Vaccine safety is one of those topics that has become so tragically mired in misinformation and myth that there can never be enough supporting evidence. So, here’s some more.
Crystalline silica, hydrofluoric acid and formaldehyde. Those are just three of the dozens of air toxic chemicals that oil companies have used thousands of times in southern California in just the past year.
The U.S. Supreme Court deals a blow to union fair-share fees; Massachusetts raises minimum wage to $11 an hour; and Texas lawmakers scoff at the idea of better safeguards in the wake of the West fertilizer blast.
Advocates for safer workplaces are looking to advance reforms at the state and local level. A new manual “Winning Safer Workplaces” is designed to enhance the conversation.
California
Searching for safer chemicals – but safer for whom? New EPA flame retardants report highlights the dilemma
When a widely used chemical is identified as an environmental health hazard and targeted for phase-out and elimination, among the most challenging questions for those involved with making such a chemical are: What to use instead? and Will the replacement be safe? The US Environmental Protection Agency’s report identifying alternatives to the flame retardant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) illustrates how difficult those questions can be to answer.
Government
Not an “accident”: Jason Nolte, 31, suffers fatal work-related injury at Aurora, Colorado company
This week’s snapshot of just one work-related fatality. This one occurred on June 21 at a window manufacturer in Aurora, Colorado.
California
Assistant fatally burned in UCLA professor’s lab, not an obstacle in receiving NIH grants
A UCLA chemistry professor’s website announces his lab’s award of an NIH grant. I wonder if we’ll also see an announcement explaining the settlement of the criminal charges against him for the work-related death of Sheri Sangji?
Environmental Health
Study: Safe Routes to School investments save millions and improve quality of life
Building safe ways for children to bike and walk to school is more than just a way of encouraging kids to go outside and get active. According to a new study, it’s also an investment that reaps millions of dollars in societal gains. In other words, smart walking and biking infrastructures for kids make good economic sense.
Workplace safety slogans, speeches and programs are misdirected when they point fingers to blame workers.
The White House is poised to take action on workplace discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender workers; Washington farmworkers make history with wage settlement; and OSHA investigates Amazon.com fulfillment centers after two worker deaths.