Weekly news round-up
Workplace violence strikes in Virginia Beach, surprising data about medical marijuana and occupational fatalities and job burn-out gets some official recognition. These were among the top occupational safety and health stories featured on ISHN.com this week.
After 20-year increase, new diabetes cases decline
35% drop in new diabetes diagnoses – and no increase in total cases
June 7, 2019
New cases of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. decreased by 35 percent since a peak in 2009 – the first sign that efforts to stop the nation’s diabetes epidemic are working, CDC researchers report. New cases have declined from 1.7 million new cases per year in 2008 to 1.3 million new cases in 2017. And there’s more good news: The number of people living with diagnosed diabetes in the United States has remained stable during the past 8 years.
Construction supervisors don’t always practice the safety they preach
June 7, 2019
When it comes to safety in the construction industry, “the gap between what is said and what is actually done is alarming,” according to the authors of a new report that showcases research critical to the advancement of the industry. Overall, 90 percent of the hundreds of construction professionals who responded to a survey for the “People in Construction 2019 Report” by FireStarter Speaking & Consulting identified safety as a top priority.
Safety 2019:
General sessions promise to inspire
June 7, 2019
The general session speakers over three days at Safety 2019 aim to motivate attendees to look beyond assumptions and seize opportunities. The first on Monday morning is Nicole Malachowski speaking on “The Power of Challenging Assumptions.” She believes the best organizations and leaders create cultures that engage and harness the diverse ideas, talents and abilities of every person, and in which challenging assumptions and the status quo drives extraordinary success.
Employee made ill by ammonia vapor
June 7, 2019
After an anhydrous ammonia leak sent a Florida farm worker for medical treatment, OSHA investigators found multiple violations related to the hazardous material at his workplace. The agency cited Duda Farm Fresh Foods Inc. – based in Belle Glade –for failing to:
A NIOSH Science Blog post
Preventing trenching fatalities
Scott Earnest PhD PE CSP Elizabeth Garza Capt. Alan Echt DrPH, CIH
June 6, 2019
Construction workers are at risk of death or serious injury if they enter an unprotected trench and the walls col¬lapse. A trench is defined as a narrow underground excavation that is deeper than it is wide, and is no wider than 15 feet or 4.5 meters [OSHA]. Hazards associated with trench work and excavation are well defined and preventable.
OSH across the U.S.A.: amputation, trench collapse, construction fall
Violations in construction, warehouse, retail industries
June 6, 2019
OSHA cited online pet supply company Chewy, Inc., after a worker suffered fatal injuries while operating a stand-up industrial truck. The company faces maximum penalties of $14,323 for exposing workers to struck-by and crushing hazards.
Cal/OSHA to employers: Protect outdoor workers from heat
June 6, 2019
Cal/OSHA is reminding all employers to protect their outdoor workers from heat illness as temperatures rise throughout California. The National Weather Service has issued heat advisories for triple-digit temperatures today in Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties and forecasts high heat throughout inland parts of the state next week.
Theme park visitors have a shocking experience
June 6, 2019
Universal’s Volcano Bay Water Theme Park in Orlando was closed for a time early Sunday after some guests and workers experienced electrical shock symptoms, with four lifeguards being transported to hospitals. News sources say people reported feeling tingling in their legs and buzzing in their ears while they were walking around the park.
Walgreens training staff in mental health first aid
June 5, 2019
Walgreens is training its pharmacists to assist with mental healthcare. As some of the most accessible health care providers in the community, pharmacists can play an important role in helping to address the growing need for mental health resources. With May being Mental Health Month in the United States, the drug store chain announced a unique collaboration with the National Council for Behavioral Health and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) to provide mental health first aid training for certain Walgreens pharmacists and team members.
Can medical marijuana get you fired? Depends on the state.
June 5, 2019
Less than half of the states where the drug treatment is legal protect patients from employment discrimination. Courts have generally sided with employers -- until recently. Summary: Of the 33 states where medical marijuana is legal, 14 protect patients from employment discrimination. Recent court rulings signal a potential shift in favor of employees.
Ohio employers can fire employees using medical marijuana
June 5, 2019
Ohio employers can fire employees who use medical marijuana or refuse to hire them in the first place. Medical marijuana is legal in Ohio, but it remains illegal at the federal level and Ohio employers are testing for it like they would any other illegal drug. “Under Ohio law, employers don’t have to currently hire someone who uses medical marijuana and they don’t have to retain an employee that tests positive for medical marijuana,” said Michael Griffaton, an attorney at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP.
Workplace fatalities sharply lower in states that have legalized medical marijuana
June 4, 2019
Workplace fatalities have fallen by an average of 19.5 percent in the 29 states and District of Columbia that have legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Those surprising results from a study in the International Journal of Drug Policy run counter to post-legalization predictions that marijuana’s effects on motor skills and cognitive function would cause an increase in workplace accidents.
A FairWarning Story
Safety agency probes data breach amid complaints about muzzling of hazard information
June 5, 2019
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is struggling to contain the fallout from a data breach involving thousands of companies, highlighting the tension between the agency’s mandate to protect consumers and to prevent reputational damage to product makers.
Summer jobs can be hazardous to teen workers’ safety
June 4, 2019
A report on workers comp claims by Colorado teens sheds some light on what are common workplace injuries for young workers across the U.S. Pinnacol Assurance, which provides workers’ compensation protection to 57,000 Colorado employers, analyzed its claims history for workers under 20. The company found that more than 380 Colorado teens were injured or became ill last year because of their summer jobs.
How to lower your stroke risk
June 4, 2019
A billionaire and a famous actor both experienced the same health emergency recently – one that surprised many people, given their relatively young ages. One survived, one did not. The two high profile incidents involving Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and actor Luke Perry have drawn renewed attention to the danger of strokes, which strike about 700,000 Americans a year, according to WebMD.
Workplace fatalities sharply lower in states that have legalized medical marijuana
June 4, 2019
Workplace fatalities have fallen by an average of 19.5 percent in the 29 states and District of Columbia that have legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Those surprising results from a study in the International Journal of Drug Policy run counter to post-legalization predictions that marijuana’s effects on motor skills and cognitive function would cause an increase in workplace accidents.
Florida construction fall reveals a host of hazards
June 3, 2019
OSHA inspectors who arrived at a Florida construction site to investigate an employee’s near-fatal fall didn’t have to look far to find fall and other safety hazards at the project. Three of the four Florida-based residential contractors involved with the project earned citations for fall hazard-related violations. The four companies were cited for a total of 12 violations, with $220,114 in proposed penalties.
It’s official: Burn-out is an “occupational phenomenon”
June 3, 2019
In what’s being called a landmark decision, the World Health Organization's (WHO) World Assembly has declared burn-out to be an “occupational phenomenon.” The action opens the door to having burn-out classified in the WHO's International Classification of Diseases (ICD), the newest version of which - ICD-11 - takes effect on January 1, 2022. The action took place at the WHO’s 72nd annual meeting, which took place in Geneva in May. Codenamed “QD85,” burn-out is now included in the section on “problems associated with employment or unemployment.”
This summer: Learn how to save a life
June 3, 2019
If someone in your household has a cardiac arrest emergency, will you be able to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)? If you can, you’ll triple your loved one’s chance of survival. Of course a cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, but 70 percent of them occur in homes.
Gunned down at work
Why did a Virginia Beach employee open fire in his workplace?
June 3, 2019
As the families of the dozen people DeWayne Craddock shot to death on Friday plan their funerals, authorities try to determine what motivated the 40-year-old to bring guns into the Virginia Beach City municipal building and open fire. Eleven of the victims were co-workers of Craddock’s.
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