Weekly news round-up
Federal agencies issue an advisory on the chemical behind the West, Texas explosion, airline crew members get OSHA protection and safety professionals are encouraged to get involved with construction at the contract level. Those are among this week's top EHS-related stories as featured on ISHN.com:
Were night vision contact lenses used on bin Laden raid?
Rumors have circulated that the military team that breached Osama bin Laden’s compound and killed the terrorist leader might have been wearing “cat vision” contact lenses that give the wearer night vision for a limited time without having to wear bulky, heavy night vision goggles (NVG). A Popular Science article from 2004 mentioned this technology.
NIOSH rolls out safety info for young working drivers
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has released a new set of factsheets to help young drivers stay safe on the job: one for employers and another one for parents and young workers.
FAA finalizes safety policy for aircraft crew members
OSHA will enforce hazardous chemical, bloodborne pathogen exposures
The FAA and OSHA have issued a final policy for improving workplace safety for aircraft cabin crewmembers. While the FAA's aviation safety regulations take precedence, OSHA will be able to enforce certain occupational safety and health standards currently not covered by FAA oversight.
Railroad company retaliated against workers who reported injuries
OSHA: Canadian National Railway a repeat offender
A train conductor who was fired for reporting his injury at the end of his shift – instead of at the moment it occurred – will be reinstated and will receive back wages damages, under an OSHA order to his employer. Another employee who was suspended for a similar reason will receive damages as well.
OSHA, USDA urged to protect poultry, meatpacking workers
Line speed is too fast, says coalition
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and a coalition of civil rights groups filed a formal petition yesterday urging OSHA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve worker safety in poultry and meatpacking plants, contending that federal policies allow workers in these facilities to operate in hazardous conditions that often leave them with disabling injuries, illnesses and pain.
Don't ignore eye strain due to computer use
It's a whole new ball game
Up to 93% of all computer users will experience symptoms of eye strain from computers according to Optometric Association estimates. Nearly everyone that uses a computer for as little as 2 hours a day will notice some of these symptoms sooner or later. So we are talking about almost every man, woman, and child in the country.
Safety pros urged to get involved with construction contracts
They can engineer out safety problems before project starts
A recent survey of construction and safety professionals highlights the need to include safety management in the earliest phases of construction contracts, according to the authors of an article in this month’s Professional Safety, the journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE).
Temp worker’s heat-related death results in settlement
Company to change heat management program
OSHA has reached a settlement agreement with Waste Management of New Jersey Inc. to abate violations involving excessive heat hazards that resulted in the death of a temporary worker in June 2012.
EPA, OSHA and ATF issue ammonium nitrate advisory
Aimed at facility owners, emergency planners, first responders
The EPA, OSHA and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) issued a chemical advisory that provides information on the hazards of ammonium nitrate (AN) storage, handling and management.
Eye movements adapt to vision obstruction
A new report published in Current Biology finds that human eye movements quickly adapt when something obstructs vision. Researchers studied six young adults with normal sight, simulating a loss of foveal vision in the participants.
When foam gets in your eyes
When an unusually high number of people with serious eye injuries showed up at an emergency department one morning, health officials started an investigation to find out what had gone wrong the night before at the Florida nightclub that the injured people all reported visiting.
Costs of vision-related diseases pose significant burden
According to a report commissioned by Prevent Blindness America (PBA) from researchers at the University of Chicago, “Cost of Vision Problems: The Economic Burden of Vision Loss and Eye Disorders in the United States, ”the financial burden of vision-related diseases will continue to grow due to increasing healthcare costs and an aging population.
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
