Washington — The Department of Transportation has updated civil penalty amounts for violations to adjust for inflation, effective Dec. 28.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency has released a draft of its revised respirator descriptions for pesticide labels and is seeking public comment.

Washington — OSHA area offices must apply a four-part test before issuing General Duty Clause citations for respiratory hazards that do not have a permissible exposure limit, the agency states in a memorandum sent to regional administrators.

Washington — OSHA is extending its temporary leniency on annual respirator fit testing to all covered employers, not only those in the health care industry.

Washington — The Department of Health and Human Services has reopened until Sept. 25 the comment period on an interim final rule that allows NIOSH to approve a new class of powered air-purifying respirators for workers in the health care and public safety sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic, among other changes.

Washington — NIOSH has extended until Dec. 14 the comment period for a Request for Information on the deployment and use of elastomeric half-mask respirators in health care settings and emergency medical services organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2N, provider of internet-enabled intercoms and access control systems, has published a new white paper entitled, ‘Access Control 3.0: the new standards in residential access.’

Robust investment growth in target building segments is expected to drive increased spending through 2023, according to the NSCA’s Electronic Systems Outlook report for Summer 2023.  

The white paper highlights the world leaders in security, as well as their smaller competitors and the investments they are making.

The company’s new website represents a dynamic shift in approach, using search engine optimization and a strong web presence to reach a wider audience than ever before.

With an intense focus on people and relationships, the 2023 SDM Systems Integrator of the Year relies on its core principles of professionalism, grit, right, intelligent thought and trusted advisors to propel its success.

Washington – OSHA has released its annual inspection plan targeting workplaces with high rates of injuries and illnesses.

In this issue, we present expanded coverage of OSHA’s “Top 10” most cited standards for fiscal year 2023. In addition to the overall Top 10, you’ll find lists for willful and serious violations, OSHA regions and – new for us – a list of which industries have the most citations.

Tumwater, WA — In an effort to protect workers against unhealthy air caused by wildfire smoke, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has issued permanent rules on the hazard.

Tumwater, WA — Washington state has adopted a permanent rule that allows the voluntary use of personal protective equipment.

Washington – In response to a stakeholder’s request, NIOSH has extended the comment period on a Request for Information on peracetic acid, according to a notice published in the June 1 Federal Register.

Washington – A group of House Democrats, led by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), is urging Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to reject a renewed call to increase line speeds in poultry-processing plants.

Washington – Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) says lawmakers who cite concerns about worker safety when opposing his call to increase poultry-processing line speeds are willfully ignoring scientific data.

Washington – Poultry workers and officials from 13 nonprofit organizations and unions met with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service on Oct. 16 to urge the department to reject an industry petition to allow faster and unrestricted line speeds in production plants, according to the National Employment Law Project.

San Diego — A U.S. Department of Agriculture proposal to remove maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants “will translate into even more illness and injury” among workers, according to the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service has denied a National Chicken Council petition seeking unrestricted line speeds in poultry-processing plants.

Washington — Employers in the marijuana industry should provide safeguards to protect workers from repetitive stress injuries, NIOSH states in a recently released Health Hazard Evaluation Program report.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service will allow poultry-processing plants to increase line speeds if they meet certain criteria, even as critics claim the move will expose workers to injuries and was made without public input.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General is investigating the effectiveness and integrity of USDA’s procedures to develop and advance a controversial proposed rule that would remove maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants, according to a letter obtained by multiple media outlets.

Washington — More than 3 out of 5 Americans are against a U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed rule to remove maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants, according to the results of a recent survey.

Washington — A controversial U.S. Department of Agriculture final rule unveiled Sept. 17 removes maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants and transfers certain inspection responsibilities to plant workers.

Minneapolis — A coalition consisting of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, three local affiliate unions and watchdog group Public Citizen is suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture over a controversial final rule that removes maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants and transfers certain inspection responsibilities to plant workers.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service in April approved 15 poultry processing plants’ requests to increase line speeds 25% – despite reported cases of COVID-19 among workers and at least one fatality related to the ongoing pandemic, according to a new policy brief from the National Employment Law Project.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture “did not take adequate steps to determine whether the worker safety data it used … were reliable” when proposing a controversial rule that removes line speeds in pork-processing plants and transfers certain inspection responsibilities to plant workers, the USDA Office of Inspector General concludes in a report released June 25.

Washington — A controversial U.S. Department of Agriculture rule that would permit line speeds at certain poultry processing plants to increase to 175 birds a minute from the current 140 is under review by the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Washington — President Joe Biden on Jan. 22 signed an Executive Order withdrawing a controversial U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed rule that would have permitted line speeds at certain poultry-processing plants to increase to 175 birds a minute from the current 140.

Washington — Legislation reintroduced March 11 by Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Bennie Thompson (D-MS) would prohibit line speed increases in meat and poultry-processing plants during the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

Minneapolis — The U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota upheld a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture on March 31, ruling that a controversial final rule that removes line speeds in pork-processing plants and transfers certain inspection responsibilities to plant workers compromises worker health and consumer welfare.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has indicated it will accept a March ruling of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota that prohibits the removal of maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service, in collaboration with OSHA, will allow select pork-processing facilities – on a trial basis – to operate at increased line speeds for up to one year while gathering data that “measures the impact of line speed on workers.”

Durham, NH — U.S. seafood workers were twice as likely to contract COVID-19 as workers in other food industries during the height of the pandemic, results of a recent study indicate.

Washington — Seeking to “best assess” the impact of increased line speeds on worker safety in poultry-processing plants, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service plans to study the effects.

Washington — A trial that allows select pork-processing facilities to operate at increased line speeds will continue, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service says.

Zentra’s integrated solutions (combining software, hardware and related services) — initially offered in the United States — will secure properties while enabling hassle-free access.

This, along with in-home ADT professional advice, can help customers get an ideal smart home security system for their needs.

The Android Auto app ecosystem keeps growing, and the latest name to join Google's car-optimized experience is smart home solutions provider Alarm.com.

As the security and smart home market continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the convergence of technology and security has sparked a surge in innovative products and services, each promising enhanced safety, convenience and peace of mind.

The relationship with Native marks Alarm Financial Services’ first venture into financing integrated smart security in the multi-dwelling property space. 

Latch CEO Jamie Siminoff presented a virtual reveal event on June 4, during which he explained how the app combines the technology and unique data of each building to serve timely and relevant information to residents and property managers.  

Level Lock was founded in 2016 by John Martin and Ken Goto and has approximately 70 employees. 

A new study by Parks Associates reveals that smart building solutions are increasingly being adopted by multifamily properties, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs.

West Lafayette, IN – A common procedure used to repair water pipes can release hazardous chemicals into the air and should be re-evaluated for its risks to workers, the public and the environment, according to researchers from Purdue University.

Watertown, SD – A new video from the National Association of Tower Erectors highlights how to perform proper anchor corrosion inspections on guyed towers.

Denver – On the heels of a recent Purdue University study suggesting that a popular method for repairing water pipes can release hazardous chemicals into the air, the National Environmental Health Association will host a one-hour webinar on Oct. 5 to discuss potential risks to workers and the public.

Watertown, SD — Workforce expansion in the communication tower industry has created “a huge untapped potential for women” while enhancing the need for proper safety training for all workers, Andrea Lee, the National Tower Erectors’ Women of NATE committee chair, said during a recent Federal Communications Commission podcast.