Stakeholders

Washington — The Federal Railroad Administration will renew the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee’s charter, according to a notice published in the Sept. 19 Federal Register.

The National Safety Council celebrates up-and-coming safety leaders by recognizing the “Rising Stars of Safety” – safety professionals younger than 40 who have distinguished themselves in the workplace.

OSHA data shows 23 workers were killed in trench collapses in 2016 – surpassing the combined total from 2014 and 2015. “Employers need to realize that any excavation has the potential for exposure to serious injury and fatality,” one expert says.

Silver Spring, MD — Construction firms that employ at least some union workers are more likely to perform safety best practices and undergo OSHA training than those with no union employees, according to the results of a biennial survey commissioned by the Center for Construction Research and Training – also known as CPWR.

Washington — The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission is accepting comments until Oct. 9 on potential revisions to its procedural rules, in part to reflect technological advances, according to a notice published in the Sept. 7 Federal Register.

Washington — Commercial construction leaders are concerned about higher safety risks resulting from a shortage of skilled workers, according to the most recent results of a quarterly survey conducted by USG Corp. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Washington — NIOSH has issued a guide intended to help employers select appropriate air-purifying respirators based on the environment and contaminants at specific jobsites.

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.

Spokane, WA — Individual organs in the digestive system contain separate biological clocks that may influence the metabolism of people who work the night shift and help explain a link to shift worker health problems such as obesity and diabetes, a recent study from researchers at Washington State University suggests.

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.