Rural Health
News by Topic: Occupational health and safety
Nov 14, 2024 - Highlights an initiative to increase vaccination for influenza among Kansas farmworkers. Discusses the increased risk of co-infection with H5N1 bird flu and seasonal influenza as well as the strain seasonal illnesses can place on low-staffed rural hospitals.
Source: KCUR, NPR
Nov 14, 2024 - Medical students in Texas visited a farm to learn more about the occupational hazards of farming. Discusses farm injuries and the importance of medical professionals understanding the healthcare needs of their patients.
Source: KLTV
Nov 4, 2024 - Highlights dangerous and often fatal grain bin accidents in agricultural work. Discusses strategies to avoid incidents including a Midwest-focused prevention program by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Source: WNIJ, Harvest Public Media
CDC: Draft Hazard Review: Wildland Fire Smoke Exposure Among Farmworkers and Other Outdoor Workers
Federal Register
Oct 31, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extending the comment period on the draft Hazard Review: Wildland Fire Smoke Exposure Among Farmworkers and Other Outdoor Workers. The purpose of the Hazard Review document is to provide an overview of the relevant health effects literature and present evidence-based recommendations to protect outdoor workers, including farm workers, construction workers, oil and gas workers, park rangers, emergency responders, and others, from the adverse health effects of occupational exposure to wildland fire smoke. Comments are now due by January 10, 2025. An informational webinar about the draft Hazard Review document will be held on December 3, 2024, at 1:00p.m. Eastern. Registration is required.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 30, 2024 - Profiles a rural fire department preparing for work in winter conditions. Discusses both safety for the firefighters and ensuring equipment remains operational in freezing weather.
Source: KXNET
Oct 27, 2024 - Discusses safety for children on a farm and challenges with finding childcare for farmers. Offers examples of age-appropriate activities.
Source: Ohio Country Journal
Oct 24, 2024 - Highlights work by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture to stop the spread of H5N1 in California, Washington, and at a national level. Discusses efforts to safeguard human health, animal health, farming businesses, and the food supply.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Oct 9, 2024 - Notice from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) seeking comments on the proposal to extend approval of the information collection requirements specified in the COVID-19 Recordkeeping and Reporting in Healthcare Standard. The COVID-19 Recordkeeping and Reporting in Healthcare Standard contains information collection requirements that require employers to: establish and maintain a COVID-19 log of each instance identified by the employer in which an employee is COVID-19 positive, regardless of whether the instance is connected to exposure to COVID-19 at work; report to OSHA each work-related COVID-19 fatality within 8 hours of the employer and each work-related COVID-19 in-patient hospitalization within 24 hours of the employer learning about the in-patient hospitalization; and more. Comments are due by December 9, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Sep 19, 2024 - Highlights a newly funded project to develop a strategic plan for improving the health of rural volunteer firefighters in South Dakota. Notes that firefighters have high rates of occupational deaths and career-ending injuries.
Source: KXLG