Weekly news round-up
Construction and transit accidents, the geography/personality connection and emergency responders’ exposure to disaster-related toxins were all in this week’s EHS-related news as featured on ISHN.com:
OSHA releases new resources to protect workers from hazardous chemicals
Michaels admits exposure standards are out of date
Each year in the United States, tens of thousands of workers are made sick or die from occupational exposures to the thousands of hazardous chemicals that are used in workplaces every day. The U.S. OSHA today launched two new web resources to assist companies with keeping their workers safe.
Crane accident claims life of Minnesota construction worker
News sources are reporting that a construction worker died in Maplewood, Minnesota Monday after the crane he was operating tipped over.
Safety whistleblowers sued by employer
OSHA orders “retaliatory” lawsuit withdrawn
OSHA has ordered Palumbo Trucking Inc. of North Branford, Conn., and owner David Palumbo to withdraw a retaliatory lawsuit filed against two former workers of the commercial motor carrier who raised safety concerns, pay them $60,000 in damages and take other corrective actions.
Preventing drug abuse among teens goes mobile
Helpful info now accessible via smartphones, other devices
Parents can now get information about drug abuse and teens via their mobile devices, thanks to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which has launched the smartphone and tablet-accessible resources in conjunction with National Substance Abuse Prevention Month events in October.
NIOSH Science Blog
Conducting responder health research and biomonitoring during and following disasters
When responding to a disaster, emergency workers may face unique health risks from exposures to hazardous chemical and environmental contaminants in forms and circumstances often not seen in other occupations.
How the shutdown affected the NTSB
"Safety was not served"
The federal government shutdown may be over, but if an announcement from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is any indication, federal agencies and employees are not over it.
Construction fall victim uses film to show personal toll of workplace accidents
"I wasn't coping"
When Jason Anker was 24 years old, he took a roofing job – something he’d had little experience with – working for his father-in-law. Nearing the end of the workday, Anker saw a situation he knew was risky (the ladder he was to use wasn’t tied on), but said nothing.
U.S. regions have distinct personalities, research reveals
Analysis “challenges cultural stereotypes,” says author
Americans with similar temperaments are so likely to live in the same areas that a map of the country can be divided into regions with distinct personalities, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association. (APA).
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Opening school playgrounds for after-school use can help improve fitness
American Heart Association says kids need to be physically active
School districts can increase physical activity among children and young adults by opening playgrounds, gyms and fields to the community outside of school hours, especially in low-income areas, according to an American Heart Association (AHA) policy statement published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Small business regulatory measure: a help or a hindrance?
"It means more obstruction"
A bill passed recently by the House Small Business Committee would increase regulatory delays and allow regulated industries “undue” influence, according to an advocacy group comprised of public interest, business, consumer, labor and community organizations.
One construction project, six contractors, 31 violations
Cave-in, crushing, electrocution among the hazards
OSHA has cited the general contractor and five subcontractors working on the construction of the Berlin Power Plant in Berlin for 31 willful, serious and repeat violations of workplace safety standards.
EPA to hold public hearings on reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants
Proposal will be issued by June 2014
Want a say in the EPA’s carbon pollution rulemaking? You can attend and speak out at one of 11 “public listening sessions” the agency will hold across the country to solicit ideas and input from the public and stakeholders about the best Clean Air Act approaches to reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants.
ISHM to help develop global OH&S standard
U.S. needs to have an “active and engaged role”
The Institute for Safety and Health Management (ISHM) says it will participate in the new new standard for global occupational health and safety (OH&S) that will be developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Two transit workers die after being struck by train near S.F.
Train under “computer control” at the time
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will be investigating the deaths of two San Francisco area transit workers who were killed on Saturday when they were struck by a commuter train.
Kids in cars: Seat belts and car seats make a difference
Traffic cashes a leading cause of death for U.S. children
More than a third of children under age 13 who died in passenger vehicle crashes in 2011 were not in car seats or wearing seat belts, according to statistics released recently by the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
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