Survey of ISHN readers shows dislike for IPP, HazCom
February 16, 2017
A study ISHN conducted recently to help us understand safety and health professionals’ perceptions and expectations around change in OSHA-related regulations, as a result of a new political administration in Washington D.C. produced a wealth of information and opinions. An article posted earlier about whether or not OSHA standards should be repealed showed a division among respondents based mainly on their job functions.
President Donald Trump’s nominee for labor secretary, Andrew F. Puzder, withdrew his nomination Wednesday amid a growing wave of bipartisan opposition.
Puzder, a fast-food executive who opposed the Affordable Care Act and raising the minimum wage and has strongly promoted the use of automation in the workplace, has been accused by liberal groups of being aligned with interests of company owners instead of with those of workers.
Many young workers under age 25 enter the workforce before they have had a chance to develop foundational job skills. In fact, most high schoolers—an estimated 80 percent— hold a job at some point during their school years.
In less than 10 days in 2016, two employees at a Green Bay muffler component manufacturer suffered severe injuries as they operated machinery without adequate safety guards and procedures in place, federal workplace safety investigators have determined.
Despite the best efforts of the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) efforts to control exposure to respirable coal mine dust, the number of Black Lung cases currently being diagnosed in Appalachia is unprecedented, according to some researchers. In the decades since the passage of the 1977 Mine Act, MSHA has tried everything from new and more stringent regulations, including Lowering Miners’ Exposure to Respirable Coal Mine Dust, final rule, the use of Continuous Personal Dust Monitors and compliance assistance initiatives to eliminate the conditions that lead to the disease.
With a new administration taking a new approach to federal agencies, ISHN thought it a good time to survey our readers to find out what they feel should be the shape and direction OSHA takes going forward. For instance, the majority of respondents felt that increased educational tools and programs should be the top priority for the next OSHA Chief. Half or more respondents expect a thorough review of standards or increased support for the voluntary protection program.
In addition to traditional commercial new product development, there is growing involvement by government agencies and the military to help stimulate and support research to bring better tools to practitioners entrusted with worker safety and health outcomes.
Until recently, underground coal miners and mine operators had little way of knowing—in real time—if miners were being exposed to hazardous levels of respirable coal dust during their shifts. NIOSH collaborated with an instrument manufacturer, government partners, labor representatives, and coal industry leaders to develop the continuous personal dust monitor (CPDM), a technology that offers miners, safety personnel, and operators real-time exposure information to help protect miners’ health.
A Mediterranean diet rich in virgin olive oil may enhance the cardioprotective benefits of high-density lipoproteins (HDL—the “good” cholesterol) compared to other diets, according to new research in the American Heart Association’s (AHA) journal Circulation.
With a new occupant in the White House, ISHN thought it a good time to conduct an online flash survey to find out what our readers think about the federal agency that most impacts their jobs, OSHA. Will OSHA change under the Trump administration? Should OSHA change under the Trump administration?
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