Weekly E-Newsbrief
May 27, 2022
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
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| Top Stories | Back to Top |
Energy Secretary: We Must Find a Solution for Nuclear Waste
U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm was invited to tour Millstone Nuclear Power Station in Waterford by Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, the local congressional member. They are both working to change how spent nuclear fuel is stored nationwide to solve a decades long stalemate.
AP News [Author: Jennifer McDermott]
Harris, Surgeon General, Warn of Health Care Worker Burnout
Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy are warning of burnout among the nation's health care staff after more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the potential for severe worker shortages in the years ahead if the situation is not addressed.
U.S. Heatwave Brings Historically High Temperatures to Dozens of States
More than 120 million Americans are in the crosshairs of the heat, raising fears of health risks for the most vulnerable, outdoor workers and those who do not have access to indoor cooling. The National Weather Service issued a special statement cautioning residents to remain vigilant for signs of heat illness, take breaks inside when possible, and stay hydrated.
The Guardian [Author: Edward Helmore]
More Than 100 Confirmed or Suspected Cases of Monkeypox Have Been Reported in 12 Countries, Including the U.S.
More cases of a rare disease have been reported worldwide, including in the United States – where one health official said he expects more cases in the days ahead. As of Saturday, 92 confirmed cases and 28 suspected cases of monkeypox were under investigation in 12 countries, the World Health Organization said in a news release.
CNN [Author: Holly Yan]
| Calendar Features | Back to Top |
EHLC Webinar on Occupational History and Coding
The NIEHS Environmental Health Language Collaborative (EHLC) is hosting a webinar on Friday, June 3, 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET. Several colleagues from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health will present on recommended methods for collecting, coding, and using occupational information.
NIOSH Webinar: Promoting Partnerships to Explore the Impacts of Technological Change on Work and Well-being with a Focus on Disparities
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Expanding Research Partnerships webinar series is designed to promote innovative and impactful work and expand partnerships in occupational safety and health. This three-part series for 2022 explores how technological change is impacting work and well-being. The June 8 webinar at 12:00-1:30 p.m. ET will approach this topic through the lens of work-related disparities.
Opioids and the Workplace, Risk Factors and Solutions
NIEHS WTP is hosting a webinar on opioids and the workplace on June 9 at 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET. The presenters will share potential strategies to reduce the negative impact of workplace factors on the opioid crisis and reform punitive policies into supportive ones. These strategies include policy changes at the workplace, community, state, and federal levels to begin or expand interventions, as well as training, research, and funding opportunities.
NHMA COVID-19 Virtual Briefing Series
The National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA) and its partners held its first virtual briefing on COVID-19 in May of 2020. The NHMA COVID-19 Virtual Briefing Series addresses timely lessons learned by physicians and healthcare providers from the COVID-19 pandemic on managing chronic care patients, mental health, the future of healthcare delivery, elderly issues, and terminal illness planning. The next webinar will be held on June 29 at 7:00 p.m. ET.
2022 National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing and Media
After two years of hosting the conference in a virtual only environment, we look forward to convening the 2022 National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing and Media (NCHCMM) in-person August 16-18 in Atlanta, Georgia.
| On The Web This Week | Back to Top |
Why Indoor Chemistry Matters Consensus Study Report Now Available
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Indoor Environments Division announced the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) has published the consensus study report, Why Indoor Chemistry Matters. The consensus study considers the state-of-the science regarding chemicals in indoor air and how indoor chemistry findings fit into the context of what is already known about the link between chemical exposure, air quality, and human health.
National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Report
California Water Regulators Still Haven’t Considered the Growing Body of Research on the Risks of Oil Field Wastewater
California is heading into its dry season after one of the driest winters on record, preceded by a brief reprieve from the worst drought in its history. No wonder water managers in the Central Valley’s parched farm belt are increasingly interested in a controversial practice: reusing oil field wastewater to grow crops.
Inside Climate News [Author: Liza Gross]
Environmental Toxins Are Worsening Obesity Pandemic, Say Scientists
Chemical pollution in the environment is supersizing the global obesity epidemic, according to a major scientific review. The idea that the toxins called “obesogens” can affect how the body controls weight is not yet part of mainstream medicine. But the dozens of scientists behind the review argue that the evidence is now so strong that it should be.
The Guardian [Author: Damian Carrington]
Obesity I: Overview and molecular and biochemical mechanisms
| Federal Agency Update | Back to Top |
DOE Expands SolSmart Program to Deploy More Solar Energy to Underserved Communities
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced two awardees to manage the expansion of SolSmart — a program that has helped hundreds of communities remove red tape to increase solar deployment and expand access to clean energy. DOE also announced that more than 60 new communities accepted the challenge to join SolSmart.
Interagency Officials Prepare for ‘Another Tough Hurricane Season’
With the start of the hurricane season looming on June 1, federal leaders said they are prepared for another active season as they attempt to better account for inequities ranging from risk to assistance and “systemic barriers” that have hampered emergency managers from building truly resilient communities.
Homeland Security Today [Author: Bridget Johnson]
EPA Releases List of Disinfectants for Emerging Viral Pathogens (EVPs) Including Monkeypox
On Monday, May 23, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) triggered its emerging viral pathogen (EVP) guidance in response to recent cases of monkeypox in the United States. EPA expects products on its List of Disinfectants for Emerging Viral Pathogens to kill monkeypox when used according to the label directions.
EPA Emerging Viral Pathogen Guidance and Status for Antimicrobial Pesticides
U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh to Highlight Good Jobs, Worker Protections, Responsible Supply Chains with Labor Ministers in Germany
U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh participated in the Group of 7 Labor and Employment Ministers’ Meeting on May 24 in Wolfsburg, Germany. The Labor Ministers plan to adopt a communiqué identifying shared priorities to create good jobs, increase skills training for underserved communities, ensure safe workplaces, and prepare and protect workers amidst climate change.
Cancer Death Rates Among Black People Declined Over Time, but Remain Higher Than Other Racial and Ethnic Groups
From 1999 to 2019, rates of cancer deaths declined steadily among Black people in the United States. Nevertheless, in 2019, Black people still had considerably higher rates of cancer death than people in other racial and ethnic groups, a large National Institutes of Health (NIH) epidemiologic study has found.
NIAA Resource: The Healthcare Professional’s Core Resource on Alcohol
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has just launched The Healthcare Professional’s Core Resource on Alcohol. This new online resource will help a wide range of healthcare professionals to improve care for patients whose use of alcohol may be affecting their health. The “Core Resource” was created by NIAAA with input from practicing primary care providers, clinical psychologists, and pharmacists.
WTP Opioids and Substance Use: Workplace Prevention and Response
FOA: SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT and Emergency Response
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant applications from small business concerns (SBCs) that propose to further the development of Technology-enhanced training products for the health and safety training of, hazardous materials (HAZMAT) workers; and disaster response and recovery workers, among others.
| Awardee Highlights/Online Learning | Back to Top |
Study Links Firefighter Workload to Greater Odds of Developing A-Fib
Firefighters’ risk of developing atrial fibrillation – an abnormal heart rhythm that can trigger serious health problems – increases with the number of fires they respond to, results of a recent study show. Researchers at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport conducted an online survey of nearly 11,000 active firefighters from around the country.
The Future of Occupational Safety and Health Protection in a Fissured Economy
David Weil, professor at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, published an article in the American Journal of Public Health. The fissured workplace model has allowed businesses to shift risks and responsibilities onto workers and incentivize the misclassification of employees as independent contractors.
Rate of Fatal Injuries in Construction Up More Than 10% Between 2011 and 2020: CPWR Report
The rate of fatal injuries in construction rose 11.1% over a recent 10-year period, with the rate among Hispanic workers spiking 31.3%, according to a new report from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training. Using 2011-2020 data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, researchers calculated an annual average of 963 fatal injuries among all construction and extraction occupations.
| Job Openings | Back to Top |
SEIU 32BJ Seeks Research Analyst
SEIU 32BJ seeks a Research Analyst with experience in the labor movement or community, racial justice, or immigrant rights organizing to support the Union’s internal and external organizing campaigns. 32BJ is hiring for one position that, depending on experience, will either be a Researcher, Research Analyst, or Research Analyst II.
UW Seeks Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program Director
The University of Washington (UW) announces an open national faculty search for an Associate or Full Professor to serve as the Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM) Program Director. The UW OEM Program includes an academic scholarly research program, a clinical service, a component in a NIOSH Education and Research Center, and an MPH track in the School of Public Health.
UC Berkeley LOHP Seeks Coordinator of Public Programs
The University of California Berkeley Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP) is seeking a bilingual (English/Spanish) program coordinator to develop training and outreach programs with low-wage and immigrant workers, with a special emphasis on reaching workers who may be exposed to chemical/environmental hazards or who play roles in disaster preparedness and response, for example, for wildfires.
| We Want Your Feedback | Back to Top |
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