Articles


NIOSH Seeks Data on Automation Used in Mining

In order to prepare for the expanded use of automation technologies, NIOSH seeks to both proactively address worker health and safety challenges that may be associated with automation and to leverage new technologies to improve miners' health and safety.

FCC Proposal to Help Responders Locate 911 Callers in Multi-Story Buildings

The commission proposed a vertical location accuracy metric of plus or minus 3 meters relative to the handset for 80 percent of indoor wireless 911 calls, tentatively concluding that location accuracy metric—within 3 meters above or below the phone—would be sufficiently accurate to identify the caller's floor level in most cases and would be technically feasible under the timeframes established in the Enhanced 911 rules.

CSB Highlights Importance of Following Standards

Incidents cited in the Safety Spotlight document include the BP Texas City refinery explosion and fire, ConAgra Foods and Kleen Energy natural gas explosions, and the Imperial Sugar combustible dust disaster in Georgia in February 2008. Each example discusses standards or guidelines that were developed following the incident.

Grenfell Fire Inquiry Phase 1 Report Coming Soon

Phase 2 of the Inquiry will examine issues that include the high-rise tower’s original design and modifications, fire and safety measures in it at the time of the fire, and where and why the fire began.

New Director Chosen for NRC Safety and Safeguards Office

Longtime employee John W. Lubinski has been named director of the agency's Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.

DOL Wage & Hour Issues FMLA, FLSA Opinion Letters

An opinion letter is an official, written opinion by the division on how a particular law applies in specific circumstances presented by the individual person or entity that requested the letter. The requesting parties' names are not included in the letters to protect their privacy.

In 2014, 669 fatalities occurred in highway work zones -- a slight increase over the previous year. While work zone fatalities are about half of what they were 15 years ago, there is still more work to be done, FHWA Deputy Administrator David Kim said.

Caltrans Replacing Guardrail End Sections

Caltrans recently announced it has begun replacing approximately 800 X-Lite guardrail end terminals on the state highway system because the terminals do not meet field performance expectations.

Three NTSB Investigators Sent to France to Assist Crash Investigation

Three investigators with expertise in recorders, flight crew operations, and human factors have been sent to France to assist with the downloading and analysis of flight recorders from the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 that crashed March 10 shortly after takeoff from the airport in Addis Ababa.



Automakers Making Progress on Braking Technology Deadline

The participating automakers voluntarily committed by Sept. 1, 2022, to equip virtually all new light-duty cars and trucks with a gross vehicle weight of 8,500 pounds or less with a low-speed AEB system that includes forward collision warning and crash imminent braking, to help prevent and mitigate front-to-rear crashes.

HP Expands Lithium-ion Battery Recall

The recall now affects about 78,500 units beyond the 50,000 that were recalled in the United States in January 2018. The recall expansion involves lithium-ion batteries for HP commercial notebook computers and mobile workstations that were sold to businesses and other organizations. The batteries can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards.

Featured

Artificial Intelligence