Scott Pruitt steps down as EPA chief, California lawmakers block new taxes on sugary drinks and sitting is still bad for your health. These were among the top stories featured on ISHN.com this week.

New publications available from OSHA

July 6, 2018

OSHA recently issued several new publications providing solutions to hazards in specific occupations and industries:

Safe + Sound Week 2018 is up ahead

July 6, 2018

More than 350 organizations are already signed up to participate in this year’s Safe + Sound Week, which will take place August 13-19 – but there’s still time to get involved. Safe + Sound Week is a nationwide event to raise awareness and understanding of the value of safety and health programs that include management leadership, worker participation, and a systematic approach to finding and fixing hazards in workplaces.

A Confined Space blog post

Scott Pruitt: RIP

July 6, 2018

"MARLEY was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge’s name was good upon ‘Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to."

Trench death lands excavating company in SVEP

July 6, 2018

No Comments

After a six-month investigation, OSHA has issued citations to the employer of an Ohio man killed in a trench collapse last December – and they weren’t the first for the company. In the most recent fatality, JK Excavating & Utilities, Inc. employee Zach Hess died when a trench he was working in collapsed.

A Confined Space blog post

Weekly Toll: Workplace deaths over the last two weeks

Jordan Barab

July 5, 2018

I took a week off compiling this list. No change in the deadly work that American workers do, except that workers have fewer rights than they did two weeks ago — especially public employees. In other news, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed an appropriations bill requiring OSHA to start listing names of workers killed on their homepage again, but we will continue with the Weekly Toll here at Confined Space.

Enforcement of some beryllium standard provisions postponed

July 5, 2018

OSHA is postponing enforcement of certain requirements of the final rule on occupational exposure to beryllium in general industry. Requirements originally scheduled for enforcement on June 25 will not be enforced until Aug. 9.

Europeans focus on managing the future of work

July 5, 2018

The European Trade Union Confederation and Institute (ETUC and ETUI) held a three-day symposium in Brussels recently at which trade unionists, policy makers and academics brainstormed about initiatives that will be needed to cope with four global mega trends that are radically changing the world of work.

How well do your employees handle change?

July 5, 2018

As a safety professional, your job is anything but static. Changes initiated by you or by upper management and implemented by you are inevitable. That process can go smoothly – or not. A new study sheds some light on how employee engagement in the change process impacts how well change is implemented.

Don't fly your drone near fireworks...and other 4th of July safety tips from the feds

July 3, 2018

Drones have thoroughly worked their way into a variety of non-business uses, from videotaping weddings to capturing beautiful images of scenic tourist attractions, so it’s likely that they are also finding their way into the nation’s favorite summertime holiday. The Federal Aviation Agency wants drone operators to keep safety in mind.

AHA blasts California bill that blocks new sugary drink taxes

July 3, 2018

The American Heart Association (AHA) is sharply critical of a bill passed last week in California that prevents local communities in the state from adopting any new local sugary drink taxes for the next 12 years. The AHA calls Assembly Bill 1838 “a last-minute, backroom deal negotiated and written in secret by beverage industry lobbyists and their allies” and warns that it is a significant step backwards in the ongoing effort to reduce overconsumption of sugary drinks.

Pilot study connects employers to create family-friendly workplaces

July 3, 2018

As most working parents know, finding the right work-life balance can be tricky. Music recitals, sports practices and games, field trips, doctor appointments, homemade family dinners, and … a 40-hour (or, in some cases, more) work week?

A NIOSH Science Blog post

Fentanyls and the safety of first responders: Science and recommendations

July 2, 2018

The severity of the opioid epidemic is well-documented. In 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that drug overdose deaths in the United States more than tripled from 1999 to 2015.[1] From 2015 to 2016, opioid overdose deaths increased by more than 20 percent—rising from 52,898 in 2016 to 64,070 deaths in 2017.[2]

More bad news about the health risks of sitting

July 2, 2018

Add to the growing body of research on the dangers of prolonged sitting a new American Cancer Society (ACS) study which links sitting time with a higher risk of death from all causes. And- exercise doesn’t help offset that risk.

Maryland has first heat-related death of the year

July 2, 2018

The state of Maryland is reporting its first heat-related fatality of the summer. That was the conclusion of an autopsy performed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Health officials released few facts about the victim, other than that it was a male between the ages of 18 and 44.

Summer fun holds danger for your hearing

July 2, 2018

When you’re jet skiing on a hot summer day, are you thinking about hearing loss? You should be, according to the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Jet skiing is only one of the popular summertime activities that harbor hazards to your hearing.