Weekly E-Newsbrief
April 12, 2024
The E-Newsbrief of the National Clearinghouse is a free weekly newsletter focusing on new developments in the world of worker health and safety. Each issue provides summaries of the latest worker health and safety news from newspapers, magazines, journals, government reports, and the Web, along with links to the original documents. Also featured each week are updates from government agencies that handle hazmat and worker safety issues such as DOE, EPA, OSHA and others.
Subscribing to the National Clearinghouse Newsbrief is the best way to stay on top of the worker health and safety news.
- Top Stories
- Calendar Features
- On The Web This Week
- Federal Agency Update
- Awardee Highlights/Online Learning
- Job Openings
- We Want Your Feedback
- Newsbriefs Past Issues
| Top Stories | Back to Top |
WTP Spring Grantee Meeting and Workshop Registration Closes Today!
Registration for the Worker Training Program (WTP) Grantee Meeting and Workshop, titled “Closing the Gaps: Designing Training with Occupational Health Disparities in Mind,” will close today, April 12, at 11:59 p.m. EDT! The grantee meeting will be held on April 30, 2024, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. EDT. The workshop will take place on May 1, 2024, from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. EDT, and May 2, 2024, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. EDT.
National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 15-19, 2024
National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is an annual spring campaign held at the start of construction season to encourage safe driving through highway work zones. The key message is for drivers to use extra caution in work zones. The theme for 2024 is “Work Zones are temporary. Actions behind the wheel can last forever.” NWZAW features events, such as webinars and trainings, and resources like fact sheets and guides.
City-Country Mortality Gap Widens Amid Persistent Holes in Rural Health Care Access
The health disparities between rural and urban Americans have long been documented, but a recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found the chasm has grown in recent decades. In their examination, USDA researchers found rural Americans from the ages of 25 to 54 die from natural causes, like chronic diseases and cancer, at wildly higher rates than the same age group living in urban areas. The increased mortality rates are an indicator of worsening population health, the study authors noted, which can harm local economies and employment.
Kaiser Health News [Author: Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez]
March Is 10th Straight Month to Be Hottest on Record, Scientists Say
For the 10th consecutive month, Earth in March set a new monthly record for global heat with both air temperatures and the world's oceans hitting an all-time high for the month. Since last June, the globe has broken heat records each month, with marine heat waves across large areas of the globe's oceans contributing. Scientists say the record-breaking heat during this time wasn't entirely surprising due to a strong El Nino, and as it wanes the margins by which global average temperatures are surpassed each month should go down.
April 2024 is Second Chance Month
Each April, the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs celebrates Second Chance Month to recognize the importance of helping individuals, communities, and agencies across the country appreciate their role in supporting the safe and successful reentry of millions of people returning from incarceration each year. Second Chance Month aims to inform and highlight the many opportunities for state, local, and Tribal governments and community-based service providers to build meaningful second chances for our returning community members.
| Calendar Features | Back to Top |
2024 Stand-Down to Prevent Struck-by Incidents Webinar: Developing and Enforcing Internal Traffic Control Plans
The construction industry has a high rate of struck-by incidents, many of which are caused by vehicles and heavy equipment both on and near the work site. For this year’s Stand-Down, CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training is hosting a webinar focused on the importance of internal traffic control plans and how planning ahead to coordinate the flow of construction vehicles, equipment, and workers operating in work zones can prevent crashes, injuries, and deaths. The webinar will take place on April 18, 2024, at 2 p.m. EDT.
SafetyFest Tennnessee
The registration for SafetyFest Tennessee, which will take place April 29 – May 3, 2024, is now open. Safety Fest Tennessee provides a week of free safety and health training and is dedicated to the mission of making the region the safest place to work and live in the United States. The safety and health classes, demonstrations, and workshops are free to the public to ensure everyone can learn safety skills.
Implementing Evidence-Based Strategies to Reduce Overdose Risk During Reentry
People reentering the community after incarceration are at risk of fatal overdose from using substances. This risk is especially high during the first 48 hours after release, particularly for people using opioids, due to a decrease in tolerance during incarceration. During this webinar, participants will hear about five evidence-based strategies for reducing overdose risk during reentry. This webinar will feature a panel discussion from current Second Chance Act grantees who will discuss how their reentry programs incorporate overdose prevention planning that promotes stable recovery and care management in the community. It will take place on April 29, 2024, from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. EDT.
Re-Examining The Impacts GBVH Has Had on Women Who Work in Isolated Environments
Join the Women’s Bureau Western Region for a webinar examining the unique challenges of working in isolation, including night shift work, agricultural work, and truck driving, which increase the vulnerability of women in these occupations. Panelists will share insights into the legal protections and support services available for women in these jobs and examine strategies to address the root causes of gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH), empower victims, and foster inclusive work environments where every woman feels safe and respected. The webinar will take place on April 30, 2024, from 4 – 5 p.m. EDT.
| On The Web This Week | Back to Top |
Vancouver Firm Fined in Grisly Accident Is Repeat Child Labor Offender
After a 16-year-old boy lost both legs last June in a preventable workplace accident in La Center, a follow-up investigation by Washington Department of Labor and Industries found that his employer has committed dozens of child labor law violations. Rotschy LLC is a non-union construction excavation company based in Southwest Washington, and they were given the maximum fine for allowing a minor to operate equipment without appropriate training or experience. Months later, they were issued additional fines after a follow-up workplace investigation revealed that Rotschy let seven minors use dangerous heavy equipment on at least 35 occasions.
Northwest Labor Press [Author: Mallory Gruben]
Work Stress Affecting People’s Weight, Marriages and More, Survey Shows
More than 3 out of 4 workers say job-related stress has negatively affected their health, results of a recent survey show. Among the workers, 77% reported that job-related stress has contributed to negative physical health effects, including weight gain. Around 71% said they’ve experienced a divorce, breakup, or other personal issues because of workplace stress. The survey also recorded that 97% of surveyed employees reported feeling better after using company-provided mental health benefits, suggesting that access to compassionate, outcome-driven care, can have a measurable difference in employee well-being.
The National Indian Health Board Launches the Tribal Environmental Impact Network
The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) launched the Tribal Environmental Impact Network, a cohort of professionals with experience in issues impacting environmental justice in Indian Country. This expert network will help NIHB provide technical assistance to Tribal communities for funding opportunities as part of NIHB's Tribal Environmental Justice Technical Assistance Center. The network is open to professionals who work or have worked on environmental health and environmental justice issues in Indian Country.
| Federal Agency Update | Back to Top |
Biden-Harris Administration Finalizes First-Ever National Drinking Water Standard to Protect 100M People from PFAS Pollution
The Biden-Harris Administration issued the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as ‘forever chemicals.’ Exposure to PFAS has been linked to deadly cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children. The final rule will reduce PFAS exposure for approximately 100 million people, prevent thousands of deaths, and reduce tens of thousands of serious illnesses.
NIOSH Black Lung Screening Dates and Locations Announced for 2024
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will offer free and confidential black lung screenings to coal miners beginning in April 2024. The screenings support early detection of black lung disease, a serious but preventable disease in coal miners caused by breathing coal mine dust. NIOSH provides screenings through a mobile testing unit at convenient locations. This season’s screenings will be offered in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia. All coal miners (current, former, underground, surface, and those under contract) are encouraged to participate. To find screening locations, dates, and times, visit the NIOSH Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program webpage.
Biden-Harris Administration Finalizes Stronger Clean Air Standards for Chemical Plants, Lowering Cancer Risk and Advancing Environmental Justice
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule that will significantly reduce toxic air pollution from chemical plants. EPA’s action will advance environmental justice efforts by slashing more than 6,200 tons of toxic air pollution each year, dramatically reducing the number of people with elevated cancer risk due to toxic air pollution in communities surrounding plants covered by the rule. These standards apply to certain equipment and processes at about 200 plants that make synthetic organic chemicals and a variety of polymers and resins, including neoprene.
During Second Chance Month, HRSA Takes Policy Action, Releases First-Ever Funding Opportunity for Health Centers to Support Transitions in Care for People Leaving Incarceration
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), took new policy action and announced the availability of $51 million for the first-ever funding opportunity for HRSA-funded health centers to implement innovative approaches to support transitions in care for people leaving incarceration. This action explicitly supports the provision of health services to individuals during the 90 days prior to their release to help them return to the community by expanding access to primary health care, including mental health and substance use disorder treatment, furthering public health and strengthening public safety.
| Awardee Highlights/Online Learning | Back to Top |
Who’s Polluting My Neighborhood? New Database Makes Searching for Chemical, Climate Data Faster, Easier
A new revolutionary tool that will make it easier for journalists, community advocates, researchers, and members of the public to find information on companies that release harmful chemicals and contribute to climate change. FencelineData will be of special interest to fenceline communities, which are neighborhoods situated near pollution sources that often experience the worst health effects from toxic emissions. The database allows you to search for facilities by ZIP code, substance, or parent company to see how industrial emissions affect your community and our planet.
Public Health Watch [Author: Savanna Strott]
| Job Openings | Back to Top |
OAI, Inc. Seeking Program Director
OAI, Inc., a workforce education, training, and development organization, is seeking a program director for their business and worker training programs. OAI’s mission is to improve lives by offering training that leads to safe, meaningful employment while helping companies and communities to thrive. The business and worker training department provides worker health and safety training to emergency first responders, law enforcement, temporary and transitional workers, and industry workers who may be exposed to hazardous materials. Job responsibilities include advancing the strategic direction of the program, overseeing contracts, and overseeing training staff and courses, among others.
Steelworkers Charitable and Educational Organization Seeking Program Director
The Steelworkers Charitable and Educational Organization is a non-profit of the United Steelworkers. They are filling a program director position located in California to coordinate the development and implementation of programs aimed at assisting oil workers who have been laid off or are facing job displacement. This role involves strategic planning, coordinating with local agencies, and ensuring compliance with all regulations and guidelines.
| We Want Your Feedback | Back to Top |
We Want Your Feedback
What kinds of stories or other content would make this newsletter especially valuable to you?
Send your ideas for this newsletter to: wetpclear@niehs.nih.gov
To go back and subscribe to the newsletter, click here
Back issues of our Newsbrief are available at our archives page