On September 13 at AFL-CIO headquarters in Washington, DC American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) announced the release of a collectible photo book of renowned labor and occupational health photographer Earl Dotter, "Life's Work: A 50 Year Photographic Chronicle of Working in the U.S.A."

Communication and mentoring are two of the talents that got Tim Manherz, senior vice president of operations at Houston-based TAS Commercial Concrete, a safety award from his industry. The American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) named Manherz this year’s recipient of the ASCC Member Owner Safety Award – an honor that recognizes an owner/executive in the industry who displays a focus and passion for safety, and provides the leadership that creates a best-in-class safety culture.

A Sauganash, Ill. city water department worker dies after an underground trench collapses around him during a routine project. A man dies after he was trapped in dirt up to his waist while working at a home construction site in Washington State. A Smithton, Pa. teenager dies when the walls of a 10-foot-deep trench collapse on him as he helps install a septic system.

Besides breakups and meeting “shawty” on the dancefloor, pop music obsesses over another aspect of contemporary culture: working nine-to-five. Since Elvis Costello penned Welcome to the Working Week in ’77, Dolly’s hit about tumbling out of bed to pour “a cup of ambition” has been streamed 8.46 million times and The Bangles’ Manic Monday dominated the charts in over ten countries.

A blistering new report by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (OIG) says that OSHA’s revised fatality and severe injury reporting requirements are failing to produce accurate data, which hinders the agency’s ability to effectively target compliance assistance and enforcement efforts.

In a busy hospital emergency room, health care professionals administered Narcan to a patient suffering from a drug overdose. The measure revived him, but he was furious with them for interfering with his “high.” He grabbed one of the physicians, Dr. Leigh Vinocur, by the throat and began choking her - an assault that ended only when a radiology technician was able to get the man in a choke hold and subdue him.

The manufacturing industry is the beating heart of any strong economy. To keep that heart beating, it is vital for companies to keep their workers safe. Safe workers are happier, healthier, and more productive. Naturally, manufacturing processes involve a large number of hazards. Health and safety regulations have improved immensely over the last century, but accidents can and do still happen every day.

A workers’ advocacy group says a new Department of Labor (DOL) proposal will put teen workers at risk, while the DOL says it will put teen workers to work – yet maintain safety. At issue is the DOL’s action entitled “Expanding Employment, Training, and Apprenticeship Opportunities for 16- and 17-Year-Olds in Health Care Occupations under the Fair Labor Standards Act.”

When using industrial equipment that emit high voltages, any carelessness in handling electrical transformers can lead to expensive equipment failures and invite unwanted fatalities. This is why inspection of electrical transformers is essential. Regular inspections and periodic maintenance help identify impending issues at the earliest and prevent future problems.

Back when Nixon was in office, asbestos was one of the first carcinogens regulated under the Clean Air Act of 1973. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush largely banned use of asbestos in the United States.