Weekly E-Newsbrief
February 23, 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 |
Tribute to Robert Bullard, The Father of Environmental Justice
Robert Bullard, the Co-Principal Investigator of WTP Grant Recipient Historically Black Colleges and Universities Consortium, received the inaugural Robert D. Bullard Environmental Justice Award at the 2024 U.S.A. Exposome Symposium. The award celebrates Bullard’s dedication to advocating for environmental justice and his unwavering commitment to creating a more equitable and sustainable world.
Health Care Workers Push for Their Own Confidential Mental Health Treatment
States are redefining when medical professionals can get mental health treatment without risking notifying the boards that regulate their licenses. Too often, health care workers wait to seek counseling or addiction treatment, causing their work and patient care to suffer. In a recent survey, 20% of physicians said they felt depressed, with job burnout as a leading factor. Some said they might not tell anyone about their depression out of fear people would doubt their abilities, or that their employer or medical board could find out. Now, some states want to boost confidential care for health professionals if they’re not deemed a danger to themselves or patients.
Kaiser Health News [Author: Katheryn Houghton]
Opioid Cravings Were Reduced by Anti-Obesity Drug in Small Study
The GLP-1 medication liraglutide significantly reduced opioid cravings in the first randomized controlled trial to test anti-obesity drugs against opioid addiction, which kills around 80,000 people in the U.S. each year. Among 20 patients for opioid use disorder, those on liraglutide experienced a 30% reduction in opioid cravings over the three-week study, with this effect evident at even the lowest liraglutide dose. Among patients already on buprenorphine, a medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat opioid use disorder, those also on liraglutide were more likely to report zero cravings than the placebo group.
STAT News [Author: Simar Bajaj]
February is Heart Health Awareness Month
February is a touching reminder of the importance of heart health. Despite advancements in medical science, cardiovascular diseases persist as the leading cause of global mortality, claiming over 17.9 million lives annually. As the nation observes American Heart Health Month, Indigenous communities across the nation join in raising awareness about cardiovascular disease, which disproportionately affects American Indians and Alaska Natives. Collaborative efforts between healthcare providers, community leaders, and government agencies can facilitate the development of tailored health programs that resonate with Indigenous values and traditions.
Native News Online [Author: Kaili Berg]
Protecting, Connecting and Thriving: We Are All Public Health
National Public Health Week (NPHW) takes place this year from April 1-7, 2024. This NPHW, one of the American Public Health Association (APHA)’s goals is to look at how our cultural connections and intersections affect our health, well-being and the public health system that cares for us. APHA is hosting many events throughout this year’s NPHW. All are free to attend, and nearly all are virtual. There are fact sheets and shareables to explore different public health topics, and a toolkit to help participants plan local events.
| Calendar Features | Back to Top |
Promoting Health Equity Through Economic Opportunity Webinar
The Trust for America’s Health and the Bipartisan Policy Center are hosting a national webinar that will discuss the reciprocal connections between health and income. A panel of subject experts will discuss the impact of COVID-19 pandemic financial assistance programs and opportunities to enact evidence-based policies to further address the economic needs of communities, improve their financial stability and promote their health and well-being. The webinar will take place on February 27, 2024, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EST.
‵This Ancient Atrocity′: The Return of Child Labor in the U.S. …Why Now? What Can Be Done?
The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is hosting a webinar on child labor. The speaker, David Weil, will discuss the resurgence of child labor in the United States, particularly in industries and occupations where it has been uncommon until recently; describe common factors underlying child labor that explain its recurrence; discuss changes in law and enforcement that can help reduce child labor occurrences in the future. The webinar will take place on March 4, 2024, from 1:10 – 1:50 p.m. EST.
Covid Memorial Day Virtual Vigil
More than 1.2 million people in the U.S. have died from SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus behind the Covid-19 pandemic, representing nearly 20% of total global deaths despite the U.S. being only 4% of the global population. Each death takes an incalculable toll on those left behind, and hundreds of people are still dying each day in the U.S. Creating permanent space for mourning, remembrance, and education is the first step in ensuring that we are better prepared for the next crisis. There will be a virtual vigil on March 4, 2024, at 8 p.m. EST.
Battery Fires: Before, During, and After the Incident
The U.S. Fire Administration will be hosting a webinar on battery fires. Battery fires have become one of the most challenging and perplexing incidents for the fire service in recent years. With the continued growth in the use and sale of battery-powered devices, the corresponding increase in battery fires warrants a critical conversation about how the fire service can mitigate and respond to battery fire incidents. Subject matter experts will present on the key concepts to consider when developing community risk reduction and response plans. The webinar will take place on April 10, 2024, from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. EDT.
| On The Web This Week | Back to Top |
Construction Leaders Recognizing & Responding to the Opioid Crisis
The National Association of Home Builders began expressing concern about opioids to its members in 2015-2016, and the spring 2018 edition of The Construction User magazine, published by the Association of Union Constructors, was devoted to the opioid crisis. The website For Construction Pros has been interviewing industry leaders willing to discuss how they recognized and responded to the growing opioid crisis. Those leaders were among the earliest to recognize the need to address opioids in the commercial and industrial sectors of the construction industry.
For Construction Pros [Author: Calvin Beyer]
California Tightens Rules on Worker Exposure to Poisonous Lead. ‘The Evidence is Undeniable.’
For the first time in decades, California is tightening its rules on workplace exposure to lead, a poisonous metal that can wreak havoc throughout the body. Experts said the new regulations will make California a national leader in battling the insidious and deadly effects of lead in the workplace. The new standards are intended to keep lead levels in the blood below 10 micrograms per deciliter, rather than their previously stated target of 40 micrograms.
Los Angeles Times [Author: Emily Alpert Reyes]
Construction Worker Suicide: New Video Talks About Mental Health, Stigma
A new video from the Mechanical Contractors Association of America spotlights mental health awareness and suicide prevention in the construction industry, which has experienced elevated rates of suicide. Experts say physical strain, deadline pressure and a macho culture may make it more difficult for workers to talk about mental health struggles. Speakers in the video say the traits that make construction workers good at their job – tough-mindedness, stoicism, decisiveness, perseverance – are also the traits that make them most vulnerable to suicide and overdose because they are least likely to reach out for support.
Have an Idea for a New PPE Safety Standard?
The International Safety Equipment Association has launched an online portal to solicit ideas for workplace consensus standards. This portal will help identify and review new concepts, emerging trends, and gaps in the occupational safety and health industry. This new standards proposal process aims to streamline and modernize standards development, promote inclusivity, and drive continuous improvement in safety protocols. There will be a webinar on February 28, 2024, at 12 p.m. EST to detail the submission process, guidelines and form.
| Federal Agency Update | Back to Top |
Severe Work-Related Injuries in the Oil and Gas Extraction Industry — 32 Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration Jurisdictions, United States, January 2015–July 2022
Oil and gas extraction (OGE) industry contract workers incur more work-related severe injuries compared with workers in other industries, based on data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. From January 2015 to July 2022, 32 jurisdictions reported 2,101 severe injuries (those resulting in amputation, loss of an eye, or inpatient hospitalization) among OGE industry workers. Contract workers in the service and drilling subindustries experienced disproportionately more work-related injuries compared with those in the operation subindustry.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $5.8 Billion from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda for Drinking Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Infrastructure Upgrades
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $5.8 billion from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for states, Tribes, and territories to invest in drinking water and clean water infrastructure upgrades. The funding is part of the over $50 billion investment in water infrastructure upgrades from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding will support essential water infrastructure that protects public health and treasured water bodies across the nation.
Biden-Harris Administration Invests $3.9 Million For Ocean-Based Climate Resilience Accelerators Through Investing in America Agenda
The Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced $3.9 million in awards to help small businesses improve climate resilience in communities across the nation. This investment supports 16 awardees in 11 states to develop and advance new technologies for gathering coastal, ocean and Great Lakes data and observations — essential information to build tools, products, and services that address climate resilience needs and create a climate-ready nation.
| Awardee Highlights/Online Learning | Back to Top |
Training Program: What is a Recovery Ready Workplace (RRW)? Why Do We Need Them?
The New York Committee for Occupational Safety & Health (NYCOSH) and the New York City Central Labor Council presented a 3-hour training on recovery ready workplaces. Training modules included the science of addiction and recovery and workplace risk factors and solutions.
Friends of Recovery-New York CRPA Scholarship Program
In partnership with the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, Friends of Recovery-New York (FOR-NY) is pleased to be awarding scholarships for training to become a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) and for CRPA Renewal training. A limited number of candidates will be approved per New York State region. Eligibility will be determined by region of the state, financial need, appropriateness/readiness for training and extent of lived experience.
| Job Openings | Back to Top |
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations Seeking Senior Safety and Health Specialist
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) safety and health department advocates and works for stronger worker safety and health protections and worker rights primarily through federal and state regulatory and legislative activities. The department plays a leadership role in the safety and health community in the development of safety and health policies and initiatives. Job responsibilities include assisting the safety and health director, responding to requests for information on safety and health issues, and monitoring safety and health developments, among others.
UC Berkeley Labor Occupational Health Program Seeking Communications Specialist
The Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP) at the University of California, Berkeley is seeking a communications specialist. This position will promote LOHP’s mission and initiatives by creating compelling content and developing a communications plan to effectively reach key target audiences. Key activities include developing messaging and framing to advance worker health policies and engagement on the issues, implementing social media and other relevant outreach strategies, coordinating LOHP’s website and content updates, and connecting with media and other promotional channels as needed.
| We Want Your Feedback | Back to Top |
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