Hazards

Durham, NH — U.S. seafood workers were twice as likely to contract COVID-19 as workers in other food industries during the height of the pandemic, results of a recent study indicate.

Houston — Offshore oil and gas workers who regularly practice mindfulness may experience less fatigue and emotional and psychological strain – all while increasing their situational awareness and productivity, results of a recent study led by University of Houston researchers show.

Washington — A companion bill to the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R. 1195), passed by the House in April 2021, has been introduced in the Senate.

Gaithersburg, MD — The use of ultraviolet light to disinfect N95 respirators has minimal impact on their form and function, allowing frontline workers to reuse the masks, results of a recent National Institute of Standards and Technology study show.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is accepting comment until July 5 on a proposed rule that would establish reporting and recordkeeping requirements for asbestos – a known human carcinogen – under the Toxic Substances Control Act.

Provo, UT — Recent surveys of essential workers show that, during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, those in less visible professions felt less appreciated than workers in more public-facing jobs – and it took an emotional toll on them.

Atlanta — Health care workers who were diagnosed with COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic were more likely to have contracted the illness on the job rather than in household or community settings, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study has concluded.

Washington — People who’ve been convicted of assaulting airline employees would be prohibited from boarding commercial aircraft, under bipartisan legislation introduced April 6 in the House and Senate.

Washington — “The nation must renew its commitment to protecting workers from job injury, disease and death, and make this a high priority,” the AFL-CIO says in its annual report on the state of safety and health protections for U.S. workers.

Linz, Austria — Shift work may be associated with poorer memory and slower mental processing speed, as well as lower levels of alertness and visual focus, results of a recent study out of Austria suggest.