Workplace discrimination happens when employers treat employees differently due to factors like their race, age, gender or sexual orientation. There are federal laws against such treatment in the United States, but it still happens. And, many people initially feel surprised after learning of the link between workplace discrimination and reduced employee safety.

After the second crash of a Boeing 737 Max 8 jet in two years, China, Ethiopia and Indonesia as well as Cayman Airways, a carrier that flies to the U.S. and Caribbean countries, have all suspended use of 737-8s. The move follows last week’s crash of an Ethiopian jet bound for Kenyway – an incident that occurred shortly after takeoff, just as a crash off Indonesia last year.

A Pennsylvania hair salon has been ordered to pay thousands of dollars to a stylist who was fired after her husband reported workplace safety and health hazards to OSHA. After an investigation by the agency, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has entered a consent judgment ordering Blown Away Dry Bar and Salon – based in Kennett Square – to pay a $40,000 settlement to the terminated stylist. The legal action resolves a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Labor.

An MD-83 airplane ran off the end of the runway during a rejected takeoff March 8, 2017, because of an undetected mechanical malfunction, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in a report released yesterday. Seconds after reaching the takeoff decision airspeed of 158 mph at about 5,000 feet down a 7,500-foot runway in Ypsilanti, Michigan, the captain’s attempt to raise the nose and get the plane airborne was unsuccessful and he called “abort.”

The same hierarchy of controls framework used to prevent workplace injuries can help reduce the incidence or spread of infectious diseases that result from exposures at work. That is one of the key findings of a study just published by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), whose researchers reviewed nearly a decade’s worth of infectious disease investigations in workplaces across the U.S. to better understand the range of cases, the risk factors for workers, and the ways to prevent infectious disease transmission on the job.

In a landmark case, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) has ruled that Integra Health Management, a social service employer, is accountable for failing to protect workers from workplace violence. Integra was cited for safety violations following the tragic death of an employee who was stabbed nine times, then left bleeding on a front lawn after a December 2012 home visit to an agency client with a history of mental illness and violent criminal behavior.

In Ohio: Musical instrument maker exposed workers to copper dust An Ohio musical instrument manufacturer has been cited by OSHA for exposing workers to copper dust and machine hazards. Conn-Selmer, Inc., is facing penalties of $200,230 for two repeated and seven serious safety and health violations. OSHA inspectors determined that the company exposed workers to copper dust in excess of the recommended permissible exposure levels and machine hazards that included failure to provide machine guarding and adequate controls to minimize exposure.

After a Florida driver was killed in a crash in 2016 while his Tesla was in “Autopilot” mode, regulators assured the public that Tesla’s autonomous driving system was safe. An investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that after a key component called Autosteer was added, crash rates in Tesla cars had dropped.

The fracking boom that’s made the U.S. the world’s top oil producer shows no signs of slowing down. But in Texas, the boom’s had what the state is calling an “unintended consequence," as oilfield highways have become overwhelmed with heavy truck traffic, there’s been an uptick in the number of deadly crashes. Officials are exploring solutions to this ongoing problem.

A new eGuide from the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) offers recommendations to industrial hygienists and occupational hygienists on ways to manage and advance their careers – no matter what stage of their career they’re at. The  IH Professional Pathway eGuide (PDF), offers practical suggestions to IH/OH professionals, with advice aligned with three different "tracks": technical, management and leadership. AIHA says the eGuide can be used by college students pursuing a technical course of study – even if they have not yet decided on a specific vocation - or more established professionals, perhaps contemplating a career change.