Hazards

Arlington, VA — In an effort to address a persistent concern in the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, the American Waterways Operators has released a guide on various principles of fatigue risk management.

Boston — Falls to a lower level were the leading a cause of fatal worker injuries in Massachusetts from 2014 to 2015, representing nearly 17 percent of the state’s workplace fatalities, according to a report released Oct. 16 by the state’s Department of Public Health.

Workplace violence is a “growing concern for employers and employees,” OSHA states. In 2016, workplace homicides increased by 83 cases to 500, the highest homicide figure since 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Washington — The National Occupational Research Agenda Manufacturing Sector Council has created an online resource guide intended to assist organizations in beginning, maintaining or enhancing their hazardous energy control programs.

Houston — When OSHA revised its rules for reporting severe injuries in 2014, agency officials were not sure what to expect, Patrick Kapust, deputy director of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs, said Monday during the “OSHA Current Activities Update” Technical Session at the 2018 National Safety Council Congress & Expo.

Barcelona, Spain — Toiling in extreme temperatures may increase workers’ risk of injury, according to the results of a recent study from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health.

Washington — The Senate on Oct. 3 passed an extensive package of bipartisan opioid legislation with provisions that include boosting efforts to improve the coordination of emergency department overdose care and advancing hair testing as an accepted drug-testing method for transportation industry employees.

Washington — The Department of Labor’s regulatory agenda for fall 2018, released Oct. 17, contains few changes for OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Washington — NIOSH has published a new fact sheet for employers considering a naloxone program to help prevent opioid overdoses.

Atlanta — Nearly 4 out of 5 health care providers received an influenza vaccination during the 2017-2018 flu season, according to a recently released annual report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.