Canada School Support Staff Bearing Brunt of Violence

• Violence in Canadian schools is at an all-time high, with support staff bearing the brunt of the crisis, according to a new report from the Nova Scotia School Board Council of Unions.
• According to the report, incidents of school violence have surged by 60% over the past seven years, to 27,000 in 2022-23 from 17,000 in the 2016-17 school year.
• The report highlights a failure in the current system for reporting violent incidents. 
• The current system, known as PowerSchool, is mainly accessible only to teachers, leaving support staff dependent on others to report incidents on their behalf.
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Baltimore Launches Independent Review of Safety Practices

• Baltimore officials announced Friday an independent review of the safety policies, practices, and procedures, specifically as they pertain to heat safety at the city’s Public Works department.
• The city has hired Conn Maciel Carey LLP, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm specializing in workplace safety, according to the announcement.
• The findings from this review will support city efforts to develop a comprehensive occupational health and safety program to protect DPW employees.
• The review follows the heat-related death earlier this month of a city waste collection worker.
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Alabama Chemical Plant Railcar Explosion Under OSHA Investigation

• OSHA is now investigating the Aug. 10 explosion at the Evonik chemical plant in South Mobile County, Alabama.
• Company officials said the blast was caused by overpressure in a railcar that contained hydrogram peroxide.
• According to a plant spokesperson, no serious injuries were reported.
• The Evonik plant in Theodore employs around 750 people and is its largest facility in North America.
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