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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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A new fact sheet on the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) E-Learning for HAZMAT Program is now available on the Worker Training Program (WTP) website. The SBIR program funds small businesses to develop innovative applications or technologies that are used for health and safety training. The updated fact sheet describes how the NIEHS SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT Program has impacted worker training in various occupational sectors, provided opportunities for commercialization and patents, and facilitated partnerships among small businesses that develop technologies and WTP consortiums that deliver training.
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The Department of Labor announced that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has finalized a revision to the personal protective equipment (PPE) standard for construction. The final rule adds specific language requiring employers to provide PPE that properly fits any construction worker who needs it. The change aligns the construction industry standard with the standard already in place for general industry, improving protection from hazardous conditions for construction workers.
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With the H5N1 bird flu virus racing through California dairy herds, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it is instituting a national milk testing program that should provide a much clearer picture of how widespread the virus is in the country’s dairy industry. While the program is meant to be national, it will begin with six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, and Pennsylvania — with other states to be added later. The statement announcing the new federal order indicated that the move will help inform the response to the outbreak and assist farmers and farmworkers in protecting themselves from infection.
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The question of whether possible causes for regional differences. Their principal finding: The globe is getting hotter at a faster rate, but this acceleration is occurring unevenly. Surprisingly, densely populated areas with large concentrations of poverty are warming more slowly than urban centers in Europe and North America. The researchers found that the large quantity of aerosol particles in the air of highly polluted cities reflect sunlight back out into space and, at least in the short term, can have a net cooling effect on populations.
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largely white and predominantly English-speaking but has rapidly grown more diverse. The number of white residents in rural parts of the nation decreased by about 2 million from 2010 to 2020, according to an analysis by the University of New Hampshire. The percentage of people who are members of a racial or ethnic minority living in rural areas increased from 20% in 2010 to 24% in 2020, with the largest share of the increase being Hispanic residents. Implementing state and local language access laws is a challenge, researchers say, given standards can vary across state agencies and localities, making it difficult to ensure high-quality assistance is provided to speakers of various non-English languages.
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Opioids have been a major problem in the U.S. since the late 1990s, with the deadliest stretch earlier this decade killing more than 80,000 people annually. Over the past eight years, drugmakers, wholesalers, pharmacy chains, and other companies have agreed to settlements to resolve thousands of lawsuits claiming the companies’ practices contributed to the crisis. However, people with substance use disorder across the country are not getting a formal say in how most of the approximately $50 billion in opioid lawsuit settlement money is being used to stem the crisis, a new analysis found. Some interested parties say this is one reason why portions of the money are going to efforts they don’t consider to be proven ways to save lives from overdose.
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Arctic tundra, which has stored carbon for thousands of years, has now become a source of e Arctic ecosystem, which could have widespread implications for the global climate. The warming directly influences global sea level rise, weather patterns, wildlife migrations, and other effects of extreme weather events—all driven primarily by burning fossil fuels.
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Preventing harassment in the construction industry is the focus of a new guidance document from the Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). This guide helps the public understand OFCCP’s jurisdiction in the construction industry, clarifies what is harassment, includes helpful information for workers, and offers information and guidelines for federal construction contractors and subcontractors, and federally assisted construction contractors.
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Over the past two decades, wildfires in western North America have greatly increased in frequency, magnitude and severity. Scientists have documented three main causes: a century of suppression and inadequate forest management that has led to overly dense, fuel-rich forests; changes in global weather patterns, turning woodlands and grasslands into hot, dry tinder boxes; and the spread of urbanization, increasing the probability of manmade ignitions. Less well known are the environmental and social implications associated with the acceleration of these trends. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a workshop in June 2024, titled, "The Social and Ecological Consequences of Future Wildfire in the West." This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions of the workshop.
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Applying a One Health approach requires collaboration at multiple levels to address complex challenges. Trust enables the free flow of information and resources between stakeholders and fosters an environment where diverse groups can unite towards a common goal. Without trust, efforts to tackle these challenges become fragmented and inefficient. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is hosting a webinar where invited speakers will share how their successful One Health programs establish and maintain trust, thereby supporting innovative solutions that no single discipline could achieve alone. It will take place January 28, 2025, 4-5 p.m. ET.
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CPWR – The Center for Construction research and Training is hosting a webinar where construction ergonomists Chris Polaczuk and Steve Kolose, Ph.D. will share information about their Work Should Not Hurt program – an innovative safety and health program from New Zealand that is centered on the worker. The program, focused on ergonomics, is unique in that it generates awareness, research, and interventions from tradespeople themselves. Learn about the library of resources, participatory research guiding the project, and how the program has been used in New Zealand to take on soft tissue injuries in an industry with a macho culture. The webinar will take place February 26, 2025, at 3 p.m. ET.
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The Rural Mental Health Resources Hub from Mental Health America provides rural residents with resources to help overcome barriers to accessing mental health care. Those resources include free mental health screening tests that residents can do from their home or by phone. The tests take people through a series of questions to assess the likelihood they may be experiencing a mental health issue such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, or bipolar disorder. Once people have taken the assessments, the site also guides them towards finding help.
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The National Action Alliance for Patient and Workforce Safety at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched the National Healthcare Safety Dashboard, an online resource that aggregates hospital safety data from four primary measurement sources. The National Healthcare Safety Dashboard makes national safety data more transparent, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of healthcare safety by care setting, beginning with hospital care. It opens doors to information and best practices to empower healthcare provider organizations, patient advocates, policymakers, professional associations, and others to monitor national safety progress and make informed decisions to improve safety nationwide.
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the latest risk management rules for trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) under the bipartisan 2016 Toxic Substances Control Act amendments, marking another major milestone for chemical safety after decades of inadequate protections and serious delays. PCE and TCE are both nonflammable chlorinated solvents that are volatile organic compounds. TCE is an extremely toxic chemical known to cause liver cancer, kidney cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. PCE is known to cause liver, kidney, brain, and testicular cancer, as well as neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, and damage to the kidney, liver, and immune system.
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The Department of Labor (DOL) announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration has issued a final rule that updates testing, evaluation, and approval requirements for electric motor-driven mine equipment and accessories used in gassy mines with high risks of fire and explosion. This final rule was based on input from the mining community and will promote the use of innovative mine safety and health technologies while maintaining existing safeguards that protect miners from explosions and other potential hazards in gassy mines. The rule will go into effect on January 9, 2025.
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The Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced $1.95 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding to support Tribal resilience to drought. The funding supports four projects led by Tribal nations that own lands within the American West, including the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington, the Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation in Montana, and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. These new funds will support projects by Tribal nations to help understand and mitigate drought impacts to the land, water supplies, traditional foods, and cultural practices.
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With winter and cold weather rapidly approaching, the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is re-emphasizing to chemical facilities the importance of being prepared for extreme cold outdoor weather, which includes identifying and implementing best safety practices for cold weather operations to avoid serious chemical accidents this winter. Data available to the CSB on chemical releases shows that there is a notable increase of incidents at chemical facilities during the cold weather months. In past years, the CSB has identified numerous incidents that illustrate the importance of having effective winterization programs in place at refineries, chemical plants, and other facilities that contain hazardous materials.
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to announce that the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Guideline 44, “Protecting Building Occupants from Smoke During Wildfire and Prescribed Burn Events,” is now available for purchase from the ASHRAE Bookstore. The purpose of the Guideline is to recommend building measures to minimize occupant health impacts from wildfire and prescribed burn smoke events. The focus of the guideline is on commercial, institutional, and multi-unit residential buildings. It is the first guideline of its kind to provide recommendations to help building owners and managers prepare for and respond to smoke.
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Each year, City & State, a New York news source, recognizes 100 civic-minded nonprofit leaders. City & State spotlights a select group of individuals who exemplify what it means to be socially responsible – whether it’s through community engagement and volunteerism, diversity, equity and inclusion, ethics and transparency, or philanthropy and charity. Angelo Lampousis is the executive director of the Charles B. Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Initiative at The City College of New York, a sub-recipient of Worker Training Program award recipient Atlantic Center for Occupational Health and Safety Training. Lampousis’ work combines education, workforce development, and sustainability, creating transformative opportunities for underserved communities.
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Yellowstone National Park is looking to hire a director of risk management to oversee the identification, assessment, and mitigation of potential risks. This role involves developing and implementing comprehensive risk management strategies, conducting risk assessments, and coordinating crisis response activities. The director also leads a team of safety professionals, collaborates with various departments and stakeholders, and ensures compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards to minimize potential losses and maintain business continuity. The position is full-time and on-site.
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The Clean Energy Jobs team at the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) is responsible for developing, supporting, and delivering the AFL-CIO’s work on clean energy, climate, and good jobs. The energy specialist will report to the Strategic Advisor to the President on Clean Energy Jobs and will assist them in work for the Federation’s officers on clean energy issues. This includes drafting briefing materials and presentations, contributing content to speeches, and staffing. Applicants should have experience from the labor movement, great technical knowledge about the energy sector, and the desire to make a difference for workers in this high priority field.
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