The White House is poised to take action on workplace discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender workers; Washington farmworkers make history with wage settlement; and OSHA investigates Amazon.com fulfillment centers after two worker deaths.
Environmental Health
Preventing chemical disasters: Labor and community groups say action must accompany words
Following the deadly April 17, 2013 explosion at the West, Texas fertilizer plant – and a series of other catastrophic incidents involving hazardous materials – President Obama directed federal agencies to improve chemical facility security and safety. Their report makes recommendations but does not mandate any immediate action. Meanwhile, dangerous chemical releases occur at workplaces around the US almost daily.
Investigator Jim Beck got to the bottom of what happened at the Upper Big Branch coal mine disaster. He died last week from cancer.
Government
Not an “accident”: Chris Williamson suffers fatal work-related injury in Florence, Alabama
This week’s snapshot of just one work-related fatality. This one occurred on June 4 on an electrical pole in Florence, Alabama.
Milestones set, milestones missed. The fiction of OSHA’s regulatory agenda for new worker safety protections.
Where you live may be hazardous to your health. This is the conclusion of several new reports including one by the Environmental Justice and Health Alliance for Chemical Reform that shows who lives in US communities most vulnerable to hazardous chemical exposures and the CDC’s latest examination of health disparities.
The Huffington Post investigates how the mining industry cheats worker safety; Seattle set to raise minimum wage to $15; and the death of a hummus plant worker could have been prevented with better safety practices.
The heath effects of occupational solvent exposure don’t always fade with time. A new study has found that years — sometimes even decades — down the road from their last workplace exposure, some workers are still experiencing very real cognitive impairments.
Injury Control & Violence
Not an “accident”: Juan Carlos Reyes suffers fatal work-related injury in Harlingen, Texas
This week’s snapshot of just one work-related fatality. This one occurred on May 24 at a hotel construction site in Texas.
A investigative Houston Chronicle piece exposes the dangers of the tank cleaning industry; North Carolina lawmakers back fracking secrecy with jail time; and Wal-Mart contractor settles in wage theft case.