Weekly Safety News - November 17th, 2025

Safety Connection News is a complimentary service from Safety Meeting Co. that delivers links to timely articles and updates on workplace and public safety. It’s designed to help you start your day with informed conversations and a broader perspective on emerging safety topics. Please note: because different news outlets manage their website content in different ways, you may be asked to register or subscribe in order to view certain articles.

Top 3 Biggest Occupational Safety Stories

• UPS cargo plane crash at Louisville Worldport kills at least 12; engine reportedly detached during takeoff — AP News
  Why this matters: A mass-fatality event at a major logistics hub triggers wide-ranging worker-safety, emergency response, and business-continuity reviews for aviation, ramp/ground operations, and adjacent facilities.

• Three construction workers injured after roof/truss collapse in Grafton, Wisconsin — Daily Reporter
  Why this matters: A structural collapse in a construction context underscores hazards of inadequately supported framing/trusses, and highlights the need for proactive site hazard recognition and worker protection measures.

• Federal investigation launched into death of H-E-B warehouse employee in San Antonio, Texas — MySA
  Why this matters: Warehouse operations—often considered less hazardous compared to heavy industry—are still vulnerable to fatal incidents; forklift operations and freezer environments warrant renewed scrutiny of equipment, training and supervision.

Regulatory & Enforcement Updates

• CISA releases updated guidance with new IOCs and TTPs on Akira ransomware to help organizations detect and mitigate this evolving threat, which targets sectors like manufacturing, education, healthcare, and finance. CISA

• Statement of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Taiwan Central Bank on Exchange Rate Policies. U.S. Treasury.

Roadway & Transportation Safety Updates

• Crash Responder Safety Week 2025 Focuses on Move Over/Slow Down Federal, state, and local partners are observing Crash Responder Safety Week, emphasizing “Slow Down, Move Over” laws. NOCE

• TxDOT Promotes Crash Responder Safety Week TxDOT released outreach and video content reminding drivers to follow Texas’ Move Over/Slow Down law to protect roadside workers and crash responders. MRT

School Safety Updates

• New National Study on K-12 Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management A new report, The State of Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management in K-12 Public Schools. RAND

• The U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) is pleased to offer virtual training presentations on targeted violence prevention. SchoolSafety.Gov.

Consumer & Public Safety Updates

• Tesla Recalls Powerwall 2 Home Battery Systems for Fire Hazard. Tesla is recalling certain Powerwall 2 home battery systems due to an internal defect. CPSC.

• FDA Approves New Safety Warning and Revised Indication that Limits Use for Elevidys Following Reports of Fatal Liver Injury. FDA.

Emergency Management & Preparedness Updates

• FEMA’s Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Santa Fe Claims Office Moving to Main Building to Increase Convenience and Efficiency. FEMA

• IAEM Special Focus on Champions of Change, Part 2. IAEM.org.

• Administrator Lee Zeldin Fulfills Pledge to Visit All 50 States this Year, Bringing EPA Directly to the American People. EPA.gov.

Heads Up Dates

• Nov 22–30, 2025 — USDOT/NHTSA holiday-travel campaign: high-visibility “Click It or Ticket” / impaired-driving focus ahead of Thanksgiving.

• Nov 20–21, 2025 — NHTSA Safety Research Portfolio Public Meeting (Washington DC).

• Dec 5, 2025 — FEMA disaster-assistance application deadline for some declared events.