News

Annapolis, MD – Maryland’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation has been tasked with creating a workgroup to study potential occupational safety and health prequalification requirements for the state’s public works contractors.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is extending to June 26 the comment period for its recent proposed rule on electronic logging devices for commercial buses and trucks.

Oakland, CA – In response to a series of fatal incidents at construction sites in California, the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (also known as Cal/OSHA) has launched an inspection initiative.

Washington – A rule listed on the Department of Labor’s spring 2014 regulatory agenda is intended to address problems with the administration of the Black Lung Benefits Act, through which miners receive compensation for disabilities related to pneumoconiosis – also known as “black lung” disease.

Washington – OSHA is calling on employers in the construction industry to participate in a National Fall Prevention Stand-Down the week of June 2-6.

Washington – The Federal Railroad Administration should no longer exempt commuter railroads from individual inspections of their most highly used tracks, the National Transportation Safety Board urged in a recommendation issued May 19.

Baltimore – Traditional risk-factor assessments might not be enough to detect cardiovascular disease in firefighters, according to a study from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Washington – NIOSH is asking oil and gas workers for information on occupational health hazards experienced during hydraulic fracturing operations, commonly known as fracking.

Washington – Outdoor workers need to get plenty of water, rest and shade this summer, OSHA is reminding employers as part of the agency’s annual heat illness prevention campaign.

Washington – "Safety climate” is not the same as safety culture and is an important measurement for determining a construction project’s state of safety, according to a new report from NIOSH and the Center for Construction Research and Training (also known as CPWR).