Labor

Washington – Certain smartphone and tablet applications designed to measure sound levels are accurate and reliable enough to assess occupational noise exposures, according to a new NIOSH study.

Anacortes, WA – The Chemical Safety Board on May 1 approved what board chair Rafael Moure-Eraso called a “landmark” report on an April 2010 explosion at the Tesoro refinery in Washington state.

Arlington, VA – As the Mine Safety and Health Administration announces its intent to work with the mining industry on implementing the agency’s recent final rule on coal dust, some mining companies and organizations are actively pushing back.

Washington – NIOSH’s Office of Mine Safety and Health Research is seeking proposals for robotic technologies or systems that can help improve self-escape and rescue efforts in the event of a mine disaster.

Washington – Falls – many involving ladders – are a leading cause of workplace injuries, according to a NIOSH study published April 25 in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Corvallis, OR – The number of workers injured while handling fish on certain types of commercial fishing vessels could be reduced if appropriate interventions are developed, a new study concludes.

Washington – To mark Workers Memorial Day on April 28, various government officials have reflected on what must be done to help create safer work environments.

Sacramento, CA – Days after two nurses were stabbed at two separate Los Angeles-area hospitals, a California Senate committee has passed a bill intended to better protect hospital and health care workers from work-related violence.

Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration on April 23 released a final rule intended to lower miners’ exposure to coal mine dust and help end the prevalence of deadly diseases collectively known as black lung.

Washington – The number and rate of fatal work injuries in 2012 are slightly higher than preliminary statistics issued last summer but still represent a decline from the previous year, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics final report.