Labor

Atlanta – Workers in states that lack a primary seat belt law are less likely to buckle up, despite transportation-related incidents being the leading cause of work-related deaths, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington – The Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division has reassumed responsibility for agriculture and general industry responsibilities.

Chicago – The American Medical Association is calling on OSHA to require health care employers to implement programs intended to prevent workplace violence.

Atlanta – About 5.5 million working adults in the United States used electronic cigarettes in 2014, with the prevalence highest among workers in the accommodation and food services industry, according to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington – NIOSH has developed a mobile app to help miners assess the ergonomics of three mining tasks: bagging, maintenance and repair, and haul truck operations.

Washington – OSHA has scheduled an informal stakeholder meeting to discuss the hazards associated with tree care operations, as it considers creating a proposed rule to protect workers in the industry.

Quincy, MA – Sixty-eight firefighters died while on duty in 2015 – the fourth time in the past five years that the number of firefighter deaths totaled fewer than 70 – according to an annual report released June 9 by the National Fire Protection Association.

Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration is seeking information on ways to monitor and regulate miner exposure to diesel exhaust in underground mines.

Kansas City, MO – OSHA has launched a pilot program targeted at employers in Region 7 who “engage in egregious behavior and blatant retaliation against workers who report unsafe working conditions and violations of the law.”

Washington – NIOSH has developed a database it calls a “comprehensive tool” for searching “relevant standards, associated product types, target occupational groups, basic conformity assessment specifications and accredited lab information” related to personal protective equipment.