Environmental Health and Safety

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OSHA’s notice of proposed rulemaking for respirable silica has officially been published in the Federal Register, which ushers in the next phase of the process: public input. The public is strongly encouraged to participate in the process of developing a final rule.

A petition sent to OSHA and the USDA by the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) and the Southern Poverty Law Center calls on OSHA to improve worker safety in poultry and meatpacking plants by issuing new work speed standards.

Proposed budget cuts to OSHA would have a significant – and negative – impact on OSHA’s ability to safeguard the health and safety of American workers, according to a report by the Center for Effective Government.

An employee engaged in drilling operations on the rig floor of a drilling site in Big Spring, Texas in June was overcome by heat and rushed to a hospital, where he died. An OSHA investigation into the fatality resulted in the man’s employer, Abilene-based Heartland Drilling, Inc. being cited for exposing workers to hazards associated with excessive heat.

The EPA has launched a web-based tool, called ChemView, to improve access to chemical specific regulatory information developed by EPA and data submitted under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., is urging the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to move quickly on a U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) final draft rule that would reduce the permissible exposure limits (PELs) for respirable coal dust in mines.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has released a new topic page on Upper Limb Musculoskeletal Disorders. The page features peer-reviewed publications that were completed by NIOSH researchers and other members of the MSD Consortium (Washington State Dept. of Labor & Industry, University of California/Berkeley/San Francisco, Washington University/St. Louis, University of Wisconsin, University of Iowa, University of Connecticut, and University of Utah).