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The Kulamanu was towed from Pier 6 at Honolulu Harbor on June 20, 2019. (Hawaii Department of Transportation photo)

Hawaii DOT Clearing Derelict Vessels from Honolulu Harbor

Three vessels that could have posed a risk of sinking during a severe storm recently have been removed, and others have been readied for removal.

OSHA Signs Alliance with NUCA of South Florida

The new alliance between OSHA's Fort Lauderdale Area Office and NUCA of South Florida will focus on cave-in protection, silica, heat stress, and atmospheric hazards associated with confined spaces.

NRC Approves License Transfer for Oyster Creek Plant

The commission's order approving the license transfer takes effect immediately, but the license transfer won't be finalized until the successful completion of the transaction involving Exelon, OCEP, and HDI.

Cleveland Designated a DEA 360 City

The agency is offering additional resources focused on preventing drug abuse with a particular emphasis on education about the dangers of opioids. The effort includes a website, a public awareness campaign, after-school activities, and free presentations to schools and workplaces.

MSHA Extends Deadline for Grant Applications to June 28

The Brookwood-Sago grants will help recipients develop training materials, provide mine safety training or educational programs, recruit mine operators and miners for the training, and conduct and evaluate the training. MSHA has indicated it will give special emphasis to programs and materials that target miners at smaller mines.

FMCSA Chief to Deliver Automated Vehicle Symposium Keynote

The symposium is co-hosted by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and the Transportation Research Board and will be held at the Orlando World Center Marriott during July 15-17.

WorkSafeBC Strengthens PFD Regulations for Fishing Vessels

"Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in British Columbia, and drowning is the leading cause of death among B.C. fishermen," said Patrick Olsen, manager of Prevention Field Services for WorkSafeBC. Between 2007 and 2018, there were 24 work-related deaths in the commercial fishing industry, and 15 of those were drownings, the agency reported.

NFPA Reports 64 On-Duty Firefighter Deaths in 2018

Overexertion, stress, and medical issues accounted for by far the largest share of deaths. While cardiac-related events have accounted for 44 percent of the on-duty deaths over the past 10 years, 2018 represents the third consecutive year they were below 30.



Nominations Due June 28 for ANSI 2019 Leadership and Service Awards

"ANSI's annual awards program is a tribute to the dedicated professionals who make up the diverse U.S. standardization community, and we are pleased to expand that recognition to workforce development and conformity assessment activities with the new awards," said S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO. "We look forward to honoring outstanding contributions that help to strengthen the economy and the workforce, protect the environment, and improve the well-being of people around the world."

Cannabis Edibles to Be Sold in Canada by Mid-December

A limited selection of products will appear gradually in physical or online stores no earlier than mid-December 2019, Health Canada reported. Federal license holders must provide 60 days' notice to Health Canada of their intent to sell new products.

U.S. Signs Agreement to Cooperate on Hydrogen, Fuel Cell Technologies

Representatives of DOE, Japan, and the European Union have signed a joint statement promising future cooperation on the technologies, which could bring significant benefits to the energy sector, the economy, and the environment.

NTSB Calls for Fire Suppression Systems in School Buses

The safety board's report on a 2017 school bus fire that killed a 74-year-old school bus driver and a 16-year-old student passenger near Oakland, Iowa, includes recommendations concerning safety equipment on school buses, physical performance tests for school bus drivers, and a recommendation that the state of Iowa require twice-yearly, documented school bus evacuation training and drills.

U.S. Road Deaths Fell Just 1 Percent in 2018

"While any drop in the overall numbers is encouraging, the ongoing daily carnage on our nation's roads eliminates any sense of celebration. We can – and must – do more collectively to accelerate this downward momentum," Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, said in a June 17 statement.

South Carolina Agency Warns of Possible Hepatitis A Exposures at Two Restaurants, Nevada Outbreak Confirmed

Dr. Linda Bell, physician and South Carolina's state epidemiologist, said this is not a foodborne outbreak, and the concern is with the food handlers who are infected, not with the restaurants. Both received A ratings from DHEC at their most recent inspections.

Seattle Chosen as Homeport for First Polar Security Cutters

The Navy in April 2019 named VT Halter Marine, Inc. of Pascagoula, Miss., as the prime contractor of a $745,940,860 fixed-price incentive-firm contract for the detail design and construction of the new heavy icebreakers.

WHO Launches Antimicrobial Resistance Campaign

"Antimicrobial resistance is an invisible pandemic," said Dr. Mariângela Simão, WHO's assistant-director general for Access to Medicines. "We are already starting to see signs of a post-antibiotic era, with the emergence of infections that are untreatable by all classes of antibiotics. We must safeguard these precious last-line antibiotics to ensure we can still treat and prevent serious infections."

New Health Canada Requirements to Improve Medical Products' Safety

The new requirements will direct manufacturers to, if requested, assess the safety of their products and do further safety testing when issues are identified, and also prepare annual summary reports of all known adverse effects, reported problems, incidents, and risks.

OSHA Cites Southern Tire Mart After Fatal Injury in Texas

OSHA's news release said its inspectors determined that Southern Tire Mart exposed employees to struck-by, tire explosion, fire, and smoke hazards and failed to provide a restraining device or barrier and to implement lockout/tagout procedures as required.

Michigan Counts 202 Active Medical Marijuana Licenses

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency held its first public meeting June 13 in Lansing, with agency leaders and managers presenting reports and discussing their operations. Executive Director Andrew Brisbo announced that the next three scheduled public meetings of the agency will coincide with work groups and will be held Aug. 29 in Detroit, Oct. 28 in Traverse City, and Dec. 9 in Flint.

ELDs Mandatory in Canada Starting in June 2021

"These new mandatory logging devices in commercial vehicles will improve safety for drivers and for all Canadians," said Marc Garneau, Canada's minister of Transport. "We know that fatigue increases the risks of accidents, and that is why we are taking action across all modes of transportation."

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