OSHA updates a program designed to reduce amputations in the manufacturing industry; company execs in France found guilty of “institutional harassment” and alcohol-related fatalities are increasing in the U.S. These were among the occupational safety and health stories featured on ISHN.com this week.

Workers in Europe are regularly exposed to racism and xenophobia at the workplace, according to experts attending a recent trade union seminar in Brussels, who said racism does not always take the form of subtle discrimination but can also include explicit abuse. Delegates at the seminar, which was organized by the European Trade Union Confederation and European Trade Union Institute, shared their experiences of discrimination and debated what unions can do to tackle the problem.

Despite its seriousness, sexual harassment prevention training inspires entire (albeit, tongue-in-cheek) episodes in popular American television shows, including The Office and NCIS, and memorable skits in many other venues, including Saturday Night Live. With all of this attention, it is easy to believe that sexual harassment prevention training is no longer needed.

When people are rude to their coworkers or treat them badly, they probably don’t realize the unintended victims in that encounter could be the coworkers’ children. Women who experience incivility in the workplace are more likely to engage in stricter, more authoritarian parenting practices that can have a negative impact on their children, according to research presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association (APA).

If you’ve had a bad day at work thanks to rude colleagues, doing something fun and relaxing after you finish your workday could net you a better night’s sleep. That was the key finding of research that appears in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology®, published by the American Psychological Association.

New York City is considering a law that would require businesses with at least 15 employees to conduct training aimed at preventing sexual harassment. Company owners would have to provide interactive training - either in person, with audiovisual material or some other form approved by the city’s Human Rights Commission - and maintain records of compliance. Failing to do so could earn companies penalties of up to $500 for their first violation, and up to $2,000 for each one after.

Whispering in front of others is almost always inappropriate and generally makes others feel uncomfortable, according to an article in the Houston Chronicle. There are times, however, when whispering is necessary in the workplace, such as if you quickly need to tell a coworker two buttons just popped off his shirt.

Occupation, lack of paid sick leave, and multiple psychosocial factors are related to workers’ own perceived low health status, according to a study by researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Kansas Democratic Representatives this week introduced a proposal to reduce workplace bullying, noting that it is increasingly being recognized as a major workplace issue. According to a 2014 survey, 27 percent of workers nationwide reported current or past experience with abusive conduct at work and 72 percent of employers “deny, discount, encourage, rationalize or defend it.”