Labor

Amsterdam — The Global Reporting Initiative has updated its occupational health and safety reporting standard, GRI 403, in an effort to address concerns over a lack of robust management, the organization recently announced.

In a memo sent Oct. 11 to regional administrators and state designees, the agency outlines examples of acceptable drug testing, and states that incentive programs that withhold prizes because of an injury are compliant “as long as the employer has implemented precautions to ensure that employees feel free to report an injury or illness.”

Maywood, IL — Educating new doctors on emotional intelligence could provide a method to help stem an elevated rate of burnout in the profession, the results of a recent Loyola University Medical Center study suggest.

Emmitsburg, MD — Eighty-seven firefighters were killed on the job in 2017, four fewer than in 2016, according to an annual report recently released by the U.S. Fire Administration.

Washington — Incomplete initiatives aimed at improving employer reporting of injuries are among the top management and performance challenges facing OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration, according to a Department of Labor Office of Inspector General report released in November.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking public comment on a draft risk evaluation that states the chemical substance Pigment Violet 29 “does not present an unreasonable risk of injury to human health or the environment,” according to a notice published in the Nov. 15 Federal Register.

Atlanta — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is seeking public comment on a draft updating two sections of existing guidance intended to assist health care administrators with “providing occupational infection prevention and control services to health care personnel,” according to a notice published in the Oct. 15 Federal Register.

Sydney — Workers in the construction and transportation industries face an increased risk of traumatic spinal injuries, in part because of “inefficient systems approaches or ineffective prevention policies,” suggests a recent study led by researchers at the University of Sydney.

Jefferson City, MO — The Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Division of Labor Standards has launched a new website intended to help employers quickly access resources to develop safer, healthier workplaces while saving money on lost time and workers’ compensation.

Winnipeg, Manitoba — Hospital privacy curtains may be breeding grounds for antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, a recent study led by researchers at the University of Manitoba shows.