April 28th is Workers Memorial Day, and groups California to Nebraska to Kentucky are planning events -- see a complete list at the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (COSH) website. Events in Washington, DC are happening in advance of Workers Memorial Day: On Thursday, April 19th at 10am, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing on the failures of the OSHA standard setting process. On Friday, April 20th at noon, several groups are holding a Worker Memorial Day event in front of the US Chamber of Commerce headquarters (1615 H Street NW), highlighting the fact that many of the regulations the Chamber opposes can save workers' lives.
In other news:
Los Angeles Times: State authorities have fined Chevron just $350 for inadequate safety training following the death of worker Robert David Taylor, who was engulfed in a sinkhole full of steaming oil fluids.
New York Times: Nationwide, 870,000 veterans are awaiting Veterans Administration decisions on their disability claims. In the Bay Area, average wait times are 313 days, and only 20% get decisions within 125 days.
California Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation: Following the deaths of three solar installers in California, FACE has produced fact sheets, investigation reports, and a new video to warn solar workers and employers of hazards.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Workers at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (part of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) say they're still fearful following a shooting rampage that killed one employee and injured five others. They commend UPMC for some of the actions it's taken but would like to see more done to prevent violence in the facility.
EHS Today: A new OSHA National Emphasis Program focuses on hazards in nursing and residential care facilities, a sector with one of the higest rates of workdays lost to injuries and illnesses.
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