Deaths related to alcohol use in the U.S. have increased over the past years, resulting in alcohol having a larger impact on public health services, according to a recent study. The authors of Using Death Certificates to Explore Changes in Alcohol‐Related Mortality in the United States, 1999 to 2017 warn that because death certificates often fail to indicate the contribution of alcohol, the scope of alcohol‐related mortality in the United States is likely higher than suggested from death certificates alone.

A Kentucky sanitation worker is recovering from serious injuries he sustained last week on the job when he was struck by an SUV. News sources say 25-year-old Sheldon Morris was pinned between a garbage truck and the SUV at approximately 7 a.m. on Dec. 31 along a highway in Bedford.

Did you – like many people - make a New Year’s resolution to get healthier by losing weight and exercising more? You may be interested in the results of a report just released by personal-finance website WalletHub, one which identifies what it says are the best and worst U.S. cities for an “active lifestyle.” For its report, 2020’s Best & Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle, WalletHub compared the 100 biggest U.S. cities across 38 key metrics.

The sinking of two vessels being towed in Massachusetts bay in 2018 was likely due to a decision by a tow captain and vessel owner to attempt a transit in wind and waves “that exceeded their original plan for the voyage,” according to a report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which investigated the incident. Two crew members received minor injuries in the December 2 incident, which occurred while the towing vessel Big Jake was towing five barges and two workboats.

Tom Votel, President and CEO of Ergodyne, was named Vice Chair of the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) at the group’s annual meeting in Arlington, Virginia in November. Votel will lead ISEA alongside the newly appointed chairman of the board, Craig Wallentine, Global Business Development Manager, DuPont Safety & Construction (Retired).

With the U.S. increasingly dependent on foreign manufacturers for prescription and generic drugs, the Food and Drug Administration’s problem-plagued efforts to inspect overseas plants is under growing scrutiny. A recent report by the Government Accountability Office has raised serious concerns about the FDA’s foreign inspection program and whether it’s allowing overseas drug makers to conceal unsafe practices.

Aviation safety, cell phone use by motorists and welcoming new board members kept National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) busy in recent months. On September 6, in Anchorage, Alaska, NTSB facilitated a roundtable of industry operators, government officials, educators, and aviation associations to discuss ways to improve the safety of Part 135 flight operations in Alaska.

A quick online search of hearing protection/headphones using the term, “OSHA-compliant” invariably returns a list of various devices offering different features, such as: OSHA-compliant Bluetooth Hearing Protection; OSHA-compliant Professional Hearing Protection; OSHA-compliant Wireless Noise Reduction In-Ear Headphones; OSHA-compliant Noise Isolating Earbuds. The problem?

Nearly 20 percent of U.S. workers experience bullying in the workplace and 19 percent witness it, according to a national survey conducted by the Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI). The survey defined workplace bullying as “repeated mistreatment of an employee by one or more employees; abusive conduct that is: threatening, humiliating, or intimidating, work sabotage, or verbal abuse.” Although the WBI survey was conducted in 2017, the problem has not abated; in a 2019 Monster.com survey, nearly 94 percent out of responding employees reported being bullied in the workplace. 

In Wichita, Kansas, a 25-year-old worker performing cell tower maintenance was killed when he fell 50 feet. In Louise, Mississippi, a worker installing microwave dishes on a cell tower was killed when he fell 125 feet. The worker, who was not using a double lanyard, fell after disconnecting his positioning lanyard to reposition himself. In Coats, NC, a worker performing installation services for Sprint died from a fall.