A group of House Democrats introduced legislation this week that aims to protect workers from combustible dust – a fire and explosion threat that has killed or injured hundreds in recent decades.

Frustrated by delays in the review of a proposed silica rule, occupational health advocates have launched  an online petition meant to compel the Obama administration to make good on its promise to support the U.S. labor force.

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis last week announced a final rule to strengthen safety in the nation's most dangerous mines. The rule, which revises the Mine Safety and Health Administration's pattern of violations regulation in 30 Code of Federal Regulations Part 104, has been submitted to the Federal Register for publication.

Pilots won't be allowed to use smartphones or laptop computers for non-work purposes -- like surfing the web or sending emails - under a rule being proposed by the Federal Aviation Authority. At issue: potentially dangerous distractions, such as a 2009 incident in which two Northwest Airlines pilots flew 150 miles past their destination because they were engrossed in using their laptop computers for personal activities.

OSHA has published a notice confirming the effective date of the direct final rule for OSHA's head protection standards. This final rule updates the incorporation by reference of national consensus standards to include the latest edition of the consensus standard. It updates references in OSHA's standards to recognize the 2009 edition of the American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection, and deletes the 1986 edition of that national consensus standard because it is out of date.

OSHA has issued a direct final rule and notice of proposed rulemaking that applies the requirements of the August 2010 cranes and derricks in construction standard to demolition work and underground construction.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a proposed rule to require electronic reporting for certain information submitted to the agency under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

Certain consultants and attorneys make a practice of sending the word out that the sky is falling and here comes another onerous OSHA standard.

In a comment submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today concerning its proposed rule to set ‘significant new use rules (SNURs)’ for chemical substances, seven of which include the term carbon nanotubes, the American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) President Terrie S. Norris, CSP, ARM, CSPI, urged the EPA to rescind its sole reliance on personal protection equipment (PPE), especially respirators, and revise the rule to mandate implementation of feasible engineering controls in order to reduce a worker’s exposure to nanomaterials.

OSHA's proposed rule on occupational exposure to crystalline silica is among the items being followed closely by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), according to AIHA Government Affairs Director Aaron K. Trippler.