Georgia firm cited for arsenic levels

• OSHA found that two companies operating at a Conley, Georgia, wood treatment chemical manufacturing facility exposed workers to chemical hazards.
• The agency opened an inspection at Arch Wood Protection Inc. after screening tests by the Georgia Poison Center found workers employed by the manufacturer had elevated levels of arsenic.
• OSHA  also opened an inspection with Mullins Mechanical & Welding LLC of Carrollton, the facility’s maintenance contractor.
• Mullins Mechanical & Welding received citations for four serious violations for not providing — and making sure employees used appropriate decontamination procedures and equipment after working in regulated areas. OSHA has proposed $53,574 in penalties.
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Alabama a dangerous state for workers

• A report by the AFL-CIO released found that Alabama is one of the top 10 deadliest states in the country for workers.
• Based on data from 2021, Alabama ranked 7th with a 5.5 percent fatality rate out of 100,000 workers. Aside from fatalities Alabama also had a 2.4 percent rate of injury or illness out of 100 workers.
• However, due to underreporting the true rate of injury or illness is assumed to be higher than is actually documented.
• The report was indicative of the lack of unionization in Alabama, right-to-work laws, and zero support from politicians of either party in favor of workers.
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Support to keep migrant workers safe

• New Immigrant Community Empowerment in New York is a nonprofit that works to prevent worker exploitation and promotes worker safety for immigrants.
• The organization receives help from OSHA to help ensure these residents can work.
• Since last November, they have been receiving about 1,000 newly arrived immigrants per month.
• Many organizations are feeling overwhelmed by the influx of migrants arriving in the city.
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Washington State passes wildfire smoke rule

• More than two years after the start of the rulemaking process, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries filed proposed permanent wildfire smoke rules.
• People exposed to wildfire smoke may experience eye irritation, coughing, pneumonia, per NIOSH, or more severe side effects such as chest pain, heart attacks, and lung complications.
• The proposed permanent rule outlines necessary protections based on a tool the Environmental Protection Agency uses to measure air quality called Air Quality Index (AQI).
• Specifically, the proposed rule uses NowCast AQI, which shows the current AQI as opposed to the overall air quality over 24 hours.
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