The NTSB reveals its 2016 “Most Wanted” (transportation safety improvements) list; U.S. mining deaths and cancer deaths are at record lows and NIOSH says the nation’s opioid epidemic has workplace safety implications. These were among the top stories featured on ISHN.com this week.

The most serious workplace injuries cost U.S. companies $62 billion per year

Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index shows 10 top causes of injuries

January 15, 2016

Workplace injuries and accidents that cause employees to miss six or more days of work cost U.S. employers nearly $62 billion in 2013, the most recent year for which statistically valid injury data is available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the National Academy of Social Insurance, according to the 2016 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index.

National Safety Council to recognize women leaders in safety

Nominations now being accepted for Inaugural Marion Martin Recognition Award

January 15, 2016

The National Safety Council is accepting nominations for its inaugural Marion Martin Recognition Award, presented to women who have advanced safety and broken down traditional gender barriers within the safety field.

Road noise can expand waistlines, cause strokes and heart disease

January 15, 2016

Researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in partnership with Imperial College London and King's College London have found that long-term exposure to moderately loud or very loud traffic sounds during the daytime — the kind you'd experience after months to years of city dwelling — contributed to the risk of a shorter life expectancy. 

22 million workers exposed to dangerous noise levels

January 15, 2016

22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work, according to statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hearing loss has become one of the most common work-related illnesses in the United States.

Survey shows workers often go to work sick

January 14, 2016

For most of the country, the winter months often bring colder temperatures, snow, indoor activities and an increase in the spread of germs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cold and flu season typically peaks in the United States between December and February.2

Giant e-retailer Amazon runs afoul of OSHA

January 14, 2016

Amazon Fulfillment Services has been on the receiving end of a $7,000 fine and hazard alert letters after OSHA found hazards at its Robbinsville, New Jersey facility.

NTSB unveils 2016 Most Wanted List, stresses technology

January 14, 2016

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) unveiled its 2016 Most Wanted List of transportation safety improvements Wednesday, calling it a “road map from lessons learned to lives saved.” The list focuses on 10 broad safety improvements on which the NTSB has made recommendations that have not yet been implemented.

CSB: Multiple safety deficiencies led to 2015 explosion at ExxonMobil Refinery

January 14, 2016

An ongoing investigation by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) of the February 18, 2015, explosion at the ExxonMobil Refinery in Torrance, California, has uncovered multiple process safety management deficiencies that led to the accident and a serious near miss.

Settlement to honor two workers killed in crane accident

January 13, 2016

A settlement agreement between the U.S. Department of Labor and Mass Bay Electrical Corp. commits the East Boston electrical contractor to extensive corrective action to prevent future deaths and injuries and establishes a training fund in the memory of Joseph Boyd III and John Loughran, who were killed when a crane toppled in Bourne on April 12, 2014.

Pa. construction worker paralyzed in a fall

January 13, 2016

A 30-year-old construction worker returned from a holiday weekend on July 6, 2015, ready to install gutters on new apartment and condominium buildings at 1323 West Chester Pike in West Chester. It was his first day on the job site, and his last as a builder.

A NIOSH Science Blog post

The opioid overdose epidemic and the workplace

January 13, 2016

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released troubling statistics on the growing epidemic of drug and opioid overdose deaths in the United States. The origins of this epidemic have been linked to prescription opioids.

Stock market performance linked to employee health & safety programs

January 13, 2016

A study utilizing investment simulations for 17 publicly held companies with strong health or safety programs for employees suggests that employers that invest significantly in health and safety programming can outperform other companies in the marketplace.

Safe patient lifting bill on Congress' agenda

January 12, 2016

Congress is considering a bill that would force health care industry employers to develop safe patient handling policies.

Self-esteem gender gap more pronounced in Western countries

January 12, 2016

People worldwide tend to gain self-esteem as they grow older, and men generally have higher levels of self-esteem than women, but this self-esteem gender gap is more pronounced in Western industrialized countries, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

Winter weather prompt heating and carbon monoxide safety warnings

Heating fires are a leading cause of U.S. home fire deaths

January 12, 2016

With the winter months upon us, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is reminding homeowners about the fire dangers associated with heating equipment. Improper use of such equipment like portable or stationary space heaters, wood burning stoves and fireplaces can be incredibly dangerous, and their misuse is a leading cause of U.S. home fire deaths.

NIOSH surveys long-haul truck drivers about safety

January 12, 2016

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National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) researchers went to 32 truck stops across the U.S. to collect safety data on long-haul truck drivers (LHTDs) – a group for which there’s limited occupational injury and safety data.

New research: Excess sodium intake remains common in U.S.

January 11, 2016

Nearly all Americans – regardless of age, race, gender or whether they have high blood pressure (hypertension) – consume more sodium than is recommended for a healthy diet. That is the conclusion of a new report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in today’sMorbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

Fla. construction worker falls to his death

January 11, 2016

Had his employer taken the necessary steps to fully protect him, a 32-year-old construction worker might not have suffered deadly injuries in a fall at a Naples building site on Sept. 26, 2015.

AIHA names new interim director

January 11, 2016

The Board of Directors of the American Industrial Hygiene Association® (AIHA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Nancy Green, FASAE, CAE, as the association's Interim Executive Director. Green joined the staff of AIHA as Executive Vice President/Deputy Executive Director in October, 2015.

From NIOSH Research Rounds:

Study to evaluate physical effects of personal protective equipment

January 11, 2016

If you watch or read the news, you may have seen images of healthcare providers covered head to toe in bulky garments as they treat hospital patients who have a contagious disease. During disease outbreaks, these garments, collectively called a personal protective equipment (PPE) ensemble, play a critical role in public health.

Cancer death rate continues steady drop

More than 1.7 million cancer deaths averted between 1991 and 2012

January 10, 2016

Steady reductions in smoking combined with advances in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment have resulted in a 23% drop in the cancer death rate since its peak in 1991. The drop translates to more than 1.7 million cancer deaths averted through 2012.