Workplace exposures

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Washington — OSHA is requesting input on potential revisions to Table 1 of its respirable crystalline silica standard for construction, according to a Request for Information slated for publication in the Aug. 15 Federal Register.

During the summer months, outdoor workers are at heightened risk of heat-related illnesses, ranging from mild heat rash to potentially deadly heatstroke. “It’s not like you just provide them water and that solves the problem,” one expert says. “It starts with an effective plan.”

Washington — NIOSH has published a technical report intended to help safety and health professionals, employers, trade associations, labor organizations, and state-level programs control chemical exposures in the workplace.

Washington — The Mine Safety and Health Administration is extending to July 2022 the deadline for comment on a Request for Information concerning a retrospective study of the agency’s respirable coal mine dust rule.

Washington — Calling for stronger public protections to help make summertime activities “safe, healthy and affordable,” the Coalition for Sensible Safeguards is highlighting 11 worker, health, safety and transportation standards it says are needed.

Springfield, IL — A new Illinois law permits workers who have developed latent injuries or illnesses from on-the-job exposure to toxic substances to pursue legal judgments against employers beyond the previous statute of limitations.

Boulder, CO — The amount of air pollutants in nail salons can make working in one comparable to working at an oil refinery or in an auto repair garage, according to a study from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Boston — A group of researchers from the Boston University schools of medicine and public health has developed what it calls a “fast, accurate and cost-effective approach” to test whether certain chemicals increase people’s cancer risk.

For millions of workers, the effects of sustained on-the-job exposure to vibration – whether hand-arm or whole-body – may lead to various health problems.

One of the biggest hurdles for teen workers is speaking up about potential hazards. “They’re trying to put their best foot forward and appear as adult and knowledgeable as possible,” one expert says.