A commentary by CUNY School of Public Health professor Franklin Mirer describes the ongoing interference by Congress on the science behind the designation of formaldehyde as a carcinogen. His commentary, “What’s Science Got to Do with It?” is timed perfectly for this weekend’s Marches for Science.
OSHA’s list of bad actors has two new members. An update of the agency’s “severe violators” program shows two companies were added since President Trump took office.
While individuals were attending an international asbestos-disease awareness conference last weekend, HBO comedian Bill Maher was skewering Republicans for their defense of asbestos.
It was a breath of fresh air speaking to a senior OSHA official who knows they have a job to do and they are doing it.
The U.S. Senate passed a resolution last night urging Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy to warn the public about risk of asbestos exposure.
Instead of calling worker fatalities “accidents,” could the press communicate how such incidents could be averted? A new paper published in the Journal of Agromedicine got me thinking about the topic.
Environmental Health
Midnight 28 years ago: Exxon Valdez ran aground, 11 million gallons crude oil released
28 years ago today, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground off the coast of Alaska and released 11 million gallons of crude oil.
President Trump’s nominee for Labor Secretary provided a peek during his confirmation hearing on his approach to running the Labor Department. Several things he said made me ask myself: “will employees at the Labor Department challenge Alex Acosta to keep his word on that?”
Senators preparing for next week’s confirmation hearing for Trump’s Labor Secretary should study National COSH’s newly released Agenda for Action. “Protecting Workers’ Lives & Limbs” makes dozens of recommendations to improve occupational health and safety policies and practices which will fall under the purview of the future Labor Secretary.
Government
Exaggerating the cost of workplace safety penalties, instead of limbs, lungs, lives saved
It bothers me when politicians try to rile up employers by exaggerating the cost of OSHA penalties.