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A Confined Space blog post

Workforce Protections sub-committee members set

February 1, 2019

The newly christened House Education and Labor Committee has announced its sub-committee assignments for the 116th Congress. The Workforce Protections sub-committee which covers workplace safety and health issues, workers compensation and trade, international labor rights, and immigration issues as they affect employers and workers, will be chaired by Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC). Bradley Byrne (R-AL) will be the Ranking Member.

OSHA’s rulemaking procedure under scrutiny

Teenage health care worker regulation change prompted calls for review

February 1, 2019

The U.S. Department of Labor is investigating whether the U.S. Department of Labor under the Trump administration is following proper procedures when making regulatory changes to worker safety regulations. In a letter to Congressional Democrats, who’d requested an audit of the DOL’s rulemaking process, DOL Inspector General Scott S. Dahl said a review of the “integrity of the rulemaking process” at OSHA was already underway.

February is Cancer Prevention Month

Soy and coffee are healthy, red wine - not so much

February 1, 2019

February is Cancer Prevention Month and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is using the opportunity to help Americans separate the myths from facts about cancer risk. The good news: approximately 40 percent of all cancer cases can be prevented. According to AICR, the most important ways to reduce your cancer risk (after not smoking) are: eating a healthy diet, being more active each day and maintaining a healthy weight.

Teen roofer electrocuted when ladder touches power line

January 31, 2019

A 16-year-old roofer was killed last year in Kentucky when he lost control of a 25-foot ladder and it made contact with a 7200-volt electric power line, according to Fatality Assessment & Control Evaluation (FACE) by the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center. The incident occurred at a private residential home, when the victim was trying to position an aluminum extension ladder against a roof.

“Bug bombs” pollute – but don’t kill cockroaches

January 31, 2019

“Bug bombs” worsen indoor air quality by releasing toxic chemicals in closed environments – but they’re not killing their intended targets. A new study from North Carolina State University found that total release foggers, commonly known as “bug bombs,” are ineffective at removing cockroaches. Bug-bomb chemicals fail to reach places where cockroaches congregate the most – on the underside of surfaces and inside cabinets, NC State researchers say.

Outdoor workers cope with frigid temperatures

January 31, 2019

While some companies and entities with outdoor workers are wisely suspending their outdoor operations during the deep freeze gripping part of the nation, others don’t have that option. Police officers and firefighters throughout the U.S. remain on the job, answering calls and patrolling as usual. Towing companies are especially busy, since the frigid temperatures are wreaking havoc on car engines and necessitating more jump-starts or tows.

A FairWarning Story

Labor Department waters down injury reporting rule targeted by business

Eli Wolfe

January 31, 2019

A requirement that employers disclose more information about worker injuries to safety officials and the public has been scaled back by the Trump administration. The Labor Department action, reflecting the administration’s broad push to ease regulations on business, weakens an Obama-era initiative to improve safety enforcement and crack down on underreporting of job injuries. The 2016 rule, which had been hailed by safety advocates, drew the ire of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups.

Frigid temps cause fatalities, disrupt travel

January 30, 2019

When the United States Postal Service (USPS) cancels mail delivery, you know the weather is extreme. Large sections of the East and Midwest are shivering under bitterly cold temperatures that have affected mail delivery, caused the cancellation of nearly 1,000 flights at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago and even halted Amtrak train service to and from Chicago.

Report: Feds failing to control tobacco use

FDA gets an "F"

January 30, 2019

According to the American Lung Association’s (ALA) 2019 "State of Tobacco Control" report released today, states and the federal government have failed to take meaningful action in putting in place policies to prevent and reduce tobacco use, the nation's leading cause of preventable death and disease. In addition, youth use of e-cigarettes has reached epidemic levels — rising 78 percent from 2017 to 2018 — setting the stage for another generation of Americans addicted to tobacco products and ultimately more tobacco-caused death and disease.

Outdoor workers at heightened risk during bitter cold

January 30, 2019

With extreme cold spreading across a large section of the U.S., the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is reminding workers whose job requires them to work outdoors in cold, wet, icy, or snowy conditions to “be prepared and be aware” to prevent cold-related illnesses and injuries such as hypothermia and frostbite.