More challenges for Dollar General

• Dollar General employees in Michigan walked off the job because they were frustrated after trying to get extra help for months.
• The employees claim that long hours and a small staff made working difficult.
• The store allegedly operated with only two staff members a day, between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.
• OSHA is investigating numerous safety issues at Dollar General stores across the nation.
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Oil refinery bill causes conflict in Ohio

• Construction trade unions and steelworkers are butting heads over a bill that would impose new minimum training standards on outside contractors brought in to work at northwest Ohio’s three oil refineries.
• Business opponents have labeled it a “pro-unionization” bill.
• The Ohio House passed House Bill 205 with bipartisan support, but United Steelworkers of America District 1, representing workers in Ohio and Michigan, now says it is “vehemently opposed” and urges the Senate to reject it.
• “Any suggestion that increased training standards and [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] safety certification for external construction workers would make the refinery less safe is utterly absurd,” said Matt Szollosi, executive director of the Affiliated Construction Trades,
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Amazon warehouse injuries could be more widespread 

• OSHA has cited Amazon for exposing workers to ergonomic risks at several facilities, according to according to Bloomberg.
• Almost 30% of America’s warehouse workers are working for Amazon, a team of researchers estimates.
• More than two-thirds of Amazon warehouse workers surveyed by researchers reported that they took unpaid time off to recover from pain or exhaustion sustained on the job.”
• Also, 41% of the workers surveyed reported being injured while working at an Amazon warehouse.
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The NSC Safety Congress Meets to Hash Out Safety Concerns in the Workplace 

• The NSC Safety Congress met in New Orleans to discuss workplace safety. They found that, for the 13th year in a row, fall protection remains the top-cited OSHA violation.
• Hazard communication, personal protection equipment, ladders, scaffolding, and fall protection training requirements follow closely behind on the list of cited violations.
• In accordance with the Hazard Communication standard, OSHA officials plan to unveil a new Infectious Disease standard for healthcare settings, focus on heat illness prevention, and address workplace violence in healthcare.
• Several female speakers touched on the role of men in opening doors for women in the workplace and supporting, attracting, and promoting women in construction.
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