Here are the week's top stories from www.ISHN.com:

ASSE, sustainability pros urge corporations to improve supply chain safety management

"It’s not enough to condemn local factory owners"

With workplace tragedies such as the recent factory fires in Bangladesh killing more than 100 people last weekend and in Pakistan killing more than 300 workers in September, the American Society of Safety Engineers  (ASSE) and the Center for Safety and Health Sustainability (the Center) urge corporations to implement effective safety management programs and practices in their supply chains to help prevent these disasters from happening. Read More

60 percent of America's biggest cities are now smoke-free

Thirty of America’s 50 largest cities are now covered by laws that prohibit smoking in all indoor areas of private workplaces, restaurants, and bars, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read More

Meat workers exposed to unexpected machine start-up

OSHA has cited Cargill Meat Solutions Corp. with three safety violations for failing to protect workers from unexpected start-up of machines at its Beardstown, Illinois pork processing facility. Proposed penalties total $114,000. OSHA initiated an inspection upon receiving a complaint alleging hazards. Read More

Construction injuries and fatalities cost California’s economy billions

Occupational injuries and fatalities in the construction industry cost California residents $2.9 billion between 2008 and 2010, a new Public Citizen report shows. Read More

Will new term bring movement on stalled regs?

At least one advocacy group is hoping that, with the presidential election out of the way, the Obama administration will move to strengthen health, safety, and environmental protections that got stalled during the administration’s first term. Read More

NY Congressman urges fed oversight on Sandy cleanup of mold, environmental toxins

“We must not repeat the same mistakes of 9/11”

Citing inadequate control over environmental hazards following 9/11, a NY congressman is urging the EPA and Federal Emergency Management Agency to take an active role in making sure people cleaning up after Hurricane Sandy stay safe. Read More

BP barred from new contracts with federal government

EPA cites "lack of business integrity"

In yet another repercussion of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has blocked BP from entering into any new contracts with the federal government. Read More

NTSB to Coast Guard: Raise post-accident alcohol, drug testing standards

The National Transportation Safety Board is recommending that the U.S. Coast Guard increase its post-accident drug and alcohol testing standards to the level of those required of merchant mariners. Read More

CDC promotes Alzheimer’s awareness

As November, National Alzheimer’s Awareness month, draws to a close, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reminding people that active medical management can improve the quality of life for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers. Read More

REACH: five years on, is it delivering?

REACH, the European chemical regulation has been under implementation since June 2007. Five years later, the ETUI chemical hazards expert Tony Musu takes stock of this ambitious reform. Read More

AIHA donates $10,000 for Sandy relief

In response to the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy, the American Industrial Hygiene Association has donated $10,000 to the American Red Cross to help with the ongoing relief effort in the northeast U.S. Read More

Hand washing: Increase safety in 20 seconds

Hand washing is a vital tool in preventing the spread of bacteria and viruses that can cause infections and foodborne illness. People can be a significant source of harmful microorganisms. Proper handwashing by food employees is necessary to control direct and indirect contamination of food, utensils, and equipment. Read More

Here’s how to stay safe and “sharp”

Whether you work in food service, facilities or in an administrative capacity, there are some things you can do to avoid cut injuries in the workplace. Below are some key knife safety points to help you be sharp and stay “Safe at State”: Read More

Hands are your most vulnerable body part

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates the rate of incidence of hand injury in the workplace to be 0.25. In other words, 25 hand injuries occur on average per year for every 10,000 full-time equivalent workers. Read More

Gloves lower the odds of a hand injury by 60-70 percent

A study from the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety shows that wearing gloves lowers the risk of acute occupational hand injuries by 60 percent to 70 percent. Read More

Ergo injuries require more recuperation time

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), commonly known as ergonomic injuries, accounted for 33 percent of all workplace injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work in 2011, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report issued November 8, 2012. Read More

Hands and fingers are the most-often injured body parts

The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System reports that the fingers and hand are the most frequent body parts injured at work and treated in hospital emergency departments. Read More

Obama administration issues rule on employment-based wellness programs

The Obama administration is moving forward to implement provisions in the health care law, including one regarding employee wellness programs. Read More

Meditation may reduce risk of heart attacks and strokes

African Americans with heart disease who practiced Transcendental Meditation regularly were 48 percent less likely to have a heart attack, stroke or die from all causes compared with African Americans who attended a health education class over more than five years, according to new research published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. Read More

Factory in deadly Bangladesh fire was considered “high risk”

Wal-Mart, IKEA among companies that bought its goods

A blaze that killed at least 112 workers in Bangladesh Saturday occurred in a garment factory that was known to be unsafe by at least one of the U.S. companies that sourced goods from it. Read More