Welcome to the February issue of the Safety Suzy Newsletter!

This month’s updates arrive at a time when many industries, and the people working within them, are navigating an increasingly difficult times. Between shifting federal priorities, evolving enforcement trends, rising costs, and new safety expectations, it can feel challenging to keep up while still focusing on day-to-day operations and worker well-being.

This edition highlights key developments shaping health and safety across construction and beyond, including renewed support for agencies like the Chemical Safety Board and NIOSH, new NYC regulations aimed at strengthening jobsite oversight, and important EPA updates on lead dust standards. 

In a world that feels less stable, staying informed is one of the most important tools we have. We hope these insights help support safer, smarter decisions in the months ahead.

The Trump Administration is reversing major staffing reductions at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), reinstating hundreds of employees after plans to eliminate most of the agency. 

NIOSH plays a critical role in US workplace safety research, including chemical risk evaluation, N95 certification, mine hazard monitoring, and health programs for Sept. 11 responders. 

Labor advocates and businesses warned the cuts would severely disrupt safety research across industries. Layoff notices have now been revoked, allowing vital projects to resume, though rebuilding capacity remains a significant challenge.

Stronger immigration enforcement under President Trump is beginning to affect construction, though impacts have been indirect so far. Industry economists say undocumented workers are increasingly scarce as many avoid jobsites out of fear, shrinking the labor pool. 

Contractors are paying more for documented workers, raising costs even as demand softens in many sectors. Data centers and megaprojects remain an exception, with hyperscalers offering premium wages for scarce skilled labor. 

Observers warn broader jobsite enforcement could intensify in 2026, further straining workforce availability and widening gaps between booming and struggling sectors.

University of Chicago researchers developed nanofiber filters that can be inserted into building ventilation systems to capture up to 92% of indoor CO2, according to a Science Advances study. 

Made from polyethylenimine, the filters could be regenerated using solar heat and reused after saturation. Researchers say widespread adoption could significantly cut global emissions and integrate carbon capture into existing infrastructure. 

However, ventilation experts caution that lowering indoor CO2 does not reduce required outdoor air supply or improve indoor air quality, limiting potential energy savings. 

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA’s) Triage Challenge is pushing teams to develop robots and drones capable of locating victims and assessing injury severity in mass-casualty scenarios. 

Team Chiron from Carnegie Mellon University, led by former Army nurse Kimberly Elenberg, is competing with quadruped robots and aerial drones. The goal is to support overstretched human responders by providing remote data such as breathing and heart rate detection, plus GPS-based casualty mapping. 

While robots cannot yet replace hands-on medical assessment, Elenberg says the technology marks a major step forward for disaster and battlefield medicine.

NYC Department of Buildings released its investigation into the July 2023 tower crane collapse at 550 10th Avenue. The report found the incident was triggered by a disconnected hydraulic fuel hose that sprayed flammable mist onto a hot surface, sparking a fire and boom collapse. 

While no major injuries occurred, the event caused significant damage and disruption. DOB issued four violations and has now mandated new fire detection, suppression, and leak inspection requirements for diesel-powered tower cranes citywide, along with tighter licensing rules for hoisting equipment operators.

Want a sharper mind in just minutes a day? Neuroscience points to five easy habits that can dramatically improve memory and learning. Saying something out loud helps lock it in. A quick 40-second mental replay strengthens recall. Even asking yourself, “Will I remember this?” boosts future memory.

Here are the key highlights:

• Speak it to stick it
• Replay key info for stronger recall

• Predict memory to improve follow-through

• Rest briefly to cement learning

• Sleep to supercharge retention

Burst pipes are most often caused not by ice expansion, but by extreme water pressure that builds up when an ice blockage forms. Pipes typically rupture where water freezes last, often in insulated sections of exposed piping. 

Vulnerable areas include attics, crawl spaces, and exterior walls, especially where cold air leaks in. Prevention focuses on proper pipe placement, insulation, sealing drafts, allowing faucets to drip, and using heating cables. 

Long-term loss prevention strategies include installing air chambers or pressure-relief fixtures to reduce dangerous pressure buildup.

Never attempt thawing with open flames.

If interested in posting a job opening, email us at [email protected] for rates.

OSHA Courses (Online & In-person):

• AHERA/OSHA Asbestos Awareness
• OSHA/NYSDOL 4-hr Apprentice Asbestos Awareness (NEW) – Online
• OSHA Respirator User
• OSHA Crystalline Silica Standard for Workers
• OSHA Hazard Communication
• OSHA Hazard Communication plus NYS Right-to-Know
• Covid-19 Awareness Course
• Respirator Hierarchy
• Lead in Construction Awareness Course
• Mold in Construction Awareness Course
• Blood-borne Pathogen 4-Hour Course
• OSHA Lead in Construction Awareness Course – Online
• OSHA 10 or 30-Hour Construction Safety and Health Course
• OSHA 10 or 30-Hour General Industry Safety and Health Course 

Mold Courses:

• • Keeping Your Family Safe Mold Awareness – Online
  • Mold in Construction Awareness Course – Online
  • Mold Assessment Initial
  • NYS Mold Refresher
    
    • Feb 17, 09:00 AM – 01:00 PM, Branch Services
    • Feb 11, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM, Virtual
    • Feb 23, Mar 20, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM, FEDTC’s Syosset

• Mold Remediation/Supervisor Initial
• Mold Abatement/Worker Initial

Asbestos Courses:

• • AHERA/OSHA Asbestos Awareness Course – Online
  • OSHA/NYSDOL 4-hr Apprentice Asbestos Awareness (NEW) – Online
  • NYCDEP Handler/Supervisor Exam Prep – Online
  • NYCDEP Investigator Exam Prep – Online
  • AHERA LEA’s Designated Person Training – Online
  • NYS/NYC Asbestos Supervisor Initial
  • NYS Asbestos Inspector Initial
  • NYS/NYC Asbestos Supervisor Refresher
    
    • Mar 2, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Plattsburgh, NY
    • Mar 5, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM, Bergen Point Treatment Plant, West Babylon

• • NYS Asbestos Project Designer Refresher
    
    • Feb 19, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM, National Grid
    • Feb 12, Mar 16, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM, Virtual

• • NYS/NYC Asbestos Inspector Refresher
    
    • Feb 13, Mar 17, 2026, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM, Virtual
    • Feb 20, Mar 6, 2026 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM, FEDTC’s Syosset

• • NYS Asbestos Project Monitor Refresher
    
    • Mar 23, 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM, Suffolk County

• NYS Asbestos Project Sampling Technician Refresher
  
  • Mar 23, 7:30 AM – 11:30 AM, Suffolk County
• NYS Asbestos Management Planner Refresher
  
  • Mar 17, 2026, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Virtual
• NYS Asbestos Operations and Maintenance Refresher
  
  • Feb 18, 2026, 7:30 AM – 11:30 AM, Northport Power Plant
• NYS Asbestos Handler Refresher
  
  • Feb 18, 2026, 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM, Northport Power Plant

EPA Lead RRP Courses:

• EPA Lead RRP 8-hour Course
  
  • Mar 25, 2026, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM, FEDTC’s Syosset
  • Mar 26, 2026, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM, FEDTC’s Syosset

For the most current schedule and additional courses, please visit Future Environment Designs’ website.  Please click on the individual courses’ link to discover more dates!

Don’t Forget Our Referral Program!

If you refer asbestos, indoor air quality, or OSHA training to us we will provide you with a 5% discount on any training you book with us. This would be in addition to any other discounts we provide.

Thank you to those who have taken advantage of this!