Confined space safety, hazards in the oil and gas industry and how workers compensation exposure data can be useful to the safety profession were among the top industrial hygiene stories of 2018.

More than 84 million Americans – or, one in three adults – have prediabetes, and 90% of them don’t know they have it, according to the CDC. Don’t let the “pre” fool you - prediabetes is a serious condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes and raise your risk for heart disease and stroke. The good news is that prediabetes can be reversed – but only if you get a diagnosis and make lifestyle changes, like losing weight, eating healthier, and being more active.

Stories related to construction industry safety ranged this year from hazard-specific (spray foam insulation, concrete drilling) to regulations (silica, crane operator certification) to developments that affect construction safety in a more general way, like the workforce shortage or the legalization of marijuana in many states. Here’s a look back at 2018 articles:

Now is the time for occupational safety professionals to check that the safety and hygiene practices in place at their workplaces are compliant with regulatory bodies — like OSHA — and will safeguard workers' wellbeing. Data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that workplace accidents show a prolonged downward trend, but that's no reason to get complacent.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released this week show that the incidence rate for non-fatal occupational injuries and illnesses in the meat and poultry packing and processing industry reached an all-time industry low.

Cal/OSHA has cited a manufacturer of cannabis products for multiple serious safety violations following an explosion that seriously injured a worker. On June 19, an employee of Future2 Labs Health Services was working alone inside a 128-square-foot portable storage container in Watsonville, using propane to extract oil from cannabis leaves.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has awarded more than $100,000 in grant funding to states through the Governors Highway Safety Association to help combat drug-impaired driving on America’s roads. The funding will support Drug Recognition Expert and Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement training in Delaware, Guam, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and West Virginia.

According to the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA), an important step toward keeping Michigan workers safe from lead exposure in the workplace was realized last week with the filing of updated administrative rules that lower acceptable blood lead levels, replacing decades-old standards. The new rules became effective December 11, 2018.

If you have cancer now or have had cancer in the past, you are at higher risk for complications from the flu. The CDC urges everyone six months of age and older to get a flu vaccine every season – especially those with cancer or a history of cancer because they are at high risk of developing serious flu complications.

With a growing number of states legalizing marijuana, causing a rapid increase in the cannabis industry workforce, increasing attention is being given to the health and safety of those involved in the cultivation and distribution of the substance in its various forms. One potentially serious health risk is from occupational exposure to mold.