Fed Lawyers Seek to Toss Black Lung Case

Federal government lawyers contend a lawsuit over the expected dismantling of NIOSH’s black lung screening in Morgantown, West Virginia, should not proceed because it is not yet clear whether the closure will actually take place.
A hearing on a preliminary injunction is scheduled for today at 10 a.m.
The federal lawyers also contend the plaintiff in the case lacks standing and that the United States government has immunity from these kinds of lawsuits over the staffing and mission of its agencies.
A Kanawha County coal miner named Harry Wiley filed federal suit on April 7 on behalf of himself and others potentially affected by the loss of the Coal Workers Health Surveillance Program.
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Pennsylvania’s Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention Act, legislation seeking to provide more security and safety for healthcare professionals at work, has passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote.
If passed by the Senate and signed into law, it would require hospitals to establish workplace violence prevention committees and perform annual risk assessment reports.
The bill would also require healthcare facilities to keep records and reports of violence.
Healthcare workers say that currently there is no mandatory rule in place that requires hospitals to report those incidents.
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Insurer Willis has teamed up with advocacy group SAVE-Suicide Awareness Voices of Education to launch a comprehensive suicide prevention training curriculum.
The free program is designed to appropriately engage and equip construction professionals across any company with the resources, education, and support necessary to navigate their industry’s unique challenges that contribute to mental health struggles and suicidal ideation.
An estimated 6,000 construction workers died by suicide in 2022 alone, according to an announcement.
The new IBEAM (Ideal Body, Environment, and Mind) program addresses this crisis through a tiered, virtual approach, ensuring accessibility and effectiveness across all organizational levels, diverse locations, and schedules.
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Balfour Beatty has launched a new safety initiative that identifies live traffic as a fifth fatal risk in construction.
The risk adds to OSHA’s long-established Fatal Four: falls, struck-by incidents, electrocutions, and caught-in/between hazards.
“Construction workers in roadway work zones face life-threatening dangers every day from the driving public,” said Richard Ryan, Balfour Beatty US SVP of Safety & Sustainability. “By recognizing live traffic as a fatal risk, we’re making a clear commitment to prevent these incidents and protect workers and the public.”
As part of its initiative, Balfour Beatty is equipping its highway projects with technology that sends real-time alerts to approaching drivers through navigation apps and connected vehicles.
Also, its crews are using advanced strobe lighting systems on machinery and personal gear to improve visibility in low-light and adverse weather conditions.
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OSHA said its leadership, including Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling, will part in its 12th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction from May 5-9, 2025.
This nationwide program spotlights preventing falls, the construction industry’s leading cause of worker deaths.
OSHA is urging employers to pause during the workday to conduct “stand-down” activities, including safety demonstrations, hazard recognition and fall prevention training, and “tool-box” talks about hazards.
Employers are also encouraged to have discussions about job-specific hazards, like roofing, ladder use, and working on scaffolds.
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The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries will host a free workshop on May 29 to help employers prepare for increased risks tied to extreme heat and wildfire smoke.
It is designed for employers, safety managers, and others responsible for outdoor workers,
The program will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the agency’s Tukwila office.
Consultants from L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health will lead the session.
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