A controversial rule with worker safety implications gets sidelined, construction company personnel charged with felonies after an occupational fatality and making sure holiday decorating is safe were among the stories featured this week on ISHN.com.

Texas refinery explosions and fire cause injuries, evacuation

November 27, 2019

Three workers were injured this morning – one seriously – when a southeast Texas refinery was rocked by a chemical explosion followed by a fire. Residents within a half mile of the plant in Port Neches, about 90 miles east of Houston, were ordered to evacuate during the emergency.

Deadly decorations & how to avoid them

November 26, 2019

Whether they’re traditional or modern, heirlooms or newly purchased, holiday decorations add a festive spirit to many homes and workplaces. They also account for a whopping 25 percent of home fires during the holiday season, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI). The organization’s president, Brett Brenner, said that taking simple precautions will help minimize the risk of things you don’t want at any time of year: property loss or, worse, loss of life or injuries.

A NIOSH Science Blog post

The role of veterinarians in the opioid crisis

Julie Tisdale-Pardi MA Lee S. Newman MD, MA Lilliana Tenney MPH

November 26, 2019

More than 399,000 people died from overdoses involving prescription and illicit opioids from 1999-2017.[i] There are many efforts to educate physicians and dentists about their roles and responsibilities in addressing this national crisis. But what about veterinarians? Animals, like humans, may receive opioids for pain.

DOL’s nursing home teen worker rule fails to make fall reg agenda

November 26, 2019

A controversial rule to allow teenagers to perform a potentially hazardous task in nursing homes is conspicuously absent from the Fall Regulatory Agenda released last week by the U.S. Labor Department (DOL). The rule would have rolled back a previous policy prohibiting young workers (age 16 and 17) from operating powered patient lifting devices unless they are properly trained and are using such devices in tandem with a worker who is 18 or older.

Construction overseers charged with manslaughter in death of Luis Sánchez Almonte

November 26, 2019

A construction company operator, foreperson and engineer responsible for the Sunset Park construction site where laborer Luis Sánchez Almonte was crushed to death by debris in September 2018 have been indicted for manslaughter, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Thursday.

8 CDC tips for a safe and healthy holiday

November 25, 2019

The holidays are a great opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends, to celebrate life, to be grateful, and to reflect on what’s important. They are also a time to appreciate – and safeguard – the gift of health. “The holiday season is a time to reflect on family and friends, but don’t forget to take time to care for yourself,” said CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, M.D.

The most common office injuries and how to prevent them

Dr. Nicholas McCarty

November 25, 2019

You sit at a desk during the workday, for most of the day. With your busy schedule, you don’t get up and move around much except for a few trips to the bathroom and to get your lunch. While this may sound like a low key day without any risk for physical injury, you may be surprised to find out that you can do a lot of damage to your body by having an office job.