A lack of emergency shower and eye wash facilities were among the safety deficiencies found by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in an investigation into the potential hazards in the Rhode Island Jewelry Industry.
Recent NIOSH research has shed some light on the topic of the safety of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFR) use by pregnant workers. Women make up approximately one-half of the US work force. At any given time, about 10% of those female workers of child-bearing age (15–44 years of age) will be pregnant.
There are about 36,000 commercial drycleaning shops in the United States. Most are owner-operated small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. In addition, some drycleaning shops may be owned and staffed by individuals with limited English language skills and/or may be marginally profitable– factors that may create additional barriers for the owner-operator to maintain a safe and healthy workplace.
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.
NIOSH research related to improved illumination in underground mines could be a key to reducing the second leading accident class of nonfatal lost-time injuries—slips, trips, and falls.