogen.

Washington — Claiming the Environmental Protection Agency is “rushing forward” with various regulations while much of the nation is focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA) and Mike Quigley (D-IL) recently sent a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, calling on the agency to extend all comment periods for matters related to public and environmental health at least 45 days past the end of the declared national emergency.

Washington — Critics of the Environmental Protection Agency are renewing their call for a complete ban on asbestos after the agency’s release of Part 1 of a final risk evaluation that concludes that the substance – a known human carcinogen – presents an unreasonable health risk to workers under certain conditions.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking comment on a draft of Part 2 of a final risk evaluation that concludes asbestos – a known human carcinogen – presents an unreasonable health risk to workers under certain conditions.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is accepting comment until July 5 on a proposed rule that would establish reporting and recordkeeping requirements for asbestos – a known human carcinogen – under the Toxic Substances Control Act.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency has announced the availability of the final scope of Part 2 of the final risk evaluation to be conducted for asbestos.

Research Triangle Park, NC — To help protect workers who engage in mold cleanup and treatment, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Worker Training Program has updated its guidance document.

Washington — OSHA will prioritize rulemaking for a standard on preventing workplace violence in health care and social settings, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh testified during a May 17 House subcommittee hearing.

Pre-COVID-19 pandemic work life may not return as quickly for employees in customer-facing industries. As some experts see it, the immediate future for workers in grocery, retail, hospitality and similar sectors still includes the risk of stress and anxiety stemming from interactions with angry or aggressive customers.

Washington — Workplace violence led to nearly 18,000 deaths over a recent 27-year period, according to a recently published report from NIOSH and two other federal agencies.

Itasca — New guidance from the National Safety Council is aimed at providing organizations with information and solutions to effectively mitigate and address workplace violence.

Geneva — Nearly a quarter of workers worldwide have endured workplace violence or harassment, but only half of the victims discuss their experiences, results of a recent survey show.

Provo, UT — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) has signed a law allowing employers to petition for and obtain protective orders against anyone who poses a threat.

Cincinnati — A new guidance document from NIOSH outlines ways to reduce the risk of injuries and deaths associated with robbery-related violence at gasoline stations and convenience stores.

“The old methodology of, ‘Oh, it could never happen here’ – that has to go out of the window,” a workplace security expert says. “Because it can.”

Washington — Workplace-related strategies from the Department of Labor are part of a White House national plan to address gender-based violence.

Iowa City, IA — Three out of 5 young employees have experienced some form of workplace violence, results of a recent study show.

Sacramento, CA — Employers in California will be required to establish, implement and maintain a workplace violence prevention program, under a new state law.

Washington — The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is asking for comment on proposed enforcement guidance aimed at preventing and addressing worker harassment based on sex, race and other protected traits.

Portland, OR — In light of the 29 workplace homicides that have occurred in the state since 2018, the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences has issued a hazard alert.

Washington — OSHA “continues to be hampered” by the lack of a permanent standard on infectious diseases and “needs to address worksite violence,” a new report states.

Is your worksite ready to respond to an incident? Experts offer advice.

In Episode 46, the S+H team examines the December issue’s feature story on best practices for preventing workplace violence. Also, Atanu Das, owner of MSDS Writer, a consulting company, joins the podcast to discuss Safety Data Sheets in the “Five Questions With …” segment.

Geneva, Switzerland — Around 20% of workers worldwide have reported some form of violence or harassment, according to a recent report from the International Labour Organization.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration wants input from truckers as it shapes a study to analyze how common sexual assault and harassment are in the trucking industry.

Washington — To address a sharp increase in assaults against public transit workers, the Federal Transit Administration has published a proposed directive tasking public transit agencies with monitoring safety risks more closely.

Washington — Female workers in the service industry face an elevated risk of gender-based violence and harassment, but “there’s a variety of means that can mitigate that,” OSHA administrator Doug Parker says.

Chicago — Chronic workplace harassment may increase the risk of coronary heart disease, arthritic/rheumatic conditions and migraines, results of a recent University of Illinois Chicago study show.

Washington — New guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is intended to prevent and address worker harassment based on sex, race and other protected traits, outlining when such behavior is against the law.

Washington — A handful of potential OSHA standards have advanced in the rulemaking process, according to the Department of Labor’s Spring 2024 regulatory agenda – released July 5.

Washington — On the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 becoming law, the Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau released three issue briefs on safe leave.

London — Around half of workers who’ve been harmed on the job in the past two years didn’t report it, according to a new report from Lloyd’s Register Foundation.

Dover, DE — More than half of public school teachers have been the target of verbal aggression or threats by a student in the past three years, according to a recent survey conducted by the Delaware State Education Association.

Mick Bowden is the new vice president of sales and marketing for Air 
Systems International in Chesapeake, VA. Bowden joined Air Systems in 2004 after starting his industrial sales career with Fastenal.

Polartec, a Milliken & Co. brand, a Spartanburg, SC-based creator of innovative and sustainable textile solutions, has announced new roles and responsibilities for veteran employees Ramesh Kesh and Eric Yung.

ION Science, a United Kingdom-based developer and manufacturer of PID gas sensors and instruments, has acquired Analox Group, a gas sensing and analysis manufacturer based in Stokesley, North Yorkshire. “This is a major step on our strategic growth journey,” said ION Science Group Managing Director Duncan Johns.

Spartanburg, SC-based flame-resistant and arc-rated textile manufacturer Westex: A Milliken Brand has partnered with Dovetail Workwear, a women’s workwear apparel brand, to launch the co-branded “Women at Work” campaign.