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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Augusta, ME — The number of injuries among teen workers in Maine doubled over a recent 10-year period, data from the state’s Department of Labor shows.

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.

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

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.

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 — Fifty million workers will have to endure “excruciating heat” in the coming months, according to a Public Citizen report that examines state efforts to protect against the hazard.

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.

Hunt Valley, MD — Maryland is the latest state to adopt a standard on heat illness prevention.

Stride Full Foot Ice Traction Aid provides full coverage for maximum traction support on ice or snow.

The Reinforcer Wedge Work Boot is a fashionable yet durable all-day work boot designed specifically for brick and stone masons, concrete finishers, steel workers, and plumbers.

SelectFlex’s PowerLift Arch Suspension System offers a universal solution that helps prevent injuries caused by overpronation (the foot rolling inward) and poor alignment.

Made from responsibly sourced materials, the medium-duty Dearborn boot’s upper features 
KEEN.FLEXARMOR, a lightweight, ultra-strong, seamless woven textile with more abrasion resistance than leather. A KEEN.DRY waterproof, breathable membrane and air-injected Luftcell midsole provide lasting comfort.

The Fort Wayne model for men is an updated version of the classic jobsite moc toe wedge boot, but with updated materials and construction. Featuring a wrap-over rubber cap, the new model also includes a polyethylene foam midsole for comfort and a waterproof, breathable membrane.

The Intruder SuperCharged line features three unique color patterns with a durable rubber outsole for superior grip and a soft, breathable nylon mesh sock lining.

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

Washington – A Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration final rule issued April 17 revises agency regulations to match the maximum and minimum civil penalties for hazardous materials violations established by law in 2012.

Washington – The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration should better track the incidence rate of spills from cargo tank truck “wetlines” – the series of pipes used to load and unload liquids – to help identify risks, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Washington — The health care and social assistance industry has the highest percentage of workers with asthma among major industry groups, according to a recent study from NIOSH’s Respiratory Health Division.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Chicago — Health care workers commonly carry respiratory viruses on their hands, clothing and personal protective equipment after administering care to patients, accentuating the need to practice “complete hand hygiene and use other PPE to prevent dissemination,” results of a recent study 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.

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.

Washington — Decreases in lung function observed among cleanup workers shortly after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster were no longer apparent within the next few years, results of a new study from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences indicate – suggesting that some adverse health effects linked to the spill may resolve over time.

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.