Attacks on New York medical responders spike amid mental health crisis

New York City’s first responders are being attacked on the job more frequently by increasingly volatile patients this year—a 36 percent higher rate than last year, according to data reported by the Fire Department of New York to Fed-OSHA. There has been a two-fold increase in 911 calls seeking assistance for emotionally disturbed persons over the last decade. New York Post

Homeless epidemic, trash buildup blamed for serious illnesses among Los Angeles police

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti takes heat for his failure to address the city’s growing homeless population. Fox News [with video]

Restaurant reopens after manager is killed in cleaning chemical accident

A Burlington, Massachusetts chain restaurant reopened over the weekend, following an incident less than two days earlier in which its 32-year-old general manager died in an accident involving cleaning chemicals. A fire official said a cleaning product was knocked over while another product was already on the floor, and the two mixed, causing a chemical reaction with noxious fumes. More than a dozen people checked themselves into local hospitals with symptoms including difficulty breathing and burning feelings in the eyes; all have been released. WCVB (Boston)

Illinois OSHA reminds employers about hearing loss risks

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 22 million American workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise on the job, according to a news release from the agency. Illinois OSHA officials are reminding employers noise measurement should be part of safety assessments and hearing damage can come from noise levels lower than what some think of as dangerous. Center Square

What are the privacy rights of employees?

Employment law and issues related to employer surveillance can lead to a myriad of legal issues related to wrongful termination, workplace safety, discrimination, and more. As more technology becomes available, there has been mounting concern about the use of said surveillance technology to monitor employees as well. Science Times

Amusement park owner fined after maintenance worker injured servicing ride

South Carolina OSHA has fined the parent company of an amusement park $42,000 for six serious violations cited after a maintenance worker’s hand was severed in March while he was inspecting a ride, reportedly 300 feet in the air. WSOC (Charlotte, N.C.) [with video]