worker safety News

Ruling Limits Safety-Based Drug Testing at Iowa Warehouses

The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled that employers cannot subject all warehouse employees to random drug testing by designating them as having “safety sensitive” jobs. In its 4-3 ruling, the court ruled that companies must consider the specific duties of …

2 Reported Dead in Natural Gas Line Explosion in Texas

Two people were killed and three injured in a natural gas pipeline explosion in Texas, officials said. The deadly blast happened around 4 p.m. Monday at an Atmos Energy facility in Collin County near Farmersville, about 35 miles northeast of …

Vaccination Rate for Public Safety Workers in L.A. Below Average

COVID-19 vaccination rates for police and firefighting personnel in Los Angeles and prison employees across California are significantly lower than the state’s average for other adults, raising concerns among medical ethicists and public safety leaders about whether unvaccinated first responders …

Vaccinated California Workers May Have to Keep Masks on

California is set to fully reopen in less than two weeks and do away with virtually all mask and social distancing requirements for vaccinated people. But officials who regulate workplaces in the state aren’t ready to go that far and …

Ford Halts Production at Southern India Plant as COVID-19 Cases Surge

CHENNAI – Ford Motor Co. said it will halt production at its car plant in India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu after workers staged a lunchtime sit-in protest on Thursday, demanding leave and health benefits, as the country battles the …

Ag Groups Upset with Washington Governor for Farm Worker Rules

Some top agriculture groups are upset with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee because farm workers were not covered in last week’s announcement that fully vaccinated employees do not have to wear a mask or socially distance at work. Inslee also recently …

Renault-Nissan Shuts South India Plant Until May 30 on COVID Safety Concerns

CHENNAI – Automaker Renault-Nissan will shut its plant in India’s southern Tamil Nadu state until May 30, according to an internal note and two sources familiar with the matter, a day after workers said they would strike over coronavirus-related safety …

Many Workers Begin to Return to Offices Transformed by COVID Safety Innovations

Masked, desk-bound and unable to recognize their colleagues in an elevator, people are starting to return to offices in cities around the world where the pandemic is receding. Many will find their offices transformed, too. In the challenge to make …

California Aiming to Ease Virus Rules for Workers in Mid-June

California workforce regulators will aim for a mid-June easing of workplace mask and social distancing requirements to conform with a broader state order, postponing a vote on whether to revise coronavirus safety rules for employees. Cal/OSHA’s staff said it would …

Renault-Nissan, Hyundai Face Factory Closures in India over Workers’ COVID-19 Fears

CHENNAI, India – Automakers Renault, its alliance partner Nissan Motor Co. and Hyundai Motor Co. face temporary factory closures in India due to growing unrest among workers concerned about rising COVID-19 infections. Workers at Renault-Nissan’s car plant in the southern …