Hazards

Tumwater, WA — A Washington State Department of Labor & Industries analysis of occupational exposures to hazardous substances found that, between 2008 and 2016, more than a quarter of the substances sampled in the state registered twice the recommended severity level – with some well beyond.

Dallas — A recent report from the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Volunteer and Combination Officers Section and the National Volunteer Fire Council details 11 best practices for minimizing cancer risk among firefighters.

Washington — By publishing the availability of expanded pesticide safety training materials after previously resisting the move, the Environmental Protection Agency will reduce risks of injury and illness among employers, farmworkers, pesticide handlers and their families, the EPA Office of Inspector General asserts in an audit report released Aug. 30.

Philadelphia — Knowledge is power when it comes to outdoor workers protecting themselves from skin cancer, new research from the American Association for Cancer Research suggests.

Lexington, KY — The Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center has issued a hazard alert advising employers on how they can help reduce unintentional drug overdoses in the workforce.

Stockholm — Workers genetically predisposed to develop multiple sclerosis could face a greater risk if they are exposed to organic solvents or they smoke, a study recently published by the American Academy of Neurology shows.

Boston — Construction and extraction workers in Massachusetts are six times more likely to suffer an opioid-related overdose death than workers in all other occupations, according to a recent report from the state’s Department of Public Health.

Secaucus, NJ — Lyme disease is becoming more common outside the Northeast and more prevalent in the United States overall, a recent study by lab services provider Quest Diagnostics shows.

Oakbrook Terrace, IL — Following up on its Sentinel Event Alert on workplace violence in the health care industry, accreditation organization The Joint Commission hosted a webinar to provide insight into prevention strategies.

Washington — A pair of recent Environmental Protection Agency proposals regarding asbestos are cause for alarm, Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) is cautioning, while the agency contends it is attempting to expand restrictions on the substance.