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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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Massive storms like Hurricanes Helene and Milton devastate the people and properties that take direct hits, causing billions of dollars in damages, but the economic effects of these events can be felt thousands of miles away and for many months to come. When Milton hit, there was already significant damage from Helene in the coastal communities. Initial estimates indicate that Hurricane Milton will result in $2.5 billion in damage to the food and agricultural communities in Florida, likely affecting food prices in the short term.
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Newly unsealed court documents contained allegations that have triggered a federal investigation into whether Tyson Foods Inc., or one of its subsidiaries or contractors, may have employed minors as young as 11 and 13 in its food processing operations in Arkansas. The Department of Labor (DOL) is investigating Tyson for possible violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, specifically violations surrounding the employment of minors. The labor department’s investigation is yet another probe by the agency into Tyson operations and possible child labor violations in recent months. Last year, the DOL launched an investigation into Tyson and other meat producers after a cleaning contractor was found to have hired children to work shifts in various meatpacking facilities in Arkansas and around the country.
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According to a new study, the rate of babesiosis, a tick-borne parasitic disease also known as ‘American malaria,’ increased an average of 9% annually over a recent seven-year period in the United States. Babesiosis is transmitted by blacklegged ticks, commonly called deer ticks, and is found in the Northeast and Midwest. Like malaria, babesiosis infects red blood cells and can cause similar flu-like symptoms. Researchers used data for over 250 million people in the United States and identified more than 3,500 who were infected with babesiosis between October 2015 and December 2022. Most of the cases occurred during the summer months and were reported in the Northeast.
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Ozempic, Mounjaro, and similar medications for Type 2 diabetes and weight loss could also help people struggling with addiction, according to a new study. Researchers found that people addicted to alcohol who also had a prescription for Ozempic or similar medications had a 50% lower rate of binging on alcohol, compared to people who were not on the medications. People with opioid use disorder who were taking the medications had a 40% lower rate of opioid overdose. Several other recent studies have looked at patient records and found links between these medications and a reduced use of health codes associated with addictive behavior.
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Motley Rice, a law firm specializing in consumer and workplace safety, is hosting a workshop designed to increase awareness of workers’ rights to bring legal action outside of workers’ compensation following a workplace injury. Speakers will discuss the typical types of cases injured workers might bring and the steps they should take when considering whether to bring a lawsuit. The workshop will take place virtually on October 29, 2024, at 3 p.m. ET.
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The Department of Labor (DOL) announced that the Advisory Board on Toxic Substances and Worker Health for Part E of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) will hold an online meeting October 30, 2024, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET. Meetings are open to the public. The act provides compensation and medical benefits to nuclear weapons workers diagnosed with medical conditions caused by their exposure to toxic substances at covered nuclear facilities.
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Motley Rice, a law firm specializing in consumer and workplace safety, is hosting a workshop designed to introduce participants to tools for identifying and responding to potential toxic chemical exposures. Speakers will discuss how legal action may 1) help individual workers who have suffered adverse health effects following exposure to a toxic substance and 2) help fight against future exposures for others in the workplace. The workshop will take place virtually November 4, 2024, at 3 p.m. ET.
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Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) meetings are open to the public and cover topics related to infection control and antimicrobial resistance. The next HICPAC meeting is scheduled for November 14-15, 2024. Any interested person who wishes to make an oral public comment during the HICPAC meeting should submit a request to HICPAC before the meeting, according to the instructions in the Federal Register Notice. The submission period for requests to make an oral public comment begins October 15, 2024, and ends 5:00 p.m. ET October 25, 2024.
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After Hurricane Helene roared across North Carolina, causing historic flooding, downing trees, snapping power lines, decimating water infrastructure, and leading to the deaths of at least 72 people in Buncombe County alone, communities are still shaking off the shock of a storm they never thought could touch these mountains. Helene’s destruction created a major problem for people dependent on insulin, power wheelchairs, oxygen CPAP machines for sleep apnea, or home dialysis equipment. Without electricity, their health is at risk.
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Chemical facility owners and operators should take into account how simultaneous operations can affect work and should ensure they have written easy-to-understand procedures in place, the Chemical Safety Board says in a new video. The video depicts the events that triggered a November 2020 chemical release at the Wacker Polysilicon North American facility in Charleston, Tennessee. One worker died and two others were seriously injured while attempting to escape a cloud of toxic hydrogen chloride gas. In its final report on the incident, the Chemical Safety Board highlights safety lessons related to written procedures, control of hazardous energy, simultaneous operations, and means of egress.
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At oil and gas drilling sites in New Mexico, people work long hours doing hard, dangerous labor. More than 40% of this workforce is Latino. As the clean energy industry grows, many oil and gas workers are eager to transition to new jobs, but it’s hard to get the necessary training when they work long hours, lack English language skills, or live in a rural area. A new state pilot program in New Mexico will pay workers, regardless of their immigration status, to participate in workforce training programs in renewable energy and other fields.
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The Department of Energy (DOE) announced nearly $2 billion for 38 projects that will: protect the U.S. power grid against growing threats of extreme weather; lower costs for communities; and increase grid capacity to meet load growth stemming from an increase in manufacturing, data centers, and electrification. The selected projects will deploy new, innovative transmission and distribution infrastructure and technology upgrades to enable over 7.5 gigawatts (GW) of grid capacity, speed up interconnection for new clean energy projects, support nearly 6,000 good-paying jobs, and catalyze over $4.2 billion in total public and private investment to bring reliable, affordable, clean energy to Americans.
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has deployed a second mobile laboratory to Watauga County, North Carolina, to support the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and local health departments in drinking water testing efforts. Placing a second mobile laboratory in Watauga County will expand water testing capacity in rural communities in more remote parts of North Carolina that were impacted by Hurricane Helene. EPA remains committed to augmenting both state and county health department resources to ensure communities impacted by the storm have access to the needed analyses.
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The Department of Energy (DOE) announced $428 million for 14 projects to accelerate domestic clean energy manufacturing in 15 coal communities across the United States. The projects, led by small- and medium-businesses in communities with de-commissioned coal facilities, were selected to address critical energy supply chain vulnerabilities. Five of the projects will be in, or adjacent to, disadvantaged communities, and every project will include a community benefits plan developed to maximize economic, health, and environmental benefits in the coal communities that will power our nation for generations.
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The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Gulf of Mexico Division is awarding the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ) Louisiana Gulf Coast Grantmaking Project (LGCGP) $2.4 million. The LGCGP is designed to build the capacity of environmental justice communities in coastal Louisiana parishes to respond to the impact of systemic inequities and the devastating impact of climate change and water quality/water justice issues in their communities. Over a two-year period, through a competitive subaward process, the DSCEJ will provide $1.82M in subawards to approximately 24 selected Environmental Justice-missioned organizations to implement green projects to address one or more water quality issues and improve quality of life in their communities.
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The Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Forest Service have updated their AirNow Fire and Smoke Map mobile app to help protect workers from wildfire smoke. Additions include air quality monitoring information on coarse particle pollution and ozone, as well as information on individual fire activity, when available. The map pulls data from monitors that regularly report to temporary monitors and crowd-sourced data from nearly 15,000 low-cost sensors that measure fine particle pollution.
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The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is seeking a highly motivated industrial hygienist in comprehensive practice to provide technical and regulatory health and safety support to Teamster members and affiliates. The successful candidate will have a strong technical background in occupations safety and health; create and develop communication materials and work products related to technical, regulatory, and policy issues that are relevant to the Union; possess excellent public speaking and presentation skills; and have comprehensive knowledge of Federal and State regulations relating to occupational safety and health.
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