The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) invites public comments on an interim final rule to establish procedures and time frames for handling retaliation complaints in the food industry. Under the Food Safety Modernization Act, employees who disclose information about possible violations of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act are protected from retaliation by employers […]
Understanding the relationship between industry types and occupational skills may provide important insights into workers’ ability to cope with job loss, according to Beyond the Numbers, a new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Using the Herfindahl-Hirschman index and industry quotients to measure occupational specialization by industry, the study found differences in industry staffing […]
Transportation fatalities in the United States increased by 3 percent in 2012 compared to 2011, a reminder of the need for heightened attention to highway safety, according preliminary figures from the National Transportation Safety Board. Transportation fatalities in all modes totaled 35,531 in 2012. Although marine, aviation and pipeline-related deaths declined, highway and rail fatalities […]
Vaccine information statements (VIS) that explain the benefits and risks of tetanus/diphtheria (Td) and Haemophilus Influenzae Type b (Hib) vaccines have been updated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Because both statements include changes in the adverse events section (“problems that can happen after any vaccine”), health officials advised healthcare providers to […]
In another example of heightened enforcement of whistleblower protections, the U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit against Ohio Bell Telephone, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) reported today. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, alleges 13 employees were disciplined and given one- […]
The American comedian Ron White says, “You can’t fix stupid!” However, in the workplace you can prevent some of the stupidity caused by mental fatigue.
The Obama administration launched a Safety Data Initiative in 2012 that is intended to make government data relating to every aspect of public and product safety more accessible and help consumers and employers make smarter, safer choices. This week, the White House and agencies including the Department of Transportation and Department of Agriculture convened the […]
“When hospitals commit to safe workplaces, everybody wins,” Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, said this week in a blog posted on the Department of Labor’s Work in Progress website.