Nearly 2.3 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were diagnosed in the United States in 2017, according to preliminary data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the National STD Prevention Conference in Washington, D.C. This surpassed the previous record set in 2016 by more than 200,000 cases and marked the fourth consecutive year of sharp increases in these sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
A previous NIOSH report (2016)1 described the death of nine oil and gas extraction workers that occurred during gauging or sampling activities at open thief hatches on crude oil storage tanks. Hydrocarbon gases and vapors (HGVs) and associated oxygen displacement were the primary or contributory factors in these fatalities.
New research estimates that 4.5 percent of adults in the U.S. currently use e-cigarettes. That equates to more than 10.8 million e-cigarette users, most of them — 51.2 percent — under the age of 35 and about 60 percent are men. Those data come from an analysis of national self-reported health behaviors.
A measure gaining traction in New York City would require restaurants to serve healthy beverages rather than sugary drinks in kids’ meal combos. The Healthy Kids Meals Bill announced this week by NYC Speaker Corey Johnson would make water, milk and 100% fruit juice the standard beverages in restaurant offerings aimed at children.
Employees and visitors at a Louisiana manufacturing facility drank potentially contaminated drinking water for four years after deficiencies in the water system were identified, according to the EPA and the DOJ. The two federal agencies say they’ve reached a settlement with CertainTeed Corporation to resolve alleged violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) at the company’s Lake Charles Polymer Plant in Westlake, Louisiana.
Maybe they’re in a rush or have something else to do but, for whatever the reason, a survey reveals that 56% of workers say they frequently or occasionally see colleagues leave the restroom without washing up. With this issue, gender seems to come into play since 63% of men frequently or occasionally observe non-washing behavior compared to 49% of women.
3D printing or additive manufacturing allows users to “print” a variety of items, from airplane parts to prosthetic limbs. 3D printing is still a relatively new technology and there are many gaps in the information available about health and safety implications. As with many innovations, workers are the first groups exposed to potential hazards.
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among Canadian oil and gas drilling sector workers has increased by 12 per cent, from 33 per cent in 2012 to 45 per cent in 2017, according to hearing-test data collected by employers. Even more alarming: out of the 294 oil and gas drilling workers with NIHL, 194 — 65 per cent — were under the age of 35.
A controversial new emissions rule from the EPA, contaminants in a street drug send hundreds to hospitals and a fire safety group accuses a state of watering down safety requirements in its building codes. These were among the top stories featured on ISHN.com this week.
According to a 2009 study by the Rutgers University Food Policy Institute, fewer than 60% of Americans have ever checked their homes for a recalled food item. This suggests that, while many Americans view food recalls as important, they don’t believe they’re particularly relevant. With food product and ingredient recalls becoming increasingly present in our daily lives, Stop Foodborne Illness presents a basic guide to orient consumers on food recalls.
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