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.

Geneva, Switzerland — Workers exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays account for nearly a third of all non-melanoma skin cancer deaths, according to the results of a recent study.

Gaithersburg, MD — Wear and tear in firefighters’ protective clothing may lead to an increased release of chemicals linked to cancer, according to a new study from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Portland, OR – A hazard alert from the Oregon Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program emphasizes the importance of abiding by the manufacturer’s instructions for construction equipment and building materials.

Sacramento, CA — Additional revisions to California’s emergency temporary standards on COVID-19 have been adopted by the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, to include the California Department of Public Health’s latest recommendations for reducing the spread of the disease.

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA has launched a Spanish-language online training course on bloodborne pathogens for health care, emergency response, hospitality and other industries.

Sacramento, CA — A new initiative spearheaded by a California Department of Industrial Relations task force is aimed at ensuring employers on publicly funded construction sites are following labor laws and providing workers’ compensation insurance.

Oakland, CA — Two fact sheets, along with an updated FAQ document, from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health highlight the latest revisions to the state’s emergency temporary standards on COVID-19 – adopted April 21 by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board.

Sacramento, CA — In an effort to “enhance commercial vehicle safety” and “create consistency between state and federal regulations,” the California Highway Patrol is proposing the state adopt regulations requiring the use of electronic logging devices for commercial motor vehicle carriers involved in intrastate operations.

Sacramento, CA — California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board has voted to adopt non-emergency COVID-19 prevention regulations.

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

Richmond, CA – California needs to change the way it regulates refineries and adopt a system aimed at reducing risk to the lowest possible level, concludes a new report from the Chemical Safety Board.

Itasca, IL — The Journal of Safety Research is offering free access – through February – to a special issue featuring select papers from the National Occupational Injury Research Symposium.

Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration has addressed all of the 100 corrective actions recommended in its 2012 internal review following the Upper Big Branch mine explosion in April 2010, the agency announced Jan. 13.

Baltimore – Chronic violators have declined and industry compliance has improved in the mining industry in the past five years, but a recent increase in fatalities at metal/non-metal mines is a concern, Mine Safety and Health Administration chief Joseph A. Main told audience members March 16 at the annual convention of the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association.

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration recently released its annual safety alert spotlighting hazards unique to the mining industry during winter.

New York – A new set of guidelines has been published to help freelance journalists stay safe in dangerous areas of the world, including war zones.

Wythenshawe, England – Musicians, take note: Cleaning wind instruments immediately after use and allowing them to dry may lower the risk of developing a respiratory condition doctors have nicknamed “bagpipe lung.”

New York — In response to growing safety concerns among female and gender-nonconforming journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists has published a collection of resources to help combat work-related physical threats, online harassment and other dangers.

Sacramento, CA — Workers involved in setting up, tearing down and operating live events at public entertainment venues will now be required to receive specified occupational safety training and certification, under a new California law.

Talk to a Protection 1 employee and there is a palpable energy that radiates outward about their job, the company and the customer. Chicago-based Protection 1, has always contained a deep-rooted love for the customer. But while employees embraced the concept, the execution was missing, as Protection 1 experienced declining growth for seven consecutive years.

The Contractor+ family of harnesses now offers a more supportive, secure and sturdy fit while adding functional elements for all-day comfort to meet the demanding needs of workers.

This rescue harness provides safety, versatility and comfort.

Journeyman FLEX Aluminum and Steel Harnesses are rated to a 425-pound capacity and comply with OSHA regulations and ANSI standards.

The NEWTON EASYFIT HI-VIZ Fall Arrest Harness has a fluorescent-colored vest with reflective strips.

The ProForm F3 High-Performance Harness features built-in relief cords for after a fall, allowing a user to reach a gravity override seated position.

The Guardian Fall Protection S1 Safety Harness meets OSHA standards, exceeds ANSI standards and is CSA-certified.

The Blue Armor Arc Flash Harness is a durable fall protection harness specifically designed for workers who may be exposed to an electric arc.

The Werner H913001 Welding High Heat Harness is specifically designed for welding applications that have potential exposure to welding spatter.

The Checkmate Xplorer Industrial Full Body Harness – designed to be more comfortable than conventional harnesses during suspension and frequent loading – features visual-alert stitching, an intuitive way for the user to understand the correct way to wear the harness.

The Honeywell Miller H500 series of safety harnesses features specially formulated webbing that flexes to accommodate movement and body contours. Shoulder and back padding minimize overexertion and offer more breathability to keep workers drier and cooler, while an ergonomic waist pad provides optimum lumbar support.

FT-One is a patent-pending full-body harness designed and developed with input from contractors to achieve a new level of comfort fit and function.

The Kodiak is an adjustable full-body harness with a positioning belt. It has two side D-rings for work positioning, a quick-connect buckle on the chest straps, an adjustable tongue buckle on the leg straps, adjustable shoulder straps and one dorsal D-ring for fall arrest.

The FT-One Fit premium full-body harness enables women to achieve a customized fit. Features include an adjustable sub-pelvic strap to ensure a proper fit across a woman’s hips, along with abrasion-resistant shoulder panels and custom-designed gel inserts and padding.

User feedback steered the yearlong design process of the B7-Comfort Harness, which features adjustable waist padding that allows for greater comfort and fit while also doubling as a tool bag attachment system.

The development of the B7-Comfort Harness relied heavily on user feedback during a yearlong design process. The harness features adjustable waist padding that offers greater comfort and fit while also doubling as a tool bag attachment system.

Washington – The Department of Veterans Affairs has launched a registry to track the health of veterans exposed to burn pits and other airborne hazards in recent military operations, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

Washington — Three days after the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration determined that hazardous materials transporters do not have to comply with California’s rest and meal break requirements, the American Trucking Associations filed a petition asking the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to pre-empt the requirements for all commercial motor vehicle drivers.

Austin, TX — A perceived growing shortage of commercial motor vehicle drivers and potential changes to hours-of-service rules are the top issues affecting the trucking industry, according to an annual survey conducted by the American Transportation Research Institute.

Washington — A group of 19 congressional Democrats is urging, “in the strongest possible terms,” the Department of Transportation to deny a recent American Trucking Associations petition on California’s meal and rest break rules for commercial truck drivers.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Dec. 21 granted a petition to pre-empt California’s meal and rest break rules for commercial motor vehicle drivers, stating that the rules are incompatible with current federal hours-of-service regulations and cause “a disruption in interstate commerce.”

San Diego — For the second straight year, a driver shortage and hours-of-service rules are the top two issues affecting the trucking industry, according to the results of an annual survey conducted by the American Transportation Research Institute.

San Diego — Several safety-related issues earned a spot on the American Transportation Research Institute’s recently released list of top trucking industry concerns.

Arlington, VA — Wanted: input from trucking industry stakeholders on the most critical issues facing the industry.

Hamilton, Ontario — A series of free guidance documents from the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety is intended to help workers and employers in essential or high-risk occupations and industries reduce their exposure to COVID-19 and curb the spread of infection.

Springfield, IL — Legislation signed into law Aug. 9 by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) requires freight trains operating in the state to have at least two crew members, challenging the Federal Railroad Administration’s recent effort to prevent states from regulating train crew sizes.

Washington — The Federal Railroad Administration has issued a safety advisory to railroads and rail employees regarding a recently identified interface design issue that relates to how Positive Train Control systems interface with locomotive and cab car braking systems.

Last September, as the U.S. economy went from bad to worse, security dealers and integrators were holding their breath. As major U.S. employers continued to announce layoffs, electronic security companies

Washington — Enhancing California’s workplace heat standard could better protect workers in the state and guide current federal rulemaking on heat stress prevention, a new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council suggests.

Silver Spring, MD — At least 53 sanitation workers in the United States (44) and Canada (nine) died from on-the-job injuries in 2019 – a 10.2% decrease from 2018, according to a recent analysis from the Solid Waste Association of North America.