A long-awaited proposal to protect 2 million workers from occupational silica exposure was announced today by OSHA.
Highway work zones can be deadly for road construction and maintenance workers. Safety and road construction experts made a series of recommendations in 2001 to agencies on ways to make these projects safer for workers. Have they help to prevent fatalities?
Artisanal brick kilns in developing countries burn a lot of fuel and create a lot pollution. Organizations are promoting and arranging financing for alternatives.
Children breathe more air, drink more water and eat more food per unit of body weight than adults. Therefore, if a child’s air, water or food is contaminated with chemicals, children receive a larger dose per unit of body weight than would an adult in the same situation. The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has been unable to regulate chemicals effectively, and new chemical legislation must consider these key physiological differences.
Wage theft at is in the news; funding’s getting cut off for a program that can help first responders know what chemicals they might be exposed to while responding to industrial fires; and California’s Occupational Health Branch warns outdoor workers about the risk of Valley Fever.
Injury Control & Violence
Really? Industry group launches campaign against worker centers, low-wage workers
In their efforts to protect the most vulnerable workers from illegal workplace practices and conditions, worker centers have now attracted the million-dollar ire of formidable anti-union forces. And while advocates say it’s a sign of worker centers’ success, it’s still a worrisome trend that’s made it all the way to the halls of Congress.
A few recent pieces worth a look
The Kaw Nation is the first in Oklahoma to operate a smoke-free casino.
Some USDA meat and poultry inspectors work many hours of overtime. USDA insists it doesn’t affect their critical food safety responsibilities.
Affordable Care Act
What happens to the poorest residents in states declining the Medicaid expansion?
What will Obamacare mean for people living below the poverty level? It depends on whether their states have accepted the Medicaid expansion and agreed to run their own exchanges.