Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing

Washington — Aiming to assist rural communities in the fight against opioid misuse, the Office of National Drug Control Policy has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on a guide for employers.

Washington — NIOSH is seeking participants for a study on hazards stemming from outdoor power tools used in the landscaping and grounds management industries.

Manhattan, KS — The Kansas Department of Agriculture has created a website intended to provide resources and support for farmers and ranchers coping with ag-related stress and mental health issues.

Washington — OSHA is planning to convene a Small Business Advocacy Review panel on a possible Tree Care Operations safety standard early in 2020.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency has unveiled a proposed rule intended to revise the pesticide application exclusion zone requirement in the Agricultural Worker Protection Standard.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking public comment on separate draft risk assessments for the toxic herbicide paraquat and its impact on human and ecological health, according to a notice published in the Oct. 16 Federal Register.

Sacramento, CA — Legislation introduced in the California State Assembly is aimed at protecting outdoor workers from harmful levels of wildfire smoke, after one of the worst wildfire seasons in the state’s recorded history.

East Lansing, MI — Farm workers exposed to an unusually high level of pesticides may be 50% more likely to lose, either partially or completely, their sense of smell later in life – an early symptom of Parkinson’s disease and dementia, results of a recent Michigan State University study show.

Iowa City, IA — A NIOSH-funded study of farm machinery found that the machine operators experienced whole-body vibration at levels that reached the European Union’s “action level” for exposure limit within two hours of operation on nearly 30 percent of the equipment tested.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is offering training intended to help prevent poisonings among workers who apply the toxic herbicide paraquat, as required by agency regulations.