Workers can be injured by animals such as mammals and insects. Previous studies found that most animal-related occupational fatalities were caused by horses and cattle. We analyzed characteristics of recent nonfatal severe animal-related injuries in US workers.
The severe injury reports (SIR) database, collected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, contains employer self-reports of inpatient hospitalizations and amputations. We used 2015-2021 SIR data to assess properties of animal-related injuries, including the type of animal involved, the nature of the injury, and the industry of the employer. Industry-specific incidence rates were calculated.
We identified 788 severe animal-related injuries during the 7-year study period. Mammals caused over half of these injuries (476; 60.4%), followed by insects, arachnids, and mites (183; 23.2%) and reptiles (127; 16.1%). Two-thirds (529; 67.1%) of animal-related injuries were traumatic, while 211 (28.0%) injuries were due to poisoning or allergic reaction. The highest observed incidence was in livestock merchant wholesalers (59.6 severe injuries per 100,000 workers per year); injuries in this industry were often due to cattle. Mail delivery and landscape architecture, two industries in which animal contact is atypical, were also among the 10 industries with the highest incidence.
Workers in many industries experienced severe injuries due to animals. Among workers whose job involves animal contact, cattle workers appear to be at highest risk. Outdoor workers in some industries require protection from bites of dogs, snakes, and insects.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an emergency temporary standard (ETS) for COVID-19 applicable to private sector employers with 100 or more employees. Among other things, the ETS required employers either to mandate employee vaccination or weekly testing and wearing masks.

There is a great need to develop workplace health and safety surveillance systems for small businesses to systematically understand the cause, nature, and severity of injuries and illness of their workers. Restaurants can be hazardous workplaces for the nature of the business, materials handled, and tasks completed. Some of the traditional South Asian establishments/restaurants rely heavily on the traditional way of food preparation. Workers in these places may work in less than ideal conditions with minimal or no workplace health and safety regulations or programs. We have explored a unique idea of using NYC\'s restaurant inspection reports as a possible surveillance tool using the overall restaurant grade and specific violations. Findings show 19% of the Indian, 26% of Bangladeshi, and 15% of Pakistani restaurants did not achieve grade A in these inspections suggesting that around 20% of these restaurants workers are more likely to work in a relatively hazardous or unhygienic working conditions. Using restaurant inspection grade as a proxy measure for employee safety and working conditions may prove to be a useful and practical measure for such an industry.

The aim of this study was to describe risk factors for heat-related illness (HRI) in U.S. workers.
We reviewed a subset of HRI enforcement investigations conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from 2011 through 2016. We assessed characteristics of the workers, employers, and events. We stratified cases by severity to assess whether risk factors were more prevalent in fatal HRIs.
We analyzed 38 investigations involving 66 HRIs. Many workers had predisposing medical conditions or used predisposing medications. Comorbidities were more prevalent in workers who died. Most (73%) fatal HRIs occurred during the first week on the job. Common clinical findings in heat stroke cases included multiorgan failure, muscle breakdown, and systemic inflammation.
Severe HRI is more likely when personal susceptibilities coexist with work-related and environmental risk factors. Almost all HRIs occur when employers do not adhere to preventive guidelines.

This study analyzed the Construction FACE Database (CFD), a quantitative database developed from reports of the Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The CFD contains detailed data on 768 fatalities in the construction industry reported by NIOSH and individual states from 1982 through June 30, 2015. The results show that falls accounted for 42% (325) of the 768 fatalities included in the CFD. Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS) were not available to more than half of the fall decedents (54%); nearly one in four fall decedents (23%) had access to PFAS, but were not using it at the time of the fall. Lack of access to PFAS was particularly high among residential building contractors as well as roofing, siding, and sheet metal industry sectors (∼70%). Although the findings may not represent the entire construction industry today, they do provide strong evidence in favor of fall protection requirements by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In addition to stronger enforcement, educating employers and workers about the importance and effectiveness of fall protection is crucial for compliance and fall prevention.

BACKGROUND: OSHA inspection of dairy farms began in July 1, 2014 in New York State. As of September 2014, a total of eight farms were randomly selected for inspection. This case study addresses how dairy farm managers prepared for these inspections, and identifies farm level costs preparing for inspection and/or being inspected.
METHODS: Four farms that were OSHA inspected and 12 farms that were not inspected were included in this mixed method evaluation using a multimodal (telephone, email, or mail) survey. Descriptive analysis was carried out using frequencies, proportions, means, and medians.
RESULTS: Overall, the impact of OSHA inspections was positive, leading to improved safety management and physical changes on the farm and worker trainings, although the farmers\' perspectives about OSHA inspection were mixed.
CONCLUSIONS: The cost of compliance was low relative to estimated overall production costs. Clarifications and engineering solutions for specific dairy farm hazard exposures are needed to facilitate compliance with OSHA regulations.

BACKGROUND: During an inspection by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of a small coal slag processing plant with 12 current workers, four cases of pneumoconiosis were identified among former workers.
METHODS: The OSHA investigation consisted of industrial hygiene sampling, a review of medical records, and case interviews.
RESULTS: Some personal sampling measurements exceeded the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for total dust exposures of 15 mg/m(3), and the measured respirable silica exposure of 0.043 mg/m(3), although below OSHA\'s current PEL for respirable dust containing silica, was above the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists\' Threshold Limit Value (TLV). Chest x-rays for all four workers identified small opacities consistent with pneumoconiosis.
CONCLUSIONS: This is the first known report of lung disease in workers processing coal slag and raises concerns for workers exposed to coal slag dust.

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Heat stress monitoring is a vital component of an effective health and safety program when employees work in exceptionally warm environments. Workers at hazardous waste sites often wear personal protective equipment (PPE), which increases the body heat stress load. No specific Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations address heat stress; however, OSHA does provide several guidance documents to assist employers in addressing this serious workplace health hazard. This article describes a heat stress and surveillance plan implemented at a hazardous waste site as part of the overall health and safety program. The PPE requirement for work at this site, coupled with extreme environmental temperatures, made heat stress a significant concern. Occupational health nurses and industrial hygienists developed a monitoring program for heat stress designed to prevent the occurrence of significant heat-related illness in site workers. The program included worker education on the signs of heat-related illness and continuous physiologic monitoring to detect early signs of heat-related health problems. Biological monitoring data were collected before workers entered the exclusion zone and on exiting the zone following decontamination. Sixty-six site workers were monitored throughout site remediation. More than 1,700 biological monitoring data points were recorded. Outcomes included improved worker health and safety, and increased operational effectiveness.

Latino day laborers often work at dangerous construction sites with little power to change conditions. We describe the development, implementation, and early-stage results of a program to train immigrant day laborers as safety liaisons. These are construction workers prepared to recognize and respond to health and safety hazards. Based in Newark, NJ, the project involves collaboration between New Labor, a membership-based worker center, and university researchers and labor educators. Safety liaisons undergo training and receive ongoing support for their roles. Both qualitative and quantitative data are collected to monitor progress. Although lacking in formal authority, safety liaisons have prompted improvements at specific sites, filed OSHA complaints, and developed a local worker council. Participatory training methods, opportunities for leadership outside the classroom, and participation in project planning have strengthened liaisons\' effectiveness, leadership skills, and commitment. The safety liaison approach could be adapted by worker centers and their partner organizations.