It’s not often that epidemiologists file lawsuits. But state epidemiologists who focus on work-related injuries and illnesses have stepped forward into litigation to preserve an OSHA injury reporting rule.
Worker Health & Safety
How workers die, five examples this year from quarries in Iowa, Texas, and Utah
Eleven workers employed in the mining industry have suffered fatal injuries this year. Five of the fatalities occurred at stone and sand quarries, including three in Texas.
Under Texas law, if a firefighter develops cancer it is presumed to be work-related. The City of Baytown doesn’t think the law applies to them and has filed a lawsuit to challenge a 22-year veteran firefighter’s claim for workers’ compensation.
Jordan Barab at Confined Space provides Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s view about workers safety protections.
Cancer
Houston firefighters demand protection from carcinogens, Trump signs law to establish firefighter cancer registry
Houston firefighters don’t think their city is doing enough to protect them from carcinogens they encounter on the job. A newly authorized national firefighter cancer registry could be a place for firefighters to record data on protections provided (or not) by their municipalities.
Recommended heat exposure standards are effective in protecting most workers from serious illness and death, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The latest resource list on articles and reports describing unsafe and illegal working conditions in global supply chains producing consumer goods for the world economy. There are the usual tales of exploitation and woe, but also some about hard-fought victories for supply chain workers over the past several months.
For years the coal industry has been sowing doubt about an air sampling device that is mandated in a regulation to address black lung disease. Last week a National Academies’ panel put to rest industry assertions about the accuracy of the device.
Worker Health & Safety
Ohio meat packing company preying on workers? Three ICE raids and hefty OSHA penalty
An Ohio meatpacking company was subject this month to both an immigration raid and $209,000 in OSHA citations. Both are the consequence of an employer preying on workers.
A new paper by three occupational medicine physicians digs into the topic of on-site workplace clinics and describe situations that can lead to medical mismanagement of work-related injuries.