Washington — While President Donald Trump is seeking another sizable cut to the Department of Labor’s budget, Secretary of Labor R. Alexander Acosta is attempting to boost enforcement funding in certain agencies, including OSHA. During an April 12 hearing convened by the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, …
Tag: safety and health
Protecting America’s Workers Act Reintroduced in Senate
Washington — Six senators are making another attempt to pass the Protecting America’s Workers Act – legislation that has been introduced in both houses of Congress over multiple sessions in the past 14 years. None of the bills has made it past the committee stage in 15 previous tries, beginning with an attempt by the …
Study finds working night shift when young increases women’s breast cancer risk
Boston – Women who work the night shift as young adults may have an increased risk of breast cancer, according to a study of nurses conducted by the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Researchers examined 24 years of data from more than 190,000 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study …
Prolonged Standing on the Job = Greater Risk of Heart Disease
Workers who stand on the job most of the time are at greater risk of heart disease than workers who predominantly sit, according to a study just published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Even after taking into account a wide range of personal, health and work factors, people who primarily stand on the job …
Study Links Participation in Weight Loss Programs to Reduced Absenteeism
Orlando, FL – Obese workers who took part in a structured weight-loss program reported fewer hours missed on the job after six months, a recent University of Michigan study shows. Researchers surveyed 92 people who had an average body mass index of 40 and worked in various occupations. Before entering the program, participants stated in …
House Reps Revive Legislation to make VPP Permanent
Washington – Several members of the House have joined forces to reintroduce bipartisan legislation that would make permanent OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs. Reps. Todd Rokita (R-IN), Gene Green (D-TX) and Martha Roby (R-AL) claim the Voluntary Protection Program Act is “sound policy that is not only good for the employers and employees, but for the …
Workplace Health and Wellness Drops in Fitness Trend List
A new study conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine is showing a perceived decline in health and fitness programs and promotions in the workplace. The study, in its 11th year, is completed annually in an effort to help those in the health and fitness industry make programming and business decisions, according to ACSM. …
NSC 2016: OSHA Brings Health and Safety into the 21st Century
Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, presented the agency’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs to National Safety Congress attendees. “We really need to take occupational health and safety into the 21st century,” he said. The Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs document has not been updated since 1989. Many …
Women in safety
A woman can be a rare face in safety, particularly in leadership roles. When Safety+Health conducts its annual surveys of safety professionals, women consistently make up less than 30 percent of respondents. S+H spoke with five female safety pros about challenges they’ve faced, obstacles they’ve overcome and lessons they’ve learned in the field. Three of …