Labor

Melbourne, Australia — An antibiotic-resistant hospital superbug may be growing progressively more tolerant to alcohols used in hand sanitizers and disinfectants, according to a recent study from Austin Health and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity.

Southampton, England — Nurses who regularly work 12-hour shifts or longer have more illness-related absences than those who work shorter shifts, according a study led by researchers at the University of Southampton.

Washington — Offshore drilling rig operators in the Gulf of Mexico reported 1,129 blowout preventer equipment component failures in 2017, according to the latest annual report from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s SafeOCS reporting system.

Washington — OSHA recently announced an update of its webpage on avian influenza.

Washington — Staffing agencies and host employers share responsibility for protecting temporary workers from respiratory and noise hazards, according to separate bulletins recently released by OSHA as part of its Temporary Worker Initiative.

Washington — OSHA is extending to Dec. 12 the compliance date for certain ancillary provisions in its beryllium standard for general industry, the agency has announced.

Washington — OSHA has made available $10.5 million in grants to improve worker safety and health as part of its Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, according to a notice published in the Aug. 3 Federal Register.

Washington — Noting that it “has conducted several investigations where insufficient safety requirements for contractor selection and oversight were found to be causal to the incident,” the Chemical Safety Board has published a new “Safety Digest” highlighting the issue.

Washington — A sizable contingent of House Democrats is expressing concerns with the Department of Labor’s proposal to allow certain 16- and 17-year-olds to perform hazardous jobs, in a letter sent Aug. 1 to Secretary of Labor R. Alexander Acosta and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney.

Dallas — In support of OSHA’s Safe + Sound Campaign, OSHA Region VI and its Education Centers are hosting a free webinar intended to raise awareness of the value of an effective safety and health program.