Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing

Washington – The Department of Labor must do more to protect sheepherders and other livestock workers from unsafe conditions, according to advocacy group Public Citizen.

Iowa City, IA – Swine farmers are 6 times more likely to carry multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, putting them at higher risk for skin and soft tissue infections, according to a study from the University of Iowa.

Washington – Lawmakers in both chambers of Congress are proposing legislation that would prohibit children younger than 18 from working directly with tobacco plants or dried tobacco leaves.

Washington – Two of OSHA’s resources on whistleblower protections are now available in Spanish.

Montreal – Setting traps is the riskiest of a half-dozen activities identified as those most often leading to overboard falls in the lobster fishing industry, according to a report from scientific research organization IRSST.

Washington – OSHA and NIOSH have published recommended practices to help tobacco workers and employers avoid a potentially deadly combination of illnesses.

Portland, OR – Logging and construction industry deaths in Oregon continue to occur despite widely known preventive measures, according to the State Plan state’s administrator.

Fumigants used in the grain industry contain chemicals that can contribute to cancer, heart disease and other permanent health disorders among workers, OSHA cautioned in a Safety and Health Information Bulletin released in January.

A Virginia lawmaker recently introduced a bill that would prohibit children younger than 18 from working in the state’s tobacco fields.

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation faces unique challenges in assessing pesticide exposure risk for agricultural workers in the state, according to a report from the National Research Council.