Washington – It is unclear whether the Environmental Protection Agency’s approach to managing toxic chemicals will be successful in ensuring safety, an official from the Government Accountability Office recently told legislators.

Washington – Nearly 30 percent of employers that rank among the top violators of federal wage and safety laws receive federal contracts, according to a report issued Dec. 11 by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee after a yearlong investigation.

Washington – In what OSHA is calling a “precedent-setting” decision, a judge has determined that the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission may have the authority to order enterprise-wide abatements of hazards.

Washington – The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission is seeking comments on a draft of its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan.

Washington — The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission is accepting comments until Oct. 9 on potential revisions to its procedural rules, in part to reflect technological advances, according to a notice published in the Sept. 7 Federal Register.

Washington — The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has extended to Nov. 16 the comment period on potential revisions to its procedural rules, in part to reflect technological advances.

For women in safety, a mentor can offer guidance and open doors. Three women share their stories.

As the number of women in environmental, health and safety professions increases, so will opportunities for career advancement, experts say.

Honolulu – Injured public employees in Hawaii must complete a return-to-work program before receiving vocational rehabilitation benefits, under a new state law.

Newcastle upon Tyne, England – Increased awareness and targeted interventions may help improve return-to-work outcomes for workers who undergo total knee replacement procedures, according to a recent study from Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle University in England.

Cambridge, England – Stroke patients frequently contend with “invisible impairments” that make keeping a job difficult, but employers can help, according to a study from the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary University of London.

In women-dominated industries such as health care, as well as those in which women aren’t well represented, including construction and the trades, female workers are facing unique challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Louisville, KY – Traffic law enforcement agencies should shift their priorities away from roadside inspections and instead focus on drivers’ unsafe behaviors – the cause of about 9 out of 10 crashes – according to an American Trucking Associations representative.

Washington – Sixty-seven law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty during the first half of 2014 – a 31 percent increase from the same period last year, according to a report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund released July 22.

Chicago – Law enforcement officers who wear body armor are 76 percent more likely to survive a bullet to the torso than officers who don’t wear the gear, according to a study from the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.

Washington – An innovative sheriff’s deputy has been named the winner of NIOSH’s Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award.

Washington — Fatal motor vehicle crashes among law enforcement officers are on course for their lowest total since the 1980s, according to an analysis by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis.

Washington — Law enforcement officers have a nonfatal injury rate nearly three times higher than the general workforce – with “assaults and violent acts” against them the leading cause – according to a recent NIOSH study.

Washington — At least 155 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty during the first half of the year – a 9.9% increase from the same period in 2020, according to a recently released report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Washington — A total of 73 U.S. hotel companies have committed to the “5-Star Promise” – a pledge to improve employee safety in the industry, including measures designed to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and assault – since its launch in September 2018, the American Hotel and Lodging Association has announced.

Washington — OSHA has extended until June 21 the comment period on proposed updates to its emergency response standard.

Washington — Comments on proposed updates to OSHA’s emergency response standard are now due July 22.

The chemicals I ordered over a year ago that are still on the shelf … do I need to re-label them?

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

Washington – Staffing firms and host employers looking to better protect temporary workers from job hazards can now review recommended practices in a guidance document issued Aug. 25 by NIOSH and OSHA.

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

Oakland, CA – Two new fact sheets from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, also known as Cal/OSHA, outline worker safety rights and employer requirements for protecting temporary workers.

Washington – Newly released draft guidance an OSHA advisory committee recommends that staffing firms and host employers implement a safety and health program describing the responsibilities of both entities to protect temporary workers.

Washington – As part of its Temporary Worker Initiative, OSHA has released guidance documents intended to clarify training requirements and hazard communication responsibilities for employers of temporary workers.

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 — Responding to stakeholder requests, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has extended until July 18 the comment period 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 — Legislation recently introduced in the House would prohibit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from requiring speed-limiting devices on large trucks and buses.

What are some recent innovations in women’s footwear that workers and safety pros should consider?

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

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.

Cambridge, MA — More than half of U.S. states have not adopted medical treatment guidelines for workers’ compensation cases, a recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute shows.

Austin, TX — The Texas Department of Insurance’s Division of Workers’ Compensation has published a plain language glossary intended to make workers’ comp insurance easier to understand.

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.

Washington — The House has passed legislation that would expand the types of medical professionals who can treat injured employees under the Federal Workers’ Compensation Program.

Waterloo, Ontario — Understanding the emotions injured workers experience – and the actions they take – when going through injury and claims processes they believe are unfair can be helpful to everyone involved in the workers’ compensation system, results of a recent study by Canadian researchers suggest.

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.

Washington — OSHA says it’s allowing more time for stakeholders to comment on a proposed rule aimed at protecting workers from extreme heat exposure in indoor and outdoor settings.

London – Guidance documents released Jan. 29 from the Energy Institute aim to help employers meet four particular focus areas of a process safety management program.

Washington – All of OSHA’s training requirements can be found in a newly updated guidance document.

Washington – OSHA has released three guidance documents intended to help chemical facilities comply with the agency’s Process Safety Management Standard (1910.119).

With the instruments and monitors industry grounded in technology, advancements are common. Here, professionals discuss what you need to know to navigate this ever-evolving industry.

The RS360 workplace safety portfolio has been expanded with a new Remote Safeguarding Assessment Service designed for customers with less complex machine safeguarding requirements that need to be evaluated for CFR OSHA 1910, ANSI B11 series standards and NFPA 79/70E compliance.

An environmentally friendly work surface option for control room consoles, called Marmoleum from Winsted Corporation, is made of natural and sustainable raw materials, which emit no volatile organic compounds and are completely biodegradable.

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.

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