Labor

Washington – NIOSH recently issued an update to its strategic plan for protecting workers from safety and health hazards associated with nanotechnology.

Washington – NIOSH is requesting feedback on a draft update to its criteria for a recommended standard on occupational exposure to heat.

New York – The nation is not prepared to protect emergency response workers’ safety and health should another 9/11-scale disaster occur, according to a report from the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health.

Bilbao, Spain – Lack of safety data and information is one of the largest challenges facing the wind turbine industry, according to a new report from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.

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.