Our Labor Day tradition continues with the release of “The Year in US Occupational Health & Safety.” It is the fourth edition of the yearbook. It recaps key policy changes and research on worker safety and health at the federal, state, and local levels from the previous 12 months.
It’s perhaps not surprising that single parents face a higher risk of living in poverty. However, a new study finds that such risk is much higher for single mothers than for single fathers, even when they both have similar jobs and education levels and work the same number of hours.
Sociologist Jennifer Laird was researching unemployment among Mexican immigrants when she came upon some interesting numbers on black workers in the public sector and employment effects of the Great Recession. It piqued her interest and so she decided to keep digging.
I’ve been reviewing OSHA’s proposed rule to protect beryllium-exposed workers. In the agency’s 262-page Federal Register notice, I see an Administration that has gone above and beyond when it comes to assessing the proposals costs to employers.
With national school nutrition standards up for reauthorization in Congress, a new survey finds that most Americans support healthier school meals.
Child Labor
Worker database documents 1,073 occupational deaths so far in 2015: ‘Every one of these deaths is preventable’
More than 1,000 U.S. workers have died due to job-related events in the first seven months of 2015, according to new data from the U.S. Worker Fatality Database. Researchers estimate that total fatalities will likely reach 4,500 by the end of the year, which would mean that the nation’s occupational death rate experienced little, if no, improvement over previous years.
There are plenty of lawmakers who criticize OSHA regulations. Perhaps some of them might think differently if they realized the importance of workplace safety regulations for children’s health.
One of the big criticisms that opponents of the Affordable Care Act love to trot out is its impact on the economy — one phrase you often hear is “job killer.” In fact, in 2011, Republicans in the House actually introduced legislation officially titled “Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act.” That bill didn’t make it far. However, a new report finds that “job-killing” isn’t just hyperbole; it’s just plain wrong.
OSHA is proposing a new health standard to protect workers who are exposed to beryllium from a debilitating respiratory disease and lung cancer.
Environmental Health
Years after Superstorm Sandy, residents still struggle with stress, recovery efforts
Superstorm Sandy came ashore nearly three years ago, pummeling the New England and Mid-Atlantic coast and becoming one of the deadliest and costliest storms to ever hit the U.S. This week, the Sandy Child and Family Health Study released two new reports finding that the health impacts of Sandy continue to linger, illustrating the deep mental footprint left by catastrophic disasters and the challenges of long-term recovery.