Occupational Health News Roundup

NIOSH (the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) has launched a new blog, called the NIOSH Science Blog, as a way to fulfill its mission of translating NIOSH scientific research into practice. It invites visitors âto present ideas to NIOSH scientists and each other while engaging in robust scientific discussion with the goal of protecting workers.â Their first three posts cover a range of occupational health and safety topics:

• Workplace Stress, by NIOSH Senior Scientist Steve Sauter
• Truck Driver Safety and Health, by NIOSH Research Health Scientist W. Karl Sieber
• Preventing Fire Fighter Fatalities from Cardiovascular Events, by NIOSH Director John Howard

Itâs great to see another blog covering occupational health and safety issues. Head over to the NIOSH Science Blog and welcome them to the blogosphere!

Elsewhere:

CNN: A new report from the Government Accountability Office identified numerous accidents at the nationâs three nuclear weapons labs over the past seven years; some have caused serious harm to workers, including worker exposure to radiation, inhalation of toxic vapors, and electrical shocks.

Hartford Courant: The International Agency for Research on Cancer will add shift work to its list of probable carcinogens. (Hat tip to A Blog Around the Clock, which is an excellent resource for info on circadian rhythms and related topics.)

The Herald Standard (Pennsylvania): Three mining disasters that occurred in December 1907 are being commemorated: an explosion at the Naomi Mine in Fayette City that killed 34; massive explosions and roof collapses at the Monangah No. 6 and 7 mines in Monongah, WV that killed 362; and an explosion at the Darr Mine in Rostraver Township, PA that killed 239. (Also see Ken Ward Jr.âs review of J. Davitt McAteerâs new book Monangah for more on that disaster.)

The Olympian (Washington): Workplace bullying takes a toll on workers, and bullied workers who speak up can find management unresponsive and the situation worse. Taking advantage of resources for bullied workers can help.

Los Angeles Times: California farmers used 10 million fewer pounds of pesticides on crops last year; one exception to the downward trend is strawberry growers, who used more fumigants.