• Texas A&M to settle lab safety investigation
• OSHA issues guidance document on portland cement
• NIOSH seeking comment on beryllium draft
• Govt schedules National Response Framework broadcast
• Temporary workers suffer more injuries, study says
• OSHA wants members for construction advisory panel
• CDC releases state preparedness report
• Scientists to Feds: Replace cesium chloride in medical devices
• DHS selects new 'Centers of Excellence'
• Focus on eye safety in March

• FMCSA extends Hours-of-Service comment period
• FAA: Runway safety is improving

• Annual report shows state of nation's health
• CDC: All children should get flu shots

• Get set to 'Make a Difference'
• New on the Members-Only Website
• Upcoming Webcast
• Call for entries: Robert W. Campbell Award

Texas A&M University has agreed to pay $1 million to settle an investigation into safety lapses at its biodefense labs.

Research on select agents at the university's National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense has been suspended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since July as a result of Texas A&M's failure to report researcher exposures to brucella and Q fever, as required by law, until 14 months after the first exposure. Further investigation into the incident found numerous sanitation issues and safety violations, including workers failing to wash their hands after experiments, insect infestation in the lab, improper storage of dangerous agents and unauthorized workers with access to infectious diseases.

CDC is scheduled to visit the College Station, TX-based university again in March to determine whether to lift the suspension. School officials say they have properly addressed all of the agency's previous concerns about the lab's operations. 

OSHA last week issued a guidance document designed to help protect workers from developing skin problems associated with portland cement.

Estimates show portland cement – any building material with adhesive properties when mixed with water – accounts for at least 25 percent of all work-related skin problems, OSHA said. Portland cement damages the skin due to its caustic, abrasive and water-absorbing qualities; it also contains the toxin hexavalent chromium.

The new guidance document offers ways to prevent skin-related injuries in cement and cement-related industries. Tips to avoid hazards presented by the product include selecting the proper personal protective equipment and using pH-neutral or slightly acidic soaps.

A lawsuit filed against OSHA by labor unions and trade groups pointed out that the agency's new Hexavalent Chromium standard omitted portland cement. In a settlement reached in April, OSHA agreed to take steps to use existing standards and requirements and apply them to portland cement.

NIOSH is accepting public comment from March 8 to May 8 on a draft document on beryllium in the workplace.

Exposure to the lightweight metal can cause a granulomatous lung condition called chronic beryllium disease, NIOSH said.

"Preventing Chronic Beryllium Disease and Beryllium Sensitization" (.pdf file) describes the nature of the disease and other health effects that can occur from exposure to beryllium and beryllium-containing materials. 

FEMA will use television and the Internet to broadcast information about the National Response Framework.

A broadcast, Webcast and teleconference will air March 5 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EST.

The NRF is the national guide on how officials at all levels of government would work together as a team while responding to all types of disasters. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has called the document the U.S. "playbook" for such responses.

The broadcast is the first step in implementing the NRF, which becomes effective March 22. U.S. Fire Administrator Gregory B. Cade encouraged first responders and those in the fire service to watch the broadcast, which will be available on USFA's National Preparedness Network (PREPnet). Questions can be submitted during the broadcast by e-mailing .

Part-time, temporary or contract workers are at a higher risk of occupational injuries and illnesses than other workers, according to a new study conducted by NIOSH researchers.

• Fatal occupational injuries are twice that among the self-employed.
• 19 percent of day laborers reported work-related injuries, compared with less than 5 percent of workers in all private industries.
• Contract coal miners with at least 15 years of tenure had more evidence of black lung than noncontract coal mine workers.

OSHA is seeking nominations to fill several seats on the agency's Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health. The 15-member committee is seeking members for its employer, employee and public categories. The committee meets two to four times annually; members serve staggered two-year terms.

A newly released report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention praised state governments' emergency preparedness plans, but cautioned there is much more to do.

• All states have emergency response plans.
• The number of public health laboratories has nearly doubled.
• All states now participate in an alert system that quickly exchanges public health information.

"As a nation, we are better prepared today to respond to public health threats, but the reality is that these efforts must be ongoing," said Richard Besser, M.D., director of CDC's Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response.

A group of scientific advisers is pressuring the U.S. government to promote discontinuing the use of cesium chloride due to the chemical compound's potential to facilitate the construction of a "dirty bomb."

Cesium chloride, a radioactive form of Cesium-137, is mostly used in stainless steel capsules in self-contained irradiators at hospitals and universities for blood irradiation, and in biomedical and radiation research. It also has industrial uses.

At Congress's request, a committee from the National Research Council wrote a report examining high-risk radiation sources and identified lower-risk alternatives.

While direct contact with a cesium chloride source is unlikely to cause mass casualties, if the source were to be dispersed in a radiological attack, nearby land and buildings would remain uninhabitable for "an extended period of time," the report stated. A "dirty bomb," which uses a conventional explosion to disperse radiological material through an area, is often used as an example of such an attack.

The committee recommended the government discontinue both import and export of devices containing cesium chloride, and create incentives for companies to switch over to more expensive alternatives.

Eleven universities were selected as "Centers of Excellence" by the Department of Homeland Security to lead safety and security research.

• Border security and immigration
• Explosive detection, mitigation and response
• Maritime, island and port security
• Natural disasters, coastal infrastructure and emergency management
• Transportation security

Every year, more than 800,000 on-the-job eye injuries are reported; 36,000 of which require time off work, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Department of Labor estimates show that between lost production time, medical expenses and workers' compensation, eye injuries cost more than $300 million annually.

Prevent Blindness America, an eye health and safety organization based in Chicago, has named March Workplace Eye Health and Safety Awareness Month. The organization claims 90 percent of workplace eye injuries could be prevented by use of proper eye protection.

• Safety glasses and goggles marked "ANSI Z87" should be worn at all times when eye hazards are present.
• Workers should know the location of the nearest eyewash station and be trained in its use.
• Workers should have regular eye exams to ensure their eyesight is adequate to perform their jobs safely.
• Workers with vision problems should ask their employer if prescription glasses or goggles can be provided.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration extended until March 17 the public comment period for an interim ruling on the number of hours commercial drivers are allowed to be on the road.

FMCSA in early December published an interim final rule regulating the hours truck drivers can be on and off duty, and opened a 60-day public comment period. Members of the Washington-based Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety sent a letter Feb. 7 requesting an extension on behalf of themselves and other associations, including the nonprofit consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, the Truck Safety Coalition and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The groups have said the changes to hours-of-service rules would put motorists at risk by allowing truck drivers to work longer hours and restart their weekly tally of hours after taking shorter breaks, thus increasing the chances of fatigue.

FMCSA has countered with statistics showing no upward trend in the number of overall or fatigue-related fatal crashes. Department of Transportation data from 2006 shows the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled was the lowest in 30 years, the agency said.

Last year was the safest year for aviation, and more improvements to airline safety are underway, Federal Aviation Administration official Henry Krakowski recently told members of Congress.

Krawkowski, chief operating officer of FAA's Air Traffic Organization, appeared Feb. 13 before members of the House Subcommittee on Aviation and outlined future improvements for runway safety. His testimony came weeks after the National Transportation Safety Board and the Government Accountability Office criticized FAA for slow progress on improving runway safety and released recommendations for a number of improvements.

Krakowski cited FAA statistics showing a 25 percent reduction in serious runway incursions in 2007 from the previous year. During 61 million aircraft operations in 2007, 24 serious runway incursions were reported – down from the 31 incursions documented in 2006, he said.

• Improving cockpit procedures, airport signage and markings, air traffic procedures, and technology as part of a "Call to Action" (.pdf file) plan
• Committing more than $806 million over a 30-year period for equipment, installation, operations and maintenance of runway surveillance technology
• Improving runway status lights to provide visual signals to pilots and vehicle operators before takeoff on a runway
• Continuing to test two low-cost ground surveillance systems to provide ground situational awareness for controllers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics has published the 31st edition of an annual report that outlines and characterizes the nation's health.

"Health, United States, 2007" includes 151 trend tables reflecting health status and determinants; and health care use, resources and expenditures. The report also includes the 2007 edition of the "Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans." The chartbook presents trends and information on selected measures of health status, CDC said.

Nearly all children in the United States should receive flu vaccinations, according to a federal advisory board.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted Wednesday to recommend all children older than 6 months receive influenza vaccinations, with the exception of those with serious egg allergies. The panel's recommendations are generally adopted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which issues vaccination guidelines to doctors and hospitals.

Previous flu shot recommendations included those most at risk for serious illness: adults 50 and older, and children aged 6 months to 5 years. The new provision includes children 5 to 18 years old. If followed, the recommendation would result in an additional 30 million children receiving the flu vaccine.

"Make a Difference" is the theme of the National Safety Council's 2008 National Safety Month observance. Throughout June, National Safety Month activities will address the most significant reasons for unintentional injuries and deaths in the American workplace, on the road, and in the home and community. To help your organization plan its special activities, a schedule of National Safety Month weekly topics is available on the National Safety Month Web page.

Posters, tip sheets and other materials will become available on the site within the next few weeks.

• New data sheets (on the Division pages).
• Occupational Excellence Achievement application (applications due April 30).
• Check out the new member question (on the Member Community page). Help a fellow member by sending us your response, or submit a question of your own.

• Motivation & Incentive Programs – March 19

The National Safety Council's Robert W. Campbell Award Program Committee is inviting applications for its 2008 international award for business excellence through environmental, safety and health management. The Campbell Award honors corporations that make environmental, safety and health management integral to their business models, resulting in growth and strong financial performance. Winners will be announced at the council's 96th Annual Congress & Expo in Anaheim, CA.