Labor

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency will ban the use of the toxic chemical trichloroethylene and prohibit most uses of the carcinogenic chemical substance perchloroethylene, under separate final rules announced in December.

Washington — Despite precautionary safety measures put in place months earlier, a chemical plant in Conyers, GA, still experienced multiple fires and a “massive plume of potentially toxic smoke” that endangered the surrounding community, the Chemical Safety Board says.

Washington — Civil penalties issued by OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration will increase approximately 2.6% on Jan. 15.

Stevens Point, WI — In the retail and wholesale industry, employees in their first year on the job account for more than a third of all work-related injuries, a recent analysis shows.

Washington — The eighth annual Safe + Sound Week, a national initiative aimed at promoting awareness and understanding of workplace safety and health programs, is set for Aug. 11-17.

Washington — Multiple workplace programs aimed at preventing musculoskeletal disorders have achieved the highest rating within the National Safety Council’s MSD Solutions Index, a recent report from the nonprofit shows.

Washington — A proclamation signed by President Joe Biden on Dec. 16 establishes a national monument for former Labor Secretary Frances Perkins.

Washington — Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) is the new chair of the House Education and the Workforce Committee for the 119th Congress, which kicked off Jan. 3.

Canberra, Australia — A recently launched series of case studies from Safe Work Australia is intended to help identify on-the-job psychosocial risks, assess and control them, and review control measures.

Washington — For workers who are exposed to arc flash hazards, the type of personal protective clothing they’re wearing may mean the difference between being severely injured or walking away unharmed.