Hazards

Washington – Watchdog group Public Citizen is urging the Office of Management and Budget to complete a review of OSHA’s proposed standard on beryllium and open the rule for public comment.

Iowa City, IA – Swine farmers are 6 times more likely to carry multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, putting them at higher risk for skin and soft tissue infections, according to a study from the University of Iowa.

Arlington, VA – Coal mine dust samples taken after the Mine Safety and Health Administration implemented a rule to prevent deadly diseases known as “black lung” suggest that compliance is “highly achievable,” the agency announced April 23 during a hearing of the House Workforce Protections Subcommittee.

According to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety, workplace bullying generally involves repeated incidents intended to “intimidate, offend, degrade or humiliate a particular person or group of people.”

Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez tells congressional critics that OSHA must strike a balance between compliance assistance and enforcement.

Itasca, IL – Employers should take steps to better manage occupational exposures to help prevent the estimated 53,000 fatal workplace illnesses that occur each year, the National Safety Council announced April 22.

Cincinnati – More than half of workers evaluated at a poultry plant in Maryland experienced musculoskeletal disorder symptoms in a hand or wrist, according to a recent NIOSH evaluation conducted at the employer’s request.

New York – Emergency medical workers have endured chronic health conditions as a result of aiding victims of the 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attack, indicates a study from the New York City Fire Department and Montefiore Medical Center.

Atlanta – More than 15 percent of asthma cases among employed adults are work-related, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.