Accommodations/food service

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Seattle – Seattle voters on Nov. 8 approved a measure intended to make working conditions safer for the roughly 7,500 workers in the city’s hotel industry, including housekeepers, room service servers and other employees.

Baton Rouge, LA – Service industry workers in Louisiana report a higher prevalence of poor health, chronic health conditions, and risk factors such as smoking and binge drinking than all other workers in the state, according to an analysis conducted by the state’s Occupational Health and Injury Surveillance Program.

As hotels compete to offer more luxurious settings for their guests, “housekeepers often are having to work even harder and more quickly,” one expert says. While one state considers a safety and health standard for hotel housekeeping workers, advocates are calling for stronger protections and better ergonomics training.

Austin, TX – A majority of food industry employees go to work when sick, according to a new survey commissioned by training and consulting company Alchemy Systems.

Tumwater, WA – A chemical used in car and truck washes can harm workers, according to research from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

Atlanta – Workers in the accommodation and food service industries have the highest prevalence of cigarette smoking, according to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Richmond, British Columbia – New videos from WorkSafeBC show best work practices for hotel housekeeping workers to prevent injuries while cleaning bathrooms, dusting, making beds and more.

Washington – A recently released OSHA fact sheet on preventing amputations from food slicers and meat grinders incorporates findings from the agency’s new injury reporting requirements.