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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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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is proposing to issue a new standard, titled Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings. The standard would apply to all employers conducting outdoor and indoor work in all general industry, construction, maritime, and agriculture sectors where OSHA has jurisdiction, with some exceptions. It would be a programmatic standard that would require employers to create a plan to evaluate and control heat hazards in their workplace. The public comment period is open, and comments must be submitted by December 30, 2024.
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International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), held on August 31 every year, is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember, without stigma, those who have died and acknowledge the grief of family and friends left behind. The theme for 2024 is “Together we can,” highlighting the power of our community when we all stand together. The goals of IOAD are to provide an opportunity for people to publicly mourn loved ones; tell people who use drugs and people in recovery that they are valued; inform people around the world about the risk of drug overdose; and provide basic information on the range of support services that are available.
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National Recovery Month, which started in 1989, is a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the nation’s strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and communities who make recovery in all its forms possible. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) aims to increase public awareness surrounding mental health and addiction recovery. SAMHSA has a toolkit, event list, and helpful resources for support, treatment, and recovery.
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September marks National Preparedness Month, the annual campaign to remind everyone that preparing for emergencies and disasters can keep them, their families, and their communities safe. While the resources and information shared during National Preparedness Month and on Ready.gov can be used by anyone at any time to get prepared for whatever may come their way, this year, the campaign is focused on preparing Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. The theme for 2024 is “Start a conversation” to encourage families to take action to be more prepared.
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At the end of September, each household will be able to order up to four rapid tests through COVIDtests.gov. The tests, which will detect newer COVID-19 variants, will be good for use until the end of the year. The mailed tests are returning after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week approved two updated COVID-19 vaccines to provide protection against current strains of the virus. If you test negative and are experiencing symptoms, the FDA recommends a second test performed 48 hours after the first. It recommends three tests for people who have been exposed but don't have symptoms, also 48 hours apart.
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Agricultural health and safety experts have been trying to get the word out about how to protect against bird flu, including through bilingual videos on TikTok showing the proper way to gear up with respirators, eye protection, gloves, and coveralls. Colorado’s health and agriculture departments have offered a free month’s supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) to any producer who requests it. According to numbers provided by the state health department in late August, fewer than 13% of the state’s dairies had requested and received such PPE. Concerns are growing about undiagnosed illness among farmworkers because of a lack of testing and safety precautions.
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At least nine people have died after being infected with listeria from Boar’s Head deli meats tied to a massive recall in July. The new food poisoning toll includes two deaths in South Carolina plus one each in Florida, New Mexico, Tennessee and New York. At least 57 people have been sickened and hospitalized in the outbreak. Listeria infections are caused by a hardy type of bacteria that can survive and even thrive during refrigeration. The infections are especially dangerous for older people, those who are pregnant or those with weakened immune systems.
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking feedback on updated occupational exposure assessments for three seed treatment pesticides to which exposure may cause negative health effects. EPA issued separate assessments for clothianidin, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam. These pesticides are used to limit seed and plant damage, and they can trigger harmful neurological, reproductive, or developmental effects in workers exposed to high amounts. Recent revisions to EPA’s seed treatment exposure assessment data helped produce higher dermal and inhalation exposure and risk estimates for numerous seed treatment tasks, according to the agency. Comments on the assessments are due September 24, 2024.
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Greenhouse gas concentrations, the global temperature across land and the ocean, global sea level and ocean heat content all reached record highs in 2023, according to the 34th annual State of the Climate report. The international annual review of the world’s climate, led by scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is based on contributions from nearly 600 scientists in 60 countries. It provides the most comprehensive update on Earth’s climate indicators, notable weather events and other data collected by environmental monitoring stations and instruments located on land, water, ice and in space.
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The Department of Energy (DOE) released the 2024 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER), a comprehensive study designed to track and understand employment trends across the energy sector. The 2024 USEER shows that the energy workforce overall added over 250,000 jobs in 2023. Clean energy employment increased by 142,000 jobs in 2023, accounting for 56% of new energy sector jobs and growing at a rate more than twice as large as that for the rest of the energy sector and the U.S. economy overall.
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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has published a new paper entitled, “A Conceptual Framework to Assess Post-Wildfire Water Quality: State of the Science and Knowledge Gaps.” Key points highlight that precipitation and burn severity are studied more often than soil and land characteristics to explain post-wildfire water quality. Wildfire effects include impaired water quality include, increased streamflow, and increased drinking water treatment costs; and knowledge gaps include long-term monitoring, multi-factor studies, and consideration of groundwater and organic contaminants.
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Registration is now open for the 2024 NIEHS Worker Training Program (WTP) Fall Awardee Meeting and Workshop. The awardee meeting will be held on October 22, 2024, and will be in-person only. The workshop will follow on October 23-24, 2024, and will be in-person only at the NIEHS campus in Research Triangle Park, NC. Registration for the grant recipient meeting and workshop will close on October 11, 2024, at 5 p.m. EDT.
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The Department of Labor Women’s Bureau is hosting a webinar that aims to provide education and awareness to partners who are on the front lines interacting with children on a regular basis and other interested parties, so that together we can eradicate exploitative child labor using all the tools at our disposal. It will take place on September 12, 2024, from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. EDT.
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The public health measures implemented to control the COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted social interactions, exacerbating feelings of loneliness and social isolation, particularly among vulnerable groups like older adults, youth, and those with pre-existing health conditions. As communities shift away from pandemic-related support, there is a timely need to explore strategies for fostering social connection and well-being. This webinar will explore strategies from the social and behavioral sciences to promote social connectedness and to address social isolation and loneliness. It will take place on September 20, 2024, from 2 – 3 p.m. EDT.
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Texas Southern University will co-host in collaboration with The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice the in-person 10th Annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Climate Change Conference March 5-9, 2025. The purpose of the conference is to bring together HBCU faculty and students, researchers, climate professionals and environmental justice and coastal community residents impacted by toxic facilities and severe weather events related to climate change. The conference will address issues related to climate justice, adaptation, community resilience, global climate issues, and other major climate change topics. Student abstracts are now being accepted for oral and poster presentations for our 2025 conference.
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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 is hosting a webinar to share the findings from two recent peer-reviewed articles and a CPWR Data Bulletin examining trends in suicide, mental health, and related factors. The webinar will take place on September 5, 2024, from 2 – 3 p.m. EDT.
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The American Red Cross says there’s an emergency shortage of blood for transfusions. In July 2024, the national supply dropped by more than 25%. There are several factors that have influenced this situation, including extreme heat. Extreme temperatures around the country over the summer led about 100 blood drives to start late or end early. Disasters and severe weather have caused 60 blood drive cancellations in the last month alone.
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Federal data indicate that assaults on transit workers resulting in fatalities or hospitalizations tripled between 2008 and 2022. Researchers conducted an online survey in late 2023 through early 2024 of New York City public-facing bus and subway workers that focused on their work experiences during the 2020–2023 period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The data indicated a peri-pandemic surge of assault-related fatalities and hospitalizations, but assaults with less dire outcomes were not recorded. These data point to the need for greater attention to record and report on victimization against workers in both buses and subway.
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of approximately $3.48 million for two cooperative agreements to build the capacity of Tribal governments to restore land for productive use and healthy communities, reduce waste, prevent environmental contamination and prepare for and respond to environmental emergencies in Indian country. Through the Notice of Funding Opportunity, EPA anticipates awarding two cooperative agreements to one recipient. The awardee will provide training, technical assistance, research, and tools to Tribal environmental staff to build capacity on waste management, cleanup, pollution prevention, and emergency response programs in Indian country.
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The Environmental Justice (EJ) Scholars Program invites EJ expertise, knowledge, and skills from research scholars, academics, public health and health care professionals, and EJ leaders from community-based organizations to work with staff members at various National Institutes of Health (NIH) Institute, Center, or Office. During the program period, EJ scholars will collaborate with NIH staff on one or more research, education, or training relevant activities, contributing to the wider NIH community. Applications should be submitted to ejscholars@nih.gov by October 11, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. There will be an informational webinar held on September 13, 2024, from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. EDT.
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The Department of Labor and the Republic of Colombia announced the South American country has joined the Consular Partnership Program to raise awareness among Colombians working in the U.S. about regulations protecting them in America’s workplaces. Colombian consulates in the U.S. will provide valuable information to Colombian citizens and their employers about federal laws governing workplace safety and health, wages and work hours, and employee benefits. Consular Partnerships help the department enforce U.S. labor protections more effectively, especially in high-risk and low-wage industries where violations are more likely.
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The Department of Energy (DOE) announced 19 State and local governments will receive over $240 million to adopt and implement the latest energy efficient or innovative building codes. Analysis shows that building energy codes make the electric grid more resilient and help save lives in climate-fueled extreme heat and cold and during extended power outages. These grants are part of a suite of support that DOE is providing to States, localities, territories, Tribes, and their partners to advance both traditional and innovative building energy codes resulting in more resilient, more efficient, and better buildings across the country.
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is looking to hire a safety and occupational health manager to administer the safety, occupational health, and industrial hygiene programs at Washington Aqueduct in Washington D.C., which is a major municipal water supply facility serving over one million persons. This position is functionally responsible for the overall planning and development of a comprehensive safety and accident prevention, industrial hygiene and occupational health program.
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