The dog days of summer are upon us, but what does that actually mean? This phrase refers to the hottest, most uncomfortable part of the summer, usually ranging from July through August. In ancient times, the return of Sirius (the Dog Star), which is the brightest star in the night sky, would be a forerunner of the hottest phase of the summer.
Fujitsu has developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm that can monitor heat stress levels in workers through its “Human Centric AI Zinrai.” The AI will be able to oversee workers like security guards and others who are susceptible heat-related stress, according to Fujitsu.
Many coal miners who initially had a normal imaging test developed the most severe form of coal-dust—related lung disease within 21 years, and some within 10 years, according to a recent NIOSH study published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
A draft document approved recently by a European Union (EU) committee “represents a genuine step forward” toward reducing occupational cancers, according to the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI).
Forecasters are calling for above-average temperatures across much of the country this summer. Are you prepared to beat the heat? Every year, thousands of workers become ill from working in the heat, and some even die. Construction workers make up about one-third of heat-related worker deaths, but outdoor workers in every industry – particularly agriculture, landscaping, transportation, and oil and gas operations − are at risk when temperatures go up.
This month I’m pleased to share with you that 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of occupational respiratory disease research at the NIOSH facility in Morgantown. In 1967 the Appalachian Laboratory for Occupational Respiratory Disease (ALFORD) was established within the U.S. Public Health Service, and in 1971 it became part of NIOSH.
Safety advocates are hoping to hear about stronger worker protections today when Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta testifies on the FY 2018 federal budget before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
July 22, 2016, was a hot day in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. By late afternoon, the heat index had spiked to about 110 degrees. That was right around the time 23-year-old landscaper Tyler Halsey – whose shift had begun nine-and-a-half hours earlier at 7 – succumbed to heat stress. He was hospitalized with a core body temperature of more than 108 degrees and died the next day.
Cooling caps, canopies with misting hoses and training sessions on heat exposure are among the ways employers are keeping their workers safe during extreme heat, according to OSHA, which is compiling examples.
With a large part of the U.S. sweltering under high temperatures, it’s important to recognize the warning signs of heatstroke and take measures to avoid it. Outdoor workers face a double whammy: prolonged exposure to heat while engaging in physical exertion.
