Labor

Washington – OSHA lacks sufficient controls to ensure worksites in the Voluntary Protection Programs maintain “exemplary occupational safety and health systems,” according to a Dec. 16 report from the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

Washington – Screening data for nearly 2,000 chemicals is available through the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Interactive Chemical Safety for Sustainability Dashboard.

Richmond, CA – California needs to change the way it regulates refineries and adopt a system aimed at reducing risk to the lowest possible level, concludes a new report from the Chemical Safety Board.

Washington – NIOSH has released a Spanish-language version of its ladder safety application for mobile devices.

Washington – The Office of Management and Budget has concluded a review of a draft rule that would update OSHA's Process Safety Management Standard, and the safety agency has formally requested input from the public.

Chicago – Mild traumatic brain injury caused by blast exposures may alter soldiers’ brains, suggests a study from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

Arlington, VA – Budget constraints have prevented the U.S. Postal Service from making critical safety repairs, concludes a new report from the Office of Inspector General.

Brisbane, Australia – Workplace nail gun injuries typically affect the non-dominant hand and other limbs, according to a new study from the Princess Alexandria Hospital.

New York – Exposure to toxic dust at Ground Zero on 9/11 may have caused kidney damage among first responders, according to a new study from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Washington – The notice of proposed rulemaking for OSHA’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program Standard has been delayed nine months, according to the agency’s fall semiannual regulatory agenda, published Nov. 26.