Around 21 percent of deaths from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) among U.S. residents during 2020–2022 might have been associated with occupational exposures, according to a report published in the March 6 issue of CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). While the causes of IPF are unknown, studies have suggested occupational exposures to pesticides, wood dust, and metal dust as possible contributing factors. According to CDC, research has also indicated associations between IPF and cigarette smoking, genetic mutations, and viral infections such as Epstein-Barr virus and hepatitis C. The 21-percent estimate is based on the agency’s exploratory analysis of multiple cause-of-death data from the National Vital Statistics System, which collects information on U.S. births and deaths. At the time of CDC’s analysis, 2020–2022 were the most recent years for which industry and occupation information was available for most decedents.The report describes IPF as a disease “characterized by progressive scarring of lung tissue and declining lung function, with a median survival of 3–5 years after diagnosis.” CDC estimates that, among those with IPF listed as the underlying or a contributing cause of death, the deaths of 8,340 males and 5,908 females in 2020–2022 might have resulted from occupational exposures. The highest number of IPF deaths occurred among males who worked in the manufacturing industry and among females who worked in healthcare and social assistance. Workers in the public administration and educational services industries had some of the highest “significantly elevated” proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs), and the report’s authors—who are affiliated with the NIOSH Respiratory Health Division—also note elevated PMRs among workers in healthcare practitioner and technical occupations.
“Workers in some of these industries and occupations would be anticipated to have frequent exposure to secondhand smoke; vapors, gas, dust, and fumes; biologic (e.g., bioaerosols in indoor environments); chemical (e.g., pesticides); and other hazards in the workplace,” the report explains.
A rule issued last week by EPA extends the deadline for manufacturers and importers of 16 chemicals to provide the agency with data from unpublished health and safety studies. The rule, which became effective on March 13, extends the reporting deadline for one of the chemicals, vinyl chloride, by 90 days to June 11, 2025. Manufacturers and importers of the other 15 chemical substances covered under the rule now have an additional 180 days, until Sept. 9, 2025, to provide EPA with the required information. In addition to data from health and safety studies, the agency is also requiring affected entities to submit unpublished studies related to environmental effects and exposures to workers, consumers, and the general population. According to EPA, “[t]hese health and safety studies will help inform EPA’s prioritization, risk evaluation and risk management of chemicals under TSCA,” the Toxic Substances Control Act.Benzene, bisphenol A, hydrogen fluoride, and styrene are among the substances for which manufacturers and importers must report data. Five of the 16 chemicals—MBOCA, acetaldehyde, acrylonitrile, benzenamine, and vinyl chloride—were previously identified by EPA as high-priority substances for risk evaluation.
For more information, read the rule in the Federal Register or visit EPA’s webpage on TSCA health and safety data reporting.
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The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has issued $157,500 in citations to W. A. Rasic Construction for multiple violations of workplace safety regulations following a fatal trench collapse. The incident resulted in the tragic death of an employee working in an unprotected excavation.What Happened: On August 28, 2024, at around 3:00 a.m., a worker was inside a 17-foot-deep trench when a portion of it collapsed. The collapse caused a concrete pipe to be displaced, pinning and killing the employee. Cal/OSHA’s investigation identified serious violations of workplace safety regulations related to excavation and trench safety.
What Cal/OSHA Chief Debra Lee said: “No worker should lose their life due to preventable safety failures. We will continue to enforce trench safety regulations, hold employers accountable and work to ensure that safety standards are upheld to protect workers.”
Violations Identified by Cal/OSHA:
- Failure to implement an effective injury and illness prevention program: W. A. Rasic Construction did not implement an effective injury and illness prevention program to identify, evaluate, and correct workplace hazards, and provide training, a requirement that has been in place for more than 30 years. This failure exposed employees to the hazards associated with working in an unshored trench.
- Failure to conduct a proper inspection of the excavation site: The employer’s inspection failed to identify conditions that could lead to dangerous cave-in hazards or the lack of necessary protective systems, such as trench boxes or shoring, which could have prevented the collapse.
- Failure to Provide Adequate Cave-In Protection: The employer did not provide the necessary cave-in protection for employees working in an excavation approximately 17 feet deep. This critical safety failure exposed workers to the risk of fatal injury, as evidenced by the incident.
Employers have the right to appeal any Cal/OSHA citation and notification of penalty by filing an appeal with the Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board within 15 working days from the receipt of notification.
A vent valve is the focus of an investigation into the November 2024 explosion at a Louisville facility that produces coloring for the food and beverage industry, according to an update released by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB). The explosion on Nov. 12, 2024, killed two workers of Givaudan Sense Colour, seriously injured three others, damaged property on and around the site, and led to a shelter-in-place order for residents within a one-mile radius.Problems began soon after operators at the facility, following instructions, adjusted pressure and temperature setpoints in the batch reactor. Within 30 minutes, the pressure exceeded the setpoint of 12 pounds per square inch and continued to rise. According to CSB, the reactor ruptured after pressure reached 237 psi, three times the allowable limit for the reactor, and the temperature reached 385 F, well above the allowable limit of 355 F.
The vent valve was supposed to open automatically to maintain a pressure of 12 psi within the reactor. But after the incident, the valve was found to be almost fully closed. In addition to focusing on the recovered valve, CSB’s investigation will test the raw materials to identify potential reactive hazards, analyze the batch reactor relief system, and evaluate emergency response efforts.
Local news reports indicated that the facility was in the residential Clifton area of Louisville.
For more information, read CSB’s news release.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is calling for the rapid adoption of digital identity technologies to enhance aviation security and operational efficiency.Leading government and industry stakeholders in aviation security participating in the Sydney Leaders Week Conference supported this position, emphasizing the need for collaboration in implementing Verifiable Credentials (VC) and Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs).
Sydney Leaders Week, hosted by Qantas, is being attended by industry experts and government representatives from Australia, Canada, China, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.
It is widely accepted that digital identity can bring the following benefits to aviation security:
- Stronger Document Integrity: Reducing fraud and unauthorized access.
- Global Trust: Enabling secure, cross-border, interoperable identity verification.
- Operational Efficiency: Streamlining document verification for a smoother passenger experience, strengthening regulatory oversight, and optimizing resource allocation.
"Global cooperation keeps flying secure. Adopting Verifiable Credentials and Decentralized Identifiers standards is a natural next step in reinforcing security, trust, and efficiency. Every aviation stakeholder wants flying to be even more secure—which crosses geopolitical divides. The technology is ready and proven. We now need to take the momentum of this meeting and work towards obtaining a recommendation at the upcoming ICAO assembly later this year,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Operations, Safety and Security.
Aviation security leaders at the conference also identified key actions for governments to drive the industry’s digital transformation:
- Fast-Track Technology Integration: Incorporate VC and DID technologies into national and international security frameworks, aligning with ICAO Annex 17 and Aircraft Operator Security Programs (AOSP).
- Prioritize Aviation Digital ID Use Cases: Integrate aviation digital identity solutions into national digital strategies to enhance global cooperation.
- Invest in Capacity Building: Allocate resources to equip industry stakeholders with the necessary knowledge and infrastructure for seamless implementation.
- Increase Stakeholder Engagement: Promote awareness and industry-wide adoption of digital identity solutions through targeted education and outreach.
As part of this effort, IATA’s One ID initiative promotes globally interoperable digital identity standards, enabling passengers to verify their travel documents before departure and move through the airport using biometric recognition instead of physical documents. One ID works in harmony with ICAO’s Digital Travel Credential ensuring security and efficiency while maintaining privacy and compliance with global regulations.
IATA is also advancing its Aviation Security Trust Framework, which sees regulatory alignment, cross-sector collaboration and infrastructure as critical components to realize the benefits of digital identity in global aviation.
For more information on the Aviation Security Trust Framework and digital identity initiatives, download the white paper.
The EPA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that U.S. District Court Judge Mark A. Goldsmith for the Eastern District of Michigan accepted Hino Motors, Ltd.’s guilty plea to a one-count criminal information charging it with having engaged in a multi-year criminal conspiracy to defraud both the United States government and American consumers and illicitly smuggle goods into the country. Judge Goldsmith also sentenced Hino Motors, Ltd., a Toyota subsidiary, to pay a criminal fine of $521.76 million, serve a five-year term of probation — during which it is prohibited from importing any diesel engines it has manufactured into the United States — and implement a comprehensive compliance and ethics program and reporting structure. The court also entered a $1.087 billion forfeiture money judgment against the company.According to court records, between 2010 and 2019, Hino Motors, Ltd. engineers submitted and caused to be submitted false applications for engine certification approvals in violation of the federal Clean Air Act. Hino Motors, Ltd. engineers regularly altered emission test data, conducted tests improperly and fabricated data without conducting any underlying tests. The engineers also submitted fraudulent carbon dioxide emissions test data, which resulted in false fuel consumption values being calculated for its engines, and failed to disclose software functions that could adversely affect engines’ emission control systems. As a result of the fraud, Hino Motors, Ltd. imported and sold over 105,000 non-conforming engines between 2010 and 2022. These engines were primarily installed in heavy-duty trucks manufactured and sold by Hino nationwide.
“Hino falsely certified compliance with the Clean Air Act so that it could profit off Americans by sending illegal, polluting engines into the United States,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Jeffrey Hall for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.“ Today’s plea and sentencing demonstrates that companies who intentionally evade our nation’s environmental laws, including by fabricating data to feign compliance with those laws, deserve punishment and will be held criminally accountable.”
“Hino unlawfully imported over 105,000 engines that did not comply with U.S. emissions standards and lied about what it was doing. Hino’s criminal conduct gave it an unfair business advantage over other law-abiding companies, including American companies, and generated over $1 billion in gross proceeds,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We are committed to upholding the rule of law by prosecuting fraud and enforcing our Clean Air Act emissions standards.”
“Our office is steadfast in its commitment to holding corporate actors accountable when they lie to government regulators, illicitly smuggle goods into our county, and then fraudulently sell those goods to American consumers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck for the Eastern District of Michigan.
“By pleading guilty, Hino Motors, Ltd. has admitted to orchestrating a deliberate and years long fraud scheme that put profit over principle,” said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Assistant Director James C. Barnacle, Jr. “It doesn’t matter how complex the scheme is, the FBI is committed to holding individuals and organizations responsible for their actions.”
Special agents of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and FBI’s Detroit Field Office investigated the criminal case.
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