People who live in U.S. counties where automobile assembly plants close are much more likely to die of opioid overdoses than the general public, according to a study published on the JAMA network. Researchers compared data between counties with automotive plants that were closed between 1999 and 2016 with those that remained open. Automotive assembly plant closures were associated with a statistically significant increase in county-level opioid overdose mortality rates among adults aged 18 to 65 years.

The hard hat celebrates a landmark birthday, drug use among construction workers – and how to test for it – and safety technology comes to the construction industry. These were among the top construction industry safety stories of 2019.

More than 399,000 people died from overdoses involving prescription and illicit opioids from 1999-2017.[i] There are many efforts to educate physicians and dentists about their roles and responsibilities in addressing this national crisis. But what about veterinarians? Animals, like humans, may receive opioids for pain.

Wearable safety tech for construction workers, Uber automated vehicles are unsafe at any speed and the toll of antibiotic resistant infections in the U.S. were among the top occupational safety and health stories featured on ISHN.com this week.

Construction trade and extraction workers (CTEW) are at high-risk for drug use, according to a study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, that found marijuana, cocaine, and non-prescription opioid (NPO) use in particular was higher among that group. Construction trade and extraction workers: A population at high risk for drug use in the United States, 2005–2014 also revealed that: Precarious employment was associated with increased odds of marijuana and NPO use.

That CBD wellness product you’re using could cause you to fail a workplace drug test. That’s according to an admittedly small study out of Johns Hopkins Medicine, in which researchers found that a single vaping episode of cannabis that is similar in chemical composition to that found in legal hemp products could possibly result in positive results on urine drug screening tests commonly used by many employers and criminal justice or school systems.

A report by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) shows a strong correlation between hazardous jobs and opiate addiction and overdoses in that state. The 21-page study titled Opioid-related Overdose Deaths in Massachusetts by Industry and Occupation, 2011-2015 found that there were a total of 5,580 opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts from 2011 through 2015. Of the 4,284 worker death certificates deemed comprehensive enough to study, 1,096 were found to be employed in construction/extraction.

Employers who are struggling to understand how the evolving cannabis legalization landscape will impact their workplaces are getting some guidance from the National Safety Council (NSC). Regardless of whether cannabis consumption is allowed by their state, the NSC says employers should prohibit cannabis use for those in safety sensitive positions.

California has passed a law that establishes interim standards for the cleanup of fentanyl labs – a measure intended to protect those who live in or near  properties contaminated by the substance. The Methamphetamine or Fentanyl Contaminated Property Cleanup Act provides local health officers with directions on how to provide adequate notice to property owners and renters of property contaminated by fentanyl as well as guidance on overseeing the cleanup of these properties.

A new rule by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) will allow states to expand the parameters used to conduct drug testing on people who apply for unemployment insurance. The rule, which was sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, allows drug testing in occupations where it is regularly conducted. It includes testing for marijuana, opioids and a variety of other substances. Jobless workers who fail the test would be blocked from getting the assistance.