Transportation

Washington – OSHA’s notice of proposed rulemaking for crystalline silica was published in the Federal Register on Sept. 12, officially opening the rule’s public comment period.

Washington – The U.S. Coast Guard is seeking comment on a proposal that would require vessels operating in the outer continental shelf to develop new or modified safety and environmental management systems.

Washington – Two new fact sheets from NIOSH provide information aimed at helping young workers drive safely.

Washington – A group of 51 Congress members recently criticized the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for allowing new hours-of-service regulations to go into effect before the agency completed a field study on the rule’s effectiveness.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has updated the software it uses to calculate civil penalties for safety violations.

Washington – The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is requesting public input on a proposal to enhance the safety and durability of rail tank cars used to transport hazardous materials.

Washington – A safety alert issued Aug. 30 by a Federal Railroad Administration committee warns workers who install and maintain rails and signaling devices about the risks of using mobile electronic devices on or near rails.

South Bend, IN – A newly identified protein could lead to the development of drugs to help people better cope with rotational shift work and jet lag, a University of Notre Dame study suggests.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has begun testing whether off-site safety audits are as effective as onsite safety audits at determining a new truck carrier’s safety performance.

Washington – The Federal Aviation Administration should more strictly enforce air traffic controller scheduling policies to help reduce controller fatigue, concludes a report issued Aug. 27 by the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.