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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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Registration is now open for the 2024 NIEHS WTP Fall Award Recipient Meeting and Workshop. The award recipient meeting will be held October 22, 2024, and will be in-person only. The workshop will follow October 23-24, 2024, and will be in-person only at the NIEHS campus in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Registration for the award recipient meeting and workshop will close October 11, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. ET.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that a possible cluster of bird-flu infections in Missouri has grown to include eight people, in what may be the first examples of person-to-person transmission in the United States. If confirmed, the cases in Missouri could indicate that the virus may have acquired the ability to infect people more easily. Health officials in Missouri initially identified a patient with bird flu who was hospitalized last month with unusual symptoms. The patient may have infected one household member and six health care workers, all of whom developed symptoms.
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In joining just a handful of other states that have standards protecting workers from extreme heat, Maryland’s newly published and adopted heat standard, which went into effect on September 30, requires all workers to have access to water, shade, and rest breaks when temperatures exceed 80 degrees. In Maryland, workers now must be provided with at least 32 ounces of water, shaded breaks, and training on both the symptoms and prevention of heat illness. The regulations apply to both indoor and outdoor worksites. Employers must keep written heat plans and must also include procedures for acclimatizing workers to heat.
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Hurricane Helene’s destructive path tore across several states, causing the ocean surge on the Florida coast and cutting off power supplies in Georgia, but the heaviest rainfall, and some of the worst damage, was hundreds of miles from where the storm made landfall. In Asheville, North Carolina, more than 15 inches of rain fell in the almost 1,000 square mile watershed above the city. The flooding has killed dozens of people so far. The catastrophic damage is a sign of what climate scientists have been warning about: as the Earth heats up, rainfall is becoming increasingly extreme and deadly. A new rainfall records tool, Atlas 15, will take climate change into account, helping city engineers design infrastructure that will be adequate in the decades ahead. The records are expected to be released in 2026 for the lower 48 states, with the remaining records for the rest of the country released in 2027.
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A new survey involving 3,382 respondents reveals that people who had two COVID-19 infections were more than twice as likely, and those who had three or more COVID-19 infections were almost four times more likely, to report long COVID than those with one infection. Researchers noted that the odds of both severe fatigue and post-exertional malaise, both of which can be quite debilitating, increased with reinfections. The researchers also noted that the number of pre-infection vaccines and boosters cut the risk of long COVID, but their efficacy was diminished by reinfections.
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Climate change is bringing more extreme weather to New York City, from frequent heat waves to wildfire smoke. Outdoor workers, such as construction and transportation workers who perform physically demanding tasks, are among the most vulnerable to extreme weather because of the dangers of working in hot or smoggy conditions. This report by the New York City Comptroller analyzes the health impacts of extreme temperatures and unsafe air quality, quantifies the New York City outdoor worker population, and identifies national best practices for labor standards. The report concludes with policy recommendations that should be taken by New York City and State to protect outdoor workers.
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Breathing in vehicle exhaust, power plant fumes, and other fossil fuel pollution can harm people’s lungs and hearts. The U.S. has committed to cutting its climate-warming emissions to about half of 2005 levels by the end of this decade, and a research team in Massachusetts used computer models to estimate the health benefits of achieving that target. They found that in the year 2050 alone, cutting emissions could result in almost a million avoided asthma attacks, more than 40,000 avoided heart attacks, and more than 30,000 avoided deaths. That’s just a snapshot of the projected health benefits for a single year, and the impact over time will be much larger.
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A new joint federal-state report on the origin of last year’s wildfire that killed at least 102 people in Maui determined that power lines downed by high winds ignited a brush fire that ended up destroying the town of Lahaina. The investigation by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Maui’s fire department classifies the fire as “accidental.” The joint investigation doesn’t hold any individual or organization responsible for the fire that caused an estimated $5 billion in damage and left thousands homeless.
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The Women’s Bureau’s Western Region is hosting a free public webinar during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The webinar will cover supportive services and workplace rights, including federal and California protections for survivors of domestic violence. It will take place October 16, 2024, 4:00-5:00 p.m. ET.
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CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training is hosting a webinar to explore the practical application of head protection to prevent traumatic brain injuries, how to select appropriate headgear, and information covered in the standards. Various contractor representatives will share how they have incorporated head protection into their overall struck-by prevention programs and how they have handled the current transition many are making from traditional hardhats to safety helmets, as well as challenges that might arise. The webinar will take place October 31, 2024, 2:00-3:15 p.m. ET.
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Recently completed research by the University of Washington examined the use of mentorships to prolong the careers of women in the trades. Based on lessons learned throughout this five-year project, the research team published a Best Practices Guide and a Mentor Handbook that can be used by others interested in cultivating mentor-mentee relationships in the trades for both women and men. This webinar, hosted by CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training, will share the new resources and how they can help you develop or improve a mentorship program within your union or construction company, and the role of mentorship in promoting social support, psychological health, safety, and well-being. The webinar will take place on November 19, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. ET.
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Over two million farmworkers help grow and harvest the food that feeds our nation. Farmworkers and their families are at high risk for pesticide exposure due to their work in and around areas where pesticides are used. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing three new funding opportunities to support 1) pesticide safety education for farmworkers, 2) training for health care providers to better address pesticide-related illness, and 3) technical assistance to support managing these grants. A total of almost $10 million will be awarded to at least four grantees to carry out this work over five years.
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As the nation marks National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the availability of a new tool that provides access to more than 700 accommodation ideas for workers with disabilities and their employers. The “Situations and Solutions Finder” offers examples of workplace accommodations shared by users of the Job Accommodation Network. The database draws its examples from organizations large and small, across industries, and from the private and public sectors. The tool allows users to filter and save results by disability, limitation, or occupation.
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and federal, state, community, and voluntary partners continue providing resources to aid response efforts across the Southeast as survivors begin recovering from Hurricane Helene. More than 3,500 personnel from across the federal workforce are deployed and supporting Hurricane Helene response efforts across the impacted states. Across the impacted states, FEMA has shipped over 1.9 million Meals Ready to Eat, more than 1 million liters of water, 30 generators, and over 95,000 tarps. The Biden-Harris Administration declared Major Disaster declarations for areas of Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina, allowing disaster survivors to begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA.
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The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is sending investigators to investigate the major chemical fire that occurred on September 29 at the Bio-Lab facility in Conyers, Georgia. According to news reports, as many as 17,000 people in the area evacuated due to the fire and 90,000 others east of Atlanta were advised to shelter in place due to the massive plume of dark smoke from the fire. Bio-Lab manufactures pool and spa chemicals containing trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA), which is used throughout the country for pool care. When put in large bodies of water such as a pool, TCCA breaks down slowly, releasing chlorine in the water, but in small amounts of water TCCA does not dissolve and it can undergo a chemical reaction that produces toxic chlorine gas.
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The Department of Commerce and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced $22.78 million in funding to NOAA labs, programs, cooperative institutes, and other research partners to advance research on a wide range of water-driven climate impacts. Research topics include mapping and forecasting of coastal and inland flooding and inundation, as well as next-generation water modeling activities, including modernized precipitation frequency studies. These funds will help communities prepare for a range of climate impacts and will directly benefit policymakers, emergency responders, researchers, and the public.
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Nearly one out of five construction workers report having anxiety or depression, and the overwhelming majority of them haven’t sought expert help, a new report shows. According to the CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training, in 2021, 15.4% of construction workers said they had anxiety or depression, based on medication or symptoms. Among them, 84.3% didn’t seek help from a mental health professional in the previous 12 months. The report notes that mental health has played a role in the construction industry having the highest death rate and second highest suicide rate among all U.S. industries.
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The New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH) is a membership organization of workers, unions, community-based organizations, workers’ rights activists, and health and safety professionals. NYCOSH uses training, education, and advocacy to improve health and safety conditions in our workplaces, our communities, and our environment. The NYCOSH Executive Director provides overall direction, management, and leadership to the organization. They represent the organization to the outside world and are responsible for securing political, public, and financial support.
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The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking a director for the Directorate of Construction. The incumbent of this position provides executive leadership and direction in the formulation, development, and execution of assigned program functions that are carried out by subordinate employees working under the supervision of Office Directors in the Office of Construction Standards and Guidance, Office of Engineering Services, and Office of Construction Services. The director will develop and promulgate construction safety standards and regulations, among other responsibilities, to ensure safe working conditions for the nation's construction workers.
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The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is looking to hire an industrial hygienist for the bargaining unit in the Dallas Region, Austin Area office. The industrial hygienist will analyze inspection records, conduct investigations, prepare reports, review scientific literature related to health hazards in the workplace, and analyze developments in industry standards.
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