From climate change to a statute of limitations on OSHA citations to cleaning jobs and asthma, here are the week’s top OEHS-related stories as featured on ISHN.com:
Report: Immigrant N.H.workers uninformed about workers’ comp
Lack of funds cause some to go without treatment for occupational injuries
A new report finds that many immigrant workers in New Hampshire have no knowledge of workers’ compensation, leading -- in some cases -- to medical bills for work-related injuries going upaid, or to workers not seeking treatment for work-related injuries because they couldn’t afford to pay for it themselves.
Drug-resistant bacteria spreading in U.S. health care facilities
Experts say fast action needed to combat it
Drug-resistant germs called carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, are on the rise and have become more resistant to last-resort antibiotics during the past decade, according to a new CDC Vital Signs report. These bacteria are causing more hospitalized patients to get infections that, in some cases, are impossible to treat.
AIHA backs VPP legislation
H.R.632 would expand the program to small businesses
Letter sent to the Honorable Tom Petri, United States House of Representatives by Allan K. Fleeger, CIH, CSP, president of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). RE: HR632 – Voluntary Protection Program
Worker without FR clothing dies in flash fire
J.R. Resources cited for violations
A natural gas company’s failure to provide a worker with FR clothing lead to a fatality, according to OSHA, which has cited Pennsylvania-based J.R. Resources for eight safety and health violations. The employee died from injuries sustained during a flash fire.
NY’s Bloomberg takes aim at hearing loss from ear buds
iPods can reach noise level of jet airplanes
In an effort to head off hearing loss – particularly among young people -- New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has launched a quarter-million dollar effort to warn of the dangers of using personal listening devices (PLDs) at high volumes.
NJ surgical center employees exposed to bloodborne pathogens
No blood test, medication after sharps injury
An employee at a NJ surgical center who was stuck with a contaminated needle was not counseled about what to do in the wake of the injury, was not tested in a timely manner for disease and was not provided with appropriate medicine to help him avoid contracting a disease, according to OSHA inspectors, who have cited the Health East Ambulatory Surgical Center for 10 serious violations.
Supreme Court ruling affects OSHA’s statute of limitations
Citations must be for recent violations
A recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court means that employers “should not accept an OSHA citation alleging violations more than six months old,” according to two lawyers who specialize in occupational safety and health law.
NIOSH and NHCA present 2013 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards
Vulcan Materials Company, Johns Manville, Dangerous Decibels recognized
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA), has announced the winners of the 2013 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards™.
Obama’s EPA pick braces for confirmation process
McCarthy known for playing well with others, but…
Now that President Obama has made his nomination for the top post at the EPA official, anticipation is mounting over whether or not she’ll face Congressional opposition – or more accurately, how much Congressional opposition she’ll face – during the confirmation process.
NTSB: Fatigue remains a transportation danger
The head of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is using National Sleep Awareness Week as an opportunity to remind the transportation industry of the importance of adequate sleep. NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman said fatigue is a serious safety issue across all modes of transportation.
EPA nominee focuses on greenhouse gas emissions
McCarthy is considered data-driven and pragmatic
President Obama’s selection of Gina McCarthy to become the next EPA Administrator is being hailed as a positive move by both environmentalists and some in the business community, who say McCarthy is adept at holding dialogues with competing interests.
AEDs not in most likely sites of cardiac arrest
Getting bystanders to use them also a hurdle
The mismatch between where cardiac arrest is most likely to happen and where automated external defibrillators (AEDS) are most likely placed may help explain in part the low survival rate for this “significant public health problem,” according to a Canadian study published yesterday online in Annals of Emergency Medicine (“Determining Risk for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest by Location Type in a Canadian Urban Setting to Guide Future Public Access Defibrillator Placement”).
OSHA offers help with HazCom training, labeling requirements
Two new compliance assistance resources are available for employers to assist them in meeting the requirements of OSHA's revised Hazard Communication Standard. A new fact sheet discusses the training topics that employers must cover for the initial Dec. 1, 2013 deadline.
Cleaning jobs linked to asthma risk
Occupational asthma under-recognized, says study author
A new study indicates there is a strong link between professional cleaning and the risk of developing asthma. Researchers at the Imperial College London have tracked the occurrence of asthma in a group of nearly 9,500 people born in Britain in 1958.
Q&A with fall protection expert Nigel Ellis
Firefighters, ladders and skylights: What you need to know
Topic: Firefighters. Q) Has your company ever worked with firefighters to address their specific fall protection needs while performing their daily work duties? How so?
Early registration deadline for AIHce 2013 is March 8
Annual conference will be held in Montreal this year
If you’re planning to attend AIHce 2013 in Montreal, registering by March 8 will bring you savings of up to $210.
Study: Climate change will challenge occupational safety and health
Productivity expected to drop, especially for outdoor workers
Climate change could have a significant impact on worker productivity – particularly in certain parts of the word, according to a study published in the March issue of the journal, Nature Climate Change.
