Worker Health & Safety | The Pump Handle

APHA Annual Meeting Amid minimum-wage votes and Walmart strikes, APHA OHS section honors workplace-safety champions

November 13, 2013 Elizabeth Grossman

At the 141st meeting of the American Public Health Association (APHA) held last week in Boston, the organization’s Occupational Health & Safety section honored the achievements of some extraordinarily dedicated individuals and organizations whose efforts have been advancing workplace safety. While these awards are typically most meaningful to others in the field, events taking place […]

Mining Call for coal companies to ditch law firm Jackson & Kelly

November 12, 2013 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH

The scheming by Jackson Kelly attorneys to deny coal miners with black lung disease modest compensation is immoral. If coal companies are sincere about their workers being their “most precious resource,” they should dump the law firm.

Child Labor At US’s favorite water park, 20 year old fatally crushed in wave machine, his fifth week on the job

November 7, 2013 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH 1Comment

The water parks operated by Schlitterbahn receive award after award for being the country’s best water resorts. Obviously, amusement parks that cause the death of an employee are not rejected from the awards competition.

APHA Annual Meeting APHA approves policy statements on paid leave and workplace injury prevention

November 6, 2013 Liz Borkowski, MPH

At the American Public Health Association’s annual meeting in Boston this week, the organization officially approved 17 policy statements, including one calling for the US to improve access to paid sick and family leave and one urging OSHA to require workplace injury and illness prevention programs.

Environmental Health Salmonella, crippled workers, tortured chickens, and toxic chemicals: Surely USDA is now ready to ditch its plan to “modernize” poultry inspection

November 5, 2013 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH 1Comment

How much more evidence does Secretary Vilsack need before he scraps the USDA’s ill-conceived proposal to “modernize” the poultry slaughter inspection process?

Public Health Practice Worth reading: Burdened black lung victims, poor people’s logic, and underground infrastructure

November 1, 2013 Liz Borkowski, MPH

A few recent pieces worth a look

Environmental Health Reporting workplace hazards: “If people are afraid to report, things don’t get fixed”

October 31, 2013 Elizabeth Grossman

According to a new report from the Center for Effective Government, American workplace health and safety is suffering from – and as a result of – a serious lack of resources. While the number of US workplaces doubled between 1981 and 2011 and the number of US workers increased from 73 million to 129 million […]

Cancer Toxicologist John Froines: epitome of irreproachable scientific research and effective public health advocacy

October 30, 2013 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH

UCLA Professor Emeritus John Froines was awarded this week the 2013 Ramazzini Award from the internationally renowned Collegium Ramazzini. Professor Froines’ work represents the best of public health research: solid science with the highest integrity for the benefit of groups with little economic and political power.

Labor Rights At DC City Council hearing, support for policies that help working families

October 29, 2013 Liz Borkowski, MPH

Nearly 150 witnesses signed up to testify at a DC Council hearing on expanding access to paid sick leave and raising the minimum wage.

Government Thou dost protest too much. Let the disclosure chips fall where they may

October 28, 2013 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH

The worlds of Georgia-Pacific, asbestos-litigation, scientific journals, and OSHA all fell together last week under the umbrella of transparency and disclosure.