Washington – The risk of work-induced hearing loss http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ohl/ may be declining, but efforts are still needed in industries such as mining, construction and health care, according to a new NIOSH study.

Washington — In light of emerging data on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released interim environmental cleaning and disinfection recommendations for community facilities with suspected or confirmed cases of the potentially deadly respiratory illness.

Washington – OSHA is considering another update to its Hazard Communication Standard, according to the Department of Labor’s latest semiannual regulatory agenda, released Nov. 21.

OSHA’s final rule on occupational exposure to beryllium is scheduled for publication in January, according to the Department of Labor’s fall regulatory agenda, released Nov. 17.

Washington — OSHA will extend the compliance date for its beryllium standard for general industry and change certain ancillary provisions in the final rule, according to a settlement agreement between the agency and four petitioners.

Washington — OSHA has published a proposed rule intended to give the agency enough time to make alterations to its beryllium standard for general industry.

Under this initiative, Renova Technology will support products that are no longer covered under warranty.

A 60-year-old site superintendent working for a housing construction contractor was in charge of directing subcontractors and scheduling dump trucks to haul away debris.

A 29-year-old steelworker was using a telehandler to move and stage insulated metal panels at a municipal garage building site. He had received training on the equipment and had an operator’s permit.

A 61-year-old loader operator was killed while attempting to repair a hydraulic line on a front-end loader used to move logs. The company had a written lockout/tagout program, but the program did not contain specific procedures for the front-end loader maintenance.

Washington — Facilities that produce or handle hazardous chemicals should prepare written procedures and establish policies for evaluating simultaneous operations to ensure “robust safe work practices,” the Chemical Safety Board says.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency has extended until Aug. 8 the comment period for a proposed rule intended to “improve the efficiency” of the agency’s chemical review process.

Lincoln, NE — In an effort to help keep road construction workers and drivers safe, researchers at the University of Nebraska have developed prototype hardware that spans gaps between protective roadway barriers.

When selecting an extension cord for use with a power tool or high-powered machine, cord length is not the only thing that should be considered. Improper use of extension cords can easily cause appliances to overheat and can lead to fire.

DuPont offers organizations one of the industry’s most powerful suites of blended-learning solutions – including instructor-led training, online training and traditional media.

It’s hard to go anywhere these days without seeing people with smartphones – and safety professionals have noticed this, too. So will safety training of the future involve a touch screen?

Denver — Young people who participated in an introductory workplace safety and health training session significantly boosted their knowledge of and attitude toward the topic, results of a recent study show.

Darien, IL — Basic employer interventions such as educating workers about the importance of sleep and sharing strategies to improve it may result in better sleep habits, increased productivity and reduced absenteeism, a recent review of research concludes.

Washington — Legislation reintroduced in the House on June 23 and the Senate on July 15 would provide cargo pilots with the same legal protections intended to protect against fatigued flying as those afforded to passenger aircraft pilots.

University Park, PA — Using weekends to catch up on the sleep you didn’t get during the workweek isn’t a heart-healthy strategy, a new study claims.

Darien, IL — Not a fan of “springing forward” and “falling back” an hour every year? If so, you’re not alone.

Fall protection compliance remains a problem across the country. At the 2015 National Safety Council Congress & Expo in Atlanta, OSHA’s Fall Protection Standard (1926.501) was named the agency’s most frequently cited standard – for the fifth year in a row. What are the main barriers to compliance? And what are fall protection manufacturers doing to help?

What do workers want from their foot protection? What do they need to know?

It can be easy to operate in the mindset that “bad things won’t happen to me on the job.” But when it comes to protecting your eyesight, stop for a moment and consider: Every day, 2,000 workplace eye injuries requiring medical attention occur, according to NIOSH.

The headlamp on a worker’s hard hat. The lanyard that prevents tools from dropping. The safety blade that smoothly slices through cellophane. These safety tools and knives – and countless more – not only help keep work processes running efficiently, they also help keep employees safe. Here, manufacturing industry professionals speak about what’s new in the field of safety tools and knives, and what workers need to know to stay safe.

After Safety+Health reached out to experts in the protective clothing industry, two things became clear: Protective clothing manufacturers are always striving to improve worker safety, and comfort is king.

In 2011, 5,170 eye injuries involving cases with days away from work occurred in the manufacturing industry, according to the 2014 edition of the National Safety Council’s “Injury Facts.”

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.

Boston – Massachusetts is closer to extending OSHA protections to an estimated 400,000 public workers after the state’s House on Oct. 25 voted unanimously in favor of a bill (H. 3952) that boosts safety standards for all state and municipal government employees.

Itasca, IL — Taking simple steps before work begins can help curb job-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Head and face injuries can be as minor as a scratch on the cheek or a small bump on the head, or as devastating as a traumatic brain injury. No matter the severity, any head injury is one too many.

In 2013, 121,500 hand injuries resulted in days away from work, according to the 2016 edition of “Injury Facts,” a National Safety Council chartbook. If that number gives you pause, read on as hand protection industry insiders offer advice on preventing hand injuries and describe what’s new regarding protection.

Unlike personal protective equipment such as hard hats and steel-toe boots, emergency eyewashes and showers are not meant to be used every day. Ideally, a worker will never need one. But should an incident such as a chemical splash occur, it’s vital that emergency eyewashes and showers be ready for use.

Falls are a common cause of serious work-related injuries and deaths. Employers whose workers are exposed to fall hazards are responsible for ensuring not only that those workers have appropriate fall protection, but also that they’re trained on how to use it. Here, fall protection industry insiders describe what’s new in the field and why it’s important to remember that fall protection can be more intricate than meets the eye.

Washington — Claiming the Environmental Protection Agency is “rushing forward” with various regulations while much of the nation is focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA) and Mike Quigley (D-IL) recently sent a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, calling on the agency to extend all comment periods for matters related to public and environmental health at least 45 days past the end of the declared national emergency.

Washington — Workplace-related strategies from the Department of Labor are part of a White House national plan to address gender-based violence.

Washington — OSHA “continues to be hampered” by the lack of a permanent standard on infectious diseases and “needs to address worksite violence,” a new report states.

Washington — Female workers in the service industry face an elevated risk of gender-based violence and harassment, but “there’s a variety of means that can mitigate that,” OSHA administrator Doug Parker says.

Washington — A handful of potential OSHA standards have advanced in the rulemaking process, according to the Department of Labor’s Spring 2024 regulatory agenda – released July 5.

Industry insiders are praising technological improvements in plant safety.

Washington — OSHA could publish a notice of proposed rulemaking for its standard on protecting workers from heat as soon as Sept. 30, acting Labor Secretary Julie Su said.

Denver — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) has signed legislation that includes funding aimed at establishing recovery friendly workplaces and supporting people in recovery from substance use disorders.

Boca Raton, FL — “Mental injuries” (such as post-traumatic stress disorder), cannabis and independent contractors were among the top workers’ compensation-related issues that state legislatures focused on this year, a new report shows.

Technology is playing a strong role in the advancement of plant safety, according to people in the safety industry.

For workers who wear protective clothing, getting dressed for the workday is serious business.

Does your knowledge of safety knives make the cut? Here, an industry insider shares his thoughts on new technology, how employers can help prevent misuse and what workers must understand.

San Diego – More needs to be done to protect workers, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health says. More than 90 other organizations agree. Those groups have endorsed National COSH’s action agenda, “Protecting Workers’ Lives and Limbs,” released March 15.

Washington — A coalition of roadway safety advocacy groups, in conjunction with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation challenging a controversial final rule FMCSA claims will add flexibility to hours-of-service regulations for commercial truck drivers.

Washington — The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health is calling on OSHA to enact an emergency temporary standard related to COVID-19 – an action the advocacy group says won’t require OSHA officials to reinvent the wheel.

In 2013, foot injuries resulted in 43,570 cases involving days away from work, according to the 2016 edition of “Injury Facts,” a chartbook from the National Safety Council.