Monthly Archives: <span>December 2017</span>

Absenteeism Rises When Popular Medications Leave the Market

A little pill can have a big effect on worker absenteeism, according to a recent study from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. When a popular pain reliever was taken off the market, the consequences for absenteeism were …

After London Tower Fire, Group Creates Risk Assessment Tool

Six months after flames engulfed a London high-rise and sparked concerns about similarly-clad buildings around the world, a U.S.-based fire prevention group has developed a tool aimed at making buildings safer. The National Association of State Fire Marshals’ research foundation …

Researchers Say Harvey’s Deluge Three Times More Likely Due to Global Warming

Global warming’s fingerprints were all over the record rainfall from Hurricane Harvey this year, confirming what scientists suspected, according to new research. While scientists say man-made climate change didn’t trigger Harvey, new studies calculate that a warmer, wetter world made …

Online Drought Aid Map Being Deactivated at End of Month

An interactive map set up in early summer to help drought-impacted North Dakota farmers and ranchers find hay for their livestock had participation from 33 states and has been viewed 11,000 times. North Dakota’s Agriculture Department at the end of …

NOAA Reports Permafrost Thawing at a Faster Pace

Permafrost in the Arctic is thawing at a faster clip, according to a new report released Tuesday. Water is also warming and sea ice is melting at the fastest pace in 1,500 years at the top of the world. The …

New Wrong-Way Signs Slated for Some Las Vegas Interchanges

Signs activated by radar and equipped with red flashing lights to warn drivers going the wrong direction are slated to be installed at some highway exit ramps in Las Vegas. The Nevada Department of Transportation is planning to place the …

NTSB Cites Weak Safety Culture as a Factor in the Sinking of the El Faro

The owner of the sunken cargo ship El Faro had a weak corporate safety culture that contributed to the vessel’s demise and the deaths of 33 mariners, federal accident investigators said on Tuesday. The National Transportation Safety Board said that …

Indiana Board Blocking Residential Carbon Monoxide Detector Rules

A state board dominated by construction industry representatives has been blocking efforts by some local governments in Indiana to require carbon monoxide detectors in residential properties. The Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission voted unanimously last week to reject …

House, Senate Tax Bills Treat Disaster Victims Unequally

If the House Republican tax bill became law, victims of hurricanes in Texas and Florida who’ve yet to account for all their losses could deduct them on their 2018 taxes. Not so for victims of the California wildfires. If the …

Winds Persist as Wildfires Continue to Threaten Homes in California

The winds aren’t changing for Southern California’s wildfires yet. The fifth largest blaze in state history was threatening thousands of homes as it churned through coastal mountains amid persistently dangerous weather conditions. Red Flag warnings for fire danger due to …