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VAR misread West Ham penalty against Man Utd - Webb

A penalty awarded to West Ham during Erik ten Hag's final match in charge of Man Utd was a 'misread', according to refereeing boss Howard Webb.




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Miami's Cam Ward sets school record with his 30th TD pass of the season

Miami quarterback and Heisman Trophy contender Cam Ward has another milestone on his resume.




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Job alert: Quantitative Ecologist (Postdoc) (m/f) code digit 37/2013

The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ is now offering a position for Quantitative Ecologist (Postdoc) in their Department of Conservation Biology. The position is open to both male and female applicants and it runs for 42 months, starting latest on 01.08.2013 in Leipzig, Germany. Salary will be according to the appropriate civil service level TVÖD, salary group 13.

The successful candidate will be focusing on optimizing monitoring designs at different scales under field constraints and assessinguncertainty in biodiversity trend analyses. He/She will have a PhD in an ecological discipline relevant for the research topic (e.g. population biology), excellent statistical and computing skills, a distinguished publication record, experience in international cooperation and strong interest both in theoretical and applied biodiversity conservation. Fluency in English in speech and writing is essential, some knowledge of German is of advantage.

The position will be part of the large-integrating EU-project EU BON "Building the European BiodiversityObservation Network". The overall goal of the project is to integrate and harmonize European data relevant for biodiversity monitoring and to develop prototypes for biodiversity monitoring for the global GEO BON initiative. 30 partner organisations form the EU BON consortium. Within this consortium the applicant will have the following responsibilities:
• on improving current approaches to monitoring species both from a theoretical and a practical perspective, with a focus on population processes
• link trend data to environmental drivers at different scales
• quantify uncertainty across all steps from data collection to interpretation of analysed data
• Contribute to the management of the workpackage "Link environment to biodiversity: Analyses of patterns, processes and trends"
• Contribute to the compilation of information on existing monitoring programs
• Feed results into a science-policy dialogue
• Disseminate results for scientists and applied users
 
Further Information:
Prof. Dr. Klaus Henle, Tel. ++49-(0)341-235 1270, e-mail: klaus.henle@ufz.de
 
Please send your application until 19.05.2013 under Code Digit 37/2013 to the Human Resource department of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, PO Box 500136, 04301 Leipzig, Germany, or by e-mail to application@ufz.de.
 
For further information please see the attached pdf file below.




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Postdoctoral position on species and population dynamics at Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), Spain

Funded by the "Severo Ochoa" Excellence Program awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, the Doñana Biological Station (www.ebd.csic.es) seeks a Postdoctoral fellow for two-years with a potential extension of one year with the aim of analyzing temporal trends of species distribution and abundance in the Doñana natural area (SW Spain), and their relation with environmental pressures such as climate change, land-use change, and water quality.
 
Period for application: From 5th July to 5th August, 2013.
 
For more information please see the pdf file below.

 

 





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Job Alert: Postdoctoral Research Assistant, School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford

The Environmental Change Institute (ECI) in the University of Oxford is seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Assistant to join the existing research team on two EU funded research projects: IMPRESSIONS and OPENNESS.

The role will require the development of a range of methodological and modelling approaches, including quantitative, qualitative and mixed techniques, to address a number of environmental science challenges in the contexts of operationalising ecosystem services and investigating cross-sectoral climate change impacts and vulnerabilities. The post provides the opportunity for a researcher with skills in programming, GIS and statistics to develop innovative solutions in research areas critical to ensuring the resilience of our future environment and to expand the modelling capability of the ECI team.

You will have a PhD in a discipline relevant to modelling or environmental sciences and a background in programming and modelling. You will have experience of using Geographical Information Systems and a strong grounding in statistics and/or operational research. Excellent communication skills both written and oral are essential. You will be self-motivated, with the ability to work independently.

This post is available for 24 months in the first instance.

The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on Wednesday 18 December 2013. It is intended that interviews will be held during the week beginning 13 January 2014.

For more information and to apply for this position, click here.

 

 

 





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Postdoctoral position on Biological Invasions at Doñana Biological Station (Spain)

Funded by the "Severo Ochoa" Excellence Program awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, the Doñana Biological Station (www.ebd.csic.es) seeks a Postdoctoral fellow for two-years with the aim to conduct research in the field of Biological Invasions. 

EBD-CSIC is interested to examine the multifaceted causes and consequences of biological invasions, a key component of global change. The ultimate goal is to improve our knowledge of the factors that influence the success and impacts of invasions by plants and vertebrates. For this purpose, we investigate species traits conferring invasive potential, the vulnerability of ecosystems to be invaded, and the sensitivity of native biodiversity to invasions under different environmental conditions and scenarios of global change.

Deadline for interested applicants: 17th June-17th July, 2014

Please see attached file for more details (download, pdf)





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Job Alert: WCMC Postdoctoral Scientist

The World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) is looking to hire a Postdoctoral Scientist as part of the Nippon Foundation – University of British Columbia Nereus Program (www.nereusprogram.org). In association with the Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, this international collaboration is focused on the prediction of future global ocean fisheries, and will contribute to global sustainable fisheries and ocean management.

The role: The primary research focus of this position is to work in collaboration with UNEP-WCMC, Department of Geography, Cambridge University, and other partners on the Nippon Foundation – UBC Nereus Program to research the drivers of change in productivity in critical marine and coastal ecosystems and their impacts on fisheries-related ecosystem services.

Key responsibilities: The post holder will build upon the work of a previous post-doctoral scientist to simulate global patterns of marine ecosystem structure and function with an emphasis on fisheries production and food security. Specifically, they will improve the ecological realism of an existing dynamic ecosystem model recently published by WCMC and Microsoft Research (the Madingley model, www.madingleymodel.org) – extending the representation of climate and incorporating data on fishing pressure.

The candidate: The successful candidate will hold a PhD in marine or coastal ecology, or a related discipline with a strong emphasis on spatial analysis and modelling. They will have extensive knowledge of and experience in mathematical ecosystem modelling, programming and spatial statistics. They will also have carried out significant research at the global scale and will hold a proven record of academic performance. Furthermore, they will have an understanding of the essential characteristics of successful partnership-building and will be able to demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively and internationally.

Closing date: 2014-11-28

More information available in the ortiginal job offer: http://www.unep-wcmc.org/vacancies/postdoctoral-scientist-ad861

 





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Job Alert: PostDoc position on modelling land biosphere dynamics

The Mediterranean Institute for Biodiversity and Ecology (IMBE, Aix-Marseille University, Aix-en-Provence, France), in its research group "Macroecology and Biogeography of Global Change (MacroBio)" has a PostDoc position open for applications. The post has a duration of 36 months, the initial contract is made for 18 months, being extended based on an assessment of performance. The position is funded by the European Commission through the FP7 Research Project LUC4C and affiliated to the French National Scientific Research Centre (CNRS).

The main topic is to improve the way LULCC processes are represented in the DGVM LPJmL through enhanced soil and vegetation process representation. Work should improve the model's capacity to project climate-LULCC interactions for the computation of net climate effects, and ecosystem services. One focus is on the representation of diverse agricultural management systems, cropland abandonment/afforestation and forest management, in order to develop ways to account for their effects on biochemical cycles and biophysics.

The PostDoc will also contribute to the actual assessment of indirect effects and trade-offs of LULCC. The team will look into the indirect effects of land-based mitigation options for climate change, and the interplay with climate change, across and within regions.

The successful candidate will have completed a doctorate in one of the environmental sciences. Substantial earth system modelling and programming skills are required, familiarity with highly modular C-code. Experience with Dynamic Global Vegetation Models will be a great advantage. The working language is English.

Interviews with successful candidates will begin after December 1, 2014. The position will be filled when a suitable candidate has been identified. To apply for this position, please send a letter of application, demonstrating your ability to understand the task, and your CV as soon as possible, but before the 31st of January 2015, by e-mail to Ms. Gabriela Boéri (Gabriela.Boeri@imbe.fr). For any questions about the task, working conditions, or the LUC4C project, please contact Dr Alberte Bondeau (alberte.bondeau@imbe.fr).

 





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Job Alert: Postdoctoral researcher in ecology at SLU

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences offers a new position for Postdoctoral researcher in ecology: Spatial population dynamics at a species’ northern range margin at the Department of Ecology.

The department conducts empirical and theoretical research for sustainable forest and agricultural production and efficient biological conservation. Research on populations, communities, and ecosystems forms the foundation for studying the influence of land use and climate on animals, plants, soils nutrient status, and greenhouse gas balances. Solutions are sought that will mitigate climate change, preserve threatened species, benefit biological diversity and ecosystem services, and control pests in forest and agricultural landscapes as well as in urban areas.

Duties: The postdoc researcher will study spatial population dynamics in an insect at the northern margin of its global distribution, by taking advantage of a data from a long-term study of the butterfly Pyrgus armoricanus. The main purpose of the project is to understand how climate, habitat fragmentation and habitat quality influence the regional distribution and population dynamics of this butterfly, and to use this knowledge to predict population persistence and distribution in an altered climate and after changed land use. The successful candidate wull also analyze time-series data on population dynamics in relation to weather and habitat quality. There will also be opportunities to model future regional distribution or population persistence under scenarios of future land use and climate change.

Place of work: Uppsala

Form of employment: Temporary employment, 1 year.

Deadlines: June 1, 2015

For more information on requirements and how to apply, lease visit the official job offer page: http://www.slu.se/sv/om-slu/fristaende-sidor/aktuellt/lediga-tjanster/las-mer/?eng=1&Pid=1875





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Job offer: Population Biologist / Conservation Biologist (Postdoc) (m/f)

The Department of Conservation Biology at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) is offering a full-time position for a Population Biologist / Conservation Biologist (Postdoc) focussing on assessing past and future trends in species under land use and climate change and improving the design of monitoring schemes. The position will be part of  EU BON. 

The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) with its 1,100 employees has gained an excellent reputation as an international competence centre for environmental sciences. We are part of the largest scientific organisation in Germany, the Helmholtz association. Our mission: Our research seeks to find a balance between social development and the long-term protection of our natural resources.

More information on the oficial job offer page: http://bit.ly/1MexC6Q





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Postdoctoral position: Modelling of the land-sea nutrient transfer to the Mediterranean sea under different land management scenarios

Post-doctoral scientist position is open for the project "Towards an integrated prediction of Land & Sea Responses to global change in the Mediterranean Basin" (LaSeR-Med), which focusses on integrated socio-ecological modelling. The duration of the contract is initially one year, with a possible extension for a second year, depending on the initial results. The post-doc will be based within the Mediterranean Institute of marine and terrestrial Biodiversity and Ecology (IMBE) in Aix-en-Provence, France. The project is part of the Labex OT-Med (http://www.otmed.fr/).

Applicants should hold a doctoral degree in physics, chemistry, microbiology, geosciences, environmental sciences or a related field of science. They should be familiar with modelling biogeochemical interactions between ecosystems and capable to further develop existing numerical ecosystem models. Programming skills (C) and modelling experience are therefore mandatory. Knowledge of R and of Unix/Linux environment will be an advantage. The candidate should have good written and oral communication skills. For work, good skills in the English language will be essential.

The project:

Terrestrial and marine ecosystems are connected through groundwater, river discharge and nutrient outflows (especially N and P). River catchments in the Mediterranean are N-intensive regions, mostly due to intensive agriculture in the North and to crop N2 fixation or food & feed import in the South. The fraction of nutrient reaching the sea constitutes significant anthropogenic forcing of many marine biological processes. For simulating the dynamics of the first levels of the marine food web (from nutrients to jellyfishes), the ocean biogeochemical model, Eco3M-MED, used and developed by the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) within OT-Med, currently uses N and P measurements at river mouths, e.g. for the Rhône.

In order to estimate the impacts of global change on the functioning of marine ecosystems, the project aims at modeling the dependency of N and P outflows to the Mediterreanean sea toward land management. Land management is modelled as part of the agro-ecosystem model LPJmL (Bondeau et al., 2007), that has been especially adapted to the Mediterranean cropping systems (Fader et al., 2015). Among others, LPJmL simulates the daily carbon and water cycles, and the river discharges to the sea. Following existing approaches in the scientific literature, the post-doc will implement the nutrient N and P transfer in LPJmL, covering the net nutrient inputs to the river catchments by accounting for the processes occurring at the agro-ecosystem level (N2 biological fixation, fertilization, atmospheric deposition) and the net food and feed imports. Since only a minor fraction of the net nutrient inputs from Mediterranean basins reaches the sea, the retention along the nutrient cascade will have to be added to the LPJmL river routing scheme, similarly to the method used by the Riverstrahler model. Once the nutrient transfers have been introduced into LPJmL, simulations will be validated using current climate and land use forcing for comparisons with the existing observations from river outlets. Finally, future conditions will be assessed by using the model with scenarios of changing regional climate and land use / land management.

Your application:

Applications should contain a suitable motivation letter describing your anticipated role in the project, a CV, a list of scientific publications and the names of at least two scientists that can be contacted for references. They must be sent to Ms. Gabriela Boéri (gabriela.boeri@imbe.fr). Please prepare your application as a single file in pdf-format.

Questions about the project or the position can be directed to Dr. Alberte Bondeau (alberte.bondeau@imbe.fr). The position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate has been found – work should start soon after that date. The salary and contract conditions will be determined according to standards set by Aix-Marseille University – questions in this regard can be directed to Sophie Pekar (pekar@otmed.fr).





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2013 TDWG Annual Conference

Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) will hold its annual conference in Florence, Italy on October 28 – November 1.  it  will be held at the Grand Hotel Mediterraneo but attendees will be free to choose from any of the accommodations in the area, many within a short distance.  Registration details will be provided early in 2013.

 





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TDWG Conference 2014, Sweden

TDWG 2014 conference will take place in the town of Jönköping in Sweden co-organized by the Swedish GBIF node and Destination Jönköping. The dates of the event are confirmed to be from 27th to 31st of October 2014.
 
TDWG 2014 was first scheduled to take place  in Kenya, however, due to the unfortunate local situation and the recent attacks in Kenya, many governments have issued warnings to their citizens forbidding or strongly discouraging travel to Kenya. The local organizers made great efforts to ensure a proper and secure venue for a successful TDWG Conference. However, the executive received indications that quite a few participants would be unable to travel to the meeting, which brought the necessity to change the location to Europe.
 
Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) is an annual conference.  The theme of the 2014 meeting in Sweden is Applications and Data Standards for Sustaining Biodiversity.  Subprograms will include: Applications, Semantic Technologies, Capacity Building, Phyloinformatics, Outreach and Collaboration, ePublications, Trait Data.  We are issuing a call for symposia or workshop proposals for the conference.  Capacity Building sessions are being planned before and during the conference.
 
Final agenda is now available here.

 

 





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TDWG 2015 Annual Conference

 

The 2015 Biodiversity Informatics TDWG Annual Conference will be held from 28 September to 3 October 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya. The theme of the conference is Applications, Standards and Capacity Building for Sustaining Global Biodiversity.  Subprograms will include: Digitization, Semantic Technologies, Phyloinformatics, Outreach and Collaboration, ePublications, Trait Data, and Conservation informatics. 

A  5-day capacity building workshop for African participants in the conference is being organized for the week before the conference (21-25 September). The primary focus of the training is on biodiversity collection digitization, biodiversity databases, data cleaning, and georeferencing, but other topics are being considered. 

For more information about the conference, how to register, programme and call for papers, please visit the ofiicial event webpage.

 





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TDWG 2016 Annual Conference

The TDWG 2016 Annual Conference  will take place from 5 to 9 December 2016 in Santa Clara de San Carlos, COSTA RICA. The conference theme this year is: Standards Supporting Innovation in Biodiversity Research and Conservation.

Standards for the description and exchange of biodiversity information help promote research, support decision-making for conservation and planning, and provide a means of communicating observations by both professional and citizen scientists across taxa and political boundaries. TDWG standards are an integral foundation of the largest biodiversity information sources, but given the wealth and diversity of information collected for plants, animals, and fossils, the need remains to extend and refine the concepts required to achieve greater integration for the discovery of knowledge and its use in biodiversity conservation.

This year, TDWG is focusing its annual meeting not only on supporting research, decision making, and communication of biodiversity information, but also on how standards can support innovative research. Scientific innovations often "stand on the shoulders of giants," but they can also be disruptive -- causing major changes in the way that science works.  To what extent do our standards promote innovation, and does the most innovative research show us where our  standards need to be refined and extended? Current research both in Computer Science (e.g., deep learning, computer vision, ambient computing) and Biodiversity Sciences offers excellent opportunities for multidisciplinary innovative synergies among researchers, decision makers, students, and citizen scientists. 

For more information and to register: http://www.tdwg.org/conference2016/

 








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Public Image Ltd - This is PiL

Rotten returns with a curious mixture of rage and nostalgia.






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Buro Happold Etches Outdoor Heat Relief Guidance in Toronto — North America’s First

Known for global leadership in setting public climate and sustainability policies, Buro Happold has led a remarkable new effort to redefine how Toronto’s public places provide respite from extremely hot weather — and cold winters, too.




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Emergency shutdown device

Safe-E-Stop is a wireless e-stop system that can be integrated with existing hard-wired emergency stop systems for assembly lines and other production systems.




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Preventive measures for heat stress – outdoors and indoors

Should an individual in an indoor work setting use the same preventive measures for heat stress as someone working in an outdoor setting?




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‘Embedding sun safety’: Guide aimed at protecting outdoor workers

Toronto — Involving sun-exposed workers in daily job planning and decision-making about personal protective equipment can aid the implementation of a workplace sun safety program, researchers say.




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Trail Cameras for Outdoor Surveillance in a Hurry

How you can provide fast, affordable outdoor camera options for your customers




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How POE+ Switch Can Make Outdoor Cameras Easy & Quick to Install

One of the realities of living in rural Michigan is that AC power outages happen — and you best be prepared for the potential consequences. 




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CSB spotlights process unit startups, shutdowns in new ‘Safety Digest’

Washington — Effective process safety management can help prevent hazards and incidents related to process unit startups and shutdowns, according to a new “Safety Digest” from the Chemical Safety Board.




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Government shutdown would be ‘very concerning,’ OSHA’s Doug Parker says

A government shutdown would limit OSHA inspections to “life and property,” and a new initiative on respirable crystalline silica wouldn’t “get off the ground,” agency administrator Doug Parker said Sept. 27.




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CPWR offers skin cancer prevention tips for outdoor workers

Silver Spring, MD — Workers who spend all or part of their days outdoors have an increased risk of developing skin cancer, the Center for Construction Research and Training (also known as CPWR) cautions in a recently released hazard alert.




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Education key to helping outdoor workers improve sun protection habits: study

Philadelphia — Knowledge is power when it comes to outdoor workers protecting themselves from skin cancer, new research from the American Association for Cancer Research suggests.




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Fungi that can make outdoor workers sick are now nationwide, researchers say

St. Louis — Workers in construction, landscaping, agriculture and other outdoor industries may be at risk of infections caused by soil fungi that historically had been found only in certain regions of the country, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis say.




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CA appeals board clarifies outdoor worksite drinking water requirement

In California, employers of outdoor workers must provide drinking water “as close as practicable to the areas where employees are working.”




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California enacts emergency wildfire smoke standard for outdoor workers

Sacramento, CA — An emergency regulation in California intended to protect outdoor workers from potentially dangerous wildfire smoke was enacted July 30 by the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, also known as Cal/OSHA.




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Phoenix approves heat rules to protect outdoor workers

Phoenix — The Phoenix City Council on March 26 unanimously passed an ordinance requiring contractors and subcontractors who work with the city to have a written safety plan that addresses severe heat.




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Outdoor workers are more likely to experience traumatic injuries as temps climb: study

Corvallis, OR — When temperatures rise, so do the rates of traumatic injuries among outdoor workers, according to the results of a recent Oregon State University study.




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Countdown to GHS compliance

OSHA’s revised Hazard Communication Standard is one of the most sweeping regulations the agency has issued in recent years, and compliance deadlines are approaching.




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EPA: Outdated lights in schools may be leaking toxic chemical

New York – As part of an effort to reduce potential exposure to a toxic chemical found in some older fluorescent light ballasts in schools, the Environmental Protection Agency has issued guidance on the proper maintenance and management of the ballasts.




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Work outdoors? Protect yourself from the sun

Working outside in the sun can cause serious skin problems, including burns and skin cancer.




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Avoid poisonous plants when working outdoors

If you’ve ever come in contact with poison ivy, you know how unpleasant it can be. And for many outdoor workers, poisonous plants are a common hazard.




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NIOSH, OSHA update heat safety app for outdoor workers

Washington – NIOSH and OSHA recently teamed up to update a heat safety mobile app that uses temperature and humidity to measure heat index values.




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As weather heats up, OSHA campaign aims to keep outdoor workers safe

Washington – OSHA has launched its annual summer campaign to remind employers and employees about the dangers of working outdoors in hot weather.




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OSHA publishes proposed rule on indoor/outdoor heat

Washington — OSHA is seeking comment on a proposed rule aimed at protecting indoor and outdoor workers from heat-related illnesses.




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Shutdown ends; OSHA resumes operations

Washington – After 16 days, the federal government shutdown that ceased the majority of OSHA operations concluded with the passage of a bill to fund the government.




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Outdoor workers in NYC increasingly vulnerable to heat: report

New York — Both city and state legislation and public health initiatives are needed to protect outdoor workers in New York City from extreme temperatures and poor air quality, according to a new report.




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Outdoor work boot

The Mt. Vernon Work Boot is outdoor-inspired and available in both 6- and 8-inch silhouettes.




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Keep safety in mind when working outdoors

Outdoor workers can be exposed to various hazards – including poisonous plants, stinging insects and venomous snakes – that can cause health problems ranging from slight discomfort to a serious allergic reaction. Experts offer advice on to help keep these workers safe.




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Watch out for ticks when working outdoors

Outdoor workers face a variety of hazards on the job. Beyond the usual suspects – severe weather, extreme temperatures, and traffic – an additional concern may be present: ticks.




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Outdoor workers and skin cancer

The American Academy of Dermatology cautions outdoor workers to be aware of an invisible hazard: the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Exposure to these rays for hours is a major risk factor for a number of skin cancers, including melanoma – the most serious form.




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Avoid the sting: Working outdoors with insects

Outdoor workers are unique in that they regularly share their workspaces with wasps, bees, hornets and other stinging insects. It’s important for workers to know how to respond to and treat stings, especially because some people may be allergic.