Despite a short 30-day comment period, dozens of interested individuals and organizations provided comments to Asst. Secretary Leon Sequeira about his proposed so-called risk assessment policy. I’ve pulled some of my favorite excerpts for your consideration: “The proposed rule is a parting gift from an outgoing administration to its supporters in industry and should be […]
The Labor Department has rejected calls from numerous public interest groups and even the chairman of its legislative oversight committee to conduct public hearings and extend the time period to provide feedback on its worker health risk assessment proposal. That means that today, Monday, September 29 is the final day to submit comments on the Assistant Secretary for Policy […]
Updated below: 9/29/08 5:00 pm Over the last year, Matthew Faraci has served as the MSHA spokesman, providing official statements, for example, about the Crandall Canyon investigation, touting the Agency’s progress implementing the MINER Act, and defending the Administration’s request for an additional $19 million for MSHA.  In fact, Faraci even organized a media briefing so that agency officials could explain why the requested […]
Four U.S. Senators have written to Labor Secretary Chao and OSHA Asst. Secretary Foulke expressing serious concern that “OSHA has failed to make significant progress in addressing the continuing hazards” of diacetyl. They asked for a response by October 8 to four simple questions, including a list of inspections conducted as part of OSHA’s national emphasis […]
Itâs become increasingly evident over the past few years that many veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have sustained mild traumatic brain injuries, often from being in the vicinity of a powerful blast. (See last monthâs New York Times article for details.) Symptoms can range from dizziness and persistent headaches to hearing problems and memory […]
J. Davitt McAteer, who served as acting Solicitor of Labor for nearly two years,* submitted formal objections today on DOL’s proposed risk assessment rule, and indicated that if the Administration “refuses to withdraw the proposal,” he asks for public hearings [plural] and an extension of the comment period. McAteer, who also served as the MSHA chief from […]
During a recent one-on-one interview with the Charleston Gazette, MSHA chief Richard Stickler said his agency will not be issuing more protective health standards to protect miners from coal workers’ pnuemoconiosis during his tenure. In Ken Ward’s article (Sept 14), Stickler says: “There’s no way I’m going to get that done with what I have […]
Occupational Hazards has assembled a list of the 50 most influential leaders in Environmental Health and Safety, and our own David Michaels is on the list. âLove them or despise them, these are the 50 people the editors of Occupational Hazards feel have had the most impact on EHS in the past decade,â the introduction […]
In 1971 under the National Cancer Act, Congresss authorized the 3-person President’s Cancer Panel which is charged with monitoring the “development and execution of the National Cancer Program” and preparing periodic progress reports for the President. Over the years, the Panel has examined quality of life for cancer patients, access to care issues, and lifestyle risk […]
Earlier this year, the Charlotte Observer published an excellent and disturbing series on the dangerous working conditions at poultry plants, and employersâ efforts to keep worker injuries from being reported. Now, the Observerâs Ames Alexander reports that poultry worker Thomas Jurrissen told auditors about safety concerns at the plant where he worked â and was […]