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After reviewing current Medicare emergency preparedness regulations, CMS found the regulatory requirements were not comprehensive enough to address the complexities of emergency preparedness.

CMS Issues Final Rule to Increase Facilities' Emergency Preparedness

The rule will require Medicare and Medicaid participating providers and suppliers to develop an emergency plan using an all-hazards approach and to meet other industry best practices.

DOT Announces $211 Million for New Buses and Facilities

The grants will allow for a more modern, reliable bus service for transit riders across the country. "Maintaining our public transit systems in a state of good repair is vitally important to meet the needs of today's transit riders and a growing population," FTA Acting Administrator Carolyn Flowers said.

FDA Provides $21.8 Million for Produce Safety Rule Implementation

The funds will help local farmers with implementation.



Tests Demonstrate GPS Backup Already Available

In their conference paper, the authors say the fiber network could be a partial backup to GPS, and GPS could be used for calibration to correct timing delays. Or, to provide a more reliable backup, two independent telecom network paths could be used.

FHWA Accepting Nominations for Emergency Route Working Group

The committee of as many as 25 members will provide advice and recommendations to the secretary of Transportation on best practices for expeditious state approval of special permits for vehicles involved in emergency response and recovery.

DOT Grants $3.6 Billion to Support Transportation Infrastructure

The Build America Bureau has awarded grants to 18 projects in 15 states. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said, "From eliminating traffic bottlenecks and enhancing port capacity to overhauling a major freight corridor, the 18 inaugural FASTLANE grants will enable people and goods to move more efficiently."

OSHA Wants Input on Shipyard Fall Protection Rules

Falls are a leading cause of shipyard fatalities, according to OSHA, which states that 40 percent of all fatal incidents in shipyard employment from 1992 to 2014 resulted from falls to a lower level, citing BLS data. The current standards haven't been updated since 1971.

FDA Issues Final Rule on Antibacterial Soaps

The rule removes triclosan and triclocarban from over-the-counter antibacterial hand and body washes. Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said "some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long term."

Time's Running Out to Submit AIHce 2017 PDC Proposals

The deadline to submit a proposal to present at the June 4-7 conference in Seattle is Sept. 14, so get moving if you're interested.

The Evolution of Flame-Resistant Clothing

Flame-resistant (FR) clothing has come a long way from its origins in the lab of French chemist Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac, who first discovered that ammonium phosphates and borax were capable of making textiles relatively flame retardant in 1821.

$121K in Fines Proposed for Exposing Workers to Trench Cave-In at Austin Project

The construction companies received one willful and four serious violations in total.

Workwear For Women

In the 1970s, only 38 percent of women were in the workforce, according to the United States Department of Labor (DOL). Today, the DOL reports that 57 percent of women participate in the labor force — occupying a range of positions in an incredibly wide variety of industries.

Electronic Health Records Devouring Physicians' Time, Study Finds

The authors evaluated the time they spent on four activities (direct clinical face time, EHR and desk work, administrative tasks, and other tasks) and self-reported after-hours work. They concluded that the doctors spent 27.0 percent of their total time on direct clinical face time with patients and 49.2 percent of their time on EHR and desk work.

Machine Guards Were Bypassed in Fatal Lathe Operator Injury

The company responsible, Carlson Tool & Manufacturing Corp., has been cited for one willful and one serious violation.

New Orleans Flood Insurance Workshop Set for Sept. 15

New flood insurance maps will become effective Sept. 30 in the city. "FEMA's new flood maps for New Orleans will make a huge difference for our residents, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of dollars on flood insurance," Mayor Mitch Landrieu said. "But recent flooding in Louisiana should be a reminder to everyone that weather events can strike anyone, even those who have never flooded before."

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