The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has issued a special report examining the causes and characteristics of residential multiple-fatality fires. The report, titled "Multiple-Fatality Fires in Residential Buildings," was developed by the National Fire Data Center, part of FEMA's U.S. Fire Administration (USFA). The report is based on 2004 to 2006 data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS).
The U.S. Fire Administration has completed its review of a recently released study conducted by the TriData Division of the System Planning Corporation, analyzing firefighter presumptive cancer legislation and attempting to prove or disprove a correlation between firefighting activities and the occurrence of cancer. According to USFA, while this study is considered thoughtful and well-presented, its results are scientifically inconclusive and indicate that more expansive study is in order.
Researchers have detected common plant toxins that affect human health and ecosystems in smoke from forest fires. The results from the new study also suggest that smoldering fires may produce more toxins than wildfires--a reason to keep human exposures to a minimum during controlled burns.
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius also announced her agency has begun moving 400,000 treatment courses to Mexico to help slow the spread of the H1N1 virus there.
The new facility will provide life-saving training for Ohio miners, local first-responders, and others who conduct business in and around mines, the agency says.
RMPs contain information assessing plans in place to prevent and respond to accidental releases of hazardous substances from facilities and must be updated at least every five years.
The U.S. Fire Administration and the International Association of Emergency Medical Services Chiefs have both issued detailed guidance for EMS and other responders to use during the flu.
U.S. Labor Secretary Solis also announced OSHA is moving forward the proposed regulation governing workers' exposure to diacetyl food flavoring by convening a Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) panel May 5.
"Hospitals are walking a tightrope, trying to balance the growing needs of their communities with today's economic challenges," American Hospital Association President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock said.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs' Safety, Health and Survival Section convened an expert panel that questions the methodology behind a report examining laws in 24 states that have a cancer presumption benefit for firefighters.
DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and other federal officials Tuesday said they're confident federal and state agencies have a sufficient antiviral stockpile to meet the U.S. demand. Early today, CDC confirmed a 23-month-old child in Texas has died.
The groups have scheduled five live Webcasts throughout the day--10 a.m. to 6 p.m.--on May 6, which is Occupational Safety and Health Professional day.
The agency's acting director, Dr. Richard Besser, said the travel advisory will be issued this afternoon. But "it's quite premature" to advise restricting travel to the United States, he added.
Taking place on 2009's Workers Memorial Day, the hearing by the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety has a strong lineup of witnesses -- including Tammy Miser, shown here -- who will describe the true cost of workplace fatalities.
CSB Chairman John Bresland warned this week that extensive secrecy claims like the one made in this case, which involves an August 2008 explosion at Institute, W.Va., could compromise CSB's effectiveness as a safety agency.
The Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) drill on hurricane relief operations involved more than 150 participants at Fort Belvoir, Va.
The 179 settlements from a state compensation fund ranged from $4,500 to more than $2.2 million to a family of four injured when the I-35W bridge fell on Aug. 1, 2007.
Their report on progress toward achieving eight major goals by 2017 shows how the industry as a whole is improving the safety of toxic inhalation hazard and flammable chemical shipments by rail.