Heat illness prevention success, new greenhouse gas standards for trucks, a hearing protection contest and a new CEO for AIHA were among the top stories featured on ISHN.com this week.

Two workers severely burned in fire extinguisher co. explosion

Two employees of a company that sells and installs fire extinguishers were injured severely on Feb. 12, 2016, when a compressed gas cylinder designed for a fire-suppression system exploded while they were attempting to fill it with compressed air from a high-pressure source.

Pesticides linked to respiratory problems in farmers

New research from North Carolina State University connects several pesticides commonly used by farmers with both allergic and non-allergic wheeze, which can be a sensitive marker for early airway problems.

Deadly dust in Ga. takes a worker's life

In the agricultural industry, excessive dust is a fuel that can cause serious and sometimes deadly explosions and fires - as was the case at a Georgia chicken feed mill where an explosion killed a 25-year-old man and injured five others in February 2016, federal workplace safety inspectors have found.

NIOSH hits the road to offer miners free health screenings

All former and current coal miners in western Virginia are encouraged to take advantage of the free and confidential health screenings the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will be offering starting tomorrow.

The FAA announces a New Center of Excellence

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta said the agency has selected the University of Oklahoma and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University teams to lead the new Air Transportation Center of Excellence for Technical Training and Human Performance (COE TTHP). 

Safety 2016 Attendee Awards winners

From absorbents and apparel to eye, foot, hand, fall protection and more, ASSE Safety 2016 attendees reviewed innovative products and services June 26th-28th at ISHN's New Product Showcase in Atlanta, Georgia. The votes have been counted and the winners are below...

Feds finalize greenhouse gas, fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks

The EPA and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) jointly finalized standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles that will improve fuel efficiency and cut carbon pollution, while bolstering energy security and spurring manufacturing innovation.

AIHA Board names Lawrence D. Sloan, CAE as next CEO

Today, the American Industrial Hygiene Association® (AIHA) announced that its board of directors has appointed Lawrence "Larry" D. Sloan, CAE as the new CEO, effective October 17, 2016 to lead the largest national association dedicated to protecting worker health.

Roofers exposed to falls – again

An investigation that began after an OSHA compliance officer observed a roofing employee working on low slope roofs without fall protection turned up the information that it wasn’t first time the company had exposed its workers to life-threatening falls.

Safety academy marks four decades of helping miners

The National Mine Health and Safety Academy is celebrating its 40th birthday today with a ceremony in Beaver, West Virginia that honors the Academy’s legacy.

 

A NIOSH Science Blog post

Olympic work

As Olympic fever takes hold, we would like to take the opportunity to highlight research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) that relates directly or indirectly to the athletes or their events.

Oil & gas groups want federal reg agency to "clarify" its role

The American Petroleum Institute (API) has filed a petition with the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) requesting that the agency issue a rule clarifying its role as the regulator of rail tank car safety and the role that industry plays in recommending and developing new standards.

OSHA, NIOSH kick off hearing protection contest

OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are using a contest to challenge inventors and entrepreneurs to help develop a technological solution to workplace noise exposure and related hearing loss.

How companies are protecting workers from heat illness

OSHA recently asked employers and safety professionals to share their techniques for keeping workers safe from extreme heat. The agency said it received many responses and was impressed with the innovative efforts to keep workers safe during extreme heat conditions. Here are a few examples:

CSB issues safety alert stemming from fatal Tesoro Anacortes investigation

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has issued a safety alert entitled “CSB Safety Alert: Preventing High Temperature Hydrogen Attack (HTHA)” focused on preventing accidents similar to the fatal 2010 explosion and fire at the Tesoro Refinery in Anacortes, WA that fatally injured 7 workers.

Obstructed breathing more common in certain jobs

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigators have found that that the highest rates of airway obstruction were in jobs related to installation, maintenance, and repair; construction; and oil and gas extraction.