Minneapolis — The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry has published a template, instructions and checklist guidelines for a COVID-19 preparedness plan – a requirement for nonessential businesses that intend to reopen during the pandemic.

Itasca, IL — Safely returning people to work during the COVID-19 pandemic requires more than a single, one-dimensional strategy, NIOSH Director John Howard says.

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.

The National Safety Council has launched SAFER: Safe Actions for Employee Returns, a comprehensive, multifaceted initiative aimed at developing industry- and risk-specific recommendations and resources for all U.S. employers.

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.

Itasca, IL — The best path to safer, more collaborative and more productive work environments in the United States involves employers guiding COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

The NSC-led initiative wants to help employers ‘understand the spectrum of what they can do’ to safely return employees to the workplace.

Ann Arbor, MI — Nearly 3 out of 5 workers who are hospitalized with traumatic injuries return to their jobs after being discharged, but many of them endure financial hardships and other issues, results of a recent study led by researchers from the University of Michigan show.

Tumwater, WA — A new toolkit from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries offers employers resources they can use to help injured employees return to work as soon as medically possible, aid worker recovery and prevent long-term disability while reducing the financial burden of workers’ compensation claims.

Toronto — A recent study of injured workers in Ontario “reinforces the importance of modified duties (if necessary) and return-to-work planning,” researchers say after results showed 70% experienced persistent pain 18 months after being injured.

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.

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.

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.

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

Greenbelt, MD – Passenger vehicle drivers were cited for speeding “significantly” more often than commercial truck and bus drivers during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Operation Safe Driver campaign in 2013, according to the alliance.

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.

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.

Washington – Sixty-seven law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty during the first half of 2014 – a 31 percent increase from the same period last year, according to a report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund released July 22.

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.

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.

Montreal – Emergency dispatchers who work at 911 call centers face a variety of physical and mental challenges in a high-stress environment, according to a study conducted by scientific research organization IRSST.

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.

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.

Chicago – Law enforcement officers who wear body armor are 76 percent more likely to survive a bullet to the torso than officers who don’t wear the gear, according to a study from the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.

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

Washington – In response to a spike in the number of police officers killed in the line of duty in 2017, the House on May 18 passed a bill that seeks stricter penalties for people who harm or attempt to harm first responders.

Washington — Fatal motor vehicle crashes among law enforcement officers are on course for their lowest total since the 1980s, according to an analysis by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis.

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.

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.

Washington — NIOSH has released a video intended to protect first responders who face potential exposure to fentanyl – a synthetic opioid considered up to 50 times more potent than heroin – and other illicit drugs.

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.

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.

Washington — A $2 million federal grant will be used to establish the Department of Justice Jails and Justice Support Center, intended to create and maintain safe environments for workers and others in jail facilities.

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.

Waterloo, Ontario – Coffee shop workers often experience pain in their shoulders and lower backs caused by preparing and serving beverages, according to a recent study from Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada.

Washington – The Environmental Protection Agency has identified health risks from exposure to the chemical compound trichloroethylene and is calling on Congress to pass stronger federal toxics laws.

Lansing, MI – Free videos offering safety tips and best practices for employers in the accommodations industry will be available to stream as part of a pilot program from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Longmeadow, MA – A majority of fast-food workers have suffered an injury while on the job within the past year, a new report from the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health indicates.

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.

Richmond, British Columbia – New videos from WorkSafeBC show best work practices for hotel housekeeping workers to prevent injuries while cleaning bathrooms, dusting, making beds and more.

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.

As hotels compete to offer more luxurious settings for their guests, “housekeepers often are having to work even harder and more quickly,” one expert says. While one state considers a safety and health standard for hotel housekeeping workers, advocates are calling for stronger protections and better ergonomics training.

Washington – Texas and Wyoming earned the lowest possible scores from the American Lung Association when it comes to smoke-free workplaces, the association states in its annual “State of Tobacco Control” report for 2017.

Oakland, CA — California’s Office of Administrative Law on March 9 approved a workplace health and safety standard for the state’s hospitality workers, completing a multiyear push by hospitality workers union UNITE HERE.

Denver — In Colorado, marijuana use among workers in certain jobs “in which workers have responsibility for their own safety or the safety of others” exceeds that of the state’s general workforce, according to a recent study from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Washington — The American Hotel and Lodging Association and five major corporations have announced their commitment to improve employee safety in the industry, including measures designed to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and assault.

Richmond, British Columbia — WorkSafeBC has published a safety bulletin and blog post intended to help food truck owners and workers avoid hazards associated with propane tanks.

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.

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.

Washington — A total of 73 U.S. hotel companies have committed to the “5-Star Promise” – a pledge to improve employee safety in the industry, including measures designed to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and assault – since its launch in September 2018, the American Hotel and Lodging Association has announced.