Safe Workplace and Safety News
This is the safety news blog for the Safe Workplace web site. We cover workplace safety related news with a focus on how safety, or a lack of safety, impacts employers, employees and their families. We also cover topics such as safety training, safety tools, and legal issues related to safety. For regular safety news and information enter your email address in the box above the Subscribe button to the right (then click on the button).
Friday, June 01, 2012
Safety News Briefs - Week Ending June 2nd
A weekly feature that provides short summaries of safety related news with links to the complete stories in other publications.SeaWorld "Exploring" Further Action Against OSHA Citation
SeaWorld disputes some of a ruling upholding an OSHA citation after a killer whale drowned a trainer and is "exploring if further action is necessary," the theme park says.Read the complete story on the WMFE web site.
US Appeals Court Revives Whistleblower Claim Against OSHA
OSHA is accused of acquiescing in hiding workplace injuries. A federal appeals court has revived a claim by a former senior OSHA official who says he was fired because he publicly criticized his agency for letting companies under report workplace injuries.Read the complete story on Reuters.
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Related Past Posts:
Safety News Briefs - Week Ending May 19th
Safety News Briefs - Week Ending May 12th
Safety News Briefs - Week Ending May 5th
Labels: safety management, whistleblower
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Monday, May 28, 2012
Safety News Briefs - Week Ending May 26th
A weekly feature that provides short summaries of safety related news with links to the complete stories in other publications.OSHA Takes NH Company To Federal Court To Enforce Fines
The U.S. Department of Labor is asking a federal appeals court to enforce payment of more than $100,000 in safety violation fines owed by a Concord construction company owner. The Department of Labor alleges that companies owned by Walter Jensen "have effectively thumbed their noses at their OSHA citations and refused to pay their fines." The petition lists four different inspections that resulted in OSHA citations against Jensen's companies.Read the story in the Concord Monitor
In Race For Better Cell Service, Men Who Climb Towers Pay With Their Lives
Read the story in ProPublica
Drugs…at my workplace?
Drug task force agent Scott Walden said it’s not uncommon these days for someone to be doing drugs during work hours.“We have had reports of employees actually using and selling drugs in a business,” Walden said. “There are cases we are working on now in Atmore concerning drug use in businesses, and these are reputable businesses. Prescription drugs are usually involved.”
As far as employees, there are signs to look for though not all or any one are definite signs of drug use. However, taken together, they should send up a red flag.
Get the list of signs of use of drugs in the workplace on Atmore News .
Tips On Treating Common Injuries
Read all of the tips on the Graphic Products' blog here:
Three Kittens Rescued From Fire Training Tower
Okay, this isn't a hardcore safety story. But, I couldn't pass it up. Firemen are known for rescuing cats from trees - although my son who is a fireman says most come down on their own. In this case three kittens had moved into a fire training tower. It took six hours to "rescue" the first two and two days to rescue all three.“This is the oddest place I have ever found kittens,” said rescuer Barb Shepherd, of Animal Advocates of Moore County. “The structure is so narrow. There are really few places for the kittens to go without falling.”
Read the complete story in the Southern Pines Pilot.
Related Past Posts:
Safety News Briefs - Week Ending May 19th
Safety News Briefs - Week Ending May 12th
Safety News Briefs - Week Ending May 5th
Labels: Department Of Labor, First Aid, HSE, Industrial Health
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If There Is An Accident Or Fatality, Does That Mean A Citation Should Be Issued?
Read the article: "In U.S. Steel town, fatal gas explosion goes unpunished by OSHA."
Should an accident or fatality mean an OSHA citation will be issued? OSHA's mission is to establish and enforce standards that ensure American workers have “safe and healthful” working conditions. OSHA's job is not to impose penalties for injuries or fatalities.
On the other hand...
I worked for the post office a long time ago. I received their training for driving a toaster (one of those small, square looking postal trucks). One part of the training I've never forgotten is that there are no accidents. If something happened, I was responsible. Under that philosophy then every injury or fatality should result in an OSHA citation.
What do you think? Leave a comment. Should OSHA issue a citation every time there is a workplace fatality?
Links to related past posts:
Dealing With A Catastrophic Workplace Accident
Revised OSHA Field Operations Manual
What To Do Before There Is A Fatal Accident
Labels: workplace fatalities, workplace injuries, workplace safety
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OSHA Issues 'Call To Action' To New Jersey Construction Companies To Prevent Worker Falls
I recently spent two weeks in Massachusetts. As we were driving around I noticed a lot of construction -- they are still recovering from a hurricane, tornadoes and a devastating snow storm that all occurred in the past nine months. Plus there is considerable new construction going on. I saw a lot of work being done on roofs and not one worker was using fall protection.
There has been considerable controversy about using fall protection when working on roofs. Some even say it increases the likelyhood of an accident. (What do you think?) This is an easy one to do inspections for, OSHA inspectors can just drive around. Why wait until there are "incidents" as described in the OSHA press release below? The objective is to prevent incidents. What do you think? Should OSHA be more active in checking for fall protection for roofing work in states like Massachusetts?
The following is an OSHA press release about New Jersey that came out last week.
Following four recent construction incidents that took place in Northern New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is calling on construction companies to ensure that employees working above 6 feet have the proper equipment to protect themselves from falls on the job.
OSHA has opened investigations following a worker fall through a roof into a vat of acid in Clifton, N.J.; a worker fall from the roof on a residential construction site in Bayonne, N.J.; a worker fall while installing a steel frame in Madison, N.J.; and a worker fall from an aerial lift in Secaucus, N.J.
"This is a call to action for every contractor in the state," says Robert Kulick, , OSHA regional administrator in New York. "These incidents are tragic reminders of the dangers posed to workers when they are not adequately protected from fall hazards."
There are a number of ways to protect workers from falls, including guardrail systems, safety net systems and personal fall arrest systems, including properly anchored body harnesses and lanyards, as well as the use of safe work practices and thorough training. "Whether working on a roof, a scaffold or in an aerial lift, all workers must have and correctly use the proper equipment to prevent falls," Kulick adds.
In April, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced a new campaign to provide employers and workers with lifesaving information and educational materials about working safely from ladders, scaffolds and roofs in an effort to prevent deadly falls in the construction industry. In 2010, more than 10,000 construction workers were injured as a result of falling while working from heights, and more than 250 workers were killed. OSHA's fall prevention campaign was developed in partnership with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and NIOSH's National Occupational Research Agenda program. More detailed information is available in English and Spanish on fall protection standards at http://www.osha.gov/stopfalls.
Related Past Posts:
OSHA Citing Individual Works For Construction Safety
Do OSHA Standards Increase The Cost Of New Homes?
Home Builders Say OSHA Rules Are Killing Business
There has been considerable controversy about using fall protection when working on roofs. Some even say it increases the likelyhood of an accident. (What do you think?) This is an easy one to do inspections for, OSHA inspectors can just drive around. Why wait until there are "incidents" as described in the OSHA press release below? The objective is to prevent incidents. What do you think? Should OSHA be more active in checking for fall protection for roofing work in states like Massachusetts?
The following is an OSHA press release about New Jersey that came out last week.
Following four recent construction incidents that took place in Northern New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is calling on construction companies to ensure that employees working above 6 feet have the proper equipment to protect themselves from falls on the job.
OSHA has opened investigations following a worker fall through a roof into a vat of acid in Clifton, N.J.; a worker fall from the roof on a residential construction site in Bayonne, N.J.; a worker fall while installing a steel frame in Madison, N.J.; and a worker fall from an aerial lift in Secaucus, N.J.
"This is a call to action for every contractor in the state," says Robert Kulick, , OSHA regional administrator in New York. "These incidents are tragic reminders of the dangers posed to workers when they are not adequately protected from fall hazards."
There are a number of ways to protect workers from falls, including guardrail systems, safety net systems and personal fall arrest systems, including properly anchored body harnesses and lanyards, as well as the use of safe work practices and thorough training. "Whether working on a roof, a scaffold or in an aerial lift, all workers must have and correctly use the proper equipment to prevent falls," Kulick adds.
In April, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced a new campaign to provide employers and workers with lifesaving information and educational materials about working safely from ladders, scaffolds and roofs in an effort to prevent deadly falls in the construction industry. In 2010, more than 10,000 construction workers were injured as a result of falling while working from heights, and more than 250 workers were killed. OSHA's fall prevention campaign was developed in partnership with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and NIOSH's National Occupational Research Agenda program. More detailed information is available in English and Spanish on fall protection standards at http://www.osha.gov/stopfalls.
Related Past Posts:
OSHA Citing Individual Works For Construction Safety
Do OSHA Standards Increase The Cost Of New Homes?
Home Builders Say OSHA Rules Are Killing Business
Labels: Construction / Installation, Construction Safety, fall protection, OSHA Inspections
posted by Steve Hudgik
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Summary Of Major OSHA Citations - Week Ending May 26th
A summary of major OSHA citations announced during the week ending May 26th.The following is based on press releases from OSHA.
OSHA Cites Raani Corp., Including Failing To Provide Emergency Care ($473,000)
OSHA received a referral from the Cook County medical examiner indicating that a worker had died from burn injuries caused by high-temperature water and a solution that erupted while the worker was beneath an open tank hatch. An investigation determined that the company failed to call 911 to seek emergency medical treatment and neglected to wash the worker in the available safety shower. The worker was transferred to a local occupational health clinic in a co-worker's vehicle more than 30 minutes after the injury.
Six willful violations have been cited for failing to utilize available emergency care; provide, require and train workers on the proper use of protective clothing; provide eye, face and hand protection when handling high-temperature liquid and hazardous chemicals; and failing to provide hazard communication training to workers exposed to hazardous chemicals. Generally, workers were found wearing medical-grade latex gloves, which are not insulated or sufficient when using high- temperature liquids or the majority of chemicals used at the site.
Additionally, seven serious safety violations involve failing to perform a personal protective equipment assessment; correct an improperly guarded platform; provide visible quick drenching facilities within the immediate work area; train about the usage of powered industrial vehicles; enclose live parts of electrical equipment; use proper safety precautions when transferring flammable liquids; and not maintaining dry, clean floors.
Proposed penalties total $473,000. The citations can be viewed at http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/RaaniCorp_110113_0515_11.pdf.
Due to the willful nature of some of the violations, OSHA has placed Raani Corp. in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates targeted follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with the law.
Raani Corp., a manufacturer of health-care items, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals and household and salon products, employs 150 workers, of which nearly half are temporary day workers. The company was previously inspected by OSHA in 1993, resulting in five serious violations. Raani Corp. has 15 business days from receipt of its current citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Related Past Posts:
OSHA Citations - Week Ending May 19th
OSHA Citations For The Week Ending May 12th
OSHA Citations For The Week Ending May 5th
Labels: OSHA Citations, willful violation, workplace fatalities, workplace injuries, workplace safety
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Monday, May 21, 2012
Safety News Briefs - Week Ending May 19th
A weekly feature that provides short summaries of safety related news articles with links to the complete stories in other publications.Government Mine Safety Workers Not As Safe As Miners?
"A Minnesota congressman wants a federal mine safety agency to explain why statistics show its workers are more likely to get hurt on the job than miners and other industry workers."Read more in the Register-Herald.
The Deadliest Danger Isn't at the Oil Rig but on the Road
New oil drilling has been an economic boon to the country, adding millions of dollars in local tax revenues and royalty payments and creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, many of them providing high pay to unskilled laborers in areas with double-digit unemployment.But the oil field jobs are also hazardous, with fatality rates that are seven times the national average across all industries. Nearly a third of the 648 deaths of oil field workers from 2003 through 2008 were in highway crashes, according to the most recent data analyzed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By contrast, highway crashes caused roughly a fifth of workplace fatalities across all industries in 2010.
Read the complete story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Bostik Reaches $600,000 Settlement Agreement With OSHA
OSHA cited Bostik in September 2011 for violations safety standards for handling acetone, which was used in a PSM standard-covered process known as direct solvation. According to the settlement, Bostik has taken and continues to take corrective action to address deficiencies in its PSM program and enhance the program's effectiveness. Bostik paid a fine of $600,000 and is no longer using the direct solvation process at the Middleton facility. OSHA originally proposed $917,000 in fines.Read the complete story in the Salem News
OSHA Announces Intent To Establish Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee
OSHA announced its intent to establish a Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee. The committee will advise, consult with and make recommendations to the secretary of labor and the assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health on ways to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of OSHA's administration of whistleblower protections.Read the complete story in Job Mouse
NHTSA Proposes Rule Requiring Electronic Stability Systems On Large Trucks
"The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last Wednesday proposed a new federal motor vehicle safety standard to require full stability technology, otherwise known as electronic stability control (ESC) systems, on large commercial trucks, motor coaches and other large buses for the first time ever."Read the story in The Trucker
Related Past Posts:
Safety News Briefs - Week Ending May 12th
Safety News Briefs - Week Ending May 5th
Safety News Briefs April 30th
Labels: MHSA, OSHA Fines, Vehicle Safety
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Summary Of Major OSHA Citations - Week Ending May 19th
A summary of major OSHA citations announced during the week ending May 19th.The following are based on press releases from OSHA.
OSHA Cites Rite Aid For Fall, Crushing, Exit and Electrical Hazards ($111,100)
DiGioia-Suburban Excavating Cited For Workers Riding In Excavator Buckets ($123,750)
Western Extrusions Corp., Carrollton, TX Cited For Safety And Health Hazards ($212,000)
Several hazards in the Third Avenue location were found similar to those cited during inspections of Rite Aid stores in Bronx and Rome, N.Y. The recurring violations included shelves and boxes stored that blocked and narrowed an emergency exit route; unsecure piles of boxes subject to collapse; and workers exposed to falls of up to 10 feet with stacking boxes and totes on the unguarded edges of stairs. Three repeat citations totaled $104,500 in proposed penalties.
The Third Avenue store inspection also resulted in two serious safety citations, with $6,600 in fines, for a locked exit and lights not protected from damage.
The Rite Aid of New York citations are available at: http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/RiteAid.pdf*.
OSHA has cited North Royalton-based DiGioia-Suburban Excavating for two willful safety violations after discovering that workers were allowed to ride inside an excavator bucket to access a trench at a Bowling Green job site on Nov. 17, 2011. A complaint prompted OSHA's inspection of the site, where six workers were digging a trench to replace existing sanitary lines. Proposed fines total $123,750.The willful violations include failing to prohibit workers from riding the excavator bucket to access the trench as well as provide a safe means of egress from the trench.
Detailed information on trenching and excavation hazards is available at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/trenchingexcavation/index.html.
The citations can be viewed at http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/DiGioia-SuburbanExcavatingLLC_109118_0515_12.pdf*.
Prior to this case, DiGioia-Suburban Excavating had undergone 15 inspections since 1989 and been cited for 46 violations. In the past, the company also has been mandated by OSHA to increase and document self-inspection efforts.
The willful violations involve failing to implement lockout/tagout procedures for machines' energy sources to protect workers performing maintenance and setup activities, and provide guarding on press brakes.
The serious violations include failing to guard open-sided floors and platforms, provide personal protective equipment, properly label hazardous chemicals, ensure that isolation and de-energization procedures are followed, remove damaged synthetic web slings from service, provide guards around rotating and moving parts of machinery, establish die-setting procedures for mechanical power presses, guard chains and sprockets, provide hepatitis B vaccinations to workers and provide training on bloodborne pathogens.
Due to the willful violations and the nature of the hazards, OSHA has placed Western Extrusions Corp. in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates targeted follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with the law. For more information on SVEP, visit http://s.dol.gov/J3.
The citations can be viewed at http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Western-Extrusion-Corp.pdf*.
Related Past Posts:
OSHA Citation For The Week Ending May 12th
OSHA Citations For The Week Ending May 5th
OSHA Citations Week Ending April 28th
Labels: Construction Safety, fall protection, Industrial Health, LOTO
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