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The E-Newsbrief of the National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety and Health Training is a free weekly newsletter focusing on new developments in the world of worker health and safety.
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An updated version of the WTP mold clean-up and treatment orientation resource is now available on the Hurricanes and Floods webpage. The new version of the tool includes specific information on mold clean-up in Puerto Rico and other tropical environments.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the increasing spread of mpox in Africa is a global health emergency, warning the virus might ultimately spill across international borders. Mpox, also known as monkeypox, belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches. People with more serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals. WHO said there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths in Africa this year, which already exceeds last year’s figures. Scientists are concerned by the spread of a new version of the disease there that might be more easily transmitted among people.
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The threats of high heat and wildfires are expected to persist well into autumn, meaning workers could be at risk. AccuWeahter, a weather forecast service, is predicting a warmer-than-usual fall season for nearly all the country. Through October and November, temperatures up to 3 degrees or more above historical averages could stick around in parts of the Northeast, Midwest, and Rockies. The service’s wildfire forecast is predicting 40,000 to 50,000 fires nationwide, which could burn 6 million to 8 million acres.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a new risk assessment of the H5N1 bird flu virus circulating in dairy cows, increasing slightly its estimate of the chance it poses of triggering a pandemic. The new assessment gauged the risk the virus might someday cause a pandemic at 5.79, up from a previous score of 5.12 from an assessment of a related virus conducted in April 2023. Both numbers are within what the CDC tool terms a “moderate” risk of 4.0 to 7.9. The agency still characterizes the risk H5N1 poses to the general public as low.
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In the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, farmworkers in Florida’s rural, agricultural areas were overlooked by federal, state, and local emergency response efforts, according to a new report released by the Natural Hazards Center. The report reinforces how the current patchwork disaster management cycle is increasingly failing the very communities who often end up the most disrupted by extreme weather events. The report found that Idalia didn’t just expose and exacerbate pre-existing inequities facing farmworkers in Florida, particularly for those with limited English proficiency and undocumented legal status, it also mimicked a pattern of aid exclusion seen in the aftermath of California’s Thomas wildfire and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965 benefited millions of people. The federal campaign to desegregate hospitals guaranteed Black patients across the South access to the same health care facilities as white patients. No longer were Black doctors and nurses prohibited from training or practicing medicine in white hospitals, but the end of legal racial segregation precipitated the demise of many Black hospitals, which were a major source of employment and a center of pride for Black Americans. Researchers have largely concluded that hospital desegregation improved the health of Black patients over the long term, but a new analysis suggests that racism continued to harm the health of Black patients in the years after hospital integration.
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More than a third of work-related injuries occur during people’s first year on the job, resulting in more than 6 million missed workdays according to a new report. For its 2024 Injury Impact Report, insurance provider The Travelers Cos. used data from more than 1.2 million workers’ compensation claims submitted from various businesses and industries between 2017 and 2021. Employees in their first year on the job account for 35% of the claims, with the construction industry having the highest average number of claims. The top five causes of injuries were overexertion, falls, struck by an object, motor vehicle-related incidents, and caught in between hazards.
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Decades of research have shown that the most disadvantaged communities exist at the intersection of high levels of hazard exposure, racial and ethnic marginalization, and poverty. Mapping and geographical information systems have been crucial for analyzing the environmental burdens of marginalized communities, and several federal and state geospatial tools have emerged to help address environmental justice concerns. Constructing Valid Geospatial Tools for Environmental Justice, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, offers recommendations for developing environmental justice tools that reflect the experiences of the communities they measure. The report recommends data strategies focused on community engagement, validation, and documentation.
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With rapidly changing technologies, the U.S. will be required to retool millions of workers with the skills needed to survive in the evolving workforce. Companies must re-examine how they identify, onboard, and train workers on the frontline and examine ways to ensure that they will continue to be successful as artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to become a major partner in their job. This webinar examines the challenges and opportunities from organizations and employees who need to apply AI tools. It will take place on August 29, 2024, from 12 – 1 p.m. EDT.
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Climate change is fundamentally a one health issue. Severe weather events and abnormal temperatures associated with climate change can cause shifts in wildlife and plant populations, affect human and animal health, and destabilize food systems, with ripple effects that threaten community cohesion and global health security. In this webinar, invited speakers will share One Health efforts that demonstrate the integration crucial for developing effective strategies that address the wide-reaching effects of climate change. The webinar will take place on August 29, 2024, from 3 – 4 p.m. EDT.
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Developing effective written plans isn’t just a paperwork exercise or a tool to help pass an Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspection. Written plans, whether required or not, streamline your safety efforts and provide a foundation for keeping workplace safety and health a priority. This webinar will look at written plan regulations, what makes plans more effective, and written plan benefits and resources. It will take place on September 26, 2024, from 12 – 1 p.m. CDT.
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It’s no longer breaking news that construction workers are dying by suicide far too often, but figuring out why it’s happening and how to prevent it is complicated. CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training, will share findings from two recent peer-reviewed articles and a CPWR Data Bulletin examining trends in suicide, mental health, and related factors. Representatives from CPWR and The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP) will then explain how employers can cultivate a Culture of Care in the workplace, putting a variety of solutions in place to holistically support employees. The webinar will take place on September 5, 2024, from 2 – 3 p.m. EDT.
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After nearly four years of discussion, and a week after a Baltimore sanitation worker died of heat-related causes, proposed state regulations to protect workers from heat stress are nearing the final stages of review. The 30-day public comment period has concluded, and a hearing has been scheduled for August 16. Barring any major changes, the new rules could be in place by early fall. The regulations offer a unified standard to avoid heat stress but provide flexibility for employers to tailor methods and strategies to the needs of their workplaces.
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Although raw sewage and gastrointestinal illnesses are rarely topics broached in polite conversation, they’re having a glaring impact in hundreds of towns and cities in the United States. The risk of acute gastrointestinal illness increases by up to 62% after certain kinds of sewer overflows, according to new research from Boston University. With increasing extreme rainfall events in the forecast, climate change could make the problem worse. The research team evaluated public health data and found a clear association between sewer overflows and gastrointestinal illness, including vomiting, diarrhea, and infections caused by identifiable pathogens.
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Research underway at an Ohio solar farm promises to shed light on how well multi-use farming can work at a large scale. The answers will help shape best practices for future projects, while addressing some concerns raised in ongoing debates over sitting large solar projects in rural farm areas. As farmers seek to lease land for solar arrays to diversify their incomes, the practice could help them maximize their income and fend off opposition from critics concerned that solar development will take prime farmland out of production. Some farmers have also said the revenue from clean energy can help keep their farms operating amid pressure from housing developers.
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The federal interagency National Integrated Heat Health Information System released a National Heat Strategy for 2024-2030. The strategy aims to promote proactive coordination related to heat planning, response, and resilience. The federal departments and agencies involved in developing this strategy acknowledge the impact of heat on the health and well-being of humans, animals, and ecosystems, as well as associated economic and societal consequences. The NIEHS Worker Training Program's new resource called Building Blocks for a Heat Stress Prevention Program was listed as a notable resource to address extreme heat.
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Atmospheric and oceanic conditions have set the stage for an extremely active hurricane season that could rank among the busiest on record. With the peak of hurricane season quickly approaching, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s National Weather Service urges everyone to know their risk; prepare for threats like damaging winds, storm surge and inland flooding from heavy rainfall; and to have a plan if asked to evacuate. In the Atlantic basin, a typical season will yield 14 named storms, of which seven become hurricanes and three become major hurricanes. Atmospheric and oceanic conditions continue to support an above-normal 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, with a 90% probability of this result.
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The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is marking the 24th anniversary of Executive Order 13166, which requires the federal government to improve access to services and programs for persons with limited English proficiency and affirming its commitment to improving communication accessibility for all workers. Since the release of the updated Language Access Plan and the establishment of the Centralized Office of Language Assistance, the department has continued to make improvements to communication accessibility, including translating vital materials into additional languages, developing outreach strategies for connecting with communities and individuals with limited English proficiency, and continuing interpretation services in over 170 languages.
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CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training, an NIEHS Worker Training Program grant recipient, published an article on construction worker mental health. Bullying and harassment in the workplace are increasingly recognized as hazardous exposures associated with poor mental health and suicidality, and the construction sector has one of the highest rates of suicide among all occupations. The sector is actively engaged in efforts to destigmatize mental health support, but there is less focus on reducing factors contributing to poor well-being among construction workers. CPWR developed an instrument to understand abusive conduct in construction and benchmark success in reducing adverse experiences of bullying and harassment.
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The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California has multiple openings for industrial hygienists and industrial safety professionals. The positions will directly support the mission work of the laboratory, with opportunities to provide safety and environmental support in addition to the industrial hygiene or safety aspects. Job duties include providing comprehensive safety and industrial hygiene support, evaluating work activities to identify hazards and recommend controls, and conducting health and safety evaluations and inspections of buildings and equipment.
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