October 2022 Recap: In Other News and What You May Have Missed
Here is all of the occupational safety and health-related news that you might have missed in October 2022 including a number of funding announcements for workplace mental health, OHS education and training, workplace violence, as well as a survey on the four-day work week.
House passes bill calling for a NIOSH research program on mental health in the workplace – Safety + Health Magazine
On September 8, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the awarding of approximately $1.9 million in grants to 14 nonprofits to fund education and training programs to help workers and employers recognize infectious disease hazards, including the coronavirus, and identify workplace safety measures.
Why this matters
This more in-depth program could potentially and significantly benefit the occupational mental health of people across the United States.
OSHA administers $11.7m in grants for workplace safety – Security Magazine
The U.S. Department of Labor announced the award of $11,746,992, in grants to support worker and employer education to make workplaces around the nation safer and healthier. Administered by the department's OSHA, the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program is making grants to 90 nonprofit organizations in fiscal year 2022 for education and training on hazard recognition and injury prevention, workers' rights, and employers' legal responsibilities to provide safe and healthful workplaces.
Why this matters
Nonprofit workers face a range of serious safety risks and the training and education from these grants will help protect them better.
Future of Roads | Industry turns to technology to enhance road worker safety – New Civil Engineer
NCE recently received a response from National Highways to a Freedom of Information request about accidents and near misses affecting road workers. It said that in 2021 there were 394 high potential near miss events and 43 lost time incidents – injuries resulting in the loss of productive time – among road maintenance and road building workers.
Why this matters
Road worker safety is an occupational area that needs to be addressed more – these new numbers reaffirm that.
The Widening World of Wearable Safety – OH&S
These days, wearable technology is everywhere. From smart watches measuring physical activity and health to fall detection immediately identifying dangerous falls while at work and requesting help, wearable technology is benefitting both our personal and family, as well as our professional and work-related lives.
Why this matters
This article looks at the growing field of wearable safety technologies and how that impacts the safety of employees.
Preventing workplace violence: NSC releases report and playbook – Safety + Health Magazine
New guidance from the National Safety Council is aimed at providing organizations with information and solutions to effectively mitigate and address workplace violence. Nearly half of U.S. employers report they’re unprepared to prevent and respond to incidents on the job – even as workplace violence becomes more frequent, according to NSC. Recognizing this critical gap in safety preparedness, the nonprofit organization – through its Work to Zero initiative – recently released a report and playbook: Workplace Violence: Using Technology to Reduce Risk.
Why this matters
Workplace violence is becoming a bigger, overall OHS issue and this report helps employers mitigate this safety hazard through technology.
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