Hazards

Washington – Designating a single government agency to direct safety, health and environmental research efforts on nanomaterials could help accelerate progress, a new National Research Council report suggests.

London – Non-compliance with infection prevention and control practices may be common among hospital workers, suggests a new study from Cardiff University and City University, London.

Washington – OSHA is supporting the efforts of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety in promoting National Farm Safety and Health Week, Sept. 15-21.

Springfield, IL – Assaulting a nurse in Illinois will be classified as aggravated battery – a third-degree felony carrying a prison sentence of two to five years – under legislation signed into law Aug. 16.

Washington – OSHA’s notice of proposed rulemaking for crystalline silica was published in the Federal Register on Sept. 12, officially opening the rule’s public comment period.

Bluefield, WV – Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) met with miners, stakeholders, and miner safety and health advocates on Sept. 5 to discuss ending “black lung” – a deadly but preventable lung disease also known as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis.

Rockville, MD – Several construction industry trade associations have formed a coalition in response to OSHA’s proposed rule on crystalline silica.

South Bend, IN – A newly identified protein could lead to the development of drugs to help people better cope with rotational shift work and jet lag, a University of Notre Dame study suggests.

Washington – A chemical advisory issued Aug. 30 by OSHA; the Environmental Protection Agency; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives offers steps fertilizer facilities and others can take to help reduce ammonium nitrate hazards.

Washington – The Federal Aviation Administration should more strictly enforce air traffic controller scheduling policies to help reduce controller fatigue, concludes a report issued Aug. 27 by the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.