TN worker safety agency absolves plastics firm for Helene flood deaths, angering families

TN worker safety agency absolves plastics firm for Helene flood deaths, angering families.

Measles outbreak continues with 600 cases in 21 states.

China imposes 34% tariff on US goods in response to Trump tariffs.

NATIONAL NEWS

As Hurricane Helene barreled towards East Tennessee and Western North Carolina last year, workers at Impact Plastics in Erwin, TN, were ordered to report into work regardless. According to workers, by the time management allowed them to leave, floodwaters were raging and the one road out was already impassible. Several of the workers attempted to escape by climbing on top of an 18-wheeler parked nearby. A dozen workers were swept away when the flood waters overtook the tractor trailer. Some were later rescued, but six of them lost their lives.

A report from the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) absolved Impact Plastics of blame for the deaths of their workers. The report found that since “work operations had stopped and employees had left the building,” their deaths were not “work-related” and therefore did not fall within the agency’s jurisdiction. However, a spokesperson for TOSHA added that the agency “determined that company management exercise reasonable diligence in dismissing employees and providing them sufficient time to leave the facilities safely”. Despite this, the agency did recommend that the company revise and improve its emergency protocols.

TOSHA’s findings angered the relatives of the deceased workers, some of whom are engaged in wrongful death litigation against Impact Plastics. An attorney for one of the victim’s families stated that, “TOSHA’s report ignores multiple witnesses’ testimonies, critical text messages, emergency alert logs, and photographic evidence that tell the real story about impact plastics’ fatal failures. We’re grateful that in America, juries – not bureaucrats citing unnamed sources – will decide the truth based on all the evidence”.

In addition to the wrongful death lawsuits, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is conducting a criminal probe into the deaths of the six workers.

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Measles outbreak continues with 600 cases in 21 states

Yesterday, the CDC reported a total of 607 confirmed measles cases in 21 states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and Washington. As of April 3, the US had reported double the number of measles cases that were reported in all of 2024.

Texas remains the hardest hit state with now 481 cases across 19 counties. As of Friday, Texas health officials reported there were 59 new cases of measles since Tuesday.

So far, two measles-related deaths have been confirmed, both in unvaccinated individuals, one in Texas and one in New Mexico. Measles is highly contagious and can be spread by an infected person breathing, sneezing or coughing on a susceptible individual. Even after recovery, a measles infection can also leave a person more susceptible to other more serious ailments. However, measles infections are preventable through vaccination.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

China imposes 34% tariff on US goods in response to Trump tariffs

On Wednesday, President Trump announced new tariffs on virtually all US trading partners. The announcement sparked massive losses in global financial markets, which continued today for a second day. Since markets opened on Thursday, about $5 trillion has been wiped off the value of global stock markets.

Part of the market reaction today was in response to China announcing a new 34% tariff on US goods in retaliation for Trump’s additional 34% tariff on Chinese goods announced on Wednesday. The announcement has deepened fears of a potential global trade war and perhaps a global recession.

Some countries have responded to Trump’s threat of tariffs by seeking new trade deals, including India, Vietnam, and Israel. Other nations have responded by announcing retaliatory tariffs of their own, as China has done.

More Republican Senators have voiced support for a bill that would give Congress greater oversight over Trump’s tariffs. However, there is still no sign of support for this bill in the Republican-controlled House.

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