Next Week: The Keystone Science Lecture Alabama Fire College Training to Build Response Capacity in Communities

Alabama Fire College (AFC) Principal Investigator Kenny Oldfield will be presenting this Keystone Science Lecture. Oldfield will present on the training and outreach efforts of AFC. Support your fellow WTP grantee at the hybrid event on July 17, 2023, 11:00 a.m. EDT.

Event Registration

Snow Shovels in Hand, Volunteers Help Vermont Communities Clear the Mud from Epic Floods

Volunteers pulled out their snow shovels Wednesday to clear inches of mud after torrential rain and flooding inundated communities across Vermont, trapping people in homes, closing roadways and littering streets and businesses with debris. The water drained off most streets in the state capital of Montpelier, where the swollen Winooski River flooded basements and ground floors, destroying merchandise and furniture across the picturesque downtown.

AP News

It's Hot. For Farmworkers Without Federal Heat Protections, It Could Be Life or Death

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does have recommendations related to the heat that explain what employers should do when temperatures soar to 91 degrees and higher, and while OSHA has a general requirement to keep workers safe from hazards on the job, the agency does not explicitly require the work to stop. Labor advocates argue that for farmworkers, who are more likely to be undocumented, there is an added fear of speaking up or voicing concerns over workplace issues.

Morning Edition [Authors: Ximena Bustillo and Andrea Hsu]

‘We Just Don’t Hire Women’: In the Construction Industry, Discrimination Runs Rampant

As the construction industry booms, the longstanding issue of discrimination and sexual harassment is still running rampant on job sites. A recent report from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission documents that women and people of color are being denied jobs, harassed, and subjected to other workplace abuses.

The 19th [Author: Jessica Kutz]

Disaster AI: An Emerging Field for Catastrophic Events

Imagine drones with artificial intelligence flying over disaster areas and artificial voice intelligence helping survivors and victims get help. Those are real-world applications some agencies are experimenting with right now when responding to Earth's most catastrophic natural disasters.

ABC Action News [Author: Michael Paluska]

Surging Bird Flu Outbreaks Raise Human-Infection Risk, UN Agencies Warn

Three United Nations (UN) agencies on Wednesday warned that an ongoing rise in avian flu outbreaks globally raised concerns that the virus might adapt to infect humans more easily and urged countries to strengthen disease surveillance and improve hygiene at poultry farms.

Reuters

Notice of Funding Opportunity: NOAA’s Climate Ready Workforce for Coastal and Great Lakes States, Tribes, and Territories Initiative

Sea Grant and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Program Office, with support from the NOAA Office for Coastal Management, seek to establish programs aimed at placing people across the country into good jobs that advance climate resilience and assisting employers in developing a 21st century workforce that is climate literate, informed by climate resilience, and skilled at addressing consequent challenges. Informational webinar will be held on July 20, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. EDT.

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Informational Webinar Registration

Enhanced Ventilation and Cleaner Air in Buildings

As the national emergency for COVID-19 ends, the panel will discuss how the General Services Administration and other federal agencies are trying to provide cleaner, healthier indoor air through the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge. Panelists will review opportunities to improve air quality and ventilation in existing buildings, new standards of control for infectious aerosols, and tools to evaluate the indoor environment in your building. The webinar will be held on July 27, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. EDT.

Event Registration

Save the Date: 9th Annual HBCU Climate Change Conference

This annual conference brings together HBCU faculty and students, researchers, climate professionals, and environmental justice and coastal community residents impacted by toxic facilities and severe weather events related to climate change, to bridge the gap between theory and the experiential realities of climate change. The event will be held October 11-15, 2023, in New Orleans, LA.

Event Information

OCCHE July 2023 Climate and Health Outlook

Welcome to the twelfth edition of the Climate and Health Outlook from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE). The Climate and Health Outlook is an effort to inform health professionals and the public on how our health may be affected in the coming months by climate events, and provide resources to take proactive action.

OCCHE

Personal Experience with Wildfire Increases Engagement in Disaster Preparedness, OSU Study Finds

Residents who experienced direct harm from Oregon’s 2020 wildfires are more likely to take steps to mitigate their fire risk in the future, an Oregon State University (OSU) study found. They’re also more apt to participate in community-helping activities like donating to and volunteering with emergency response groups after wildfires.

Oregon State University Newsroom

Research Report: Chemicals and Climate Change in The World of Work: Impacts For Occupational Safety And Health

The impacts of climate change extend beyond the environment, impacting the world of work and posing significant challenges to the sound management of chemicals. This report examines the interconnectedness of climate change, chemicals, and the world of work, discussing common risks and hazards and exploring action to be taken at the national and workplace level toward mitigating these risks.

International Labour Organization

FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Takes Action to Protect Communities from Extreme Heat Fueled by the Climate Crisis

Millions of Americans are being impacted by extreme heat waves, which are growing in intensity, frequency, and duration due to climate change. The Biden-Harris Administration announced additional measures to protect communities from extreme heat.

The White House

DOE Announces $72 Million for Small Business Research and Development Grants

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $72 million in funding for small businesses to pursue scientific, clean energy, and climate research, development, and demonstration projects. The funding will support 296 projects across 44 states and addresses multiple topic areas, such as renewable energy, nuclear energy, cybersecurity, advanced materials and manufacturing, microelectronics, and artificial intelligence.

DOE News Release

FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Launches Workforce Hub in Columbus, Ohio and Announces New Commitments to Help More Workers Access Good Jobs

Columbus has emerged as a center of investment in key industries—including semiconductor manufacturing, clean energy, biotechnology, high-performance computing, and transportation. The Biden-⁠Harris Administration is working alongside Mayor Andrew Ginther and Columbus State Community College (CSCC) to bring together other institutions of higher education, employers, unions, high schools, and other stakeholders to ensure a diverse and skilled workforce that can meet the demand for labor driven by investments in and around Columbus.

The White House

CPWR July 2023 Data Bulletin

This Data Bulletin examines employment costs in the construction industry through four different pay measures: the Employment Cost Index, compensation costs, average hourly earnings, and average hourly wage. Employment costs are important to both construction employers and employees, providing a key indicator to monitor the health of the labor market. Particularly with current labor shortages, understanding compensation in construction, including historical trends, may also guide future wage and benefit decisions and help attract and retain more workers.

CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training

Indiana University Seeks an Industrial Hygienist

The candidate will perform a variety of occupational safety and industrial hygiene tasks, provide technical consultation, report hazardous findings and recommend corrective actions, and conduct exposure assessments.

Job Posting

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