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Members of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) have elected four new members to serve on the association's Board of Directors. They are:

More than half of the nation’s waterways are polluted with toxins like mercury and have been stripped of vegetation that protects them, according to a stark new report from the EPA. The first comprehensive survey looking the health of thousands of stream and river miles across the country found that 55 percent are in poor condition for aquatic life.

In a move that echoes one made on this side of the Atlantic, the European Commission plans to review – and possibly eliminate -- regulations that it says are hindering business growth and job creation. In a reaction that echoes some heard on this side of the Atlantic, labor and workers’ rights advocates are not happy about the plan.

The European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament have reached agreement on a new Directive that addresses the risks of major accidents from offshore oil and gas operations in EU waters.

Recommendations for school safety just issued by a Sandy Hook Advisory Commission may well be considered by schools nationwide, according to Bo Mitchell, president of 911 Consulting.

American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Executive Director Fred Fortman and Industrial Safety & Hygiene News magazine Publisher Randy Green yesterday announced the continuation of ISHN as Safety 2014 and 2015 Exposition sponsor. ISHN has been the exclusive Exposition sponsor for 11 consecutive years, since 2002.

Blindness and vision impairment are on the rise in the United States. A recent report by Prevent Blindness America indicates that, since the year 2000, incidence of blindness and vision impairment has increased by 23 percent among Americans age 40 and older.

We tend to take our eyes and our vision for granted. Sure, when we find out we need glasses or have to change to a stronger prescription, we think about our eyes – but other than that, how often do we pay attention to the wonderful gift of sight that most of us have?

OSHA says that if the construction industry focused on eliminating the top four causes of fatalities among workers, 410 worker fatalities a year could be prevented.  Out of 4,114 worker fatalities in private industry in 2011, 721 (17.5 percent) were in construction.

Stakeholders who are interested in contributing their opinions to OSHA’s Cranes and Derricks in Construction standard are invited to a meeting on April 3, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. in Washington, D.C. (Two meetings already scheduled for April 2 and 3 are full.)