Hazards

Boston — A universal masking policy for employees at Mass General Brigham led to a significant decrease in the rate of COVID-19 infections among workers, results of a recent study by researchers at the health system show.

Lowell, MA — During the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, only 20% of workers felt their employer met their needs to protect their safety and health, but many employers have since worked to earn employee trust in that regard, results of a recent global survey indicate.

Secaucus, NJ — U.S. workers in 2019 tested positive for illicit drugs at the highest rate in 16 years – an uptick that could continue this year as a symptom of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an annual analysis by lab services provider Quest Diagnostics.

Washington — The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, is seeking public comment on long-awaited proposed guidelines on the use of hair samples as a method for drug testing federal employees and safety-sensitive employees in federally regulated industries, including commercial motor vehicle operators.

Itasca, IL — The National Safety Council is calling on both 2020 U.S. presidential campaigns to adopt, as part of their COVID-19 pandemic recovery strategies, the council’s comprehensive plan to combat the national opioid overdose epidemic.

Whenever muscle damage occurs – whether it’s the result of a work-related incident, heat exposure, overuse or other cause – rhabdomyolysis can follow. Also called “rhabdo,” the condition develops when damaged or dead muscles break down and release cell contents into the blood, according to NIOSH.

Washington — A series of new fact sheets from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is intended to help employers in the transit industry protect bus, rail, maintenance and station workers from coronavirus exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic.

New York — More than a third of business leaders don’t know when their employees will return to the workplace as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, according to the results of a recent survey.

Itasca, IL — Concerned about the “current and potential” impacts of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act of 2019 on workplace health and safety, the National Safety Council, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and 20 other organizations are calling on the House to conduct hearings on the matter.

Dallas — The OSHA Region 6 Training Institute Education Centers has developed a webinar on the proper implementation of a respiratory protection program during the COVID-19 pandemic.