Welcome to DocuTicker
Daily Updates, Weekly Newsletter. Subscribe today!
Check out the GreyGuide, a researcher's companion to finding, using and making the most of Grey Literature.
Current issue here:
http://www.docuticker.com/greyguide/
DocuTicker offers a hand-picked selection of resources, reports and publications from government agencies, NGOs, think tanks and other public interest organizations.
Visit daily for the latest updates, or subscribe to our RSS feed. DocuTicker also publishes a free weekly e-mail newsletter highlighting recent posts. Please take a moment to subscribe:
Also check out ResourceShelf, an online resource with a hand-picked selection of high-quality, free web-based resources.
Subscribe to the DocuTicker Newsletter »
It's free!
March 12th, 2010
Joint Economic Committee Releases Report on Benefits of Paid Sick Leave
Source: U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee
Representative Carolyn Maloney, Chair of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), and Senator Charles E. Schumer, Vice Chair of the JEC, released a report today estimating the impact of the Healthy Families Act (S. 1152, introduced by Senator Chris Dodd, and H.R. 2460, introduced by Representative Rosa DeLauro), on access to paid sick leave. The report, “Expanding Access to Paid Sick Leave: The Impact of the Healthy Families Act on America’s Workers,” was requested by the Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families and analyzes the demographics of workers who currently have access to paid sick leave and workers who would gain access to paid sick leave under the Healthy Families Act.
Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the JEC estimated that:
- As a result of the Healthy Families Act, at least 30.3 million additional workers would have access to paid sick leave.
- The Healthy Families Act would significantly expand access to paid sick leave for many of America’s most vulnerable workers, including lower-wage workers, women, and minorities.
- Almost half of the increased access to paid sick leave (14.7 million additional workers) would accrue to workers in the bottom wage quartile;
- Nearly half (13.3 million workers) of the increased access to paid sick leave would accrue to women workers; and,
- Almost one-third of the increased access to paid sick leave would accrue to minority workers, including 3.9 million additional African-American workers and 5.6 million additional Latino workers.
+ Full Report (PDF: 540 KB)
Posted in Business and economics, Government and politics, Health and healthcare, Labor, Social and cultural issues | No Comments »
March 12th, 2010
H.R. 4213, American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010 (PDF; 154 KB)
Source: Congressional Budget Office
Estimate of direct spending and revenues and the pay-as-you-go impact for the bill as passed by the Senate on March 10, 2010
Posted in Business and economics, Government and politics | No Comments »
March 12th, 2010
Estimate of the Budgetary Effects of the Senate-Passed Health Bill
Source: Congressional Budget Office
CBO has just released an estimate of the budgetary effects of the health bill, H.R. 3590, that passed the Senate on December 24. Today’s estimate differs from the estimate for a slightly earlier version of the legislation that we released on December 19 in that it encompasses all of the amendments that were adopted by the Senate, reflects a revised assumption about its enactment date, and incorporates some technical revisions. Like the December 19 estimate, this estimate is based on CBO’s baseline projections from March 2009. We and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) prepared this updated estimate in preparation for further consideration of health care legislation. However, the changes we have made do not result in an estimate that differs substantially from the earlier one.
CBO and JCT now estimate that, on balance, the direct (mandatory) spending and revenue effects of enacting H.R. 3590 as passed by the Senate would yield a net reduction in federal deficits of $118 billion over the 2010–2019 period. (Direct spending—as distinguished from discretionary spending—is spending that stems from legislation other than appropriation acts.) In our earlier estimate, the budgetary impact was a net reduction in deficits of $132 billion.
+ Full Document (PDF; 1.4 MB)
Posted in Business and economics, Government and politics, Health and healthcare | No Comments »
March 12th, 2010
The 2010 Retirement Confidence Survey: Confidence Stabilizing, But Preparations Continue to Erode
Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute
The 2010 Retirement Confidence Survey—the 20th annual wave of this survey—finds that the record-low confidence levels measured during the past two years of economic decline appear to have bottomed out. The percentage of workers very confident about having enough money for a comfortable retirement has stabilized at 16 percent, which is statistically equivalent to the 20-year low of 13 percent measured in 2009 (Fig. 1, pg. 7). Retiree confidence about having a financially secure retirement has also stabilized, with 19 percent saying now they are very confident (statistically equivalent to the 20 percent measured in 2009) (Fig. 2, pg. 8).
Worker confidence about paying for basic expenses in retirement has rebounded slightly, with 29 percent now saying they are very confident about having enough money to pay for basic expenses during retirement (up from 25 percent in 2009, but still down from 34 percent in 2008) (Fig. 3, pg. 9).
PREPARATIONS STILL ERODING: Fewer workers report that they and/or their spouse have saved for retirement (69 percent, down from 75 percent in 2009 but statistically equivalent to 72 percent in 2008) (Fig. 11, page 14). Moreover, fewer workers say that they and/or their spouse are currently saving for retirement (60 percent, down from 65 percent in 2009 but statistically equivalent to percentages measured in other years) (Fig. 13, pg. 15).
MORE PEOPLE HAVE NO SAVINGS AT ALL: An increased percentage of workers report they have virtually no savings and investments. Among RCS workers providing this type of information, 27 percent say they have less than $1,000 in savings (up from 20 percent in 2009). In total, more than half of workers (54 percent) report that the total value of their household’s savings and investments, excluding the value of their primary home and any defined benefit plans, is less than $25,000 (Fig. 14, pg. 16).
CLUELESS ABOUT SAVINGS GOALS: Many workers continue to be unaware of how much they need to save for retirement. Less than half of workers (46 percent) report they and/or their spouse have tried to calculate how much money they will need to have saved for a comfortable retirement by the time they retire (Fig. 23, pg. 22).
+ Full Report (PDF; 456 KB)
Posted in Age and Aging, Business and economics, Investments, Labor | No Comments »
March 12th, 2010
Ranks of Homeless Veterans Drop 18 Percent
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
The number of Veterans homeless on a typical night dropped 18 percent as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) entered the second year of its campaign to eliminate homelessness among Veterans within five years.
…
VA’s Community Homeless Assessment Local Education and Networking Groups (CHALENG), which conducts a widely cited, annual census of homeless Veterans, estimated 107,000 Veterans were homeless each night last year. That figure was 131,000 in 2008 and 154,000 in 2007.
…
VA has approximately 4,000 agreements with community partners. Last year, more than 92,000 homeless Veterans were served by VA’s specialized homeless programs. This is an increase of 15 percent from the previous year.
+ Full Report (PDF; 569 KB)
Posted in Mental health and substance abuse, Poverty, Social and cultural issues, Veterans | No Comments »
March 12th, 2010
Panel Questions “VBAC Bans,” Advocates Expanded Delivery Options for Women
Source: National Institutes of Health
An independent panel convened this week by the National Institutes of Health confronted a troubling fact that pregnant women currently have limited access to clinicians and facilities able and willing to offer a trial of labor after previous cesarean delivery because of so-called VBAC bans. Many, even those at low risk for complications in a trial of labor, are not offered this option. The panel affirmed that a trial of labor is a reasonable option for many women with a prior cesarean delivery. They also urged that current VBAC guidelines be revisited, malpractice concerns be addressed, and additional research undertaken to better understand the medical and non-medical factors that influence decision making for women with previous cesarean deliveries.
“Declining VBAC rates and increasing cesarean delivery rates over the last 15 years would seem to indicate that planned repeat cesarean delivery is preferable to a trial of labor. But the currently available evidence suggests a very different picture: a trial of labor is worth considering and may be preferable for many women,” said Dr. F. Gary Cunningham, panel chair, and chair of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.
Rigorous research shows that a trial of labor is successful in nearly 75 percent of cases, and maternal mortality is actually lower for women who have a trial of labor, regardless of whether they end up delivering vaginally or by cesarean, though those women who have an unsuccessful trial of labor and undergo a repeat cesarean delivery experience higher morbidity than those who have a successful VBAC.
In light of their assessment of VBAC’s relative safety, the panel urged professional societies to revisit existing VBAC guidelines, in particular, the recommendation for “immediate availability” of surgical and anesthesia personnel as prerequisites for offering a trial of labor; two recent surveys of hospital administrators found that 30 percent of hospitals had stopped offering trial of labor or providing VBAC services because they could not meet this standard, creating a serious barrier to that option.
+ Draft statement and related documents
Posted in Children and families, Diseases and conditions, Health and healthcare, Safety | No Comments »
March 12th, 2010
NOAA: U.S. Winter and February Cooler Than Average
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA’s State of the Climate report for the winter season (December through February) and the month of February, state that temperatures were below normal for the contiguous United States. The winter season was wetter than normal; however precipitation in February alone was slightly below average.
Based on data going back to 1895, the monthly analyses, prepared by scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C., are part of the climate services that NOAA provides to businesses, communities and governments so they may make informed decisions to safeguard their social and economic well-being.
Posted in Weather and climate | No Comments »
March 11th, 2010
New GAO Reports and Testimonies (PDFs)
Source: Government Accountability Office
11 March 2010
+ Reports
1. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: Fewer Eligible Families Have Received Cash Assistance Since the 1990s, and the Recession’s Impact on Caseloads Varies by State
2. Global Food Security: U.S. Agencies Progressing on Governmentwide Strategy, but Approach Faces Several Vulnerabilities
–
+ Testimonies
1. Defense Acquisitions: Opportunities for the Army to Position Its Ground Force Modernization Efforts for Success, by Michael J. Sullivan, director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces, House Committee on Armed Services
2. Space Acquisitions: DOD Poised to Enhance Space Capabilities, but Persistent Challenges Remain in Developing Space Systems, by Cristina Chaplain, director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, Senate Committee on Armed Services
3. Joint Strike Fighter: Significant Challenges Remain as DOD Restructures Program, by Michael Sullivan, director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Senate Committee on Armed Services
4. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: Implications of Changes in Participation Rates, by Kay E. Brown, director, education, workforce, and income security issues, before the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, House Committee on Ways and Means
5. Global Food Security: Progress toward a U.S. Governmentwide Strategy Is Under Way, but Approach Has Several Vulnerabilities, by Thomas Melito, director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, House Committee on Appropriations
Posted in GAO, Government and politics | No Comments »
March 11th, 2010
Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (December 2009)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Private industry employers spent an average of $27.42 per hour worked for employee compensation in December 2009. Wages and salaries averaged $19.41 and benefits, $8.00. Private industry costs for employees averaged $1.86 per hour worked for paid leave benefits and $2.25 for legally required benefits.
Posted in Business and economics, Labor | No Comments »
March 11th, 2010
Energy efficiency proposals could create 333,000 jobs this year
Source: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Proposed federal energy efficiency jobs provisions would create about 333,000 jobs in 2010 and then 184,000 jobs in 2011 as funding begins to ramp down, according to a new analysis released today by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).The proposed programs include residential and commercial retrofit programs and an energy-efficient manufacturing grant program. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment will be holding hearings on these issues this week.
…
Most of the products used in buildings retrofits (such as insulation and windows) are manufactured in the United States. In addition, construction jobs involved in the projects cannot be outsourced and would provide vital local jobs in communities across the country. These provisions would represent good investments in three important sectors of the U.S. economy as they focus on improving productivity; creating jobs; and leveraging government, consumer, and business funds in the best way possible.
The “Home Star” program, also known as “Cash for Caulkers,” would provide rebates for energy efficiency improvements to homeowners. Like the popular “Cash for Clunkers” program, these rebates would be provided instantly at the retail store. Customers would receive rebates for up to 50% of the project (or $1,500 per retrofit), or could upgrade a whole home with 20 percent energy savings for a $3,000 credit. In addition to reducing energy use and saving consumers money on their energy bills, ACEEE estimates that this program would create about 126,000 jobs in 2010 and then 36,000 jobs in 2011, improving up to 3 million homes at a cost of $6 billion dollars.
Commercial retrofits, also with immense potential as job creators, include the “Building Star” program introduced in legislation last week by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Mark Pryor (D-AR). This program, estimated to create 130,000 jobs in 2010 and then 57,000 jobs in 2011, would offer businesses rebates for up to 30 percent of the cost of improvements to lighting, insulation, and energy management for commercial buildings.
The third proposal would provide $4 billion in grants to manufacturers for investments in energy efficiency and clean energy product manufacturing projects. This proposal would provide additional funding to a $156 million DOE grant program that was initiated by ARRA stimulus legislation. “DOE received applications requesting over $3.8 billion in the ARRA funds, more than 24 times the amount available,” said Neal Elliott, ACEEE Industrial Program Director. “The response demonstrates the pent-up demand for manufacturing efficiency investments. We have a large number of “shovel-ready” projects waiting at DOE for additional funding.” ACEEE estimates that the additional grant funding would create 77,000 jobs in 2010 and then 91,000 jobs in 2011 from funding the existing, unfunded applications and from a solicitation for a second round of proposals.
+ Full Document (PDF; 119 KB)
Posted in Business and economics, Energy, Environment, Government and politics, Infrastructure, Labor | No Comments »
March 11th, 2010
Pew Report: Pre-K Teacher Training a Significant Factor in Improving Children’s School Readiness
Source: Pre-K Now (Pew Center on the States)
To maximize the benefits of pre-kindergarten investments, states need to create policies that define and support teacher quality, according to a report released today by Pre-K Now, a campaign of the Pew Center on the States. The report reviews research on training for pre-k teachers and concludes that educators with at least a bachelor’s degree coupled with specialized training in early childhood are best able to foster development of the cognitive, social and emotional skills children need to be ready for kindergarten.
“A Matter of Degrees: Preparing Teachers for the Pre-K Classroom” also highlights state models for increasing teacher quality and shows how raising qualification requirements can professionalize the workforce and improve student outcomes.
+ Full Report
Posted in Education, Government and politics, Labor, Postsecondary | No Comments »
March 11th, 2010
Optimism Rises among Association Executives as Economy Improves, New Study Reports
Source: ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership
With the first signs of economic recovery on the horizon, association executives show increased optimism in the operation and financial performance of their organizations, according to a new study released by ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership. “Associations and CEOs: A Report on Two Studies During a Down Economy” is the second installment of the association executives study, and fourth in a series that looked at the impact of the economy on the association community.
…
The key findings of the study indicate that:
- An increased number of association executives predict their revenues will increase in the coming year (23.5 compared to 11.6 percent in the previous study of association CEOs); fewer believe it will decrease (38.1 compared to 63.9 percent);
- More than half of respondents believe membership will decrease, an improvement from 66 percent last year; more than twice as many respondents as last year believe membership will increase (11.4 compared to 4.9 percent);
- A larger percentage of respondents believe revenue will increase from multi-day events, increasing from 6.3 to 33 percent; multi-day education events, 9.2 to 20.9 percent; sponsorships, 13.4 to 27.4 percent; and foundation giving, 11.7 to 20.5 percent.
- A majority of executives anticipate online tools will provide new revenue streams, although only a third reported such an increase so far;
- Association leaders successfully predicted how the recession would affect their long-standing core non-dues business activities, such as short-duration education programs and publication sales;
- Leaders of smaller organizations, which traditionally invest their reserves in liquid investments, are the least confident that their total revenues will increase in the coming year.
+ Full Report (PDF; 994 KB)
Posted in Business and economics, Nonprofits | No Comments »
March 11th, 2010
New Report Outlines Bold New Vision for Solar in America
Source: Environment America
Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) and three solar business executives joined Environment America to lay out a bold new vision for solar energy in the United States. From laundromats and baseball stadiums, to homes and cars, generating energy from the sun is already enhancing energy security and reducing pollution in America. A new Environment America report outlines a vision for using the sun to meet 10 percent of the United States’ energy needs by 2030.
…
Building a Solar Future: Repowering America’s Homes, Businesses and Industry with Solar Energy examines a wide variety of solar technologies and tools, including photovoltaics, concentrating solar power, solar water heaters, solar space heating, and passive solar design. The report makes the case that there are many ways to take advantage of the sun’s energy. Solar energy can be converted to electricity, or used for lighting, heating and cooling. It can replace the fossil fuels we burn at electric power plants, in factories, in our homes, and even in our cars. While the report outlines this vision for the future, it also profiles various applications of solar energy currently in use, such as:
- Wal-Mart’s use of skylights in has cut energy costs in some stores by 15 to 20 percent by reducing the need for electric lighting;
- Laundry facilities, hotels, hospitals and even the Boston Red Sox have adopted solar water heating to reduce their consumption of natural gas for water heating; and
- A Frito-Lay plant in California uses solar concentrators to provide heat for cooking snack foods.
+ Full Report
The report finds that getting 10 percent of our energy from solar energy within two decades is equivalent to the energy that the U.S. currently produces at nuclear power plants, more than half the energy currently consumed in American cars and light trucks, or nearly half as much energy as we currently obtain from burning coal. Solar energy can play a major role in weaning the nation from dangerous, polluting, unstable and, in many cases, increasingly expensive forms of energy.
Posted in Business and economics, Energy, Environment | No Comments »
March 11th, 2010
LifeLock Will Pay $12 Million to Settle Charges by the FTC and 35 States That Identity Theft Prevention and Data Security Claims Were False
Source: Federal Trade Commission
LifeLock, Inc. has agreed to pay $11 million to the Federal Trade Commission and $1 million to a group of 35 state attorneys general to settle charges that the company used false claims to promote its identity theft protection services, which it widely advertised by displaying the CEO’s Social Security number on the side of a truck.
In one of the largest FTC-state coordinated settlements on record, LifeLock and its principals will be barred from making deceptive claims and required to take more stringent measures to safeguard the personal information they collect from customers.
“While LifeLock promised consumers complete protection against all types of identity theft, in truth, the protection it actually provided left enough holes that you could drive a truck through it,” said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz.
“This agreement effectively prevents LifeLock from misrepresenting that its services offer absolute prevention against identity theft because there is unfortunately no foolproof way to avoid ID theft,” Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said. “Consumers can take definitive steps to minimize the chances of having their personal information stolen, and this settlement will help them make more informed decisions about whether to enroll in ID theft protection services.”
+ Federal Trade Commission, Plaintiff, v. LifeLock, Inc., a corporation; Robert J. Maynard, Jr., individually and as an officer of LifeLock, Inc.; and Richard Todd Davis, individually and as an officer of LifeLock, Inc., Defendants
Posted in Business and economics, Consumer issues, Government and politics, Legal and law enforcement, Privacy, Security | No Comments »
March 11th, 2010
Automatic Recapitalization Alternatives (PDF; 82 KB)
Source: Federal Housing Finance Administration
The recent experiences of U.S. financial institutions highlight the shortcomings of the capital regulatory regime that has evolved over the preceding three decades. That regime focuses on capital requirements and prompt corrective action (PCA)—escalating supervisory restrictions as a financial firm’s capital position deteriorates relative to established triggers. The shortcomings of that regime include that it exacerbates cycles in financial services activity and the macroeconomy and fails to protect the financial system or the economy from spillover effects related to the distress of financial firms.
Regulators are seeking ways to reduce the procyclical effect of the current capital regulatory regime and the spillovers associated with financial firm distress. This paper examines one set of proposed solutions: ex post mechanisms that would automatically recapitalize systemically important financial institutions during periods of distress. Such mechanisms include contingent capital notes (CCNs) and capital insurance. The Treasury Department’s recent white paper, Financial Regulatory Reform: A New Foundation, mentions those options specifically and calls for an “analysis of the costs, benefits, and feasibility of allowing banks and BHCs [bank holding companies] to satisfy a portion of their regulatory capital requirements through the issuance of contingent capital instruments … or through the purchase of tail insurance against macroeconomic risks.”
Posted in Business and economics | No Comments »
March 11th, 2010
Party Committees Report Slight Increase Overall in 2009 Receipts
Source: Federal Elections Commission
The national, state and local committees of the Republican and Democratic parties collected a total of $425.8 million in contributions in the first calendar year of the 2010 election cycle, an increase of 1.5% over the same period in the 2008 election cycle, according to campaign finance disclosure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Republican party committees reported raising $206.2 million in federal funds in 2009, down less than 1% from the $208.3 million they raised in 2007. Their Democratic counterparts reported raising $219.5 million—4% more than the $211.3 million they raised during the same period in the last cycle.
National committees of the major parties are required to submit financial reports on a monthly basis. As a result, it is possible to compare their activity over a 13-month period from January 1, 2009, through January 31, 2010. During this period, the three national committees of the Democratic party—the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) —reported raising a total of nearly $202 million. This represents an increase of 6% over the same period in 2007-2008 and 33% over the first 13 months of the 2006 election cycle. The three Republican national party committees—the Republican National Committee (RNC), the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) —reported raising a combined $188.7 million during the same period. This represents an increase of over 1% from 2007-2008 and a decrease of more than 17% from 2005-2006.
The DSCC and DCCC each reported a decrease in their total receipts compared to the same 13-month period in prior cycles, while the DNC reported an increase. The DSCC and DCCC reported a total of $48.7 and $60.3 million in receipts—a drop of 18% and 16%, respectively, from the last cycle. The DNC raised nearly $93 million through January 31, 2010, representing a 54% increase in receipts from the same period in 2007-2008 and a 52% increase from that period in 2005-2006.
Of the six national party committees, the RNC raised the most, disclosing $101.7 million in receipts, an increase of over 4% from its 13-month total in 2007-2008, but a decrease of almost 15% from its 2005-2006 total for the same period. The NRSC saw its receipts increase by 31% over its 2007-2008 period total, disclosing $46.3 million in receipts. The NRCC reported receiving $40.7 million, a decrease of almost 24% from the amount raised for the same 13-month period in the last cycle.
Tables in PDF or xls
Posted in Business and economics, Government and politics, Political process | No Comments »
March 11th, 2010
Briefing for the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (PDF; 508 KB)
Source: European Parliament Directorate-General for Internal Policies
Abstract:
The 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES will take place in Doha, Qatar from March 13th-25th, 2010 and will see the 175 Parties of CITES make key decisions on over 40 proposals to amend the Appendices to CITES, as well as debate crucial implementation and institutional issues, and related Resolutions and Decisions affecting species trade and conservation. This briefing examines a number of the issues to be discussed, focussing on Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, African elephants, polar bears, sharks, tigers and corals, and concludes with some of the strategic issues that need to be addressed at this important Conference.
Posted in Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Business and economics, Canada, Environment, Europe, International, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East, Science, Veterinary Medicine/Animal Welfare | No Comments »
March 11th, 2010
New survey indicates more than 17 million cosmetic procedures performed last year in U.S. (PDF; 9.9 KB)
Source: American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery
A procedural survey conducted by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery says more than 17 million cosmetic surgery procedures were performed in the United States in 2009.
The total number of procedures from this first-time study far surpasses any number that has previously been reported in the U.S. This is the first nationwide survey of its kind done by the AACS. In addition to the annual polling of its own members, the AACS also surveyed random physicians across the country to find out who is performing cosmetic surgery procedures.
The total number of procedures performed by AACS members has increased by eight percent since 2008.
…
Among AACS member practices, the biggest increase in invasive procedures in the last five years are in blepharoplasty (eyelid lift), abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and rhinoplasty (nose). For less-invasive procedures, the biggest increase over that five-year period is in laser resurfacing, chemical peels and fillers.
+ Cosmetic Procedures
Posted in Health and healthcare | No Comments »
March 11th, 2010
Forecast Links Aviation and National Economic Growth
Source: Federal Aviation Administration
The FAA’s forecast underscores the need for the Next Generation Air Transportation System and continued investment in airport infrastructure projects.
+ FAA Aerospace Forecasts FY 2010-2030
+ Fact Sheet
+ Press Release
Posted in Air travel, Business and economics, Government and politics, Infrastructure, Technology, Transportation and travel | No Comments »
March 11th, 2010
US Labor Department’s OSHA notifies 15,000 workplaces nationwide of high injury and illness rates
Source: Occupational Safety and Health Administration
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration surveys employers to collect workplace injury and illness data it uses to identify employers whose injury and illness rates are considerably higher than the national average. A letter has been sent to about 15,000 workplaces with the highest numbers of injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work, restricted work activities or job transfers, known as the DART rate.
“Receipt of this letter means that workers in that particular establishment are being injured at a higher rate than in most other businesses of its kind in the country,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. “Employers whose businesses have injury and illness rates this high need to take immediate steps to protect their workers.”
Employers receiving the letters also were provided copies of their injury and illness data, along with a list of the most frequently cited OSHA standards for their specific industry. The letter offered assistance in helping to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses by suggesting, among other things, the use of OSHA’s free safety and health consultation services for small businesses provided through the states.
OSHA identified businesses with the nation’s highest rates of workplace injuries and illnesses through employer-reported data from a 2009 survey of about 100,000 worksites. (This survey collected injury and illness data for calendar year 2008.) Workplaces receiving notifications had DART rates more than twice the national average among all U.S. workplaces.
+ 15,000 High Rate Workplaces Receiving OSHA Letters
Posted in Business and economics, Health and healthcare, Labor, Safety | No Comments »
