CDC urges Americans to “get smart about antibiotics”

“The day when antibiotics don’t work is upon us”

Americans are suffering from too much of a good thing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has designated this as “Get Smart about Antibiotics Week.” Read More

Aging water pipes expose U.S. workers to asbestos

No PPE for Houston workers cutting into asbestos-containing pipes

While repairing water mains in 2011, workers in Houston were not informed that the pipes they were dealing with were composed of 35 percent asbestos. They were not provided with personal protective equipment needed for handling asbestos. Read More

Bill gives fed employees more whistleblower protections

In the works for more than a decade, a bill which protects employees who expose government wrongdoing from retaliation by supervisors has finally been passed by Congress. Read More

Family background may increase risk of back problems

Study: Prevention may need to start in early life

Work and lifestyle factors affecting the risk of disability due to low back disorders tend to be shared among family members, reports a study in the November Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM). Read More

Follow up inspection at Wisconsin foundry doesn’t go well

Nine violations despite nine months to fix hazards

After a follow up inspection to determine if Grede Wisconsin Subsidiaries LLC abated the hazards found during the first go-round, OSHA has cited the company for nine – including two repeat – safety violations at its Berlin iron foundry. These carry $56,320 in proposed penalties. Read More

NTSB releases 2013 Most Wanted List of transportation challenges

#1 killer: Impaired driving

The National Transportation Safety Board today released its 2013 Most Wanted List, with six of the ten issues focusing on highway travel where most transportation fatalities take place and includes the number one killer on the list: substance-impaired driving. Read More

Leisure-time activity makes you live longer

Leisure-time physical activity is associated with longer life expectancy, even at relatively low levels of activity and regardless of body weight, according to a study by a team of researchers led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health. Read More

Aviation industry, FAA and NTSB form accident-prevention partnership

The Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), airlines and aviation labor unions have announced a partnership with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to share summarized safety information that could help prevent accidents. Read More

AIHA public policy survey highlights OEHS issues

Biennial survey identifies priority issues for the IH profession

Updating PELs, OSHA’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program (I2P2) and getting more respect are the top upcoming issues for safety professionals, according to a survey conducted by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). Read More

Joint pain in the workplace

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) include a number of physical conditions affecting muscles, tendons, nerves, ligaments, joints, and other soft tissues that can be caused, or exacerbated, by work. Read More

Report: Chemical industry spends millions to block TSCA update

The chemical industry has spent millions on U.S. political campaigns in an effort to prevent Congress from strengthening the Toxic Substances Control Act, according to a report released by Common Cause, a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy group. Read More

Cancer treatment center’s refusal to use safer needles exposes staff to bloodborne pathogens

Although staff at New England Hematology/Oncology Associates PC raised the alarm about the hazardous needle system in use at the facility, the Newton, Mass. medical service provider continued to use a system that was not engineered to reduce the risk of injury, thereby exposing its employees to a variety of biohazards, according to OSHA. Read More

Counterfeit air bags pose danger to drivers

A growing black market in counterfeit air bags has prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue a warning to vehicle owners and repair professionals. Read More

EU adopts compromise on electromagnetic exposure reg review

The European Union (EU) has reached an informal agreement on the review of legislation to limit worker exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) – although it does not take into consideration demands from trade unions to look at the long-term effects on human health of exposure to these fields. Read More

ASSE looks ahead following election

Key concern: That OSHA move forward on I2P2

The American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) President Richard A. Pollock, CSP, released the following statement on the results of the 2012 election: Read More

OSHA, window washers renew Alliance to protect workers from industry hazards

OSHA and the International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) have renewed an Alliance to address slips, trips, falls from heights, and the safe use of high-reach access equipment such as ladders and scaffolding in the window cleaning industry. Read More