Oral fluid (saliva) collected using an absorbent swab in the mouth will be allowed as an alternative to a urine specimen in most federal agency drug testing programs beginning Jan. 1, 2020. The Department of Health and Human Services published Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs using Oral Fluid in the Federal Register […]
OSHA has updated its landmark Cotton Dust Standard 29 CFR 1910.1043, which describes how occupational spirometry tests must be conducted to protect workers’ respiratory health. Of particular importance are requirements for evaluation of worker spirometry results in medical surveillance paragraph 1910.1043(h)(2)(iii), mandating that National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) reference values and Lower […]
The National Fall Prevention Safety Stand-Down, May 6-10, focuses focus attention on preventing falls in construction, the leading cause of fatalities in the industry. During the stand-down, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) partners with other organizations to encourage employers and workers to pause voluntarily during the workday for safety demonstrations, training in hazard […]
A precedent-setting city law banning pre-employment drug screening for marijuana was passed by the New York City Council on April 9, 2019. The legislation, Prohibition of drug testing for pre-employment hiring procedures, has been sent to Mayor Bill de Blasio for his expected signature. Once the law is enacted, employers who are hiring prospective employees […]
Seventy-five percent of U.S. employers have been directly affected by opioid use in the workforce, but only 17 percent feel extremely well prepared to deal with the issue, according to a survey released Sunday by the National Safety Council (NSC) in recognition of Poison Prevention Week. The 526 survey respondents are decision-makers in companies with […]
In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, State of New Jersey v. R. Alexander Acosta, six states challenge a rollback in Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) recordkeeping rules. The states are Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey and New York. The states allege an “illegal and […]
House Democrats last week introduced legislation related to rules enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Michigan Rep. Andy Levin introduced H.J. Resolution 44, “Disapproving the final rule of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration titled ‘Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses.’” The matter has been referred to the House Committee on Education […]
Three public health organizations sued the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on Jan. 25, a day after it released a final rule eliminating a previously approved requirement for employers with more than 250 employees to electronically submit detailed workplace injury and illness information to the agency. The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court […]
A research paper released today by the American Society of Safety Professionals Foundation features three years of data that demonstrate the benefits using wearable body sensors to monitor fatigue levels and develop interventions to decrease injury risk. The study involved 25 manufacturing workers who wore non-obtrusive wrist, hip and ankle sensors while completing three common […]
A total of 5,147 fatal work-related injuries were recorded in 2017, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The fatal injury rate decreased to 3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers from 3.6 in 2016. The data indicate that preventable accidents occur despite regulatory standards, occupational health and safety training, and the use of personal […]