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Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General is investigating the effectiveness and integrity of USDA’s procedures to develop and advance a controversial proposed rule that would remove maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants, according to a letter obtained by multiple media outlets.

“From the moment they start to operate the machine,” one safeguarding expert says, “you look at the design and you think, ‘Well, could someone potentially get hurt?’”

How much do employers spend on training? What types do they use? The results of the Safety+Health 2019 Training Survey are in. Plus, experts share strategies for increasing trainee engagement.

Safety+Health, with help from the International Safety Equipment Association, recently reached out to PPE manufacturers to ask about the latest trends, as well as innovations and new technologies that are here or on the horizon.

Washington — The House on June 19 passed a “minibus” appropriations bill that includes fiscal year 2020 funding for OSHA, NIOSH, and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Washington — President Donald Trump’s Executive Order calling for a significant cut in advisory committees appears to have little if any effect on workplace safety agencies.

Carson City, NV — Nevada has become the latest state to require hospitals and other health care facilities to create and implement workplace violence prevention programs and report incidents.

Washington — Chemical Safety Board vacancies, expiring member terms and unclear responsibilities are among the challenges “that, if not addressed, may impede [CSB’s] ability to efficiently and effectively achieve its mission or meet its goals,” the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General states in a new report, issued May 20.

Washington — Legislation that would direct OSHA to issue a standard requiring employers in health care and social services industries to develop and implement workplace violence prevention plans was voted out of the House Education and Labor Committee on June 11, and now advances to the full House.

Washington — Changes to provisions in OSHA’s beryllium rule for general industry have moved to the final rule stage, according to the Department of Labor’s Spring 2019 regulatory agenda.