Upon my arrival at Reagan International Airport in the Nation’s Capital on March 18, 2025, I was greeted by National Council of Occupational Safety and Health (NCOSH) Executive Director Jessica Martinez, who I was meeting in person for the first time since completing National COSH “We Rise!” Workers Leadership Training and being elected to the Board of NCOSH.
Robert Jarvis wants answers. “Why’d you make us work that day?” he asks. “Why?”
With five workers dead and one still missing since Hurricane Helene struck on Sept. 27, many of us in Tennessee and around the country also want to know what went wrong that day – and if we can prevent it from happening again.
The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (COSH) strongly supports OSHA’s proposed rule to address heat-related hazards for both indoor and outdoor workers. The rule, which was announced today, is a critical step in protecting millions of workers from heat-related illnesses and injuries.
As extreme heat becomes more common across America, outdoor and factory workers face deadly risks on the job. Despite numerous heat-related deaths each year, safety standards remain inconsistent and vary widely between states. Advocates are now pushing for nationwide regulations to guarantee every worker access to shade, water, rest, and the right to speak up without fear of retaliation.
Podcast with Pamela Walaski, 2024-2025 President, Board of Directors of the American Society of Safety Professionals and Katelyn Parady, development and strategic programs liaison, National Council for Occupational Safety and Health
“This horrific tragedy is a stark reminder of what happens when worker safety takes a back seat to production and profit,” said Jessica E. Martinez, executive director of National COSH. “Explosives manufacturing is inherently dangerous – yet every single one of these deaths was preventable if proper oversight, safety measures, and accountability were in place. No one should die for a paycheck.”
“This is not an isolated event,” said Jessica Martinez, executive director of the worker-safety advocacy group, also known as National COSH. “Across the country, we see too many employers in high-risk industries cutting corners while regulators lack the staffing, funding, and authority to prevent disasters. Workers, especially in rural and marginalized communities, are treated as expendable. That must end.”
Following the explosion that killed 16 workers at Accurate Energetic Systems in Bucksnort, Tennessee, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health is demanding stronger oversight, worker protections, and full transparency in the investigation.
