workplace safety

National

Mars Wrigley fined after workers fall into vat of chocolate

3:35am February 13, 2023

by The Associated Press

Federal workplace safety authorities have fined a central Pennsylvania confectionary factory more than $14,500 following an accident last year in which two workers fell into a vat of chocolate.

Used tires stacked at a Goodyear auto service location in South San Francisco, Calif., on July, 2020.

Why the government fails to limit many dangerous chemicals in the workplace

1:31pm December 15, 2022

by Sharon Lerner

The U.S. agency that's supposed to protect workers' health has all but given up on setting limits on a dangerous chemical released in tire manufacturing. Meanwhile, workers are dying.

Margaret Applegate (in yellow scarf), a United Airlines customer service agent, is accompanied by Lori Augustine, vice president of United's San Francisco hub, as Applegate gets a COVID-19 vaccine in September ahead of United's mandated deadline.

Health & Safety

Faced with losing their jobs, even the most hesitant are getting vaccinated

1:49pm October 07, 2021

by Andrea Hsu

Workplaces with vaccine mandates are seeing vaccination rates of 90% or higher. A complex mix of factors, including job security, is driving most workers to get the shots.

The waiting area of a pop-up vaccination site at St. John The Divine Cathedral sits empty as the rush for vaccinations winds down on June 27, 2021 in New York City. The demand for vaccinations has declined just as the Delta Plus variant of the coronavirus

Getting A Religious Exemption To A Vaccine Mandate May Not Be Easy. Here's Why

2:07pm September 28, 2021

With COVID-19 vaccine mandates taking effect around the country, requests for religious exemptions are on the rise. Under federal law, employers have a lot of discretion in granting the requests.

New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Amazon on Tuesday over workplace safety concerns at two of the company's distribution and fulfillment centers in Queens and Staten Island.

New York Sues Amazon Over COVID-19 Workplace Safety

9:42am February 17, 2021

by Jaclyn Diaz

New York Attorney General Letitia James says Amazon refused to obey coronavirus guidelines that would protect its warehouse employees from infection.

Workers line up to enter a Tyson Foods pork processing plant last month in Logansport, Ind. Some of the worst workplace coronavirus outbreaks have been in the meatpacking industry. Major meatpackers JBS USA, Smithfield Foods and Tyson have said worker saf

Thousands Of Workers Say Their Jobs Are Unsafe As Economy Reopens

12:33pm June 11, 2020

by Chris Arnold

In places ranging from chicken processing plants to hair salons, workers say employers aren't doing enough to protect them from getting sick. Advocates blame a lack of mandatory federal safety rules.

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Workers prepare takeout orders May 1 in Houston. For more than two out of three unemployed workers, jobless benefits exceed their old pay, researchers say. That discrepancy can raise awkward questions for workers, bosses and policymakers.

For Many, $600 Jobless Benefit Makes It Hard To Return To Work

2:49pm May 26, 2020

by Scott Horsley

For more than two out of three unemployed workers, jobless benefits exceed their old pay, researchers say. That can raise awkward questions for workers, bosses and policymakers.

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Fume Bistro owner Terry Letson enters his restaurant in Napa, Calif., on Tuesday. A handful of businesses in Napa have made the decision to begin reopening their dining rooms with occupancy limits

As Businesses Reopen, A Fight Is Brewing Over Worker Safety Lawsuits

1:24pm May 06, 2020

by Scott Horsley

Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell insists any coronavirus relief bill must protect employers from lawsuits filed by workers who get sick. Workers' rights advocates oppose such a move.

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Hundreds of workers tested positive for COVID-19 at a Smithfield Foods hog-processing plant in Sioux Falls, S.D.

U.S. Workplace Safety Rules Missing In The Pandemic

6:50pm May 01, 2020

by Scott Horsley

Some businesses and employee advocates say they're not getting much help from the federal government to ensure workers' safety from the coronavirus pandemic.

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RK workers depart a bus on their way to the job site at a new airport under construction in Salt Lake City.

Health & Safety

A Construction Company Embraces Frank Talk About Mental Health To Reduce Suicide

6:32am December 12, 2019

by Yuki Noguchi

The suicide of a construction worker in 2014 became a pivotal event for the Denver-based company that employed him. The death led management to make mental health care a part of the workplace culture.

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