S+H Staff

Washington — Approximately 18,000 miles of decommissioned oil and gas pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico pose safety and environmental risks, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.

Washington — The rate of pedestrian deaths jumped more than 20% in the first half of 2020 as speeding, distracted driving and impaired driving increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recently released report from the Governors Highway Safety Association.

This week, in honor of Workers’ Memorial Day, Dave Trumble, National Safety Council Labor Division member and past Distinguished Service to Safety Award winner, shares a story on the NSC “Safety First” blog about how at-work fatalities can permanently impact workplace culture, and the role training and labor advocates play in keeping workers safe on the job.

Washington — OSHA on April 26 submitted for review to the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs a draft of an emergency temporary standard related to COVID-19 – one of the final steps before the ETS can be published in the Federal Register.

Chicago — Physicians contracted by mine operators to review chest X-rays of coal miners who file “totally debilitating disease” workers’ compensation claims with the Department of Labor’s Federal Black Lung Program may have a bias strongly related to financial conflict of interest, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago suggest.

Lansing, MI — In response to a recent surge of COVID-19 cases in the state, Michigan OSHA has extended until Oct. 14 its temporary emergency rules intended to clarify employer requirements for protecting workers from exposure.

The National Safety Council, Health Action Alliance, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NIOSH, and members of the SAFER task force will come together at noon Eastern on May 11 to help you safely navigate the future world of work.

Atlanta — Prompted by available data and studies that show the risk of contracting COVID-19 via contact with surfaces is low, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is relaxing its exposure-prevention guidance on cleaning and disinfecting.

Washington — OSHA is requiring the recording of adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines only when vaccination is required by the employer, the agency says in an addition to its series of frequently asked questions on protecting workers from exposure to the coronavirus.

“Connectivity is reshaping our world, personally and professionally,” Shane McEwen, global product marketing manager at Blackline Safety, told Safety+Health. “Where safety has traditionally lagged behind other industries in embracing connectivity, the landscape has shifted in recent years to widely integrate connectivity into safety operations.”