Wearable safety tech for construction workers, Uber automated vehicles are unsafe at any speed and the toll of antibiotic resistant infections in the U.S. were among the top occupational safety and health stories featured on ISHN.com this week.

A Florida construction company has logged 0 injuries and illnesses this year, after a steady decline in incidents that the company attributes to working with the University of South Florida (USF), SafetyFlorida Consultation Program. Stile Construction’s workplace safety success has earned it membership in OSHA’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) program, which recognizes small business employers who have used OSHA On-Site Consultation Program services and operate exemplary safety and health programs.

Construction trade and extraction workers (CTEW) are at high-risk for drug use, according to a study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, that found marijuana, cocaine, and non-prescription opioid (NPO) use in particular was higher among that group. Construction trade and extraction workers: A population at high risk for drug use in the United States, 2005–2014 also revealed that: Precarious employment was associated with increased odds of marijuana and NPO use.

Wearable technologies are an increasingly popular consumer electronic for a variety of applications at home and at work. In general, these devices include accessories and clothing that incorporate advanced electronic technologies, often with smartphone or ‘internet of things’ (IoT) connectivity. While wearables are increasingly being used to improve health and well-being by aiding in personal fitness, innovative applications for monitoring occupational safety and health risk factors are becoming more common.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has released a comprehensive Technical Assistance Guide (TAG) for the construction industry. The guide will assist contractors meet their legal requirements and responsibilities for equal employment opportunity by preventing violations before they occur.

Occupational hearing loss is one of the most common work-related illnesses in the United States. Each year, about 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work. More than 30 million are exposed to chemicals, some of which are harmful to the ear (ototoxic) and hazardous to hearing. In addition to damaging workers’ quality of life, occupational hearing loss carries a high economic price to society.

They’re powerful, easy to operate and allow workers to perform tasks taster. They’re also a leading cause of injury among residential carpenters. Of the 37,000 emergency room visits each year related to nail gun injuries, 60% are occupationally-related. While puncture wounds to the hands and fingers are the most common, nail guns are also responsible for serious injuries – and even fatalities.

The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) has released three new resources to help safely manage the use of nanomaterials. Much thinner than a human hair, engineered and manufactured nanomaterials are increasingly used in construction.

For the first time since 2012, the national injury rate for U.S. workplaces did not decline in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. There were 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in 2018, unchanged from 2017. In both years the total recordable injury case rate (TRC) per 100 full-time workers was 2.8 cases.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt spoke at the Pennsylvania Governor's Safety and Health Conference on October 28, 2019.