Today's Safety News

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From noise hazards in foundries and sports venues to sweating manikins, here are the week’s top EHS-related news stories from ISHN.com:

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) said an explosion and fire that killed five workers during a fireworks disposal operation in Hawaii in 2011 resulted from unsafe disposal practices; insufficient safety requirements for government contractor selection and oversight; and an absence of national guidelines, standards, and regulations for fireworks disposal.

As we enter another influenza season, one question continues to vex medical and public health professionals: How do you stop people from catching the flu? The best way to prevent the flu is by getting an influenza vaccine every year. However, in the event of a large-scale influenza outbreak of a new virus strain or a pandemic, when influenza vaccine may not be promptly available, we will see tremendous demands on the health care system and its workers.

Fired for failing to inspect a broken chair; temp workers to get equal training; roofers exposed to 30' falls and a diesel hazard alert were among the OSHA news items this week.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a preliminary report on the Dec. 11, 2012, rupture of a natural gas transmission line in Sissonville, W.Va.

Pilots won't be allowed to use smartphones or laptop computers for non-work purposes -- like surfing the web or sending emails - under a rule being proposed by the Federal Aviation Authority. At issue: potentially dangerous distractions, such as a 2009 incident in which two Northwest Airlines pilots flew 150 miles past their destination because they were engrossed in using their laptop computers for personal activities.

Violence is not just a law enforcement problem. It is a public health problem of vast proportions. Each year, violence kills 55,000 people in the United States. Violence takes a particular toll on youth. Every day, 13 young people between the ages of 10 and 24 are killed, making homicide the third leading cause of death in this age group.

President Obama on Wednesday announced his multi-prong campaign “to do the right thing” to protect the public from gun violence. Stated the White House in a prepared statement: “There are approximately 30,000 firearm-related homicides and suicides a year, a number large enough to make clear this is a public health crisis.

The Washington Post’s Wonk Blog has a piece this week on the burgeoning costs of regulations. WaPo’s Jim Tankersley writes, “If you’re a business leader or conservative economist who worries that the federal government is strangling the economy in red tape, 2012 was a banner year. If you’re a consumer advocate or an environmentalist anxious for the government to do more to boost public health … ditto.”