The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) maintains data-driven and solutions-based positions on issues that impact occupational safety and health. ASSP has developed new policy statements on anticipated federal standards related to heat stress and COVID-19 as it aims to inform government officials and key stakeholders in improving the regulatory approach to workplace safety and health.

Staying focused and on task in the age of constant chatter – social media and cell phones – is a challenge that must be met, said Richard Hawk, who presented a session on mindfulness Monday, October 11 at the 2021 National Safety Congress & Expo in Orlando, Florida. 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, announces an opportunity for the public to provide information and comments to help improve the mental health and well-being of the nation’s health workers.

Nanotouch® Materials, the leading provider of green, self-cleaning surfaces, unveils a reimagined brand identity that includes a new name, corporate design, website and overall look and feel for its market-leading line of products.

By December 8, 2021, all federal government contractors must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. According to the guidance, contractors are required to obtain documentation on every employee’s vaccination status. Meanwhile, private sector employers with 100 or more employees will more than likely be required to uphold the same standard. 

Each year, members of the cancer community recognize Mesothelioma Awareness Day (MAD) by spreading awareness about the disease. Mesothelioma is a preventable type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Today, laws prohibit new uses of asbestos in the U.S, but construction workers continue to be at risk of exposure from old uses of the mineral.

To combat the hazards associated with extreme heat exposure – both indoors and outdoors – the White House this week announced enhanced and expanded efforts the U.S. Department of Labor is taking to address heat-related illnesses.

Studies have been looking into the effect of stress and other psychosocial factors on employees’ well-being for decades. One of the first efforts to recognize the connection between workplace stress and well-being was the Whitehall Studies from 1967 to the mid-1980s. And studies continue to document the link between the two.

On the last day of ASSP’s in-person show in Austin, Jim Frederick, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, spoke to attendees on COVID-19 and OSHA’s current priorities.