Occupational Health News Roundup

OSHA's failure to keep up with today's workplace hazards is the subject of two Congressional hearings and one New York Times article this week (see our post on the topic, too). Senator Kennedy is set to introduce new legislation, called the Protect America's Workers Act, tomorrow; earlier this week, Senator Patty Murray held a hearing and introduced a bill on domestic violence in the workplace.

Also on the subject of workplace hazards and Capitol Hill, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization has posted a short video featuring John Thayer, supervisor of the crew of workers who were exposed to asbestos for years while working in the tunnels under the U.S. Capitol.  (Also see an earlier Washington Post article published after Thayer testified at a hearing in which Patty Murray introduced a bill to ban asbestos in the U.S.)

In other news:

Charleston Gazette: The Maryland strip mine where a highwall collapse killed two workers has a compliance record that some safety experts say appears too good to be true.

Houston Chronicle: 100 contract workers from BP's Texas City refinery reported dizziness, eye irritation and nausea while doing repairs on an oil processing unit and were taken to the hospital.

Associated Press: See a list of recent chemical plant accidents.

Newsday: Senator Charles Schumer is pushing for cleanup of the site of a former nuclear fuel plant and assistance for workers who were sickened after holding jobs there.