US Government | The Pump Handle

Environmental Health Preventing chemical disasters: Labor and community groups say action must accompany words

June 12, 2014 Elizabeth Grossman 1Comment

Following the deadly April 17, 2013 explosion at the West, Texas fertilizer plant – and a series of other catastrophic incidents involving hazardous materials – President Obama directed federal agencies to improve chemical facility security and safety. Their report makes recommendations but does not mandate any immediate action. Meanwhile, dangerous chemical releases occur at workplaces around the US almost daily.

Injury Control & Violence “He gave us the truth of what happened to our loved ones”

June 12, 2014 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH

Investigator Jim Beck got to the bottom of what happened at the Upper Big Branch coal mine disaster. He died last week from cancer.

Food Safety & Nutrition Two new studies find food policy interventions have support and impact

June 10, 2014 Kim Krisberg

Five million dollars. That’s how much the fast food industry spends every day to peddle largely unhealthy foods to children. And because studies have found that exposure to food marketing does indeed make kids want to eat more, advertising is often tapped as an obvious way to address child obesity. Fortunately, a new study finds that the public agrees.

Government Not an “accident”: Chris Williamson suffers fatal work-related injury in Florence, Alabama

June 10, 2014 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH 2Comment

This week’s snapshot of just one work-related fatality. This one occurred on June 4 on an electrical pole in Florence, Alabama.

Government New research estimates that one in eight U.S. children will experience maltreatment

June 6, 2014 Kim Krisberg 1Comment

Researcher Christopher Wildeman has spent his whole career describing and quantifying the more unpleasant parts of people’s lives and his latest study on the surprising prevalence of childhood maltreatment is no exception. Still, there is a bit of a silver lining.

Government The fiction of OSHA’s agenda for new worker safety rules

June 5, 2014 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH 1Comment

Milestones set, milestones missed. The fiction of OSHA’s regulatory agenda for new worker safety protections.

Child Labor Occupational Health News Roundup

June 3, 2014 Kim Krisberg

The Huffington Post investigates how the mining industry cheats worker safety; Seattle set to raise minimum wage to $15; and the death of a hummus plant worker could have been prevented with better safety practices.

Education Study: Workers may experience cognitive impact of solvents long after retiring

May 30, 2014 Kim Krisberg 1Comment

The heath effects of occupational solvent exposure don’t always fade with time. A new study has found that years — sometimes even decades — down the road from their last workplace exposure, some workers are still experiencing very real cognitive impairments.

Injury Control & Violence Not an “accident”: Juan Carlos Reyes suffers fatal work-related injury in Harlingen, Texas

May 28, 2014 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH

This week’s snapshot of just one work-related fatality. This one occurred on May 24 at a hotel construction site in Texas.

Affordable Care Act Bringing perspective to ACA-related insurance cancellations

May 27, 2014 Kim Krisberg

Late last year as many Americans purchased affordable health insurance for the first time, others opened their mailboxes to find notification that their coverage had been cancelled. The story erupted across media channels, as President Obama had promised that people could keep their plans, but the overall issue was presented with little perspective. Thankfully, a new study offers something that’s become seemingly rare these days: context.