Business & Industry

Falls Church, VA – With the federal government occupied with budgetary issues and having to deal with a “broken” rulemaking process, states may end up taking their own steps to craft occupational safety and health legislation and regulation, according to the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

Washington – Fifteen people have been appointed to the Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health.

Houston – Vietnam War veterans who were exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange may have an increased risk of developing skin cancer, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Washington – Is OSHA overstepping its authority and ignoring congressional mandates? This question was debated at a Feb. 4 House Workforce Protections Subcommittee hearing, during which subcommittee chair Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) suggested the agency has circumvented the public rulemaking process through several actions that “dramatically” changed existing policies.

Seattle – The fatal explosion at the Tesoro Corp. refinery in Anacortes, WA, in 2010 could have been prevented if the company had replaced steel tubing with inherently safer alloys, according to a new report from the Chemical Safety Board.

London – Guidance documents released Jan. 29 from the Energy Institute aim to help employers meet four particular focus areas of a process safety management program.

New York – Employee attitudes can present an obstacle to advancing safety and health – even in organizations with upper-management support, according to results of a survey from MySafetySign, an online retailer.

East Lansing, MI – Conducting work at home on a smartphone at night may make it hard for employees to sleep, leaving them with less energy the next day, according to two new studies from Michigan State University.

Washington – Employers do not have to pay workers for time spent putting on and taking off personal protective equipment, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Jan. 27.

Washington – For the second time, OSHA has extended the public comment period on proposed updates to its crystalline silica rule, the agency announced Jan. 24.