October 20, 2023
Safety for Latino employees, hearing loss research and more
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
In a recent U.S. Department of Labor blog article, OSHA leader Doug Parker demonstrates how the safety and health of Latino employees have been disproportionally impacted on the job. Employers are encouraged to help protect Latino employees by embracing safety and health as a core value in their workplaces, providing equal access to safety equipment, training in different languages and involving employees in safety discussions. Resources in Spanish are provided to aid in these efforts.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
The journal, Seminars in Hearing, released a special issue highlighting NIOSH’s research and efforts to prevent occupational hearing loss. Seven articles discuss topics such as new research on occupational hearing loss prevention in the mining industry, hearing evaluations for employees exposed to chemicals, earplug performance and an in-depth look at the history of hearing loss prevention work at NIOSH.
NIOSH is planning to survey employers across the nation to learn how respirators are being used in the workplace. This survey will provide updated data on respirator use in U.S. industries. To improve the planning for future pandemics, the survey will also look back at how respirators were used and the challenges of finding them during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers will be invited to participate in the survey beginning November 2.
NIOSH researchers used the National Health Interview Survey to determine that miners are at increased risk of chronic health conditions. All miners surveyed were found to have more instances of back and joint pain, leg pain resulting from back pain and hearing loss, while miners younger than 55 were more likely to have high blood pressure. The study recommends that employers reduce injury risks and provide support for employees to manage pain and substance abuse.
Studies, resources, trends, news
Webinar on leadership accountability and compliance
Occupational Health & Safety Magazine is hosting a webinar next week to discuss how to cultivate accountability and compliance in safety leadership, empower operational managers to become safety advocates, drive performance and hold leadership teams accountable for operational excellence. The webinar is scheduled for October 25.