A new report from the Institute of Medicine proposes revisions to medical residents’ duty hours and workloads to decrease the chances of fatigue-related medical errors and to enhance the learning environment for these doctors in training, according to a press release from the National Academies.

In fiscal year 2008, EPA’s enforcement and compliance program concluded civil and criminal enforcement actions requiring regulated entities to spend an estimated $11.8 billion on pollution controls, cleanup and environmental projects, a record for the agency, according to a recent press release.

Each week, you have your chance in the EPA blog, Greenversations, to ask questions on environmental protection and sustainability.

The U.S. made further progress protecting the ozone layer through successful agreements at the 20th meeting of the parties to the Montreal Protocol in Doha, Qatar, according to an EPA press statement. Developed and developing countries agreed to add $490 million to the Montreal Protocol’s Multilateral Fund for the next three years, This will help phase out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and replacement hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and help demonstrate the environmental benefits achieved by destroying banks of unnecessary CFCs.

Northern Arizona University's Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals received a $1.75 million grant to support a steering committee of tribal co-regulators to work with EPA on solid and hazardous waste cleanup issues. EPA is also releasing a tribal strategy to advance the protection and restoration of land in Indian country. The new strategy provides a detailed plan of how EPA will strengthen its partnership with tribes to advance the shared goal of protecting public health and land resources in Indian country.

EPA and the Department of the Army are issuing revised guidance to ensure America's wetlands, streams and other waters are better protected under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The guidance clarifies the geographic scope of jurisdiction under the CWA.

OSHA has announced in a recent press release that it will extend the public comment period for 45 days on the agency’s Cranes and Derricks Proposed Rule. A notice on the extension will be published in the Federal Register soon.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) hosted its Forum on Human Capital Leadership in Beijing on Tuesday, according to an agency press release. Over 150 overseas and Chinese senior human resource (HR) professionals met for a bilateral exchange of ideas with a visiting delegation of senior HR executives from the US.

During economic down-turns, employers seeking to cut expenses may target variable operating costs such as travel, training and safety. But ASSE’s South Carolina Chapter, in a recent press release, says now is not the time to cut back on safety.

EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson is joining other Bush Administration cabinet members for meetings with senior Chinese officials during the fifth session of the US-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED V), Dec. 4-5 in Beijing. Johnson also is using the visit to advance cooperation with public and private environmental partners in China, according to an EPA press statement.