It is estimated that American workers are exposed to hundreds of thousands of chemicals every day. Despite the fact that most of these chemicals are considered harmful, they are largely unregulated within the work setting. 

Thanks to this deregulation, more than 190,000 illnesses and 50,000 deaths are reported every year because of chemical exposure. Exposure to these chemicals is linked to diseases such as cancers, lung, kidney, skin, stomach, brain and reproductive conditions to name a few. 

Any rail company shipping Bakken shale reserve by rail have just received an extra reminder by the federal government, to keep up with traffic notices, according to a federal regulator. 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx went on to point out the importance of transparency, noting how crucial it is to the federal government’s approach to safety. “The department is committed to making certain that states and local officials have the information they need to prepare for and respond to incidents involving hazardous materials.” 

Springtime has arrived for the freight industry, and as the temperature rises so do freight rates. Although seasonal trends are back in line with previous years, freight rates from DAT RateView signify that van rates are down by approximately 5.1% from last year. This roughly equals out to about a 10-cent difference per mile for freights and vans. However, stats also show that if you subtract the fuel surcharge, the average linehaul rate is actually about 9 cents higher this year than last. Diesel rates also contribute to the price of long-haul freights.