Employee dies after machine accident at Utah mattress factory
A 52-year-old employee was killed at a Grantsville, Utah mattress factory Thursday when she was pulled into a machine by her arm. Salt Lake Tribune
Ohio construction worker fatally pinned under equipment
A 46-year-old man was killed in Shaker Heights, Ohio Friday afternoon when he became pinned under construction equipment. Fed-OSHA was called to the scene. Star Beacon (Ashtabula, Ohio)
Cancers in Georgia firemen linked to potentially dangerous chemical
Aqueous Film Forming Foam, a special tool for putting out flammable liquids, is made with perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which help stop hazardous fires but are are also potentially linked to prostate cancer. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is researching how PFAS and AFFF exposure impacts firemen. 11 Alive (Atlanta) [with video]
Nevada bill providing whistleblower protections passes state senate
A bill codifying whistleblower protections passed out of the Nevada Senate Commerce and Labor Committee on Friday, but faces opposition from Republican lawmakers and business groups. Presently, if an employee feels unsafe at work and reports the issue to an external authority such as Fed-OSHA or the state labor commissioner’s office, they are guaranteed whistleblower protections, but the protection is not guaranteed to employees who report issues to a supervisor or other authority within their place of employment. Since it was introduced in March, the bill has been amended several times, including to remove a section that would have allowed courts to award costs and attorney’s fees to an employee involved in a lawsuit. Nevada Independent
Nevada OSHA issues face mask guidelines for businesses
Nevada OSHA has released guidance for businesses after an announcement by the governor that the state will follow CDC guidelines on face masks. The agency also has issued guidance on employers asking employees for proof of vaccination. KLAS (Las Vegas)
There have been more than 17,000 complaints about a smell that South Carolina officials are blaming on a mill in York County, which state health and environmental regulators say switched from producing bleached paper products to brown paper, leading to heightened emissions of hydrogen sulfide. The CDC notes exposure to hydrogen sulfide may cause irritation to the eyes and respiratory system. WCNC
OR-OSHA begins rulemaking on heatwave, wildfire smoke protection
Oregon OSHA has started the rulemaking process to protect employees, including agricultural, public transit drivers, delivery drivers and warehouse employees, whose jobs keep them outside of climate-controlled settings during conditions of wildfire smoke or excessive heat. This year, the state is already experiencing warmer temperatures and minimal rain. OPB