Labor

Cincinnati – The condition of the battery used in a powered air-purifying respirator influences the respirator’s performance, a new NIOSH fact sheet stresses.

Washington – A new report is calling for the Department of the Interior’ Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement to enlist the help of the offshore oil and gas industry in developing safer technology.

Washington – Ninety-five law enforcement officers died on the job in 2012, according to FBI data released Oct. 28.

Salem, OR – Oregon high school students are invited to submit videos for the 2013 “Speak up. Work safe.” public service announcement contest.

Silver Spring, MD – A new online tool from the Center for Construction Research and Training (better known as CPWR) allows users to confidentially save, retrieve and edit plans for reducing worker exposure to silica.

Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration recently used its revised Pattern of Violations power for the first time, putting three mines on notice.

Washington – OSHA is extending until January the comment period for its notice of proposed rulemaking on crystalline silica, the agency announced Oct. 25.

Washington – Calling current permissible exposure limits “antiquated” and “dangerously out of date,” OSHA administrator David Michaels unveiled two web-based resources he said will help companies keep workers safer around chemicals.

Sacramento, CA – California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) recently signed into law three bills related to workplace safety, but vetoed one proposal.

Washington – Firefighters are more likely to develop a variety of cancers than the general public, suggests a new study from NIOSH.