Labor

Chapel Hill, NC – Nearly half of hog workers may carry drug-resistant bacteria in their noses after they leave work, potentially spreading the bacteria to their families and others, according to a recent study from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and John Hopkins University.

Washington – Two members of Congress are broadening their effort to protect children as young as 12 from working in tobacco fields.

Sacramento, CA – Newly signed California legislation seeks to protect subcontracted workers by holding employers who use labor contractors accountable for workplace safety.

Atlanta – Health care workers who administer certain toxic cancer drugs do not always adhere to recommended safety guidelines, according to a new NIOSH study.

Albany, NY – Legislation recently passed in New York state is intended to protect firefighters and other first responders from collapses of residential structures that feature wood truss construction.

Detroit – Hospital workers can be trained on identifying risk factors for patient violence as well as how to lessen or prevent incidents, according to a new study from Wayne State University.

London – People who work long hours at manual and other “low socioeconomic status jobs” may have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a study from University College London.

Sacramento, CA – Occupational injuries among nurses in California decreased by one-third after a 2004 state law implemented nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in acute care hospitals, according to a new study from the University of California, Davis.

Atlanta – Influenza vaccination rates among health care workers increased slightly during the 2013-14 season, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sacramento, CA – A new California law intended to improve the state’s access to petroleum companies’ safety records has drawn the ire of some free-speech activists, who claim employers can use the law to limit public access to certain documents.