Hygienists urge lawmakers to reject NIOSH program cuts
A key workplace health organization is urging House and Senate lawmakers to reject proposals by the Obama administration to zero out funding in fiscal 2013 for two NIOSH education and training programs – the second . . .
DOL launches safety and health 'challenge'
OSHA chief David Michaels wrote in a Labor Department blog post that he is involved in the White House Office of Science and Technology announcement of Safety.Data.gov, a new website launched with the Department of . . .
OSHA signs deal with laser group to address hazards
OSHA has renewed its Alliance with the Laser Institute of America to reduce and prevent worker exposure to laser beam and non-beam hazards in industrial, research and medical workplaces, the agency says. Under the agreement . . .
OSHA to unveil heat illness prevention drive
OSHA chief David Michaels on May 7 will announce OSHA’s 2012 Heat Illness Prevention Campaign, a nationwide effort to educate workers and their employers about the hazards of working outdoors in the heat and steps . . .
Agency Unveils Plans For Whistleblower Advisory Panel; Advocates Praise Move, But Await Details
OSHA has unveiled plans to form an advisory panel to offer outside guidance to the agency on making improvements to the agency's whistleblower protection program (WPP), which OSHA officials have been trying to revamp in recent months in response to persistent concerns about the program's effectiveness in enforcing 21 federal laws dealing with employer retaliation. Whistleblower advocates lauded the move to open the restructuring process to outside input, but cautioned that it will be difficult to tell how useful panel is until OSHA releases more details.
USDA To Consult OSHA On Union-Opposed Poultry Line Rule; NIOSH Studies Issue
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) says it will consult with OSHA, and also factor in data it has asked NIOSH to collect, when it implements an upcoming rule that unions say could lead to increased ergonomic, laceration and amputation hazards faced by poultry workers by allowing for increased poultry line speeds.
Worker Advocates Praise Tougher OSHA Stance On Corporate-Wide Settlements
OSHA's recently announced corporate-wide settlement with a New England grocery store chain generated praise from worker safety advocates who say it demonstrates a much tougher posture by the agency in trying to require continued hazard abatement throughout a company's operations.
Stakeholders: An Obama Order On Fed Worker Exposure Levels Could Push PEL Issue Forward
Occupational health stakeholders suggest an executive order by President Obama to tighten chemical exposure levels for federal workers and on-site contractors -- as sought by a group of OSHA advisors -- could create momentum for OSHA to update permissible exposure limits (PELs) across the private sector.
OSHA Modifies Supporting Analyses Of Silica Rule In Response To White House Concerns
OSHA is modifying the supporting analyses of its proposed rule tackling silica hazards in response to White House concerns, but there is still no word on when the long-awaited proposal will be released for publication, a key official in the agency's standards directorate said Thursday (May 10).
OSHA Work Group Drafting 'At Least As Effective' Performance Measures For State Plans
OSHA has put together an internal work group to study the contentious issue of how state plans can meet the goal of “at least as effective” as federal OSHA -- the crucial test of whether they meet requirements for federal backing -- and the group is drafting 15 performance measures tied to the evaluation process, an agency official said Friday (May 11).
GAO Urges OSHA To Roll Out Criteria On Safety Incentives At VPP, SHARP Sites
Officials from the investigative arm of Congress in a newly released report call on OSHA to require employers that participate in cooperative efforts, including Voluntary Protection Programs and Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Programs, to meet criteria for safety incentive programs and other workplace safety policies.
CSB Commends MA Authorities On Hazmat Regs
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) commended Massachusetts authorities for "improving the regulation of hazardous materials storage and processing in the state, including monitoring of high risk facilities to ensure they are . . .
NIOSH Plans Study Of Diverse Work Force
NIOSH is proposing a new study on "Improving the Health and Safety of the Diverse Workforce." The research agency states that "[s]tress is one of the major causes of diminished health, safety, and productivity on . . .
AFL-CIO Releases Report On Job Fatalities
The AFL-CIO has made available its 2012 report on job-related fatalities. The union stated that in 2010, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4,690 workers were killed on the job . . .
NIEHS To Co-sponsor Isocyanates Workshop
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences will co-sponsor an international conference on isocyanates Nov. 1-2 in Bethesda, MD. Topics include occupational exposure. The conference website provides information about the workshop and call for papers.