Hazards

Do you ever get distracted by your cellphone when walking? Is your workspace cluttered and messy? Do you barge out of your workstation without looking to see if a coworker is passing?

East Lansing, MI — Estimating that up to half of the 600,000 or so adult cases of asthma in Michigan may be caused or aggravated by on-the-job exposure, the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine has launched a campaign intended to raise awareness of work-related asthma.

Washington — The rate of overdose deaths among workers rose 24% annually over a recent six-year period, with heroin and opioids the most common contributors, results of a new NIOSH study show.

Portland, OR — Episodes of agitated student behavior – including verbal abuse of fellow students and teachers, as well as physical acts such as hitting, weaponizing school supplies, and destroying school or student property – may foster a “disrupted learning environment” that puts teachers’ safety and health at risk, according to a recent report from the Oregon Education Association.

Arlington, VA — Concerned about truck drivers sharing the roads with passenger vehicle drivers who are under the influence of marijuana in states where recreational and medicinal use is legal, the American Transportation Research Institute has released a report detailing methods to identify and deter impaired driving.

Tumwater, WA — The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has published a hazard alert on the risks of worker exposure to silica dust.

Silver Spring, MD — The American Nurses Association, in partnership with the U.S. Public Health Service chief nurse officer and the University of North Carolina and University of Washington schools of nursing, has launched a campaign with initiatives that include addressing industry concerns such as workplace violence and safe and appropriate staffing levels.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a final rule on asbestos intended to keep manufacturers from reintroducing “discontinued uses” of the known human carcinogen into the market without EPA approval.

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.

Washington — The Department of Transportation has issued a final rule, effective immediately, that makes minor technical corrections to regulations governing drug tests for workers in safety-sensitive jobs.