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Beckley, WV – Excessive coal dust fueled the April 2010 explosion of methane gas at the Upper Big Branch mine, concludes a final report released Feb. 23 by the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training.

Baltimore – Approximately 26.7 million Americans 50 and older have hearing loss, but only about 14 percent of those people use a hearing aid, according to a study from Johns Hopkins University.

Washington – On Feb. 24, three safety advocacy organizations and two truck drivers filed a joint lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia over the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s final rule on hours of service issued last December.

San Francisco – Concussions and their severity may be minimized with a properly fitted football helmet combined with proper techniques, according to a study presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine’s Specialty Day in February.

Washington – The comment period for a rule aimed at addressing the risk of injuries from consumer table saws has been extended until March 16.

Washington – The National Business Group on Health on Feb. 2 issued a recommendation that flu vaccinations be made mandatory for hospital workers to help protect other employees and patients.

The National Safety Council Texas Safety Conference & Expo is an annual event for safety professionals from the Gulf Coast and beyond looking to improve safety in their organization. The conference allows attendees of all experience levels to learn best practices and trends, network in a variety of settings and discover safety solutions from more than 150 exhibitors.

Washington – Driving deaths among 16- and 17-year-olds increased 11 percent during the first six months of 2011 compared to the same time period in 2010, according to a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association. The preliminary findings reverse an eight-year downward trend in teen driver fatalities rates, according to a GHSA press release.

Nottingham, United Kingdom – Work-related stress increases substantially during a recession, according to research from the University of Ulster and the University of Nottingham.

Washington – NIOSH recently created a training program covering non-verbal communication signals underground for coal miners in the event of an emergency.