Washington — The AFL-CIO and National Nurses United are part of a coalition of labor unions and organizations that has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Labor and OSHA, petitioning a federal court to direct the agency to issue a permanent standard on COVID-19 focused on health care workers.

Pittsburgh — A new guide on stop-work authority from the United Steelworkers is aimed at helping workers develop and bargain for programs that allow them to halt unsafe or unhealthy operations and processes until hazards are abated.

Pittsburgh — The United Steelworkers is calling on the paper industry to protect its workers against fungal infections – one of which has proved deadly.

Washington — Federal regulation of autonomous trucks must “prioritize both workers and safety,” the International Brotherhood of Teamsters says.

How is the Environmental Protection Agency prioritizing chemicals for risk evaluation under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act?

Boston – A coalition of workplace safety groups has released a set of recommendations for OSHA to help improve safety for temporary workers.

Newly introduced legislation would mandate site-controlling employers to record all worker injuries and illnesses, regardless of who employs the worker.

Washington — NIOSH, together with several partners, has developed a set of best practices to help employers protect temporary workers from injury and illness.

Washington — The National Labor Relations Board has pushed to Feb. 26 the effective date of its revised “joint employer” rule, saying the move will “facilitate resolution of legal challenges.”

Washington – The American Trucking Associations wants Congress to allow fleets to use hair samples to test truck drivers for illegal drugs.

Washington — Truck drivers who operate in interstate commerce no longer will be required to annually submit to their employer a list of their convictions for traffic violations.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is moving forward with – and seeking comment on – a proposed rule that would require the installation of speed-limiting devices on trucks, buses and multipurpose passenger vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking stakeholder comment on whether to require universal electronic identification for commercial motor vehicles operating in interstate commerce.

I work as a railway inspection and maintenance specialist and have recently noticed workers wearing boots with safety features I haven’t seen before. What trends in footwear safety could benefit me in my line of work?

How do I find the right shoe for the job, according to personal protective equipment standards for footwear?

Sacramento, CA – Almost 1 million people in California have work-related asthma, according to a new surveillance report from the California Department of Public Health.

The SM1R Industrial Headset was designed specifically to enhance two-way radio communication in high-noise environments.

Hopkinton, MA – “Overexertion involving outside sources” was the leading cause of disabling injuries in the United States in 2014 for the third consecutive year, according to the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, an annual ranking of serious, nonfatal workplace injuries based on direct workers’ compensation costs.

Basel, Switzerland – Health care professionals’ judgment varies significantly when they conduct medical evaluations to determine whether workers should receive disability benefits for an injury or illness, and standards are needed to improve the process, according to researchers from the University of Basel.

Indianapolis — Indiana Rep. Martin Carbaugh (R-Fort Wayne) has introduced legislation that would dramatically increase maximum fines for on-the-job fatalities.

Cambridge, MA — Beginning physical therapy days, rather than weeks, after suffering a low back injury is associated with better outcomes, according to the results of a recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute.

Austin, TX — Women injured on the job have a better chance of qualifying for workers’ compensation disability payments and receiving higher payouts when a female doctor evaluates their claim, according to a recent study.

Cambridge, MA — Few workers receive chiropractic care for low back pain in states where employers or insurers control the selection of medical providers, a recent study of workers’ compensation data shows.

San Francisco — The California Department of Industrial Relations’ Division of Workers’ Compensation has suspended 178 medical providers from its workers’ comp system during the first eight months of the year.

Cambridge, MA — The percentages of injured workers who visited an ER – instead of physician offices or urgent care clinics, which are less costly alternatives – for their initial medical treatment varied across 28 states, according to a recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute.

Bardavon Health Innovations recently has expanded into injury prevention to protect workers from musculoskeletal disorders in addition to helping with recovery. In this endeavor, they have acquired the leading workplace injury prevention company, Preventure.

Hartford, CT — More than a third of work-related injuries occur during people’s first year on the job – resulting in more than 6 million missed workdays, according to a new report.

I know that OSHA references the latest ANSI standards in its regulations about safety signs, but many of the signs I see online and in catalogs don’t use these formats. Why are signs that use the latest ANSI standards better for my workplace?

The 5.5-Ounce Dress Uniform Shirt offers wearers a cutting-edge, lightweight and breathable alternative to legacy FR garments.

Washington — An OSHA standard aimed at protecting workers from extreme heat exposure could prevent at least 50,000 injuries and illnesses annually, a watchdog group contends.

Washington — OSHA’s proposed rule on protecting workers from extreme heat exposure in indoor and outdoor settings is progressing toward potential publication – and the agency wants feedback.

Washington — A group of Democratic lawmakers is pressing OSHA for the “fastest possible implementation” of a standard on protecting workers from extreme heat exposure.

Washington — A map showing emergency medical services responses to heat-related illnesses nationwide is part of a new online information portal from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has released guidance on break requirements for short-haul commercial truck drivers who unintentionally exceed time or distance driving limits.

Lansing, MI – The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration has approved two alternatives for complying with its rules on scissor lifts.

Washington – Employers of fruit pickers and landscapers have new resources – in both English and Spanish – to help keep workers safe on and near tripod orchard ladders.

Elk Grove Village, IL – Two worker health groups have published guidance intended to help employers respond to marijuana use among the workforce.

Washington – Employers should provide transgender workers with access to restroom facilities based on workers’ gender identity, OSHA stated in a guidance document published June 1.

The OELD App allows workers to use a smart device to configure and maintain the OELD smart junction box, the Searchpoint Optima Plus point infrared gas detector and the Searchline Excel connected to it.

A Wi-Fi battery is now available for the Ventis Pro5 Multi-Gas Monitor for customers in the United States and Canada.

An integrated solution that automates and digitizes oil and gas operations “from the well head to the control room,” the Upstream Production Performance Suite can help eliminate unplanned downtime, prevent failures and recover autonomously from known failures.

Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, offers the Wiser™ Energy Management System, a demand management solution for utilities and consumers that allows homeowners to reduce or shift energy use during peak times and improves grid efficiency.

Optex Co. Ltd. announced that Sloan Security Technologies Inc. integrated Optex sensor/detector products into the GenLux® line of security poles. The platform uses a wrap-around solar laminate to provide reliable off-grid power to sensors and surveillance devices, Optex stated. The sensors/detectors increase the efficiency of the poles by triggering cameras based on detector activity.

Allure Energy Inc., Austin, Texas, introduced its latest product, EverSense 2.0 at CES in Las Vegas.

Following a successful pilot phase, Dallas-based Monitronics International’s electronic “eContract” application — designed to eliminate the hard-copy paperwork that is traditionally filled out for a new customer contract — is now available in production for its Authorized Dealer program.

Dallas — A new video from OSHA provides tips on keeping workers safe before, during and after extreme weather events.

Washington — OSHA has released a draft of its proposed rule on heat illness prevention.

Arlington, VA – Maryland tops a list of states that show “superior safety and enforcement performance” regarding commercial motor vehicles, according to the American Transportation Research Institute.

Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration has extended the comment period for a proposed rule that would require underground coal mine operators to equip coal-hauling machines and scoops with proximity detection systems.

Washington — Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is among five Senate Democrats who have expressed opposition to any rollback to the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s respirable coal dust rule, in a letter sent Dec. 22 to Secretary of Labor R. Alexander Acosta.