Public Citizen says an effective OSHA standard addressing extreme heat exposure could prevent at least 50,000 injuries and illnesses annually. "The risk of workplace heat stress illness, injury and death is increasing with climate change, and predictions for extreme temperatures and increased heat waves in 2023 and 2024 make the need for a heat standard more urgent than ever," according to a Public Citizen report.

As large as the health care industry has become, it has one dirty secret that can be easy to overlook: waste. Standards aim to address this -- and make the industry more sustainable.

Though in-person inspections are still the current standard for food safety inspections, COVID-19 introduced the concept of virtual audits to food safety inspections, and technology has nurtured the concept, writes food safety consultant Nimisha Suraj. As a result, organizations such as the Safe Quality Food Institute have included online audits and inspections in their process. Virtual inspections can be quick and effective, Suraj notes, and can allow multiple inspectors to conduct an inspection simultaneously.

The expanding adoption of sensors and smart devices connected to the internet of things are beginning to reshape the National Electrical Code and other codes and standards. Corey Hannahs examines how these changes will serve to pursue the goals of safety and efficiency.

Startup SpaceCrete is working on an admixture and inline delivery system, known as 3D-Admix, that makes conventional concrete suitable for 3D printing or very rapid slip forming. The system lets the vertical shape of a structure "be defined by simple or sophisticated construction hardware or new technology, such as 3D printing, but using essentially normal concrete," inventor Michael Butler says.

Norfolk Southern and labor unions don't always see eye to eye on everything, but all parties agree a higher standard for rail safety is of the utmost importance and will work together to support related efforts, said the railroad and leaders from 12 labor unions in a letter to staff and members on Tuesday. The commitment comes as the Railway Safety Act of 2023 continues to move through Congress.

Holcim is working with the Science Based Targets Network to trial targets that could help set the first global standards for corporate action for nature. One of 17 companies across the world to participate, Holcim was the only cement and concrete industry partner selected and Magali Anderson, the firm's chief sustainability and innovation officer, said setting the targets is "key to making a real and measurable impact to preserve and restore biodiversity and freshwater ecosystems."

Gitai, a startup based in Tokyo, is developing autonomous robots for inspections, conducting routine maintenance and other applications on Mars and the moon. Gitai, which recently raised $30 million to expand its US manufacturing operations, has already developed a robotic arm and a robotic rover for space endeavors.

Job hunting can be difficult in the best of times, but a challenge in an uncertain economy, writes career coach Caroline Ceniza-Levine. Work your networks to find hidden jobs and follow up, but if the search lags branch out with speaking, blogs and consulting to upskill and create new networks, Ceniza-Levine writes.

ASTM International and Doctors for Cannabis Regulation (DFCR) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at the continued development of ASTM standards for cannabis.