Weekly news round-up
Firefighters pay the price for unsafe welding, hazmat in the air and in nail salons and an “urgent” health threat were among the top EHS-related stories featured on ISHN.com this week.
NTSB looks at recent surge in railroad worker deaths
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) yesterday issued a special investigation report on the recent increase in deaths of railroad and rail transit roadway workers on or near tracks and made recommendations to reduce the number of fatalities.
Burn survivor courageously shares experience to highlight need for home fire sprinklers
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has joined the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, and Common Voices in commending burn survivor Pamela Elliott, R.N., B.S.N. for her pointed op-ed on the necessity of home fire sprinklers.
Strange bedfellows?
Beverage makers, health alliance agree to reduce soda calories
In light of recent news stories showing a strong link between the consumption of sugary drinks and obesity, the collaboration announced this week between the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the American Beverage Association (ABA) may come as a surprise to some people.
Companies are transporting poorly packaged hazmat by air
Workers, the environment being endangered
UPS and Fedex workers at three different locations were potentially exposed to hazardous materials, because companies shipping toxic chemicals by air failed to comply with labeling and packaging regulations, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Whew! What a relief-
Luxury foreign cars don't have to meet U.S. safety standards
If you plan on buying a Ferrari, Lamborghini or Jaguar, you don’t need to worry that your vehicle doesn’t meet federal safety standards. Those makes and others will be allowed to be imported into the U.S., even though they don’t fully comply with safety requirements, under an exemption announced recently by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Worker reports respiratory inflammation after welding in rail car
A worker at Watco Investments LLC reported suffering from respiratory inflammation after performing welding work inside a rail car in Omaha. OSHA has cited the company, operating as Watco Companies Inc., for three repeat and three serious safety violations, many involving OSHA's confined space safety regulations.
New guide helps refineries manage waste, minimize risks to people and the environment
IPIECA, The global oil and gas industry association for environmental and social issues, has produced new guidance on waste management for petroleum refinery operations.
I2P2 rule, safety in global apparel industry to be explored at AIHA Fall Conference
Emerging OEHS government policies will be hot topics
Several high-profile government policy issues in the industrial hygiene and occupational health and safety field will be featured at the 2014 AIHA Fall Conference, coming up Oct. 18-22 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Washington, D.C.
Safety advocate calls for crackdown on NYC nail salon hazmats
In an attempt to protect both workers and customers from the hazardous materials used in New York City nail salons, a Public Advocate is mounting a campaign that would require the city’s 2,000 nail salons to use protective gear and undergo more frequent inspections.
Unsafe workplace leads to firefighter fatalities
Two Boston firefighters lost their lives because a company failed to follow safety precautions, according to fire officials and OSHA.
Report: Worker protection is key component of homeland security
The federal government must help train emergency personnel and provide updated safety guidelines so the workers are better protected against hazards such as they faced at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, according to a public health workshop report by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, a component of the federal National Institutes of Health.
Report: Climate laws inadequate to protect human rights
The human rights of the world’s most vulnerable will be severely threatened unless urgent action is taken to improve access to justice and legal frameworks for people affected by climate change, concludes a new report by the International Bar Association (IBA) Task Force on Climate Change Justice and Human Rights.
A CDC- NIOSH Science Blog post:
Accurate and efficient assessments of working posture
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) account for roughly one-third of workplace illness and injuries in the United States. According to Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, overexertion injuries, which include those from work-related lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, carrying, or throwing, cost U.S. businesses $14.2 billion in direct costs in 2013.
Public health
White House announces strategy for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria
In response to a landmark report issued a year ago by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that sounded the alarm on drug-resistant threats to human health, President Barack Obama has issued an Executive Order and National Strategy to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria.
Workers face repeated, “high-gravity” fall hazards with Philly stucco co.
JC Stucco and Stone Inc. faces $235,700 in proposed penalties
Masonry contractor JC Stucco and Stone Inc. has been cited by OSHA for three willful and three repeat safety violations. OSHA's March 2014 inspection was initiated in response to a referral by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections due to an imminent threat to worker health and safety at the site.
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