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OSHA extends deadlines for input on proposed revocation of Arizona’s State Plan status

Washington — OSHA has extended until July 5 the deadline to comment on its proposal to revoke Arizona’s State Plan status.




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California updates COVID-19 ETS; Cal/OSHA publishes fact sheets, answers to FAQs

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.




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Oregon OSHA adopts permanent rules on extreme heat, wildfire smoke

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA has adopted permanent rules intended to safeguard workers from extreme heat and wildfire smoke, calling them “the most protective of their kind in the United States.”




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OSHA invites comment on pending approval of Massachusetts State Plan

Washington — A State Plan covering Massachusetts’ state and local government employees is a step closer to reality after OSHA recently published a proposed rule outlining its initial approval.




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OSHA grants initial approval of Massachusetts State Plan for public-sector workers

Washington — A State Plan covering Massachusetts’ state and local government employees is now a reality after OSHA announced its initial approval.




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Study shows that texting toolbox talks to supervisors helps make safety meetings happen

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.




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South Carolina OSHA to mark 50 years with statewide safety stand-down

Columbia, SC — To help mark its 50th anniversary as a State Plan state, South Carolina OSHA is encouraging employers to provide at least 50 minutes of additional safety training to their workers during Safety Stand Down Week – set for Dec. 5-9.




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California Highway Patrol wants ELD requirement for intrastate truckers

Sacramento, CA — In an effort to “enhance commercial vehicle safety” and “create consistency between state and federal regulations,” the California Highway Patrol is proposing the state adopt regulations requiring the use of electronic logging devices for commercial motor vehicle carriers involved in intrastate operations.




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California adopts non-emergency COVID-19 regulations

Sacramento, CA — California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board has voted to adopt non-emergency COVID-19 prevention regulations.




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‘Safety Break’: Oregon OSHA’s annual stand-down set for May 10

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA is encouraging all employers and workers in the state to “celebrate their safety and health achievements” and examine and renew their current safety efforts during the agency’s 20th annual Safety Break for Oregon.




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Maine’s State Plan for state and local government workers gets OSHA approval

Washington — OSHA has certified a revised State Plan for Maine that covers state and local government workers.




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Oregon OSHA announces winners of annual student competition

Salem, OR — Students from Portland’s Parkrose High School and West Linn High took the top prizes in this year’s Oregon OSHA media contest to promote young worker safety and health awareness.




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Cal/OSHA eyes emergency standard for stone worker exposure to silica

Santa Ana, CA — California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health is “extremely motivated” to move forward on an emergency temporary standard on silica hazards for workers who handle engineered stone.




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OSHA adds State Plan whistleblower info to webpage

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




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Oregon OSHA schedules its annual ‘Safety Break’

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA is encouraging all employers and workers in the state to recognize their “successes in cultivating safe and healthy workplaces” during the agency’s 21st annual Safety Break for Oregon.




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‘Safety as a companywide value’: OSHA’s Bill Donovan discusses region changes and enforcement activities

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.




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Video: Use the Hierarchy of Controls to protect workers from heat

Iowa City, IA — Safety pros can make and manage an effective heat-related illness prevention program by implementing the Hierarchy of Controls, Iowa OSHA Bureau Chief Peggy Peterson says in a new video.




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Anti-fatigue mats

SmartCells SlimLine Anti-fatigue Mats are ideal for light commercial settings.




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Foot protection

KEEN Utility Flint II and Flint II Sport work boots and shoes feature the KEEN.ReGEN midsole. Along with the proprietary lightweight, performance midsole technology, the footwear has a highly slip-resistant, siped electrical hazard-rated rubber outsole for better traction; an external stability shank for mid-foot support; and a hiking-inspired heel cup to secure the foot.




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Women’s safety boot

The Fusion Mt is a lightweight safety boot designed to protect both a woman’s toes and the metatarsal bones in her foot.




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Athletic work footwear

The BB4500 Work is the first basketball-inspired sneaker series on the market. Based on the popular Reebok BB4500 heritage design, the BB4500 Work comes in high-top and low-cut styles.




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Waterproof boot

The men’s FootRests 2.0 Zone Waterproof Nano Toe Chelsea boot is designed with HYTEST’s CoreTemp technology – a temperature-control lining that absorbs heat to create a cooling effect and releases the stored heat energy to warm, maintaining all-day comfort.




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6-inch waterproof boot

The Apex 2 Pike Waterproof Nano Toe 6-inch boot is available in brown or black, it features puncture-resistant plates, a premium full-grain and waterproof leather upper, a moisture-wicking mesh lining with waterproof membrane, a removable Apex anti-fatigue XERGY foam footbed, an EVA cushioned midsole, and an oil- and slip-resistant rubber outsole.




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Eco-friendly footwear

The Eco Intruder shoes and Eco Trespass boots for workers are made of Pinatex – a natural, plant-based leather alternative that’s eco-friendly.




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PHMSA requests input on rail tank car safety enhancements

Washington – The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is requesting public input on a proposal to enhance the safety and durability of rail tank cars used to transport hazardous materials.




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PHMSA updates inspections for perishable hazardous materials

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.




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Pipelines safer than rail, roads for oil transport workers: study

Calgary, Alberta – Oil-carrying pipeline workers have a lower injury risk than workers transporting oil on railroads or roadways, according to a new study from public policy think tank Fraser Institute.




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Oil from Bakken Formation may be extra-flammable, pipeline safety agency says

Washington – Crude oil shipped from the Bakken Formation – located in North Dakota, Montana and nearby Canadian provinces – may be more flammable than “traditional” heavy crude oil, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration warned shippers, sellers and emergency responders in a Jan. 2 safety advisory.




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Advisory makes recommendations for preventing pipeline leaks

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.




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PHMSA must improve state pipeline safety oversight: audit

Washington – The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration must make improvements to its oversight of state pipeline safety programs, concludes an audit released May 7 by the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.




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House OKs pipeline safety amendment

Washington – The House has approved an amendment to fund pipeline safety measures as part of the 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act.




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PHMSA proposes rule to require faster notification of pipeline incidents

Washington – Pipeline operators may be required to notify the National Response Center no later than one hour after an incident involving natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines, under a recently proposed rule from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.




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Nominee to head PHMSA says safety should be ‘constant’

Washington – Marie Therese Dominguez promised to make safety the No. 1 priority as head of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, during her nomination hearing in front of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.




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PHMSA creates criteria for state excavation damage prevention programs

Washington – The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has established new review criteria for state excavation damage prevention programs, under a final rule published in the July 23 Federal Register.




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PHMSA, FRA seeking input on different aspects of automated transport

Washington — Developments in automation in the transportation industry have prompted a pair of Requests for Information from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration.




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National Academies calls for enhanced regulation of liquefied petroleum gas systems

Washington — Federal regulation of small distribution systems for propane and other liquefied petroleum gas should be revised for clarity, efficiency, enforceability and applicability to risk, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine concludes.




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PHMSA seeking nominations for new lithium battery safety committee

Washington — The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is accepting nominations for its Lithium Battery Safety Advisory Committee, the agency announced in a notice published in the May 14 Federal Register.




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Pipeline safety agency releases FAQs on hazmat training

Washington — The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration recently published a set of FAQs on training requirements.




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CDC: Millions of U.S. workers may have occupational asthma

Atlanta – As many as 2.7 million U.S. workers may have asthma caused or aggravated by workplace conditions, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.




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NIOSH announces free health screenings for coal miners

Washington – A series of free, confidential health screenings will be available for coal miners as part of the NIOSH Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program.




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Use of disinfectants raises risk of COPD among nurses: study

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.




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Nearly half of workers with work-related asthma don’t receive pneumonia shot, study shows

Washington – Adults with occupational asthma face a higher risk of developing pneumococcal disease, but only 54 percent of them are vaccinated to help ward off an infection, according to a new study from NIOSH.




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Up to 21 percent of asthma-related deaths may be from on-the-job exposures: CDC report

Atlanta — Occupational exposures may have contributed to 11 percent to 21 percent of all asthma-related deaths among 15- to 64-year-olds between 1999 and 2016, according to a recently released report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.




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Underreporting of injuries among greatest management challenges for OSHA, MSHA: report

Washington — Incomplete initiatives aimed at improving employer reporting of injuries are among the top management and performance challenges facing OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration, according to a Department of Labor Office of Inspector General report released in November.




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NIOSH to offer free health screenings for coal miners

Washington — NIOSH will offer a series of free, confidential health screenings for coal miners through its Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program.




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Campaign aims to raise awareness of work-related asthma in Michigan

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.




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‘Guilt, shame and embarrassment’: Asthma affects workers’ emotional well-being

Macclesfield, England — Employees with asthma miss an average of almost 10% of their work hours, and most are restricted from performing their duties because of their symptoms, both of which negatively affect their emotional well-being, according to the findings of a recent study.




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Lawmakers call for OSHA emphasis program after CDC report on silicosis among stone fabrication workers

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.




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Use of disinfectants increase COPD risk among female nurses: study

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.




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COVID-19 pandemic: NABTU, CPWR create infection control guidance for construction sites

Washington — In the absence of an emergency temporary standard on infectious disease from OSHA amid the COVID-19 pandemic, North America’s Building Trades Unions and CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training have developed national guidance on infectious disease exposure control practices for construction sites.