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DOE Issues Citations for 2014 WIPP Incidents

Operations at the U.S. Department of Energy's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, the transuranic waste disposal site outside of Carlsbad, N.M., were suspended after two serious February 2014 incidents involving worker exposures to smoke and radiation.

DOT Inspector General Auditing FAA's Work on ERAM Outages

FAA declared ERAM fully operational at all 20 en route air traffic control facilities in March 2015, but since then, the $2.7 billion system has experienced a number of outages, most recently at the Washington Center in August 2015, that resulted in delays and cancellations of hundreds of flights, affecting thousands of passengers.

"A year after the Mount Carbon crude oil train fire, residents there know that they narrowly escaped their town becoming the American Lac-Mégantic – an outcome of a fiery derailment that could still happen at any moment," NTSB Board Member Robert Sumwalt wrote Feb. 18, 2016.

Tougher Tank Cars Too Slow in Coming: NTSB's Sumwalt

"A year after the Mount Carbon [West Virginia] crude oil train fire, residents there know that they narrowly escaped their town becoming the American Lac-Mégantic – an outcome of a fiery derailment that could still happen at any moment," he wrote Feb. 18.

Outgoing HSE Chair Touts Networking

"For your networking in IOSH to make a real difference in workplaces, it requires each of you to go back and share that learning with your colleagues and to discuss how good ideas might be translated or built upon to work for you," Judith Hackitt said Feb. 18 at the inaugural meeting of the IOSH Staffordshire Branch.

Chief Engineer of NASA Mars Rover Project to Keynote AIHce 2016

Adam Steltzner is the team leader and chief engineer of the NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover Project entry, descent, and landing phase.

FMCSA Declares Truck Driver an Imminent Hazard

The agency has ordered a California-licensed driver not to operate any commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce.

EPA Announces 2017-2019 Enforcement Initiatives

EPA reported it is expanding its initiative focused on reducing toxic air pollution by adding large storage tanks and hazardous waste facilities to its work to address public health threats.

OSHA Announces National Safety 'Step-Up' for Upstream Industry

The Step-Up through the end of March aims to protect workers at oil and gas exploration sites.



FRA Awards Louisiana $1.1 Million for Increased Rail Crossing Safety

The award is part of the agency's campaign to reduce fatalities at railroad crossings.

DOT's Volpe Center Touts Pipeline Sensors' Prowess

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration awarded Phase I funding of $150,000 in June 2011 that allowed for a proof of concept to be developed, and Generation 2 Materials Technology LLC was chosen for a Phase II award of $1 million in 2012.

Secretary Perez Appoints 15 MACOSH Members

Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez has appointed 15 members to Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health and also has appointed a special agency liaison to the committee. The special agency liaison is Leonard Howie, director of the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.

2015 Motor Vehicle Deaths Increased by Largest Percentage in 50 Years

A preliminary National Safety Council estimate shows an 8 percent increase year-over-year.

Queensland Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D

Queensland Parliament Passes Bill to Cut Bars' Hours

The Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Amendment Bill passed shortly before 3 a.m. Feb. 18, "the time pubs and clubs will be forced to kick out patrons under the new legislation," Brisbane's Courier-Mail newspaper pointed out.

Stryker Buying Physio-Control for $1.28 Billion

Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Stryker Corporation has agreed to acquire 100 percent of the stock of Redmond, Wash.-based Physio-Control International, Inc. in an all-cash transaction.

United States and Cuba Agree to Restore Air Service

DOT has launched a process to award new flights, and the airlines are lining up to apply.

National Safety Stand-Down Planned for May 2-6

OSHA and other federal agencies will participate in the weeklong initiative.

World Health Organization Launches Zika Global Response Plan

WHO said $56 million is required to implement the framework and plan, which cover January-June 2016.

OSHA and Crane, Hoist, Monorail Partners Renew Alliance

OSHA is particularly keen to reduce worker exposures to electrical shock, electrocution, falls from elevation, and being struck by moving equipment through the latest alliance renewal.

Washington State's 12th Annual Ag Safety Day Set for Feb. 24

The conference will feature training on how to manage hazards associated with ammonia; dairy and livestock safety; tractor/ATV safety; and potential health hazards in agriculture.

National Safety Plan Proposed for Public Transit Systems

Therese McMillan, acting administrator of the Federal Transit Authority, said the proposals "are about setting safety performance criteria and targets, voluntary minimum safety standards, and a means to communicate safety issues industry-wide."

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