Geneva, Switzerland — The World Health Organization has released evidence-based guidelines intended to help protect workers from potential health hazards posed by manufactured nanomaterials.

Silver Spring, MD — Awareness of nanotechnology or nanoparticles in the construction industry remains relatively low among contractors, union leaders and apprenticeship program staff, according to the results of a recent survey conducted by the Center for Construction Research and Training – also known as CPWR.

Washington – OSHA has stated that it will change some of the processes in its Voluntary Protection Programs, after a Department of Labor Office of Inspector General audit uncovered several weaknesses in recording and reporting systems involving contract workers.

Miami — Temporary construction workers face “unique barriers” to reporting injuries and near misses, according to researchers from the University of Miami and the NIOSH-funded Occupational Safety and Health Program at the Florida Department of Health.

Washington — OSHA is withdrawing the non-recordkeeping portions of its emergency temporary standard for COVID-19 focused on health care workers, the agency announced Dec. 27.

Tampa, FL — Fatal workplace injuries are most likely to occur on Thursdays and in the month of August, according to a recent analysis.

Washington — The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is now accepting charges of discrimination under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

Amherst, MA — The long-standing approach that “the customer is always right” can take a toll on workers’ mental health and limit their capacity to serve customers, according to a recent study.

Washington — The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has published a final rule to implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, including guidance to provide workers with more clarity on the law – and employers with a better understanding of their responsibilities.

Washington – OSHA has released information bulletins on personal protective equipment and whistleblower protection rights as part of the agency’s Temporary Worker Initiative.

Washington — OSHA has scheduled a virtual public meeting on how it can improve its Whistleblower Protection Program, particularly where migrant and other vulnerable workers are concerned.

What causes workers to commit mental errors when the ambient temperature is higher than 95 degrees F?

Philadelphia – Financial incentives are ineffective at encouraging obese workers to lose weight, according to a study from the University of Pennsylvania.

In Episode 18, the S+H editorial team discusses the pros and cons of safety incentives, along with OSHA’s evolving stance on the topic. Also: Transportation safety expert Brian Hammer answers our questions about road safety, as more workers begin to commute to their workplace again.

How can I change up my fire prevention program to provide more advanced lessons to veteran employees? Some have seen my presentation year after year.

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.

Kansas City, MO – The baby boomer generation now comprises a large portion of the U.S. workforce, and this aging workforce will become a driving factor in increased employee injury costs in the next two decades, according to a new report from risk management company Lockton.

The proportion of older workers in the United States continues to rise, prompting safety professionals and researchers to strategize about the best ways to accommodate them.

Portland, OR — Older workers feel more stress than their younger colleagues when employers don’t provide the support and resources necessary for employees to do their jobs well, results of a recent study from Portland State University suggest.

Houston — For older workers, the right job fit can benefit overall health and well-being, while a poor fit is more likely to push them into retirement, according to researchers from Rice University and Colorado State University.

Washington — Instead of relying on generational labels such as “millennial” and “baby boomer” to help inform workforce management decisions – including those related to safety and communication – employers and managers should focus on workers’ individual situations and needs, concludes a recently published report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Silver Spring, MD — Recognizing the importance of older workers in the construction industry, CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training has developed a series of resources for them.

Washington – NIOSH and the California Department of Public Health have collaborated on a video intended to protect oil and gas extraction workers from deadly hazards linked to manual gauging and fluid sampling on production tanks.

Port Fourchon, LA — The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s rollback of certain provisions of a rule intended to prevent a repeat of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig disaster will maintain safety and environmental protections, the agency claims, as advocacy groups announce their intention to fight the move.

Washington — The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement recently unveiled a free text message alert system that delivers the agency’s safety alerts and bulletins to offshore oil and gas workers on the Outer Continental Shelf.

Washington — One year after the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement launched its free BSEE!Safe text message alert system, the agency says more than 6,200 subscribers have received links to BSEE safety alerts and bulletins covering offshore oil and gas work on the Outer Continental Shelf.

Edmonton, Alberta — Contract workers who fly in and out of oil sands may experience higher levels of work-related stress and more mental health issues, according to a recent report led by researchers from the University of Alberta.

Washington — NIOSH wants to hear from employers and workers involved in oil well servicing and drilling operations for a study exploring motor vehicle safety.

Every year, motor vehicle crashes cost employers $60 billion in medical care, legal expenses, property damage and lost productivity, according to a white paper from OSHA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety.

Are you worried about your employees driving distracted or using their cell phone behind the wheel?

Washington – OSHA and the Federal Aviation Administration are both tasked with protecting airline workers. Now, the agencies are teaming up to help each other achieve that goal.

Atlanta — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published a series of fact sheets for airport, airline and transit employers to help protect their workers from exposure to COVID-19.

“From the moment they start to operate the machine,” one safeguarding expert says, “you look at the design and you think, ‘Well, could someone potentially get hurt?’”

Washington — Pledging this past summer to increase agency transparency in fiscal year 2023, Chemical Safety Board interim executive Stephen Owens said to expect regular updates on incident investigations, personnel hiring and other agency developments.

New York — Results of a recent survey reveal a sizeable gap between how C-suite executives perceive workers’ well-being and how workers actually feel.

New York — Around 2 out of 5 workers who say they have or have had a toxic boss have sought therapy as a result, results of a recent survey show.

Washington – Firefighters who work for federal agencies and contract certain diseases on the job would be ensured federal workers’ compensation coverage under newly introduced bipartisan legislation.

Washington – Employees who work with stone countertops are at risk of crystalline silica exposure, and employers should take steps to protect them, OSHA and NIOSH stated Feb. 18 in a joint hazard alert.

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.

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.

Boulder, CO — The amount of air pollutants in nail salons can make working in one comparable to working at an oil refinery or in an auto repair garage, according to a study from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Oslo, Norway — Offshore petroleum workers engaged in rotating shift work may face increased risk of prostate cancer, according to the results of a recent study.

Atlanta – To help protect health care providers and facilities from the dangers of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed checklists for infection control actions.

Oakland, CA — The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health – also known as Cal/OSHA – is reminding employers to protect workers from unhealthy air resulting from wildfire smoke.

Washington — A State Plan covering Massachusetts’ state and local government employees is now a reality after OSHA announced its initial approval.

Washington — OSHA has certified a revised State Plan for Maine that covers state and local government workers.

Iowa City, IA — Safety pros can make and manage an effective heat-related illness prevention program by implementing the Hierarchy of Controls, Iowa OSHA Bureau Chief Peggy Peterson says in a new video.

Calgary, Alberta – Oil-carrying pipeline workers have a lower injury risk than workers transporting oil on railroads or roadways, according to a new study from public policy think tank Fraser Institute.

Atlanta – As many as 2.7 million U.S. workers may have asthma caused or aggravated by workplace conditions, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington – Adults with occupational asthma face a higher risk of developing pneumococcal disease, but only 54 percent of them are vaccinated to help ward off an infection, according to a new study from NIOSH.