Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH | The Pump Handle

Injury Control & Violence Coal miner killed in West Virginia while memorial to Upper Big Branch unveiled

July 30, 2012 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH 1Comment

Coal miner Johnny Mack Bryant II, 35, was killed on Friday, July 27 in the “red zone” when he was struck and pinned by a continuous mining machine. Let’s see whether this work-related fatality gives the Labor Department a greater sense of urgency to finalize safety regulations to require proximity detection devices on certain types of mining equipment.

APHA Annual Meeting Chinese factory-fire victim turned activist to be honored by world’s largest public health group

July 26, 2012 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH 3Comment

Yuying Chen transformed from a 15 year old girl who worked in a factory making toys for export, to a woman empowered by a workplace disaster, to an internationally recognized human rights leader. She will receive the American Public Health Association’s International Health & Safety Activist’s award at the group’s annual meeting to be held October 27-31, 2012 in San Francisco.

Injury Control & Violence Gun violence is a U.S. public health problem

July 23, 2012 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH 44Comment

Gun violence is uniquely an American problem compared to other industrialized countries. Firearm-related fatality rates in the U.S. are four times the rates in other industrially advanced countries. We continue to relegate this social ill it to our criminal justice system when it needs a public health solution.

Mining House Republicans say the heck with black lung disease, have a coal miner postage stamp instead

July 19, 2012 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH

While investigative reporters are exposing the plague of black lung disease in U.S. coal miners, the best Members of Congress are willing to do is ask for a postage stamp commemorating the American Coal Miner.

Mining “We were in shock. We only wanted to bury our son.”

July 18, 2012 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH 1Comment

The Washington Post’s article “Meaningless millions” captures some of the heartbreak experienced when your loved one is killed on the job, but like most things, there’s more to the story.

Environmental Health US chemical manufacturers just blowing smoke about burdensome worker safety regulations

July 17, 2012 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH 6Comment

The American Chemistry Council is making the ludicrous claim that a proposed OSHA regulation on combustible dust will negatively impact the economy and job growth. That’s a bunch of baloney. OSHA doesn’t even have combustible dust on its regulatory agenda.

Environmental Health Five years and $10 billion later, but process safety problem halts production at brand new U.S. oil refinery

July 11, 2012 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH 2Comment

Royal Dutch Shell’s and Sauid Aramco’s Motiva refinery in Port Arthur Texas open last month with fanfare. The celebration was quickly overshadowed by a ruinous leak of corrosive into the heart of the refinery. The incident could have resulted in catastrophic loss of life

Environmental Health Investigative reporters team up to expose national disgrace: US coal miners still get black lung

July 9, 2012 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH 2Comment

Three of my favorite investigative journalists have worked together to expose a national disgrace: coal miners in the U.S. still develop black lung disease.

OIRA Obama’s regulatory czar should pay attention to the uncertainty he creates

July 5, 2012 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH

President Obama’s regulatory czar is missing a fundamental component of regulatory uncertainty. It’s pretty simply, make a deadline, stick with it, or explain why it will be missed.

Injury Control & Violence If former Massey Energy is now “Running Right,” why keep secret its safety progress report?

July 3, 2012 Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH 1Comment

Family members of the April 2010 Upper Big Branch mine disaster say they are still in the dark. The latest example is Alpha Natural Resources failure to make public a progress report required in its non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Liz Borkowski, MPH	Celeste Monforton, DrPH,
Kim Krisberg	Garrett Brown