Confined Spaces


Two Workers Die in Flash Fire, Boat Repair Firm Fined $221,200

Nine employees were performing cutting and fire watch operations inside the hopper space, an area between the cargo hold and the bottom plate of the vessel, with limited means of entry and exit when the flash fire occurred.

The Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia is the host site for the 2011 National Safety Congress & Expo. (Paul Loftland photo)

All Aboard for Safety

Historic Reading Railroad Terminal is the site of the National Safety Congress & Expo’s long-awaited return to Philadelphia.

MSHA Awards $1 Million in Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants

The funding will be used to develop and implement training and related materials for mine emergency preparedness, as well as for the prevention of accidents in underground mines.

Foundry Fined $124,000 Following Worker Fatality

In this case, a coal chute became jammed and the operator left his controls to attempt to un-jam it. Through miscommunication, another employee took the controls and moved the transport vehicle, which hit the worker, crushing him between a guardrail and the jammed coal bin chute.

Worker's Death at Recycling Facility Results in $183,300 Penalty

OSHA opened an inspection after a worker was found dead inside the rotating drum assembly of a machine used to screen recyclables from other refuse on March 30.

USFA Releases Annual Report on Firefighter Fatalities in U.S.

Eighty-seven on-duty firefighters from 31 states lost their lives as the result of 83 fatal incidents that occurred in 2010.

OSHA Nails Three Marine Corps Contractors for Crane, Trenching Hazards

OSHA cited the contractors for safety hazards after a worker received burns from an electrical shock during the installation of a new landfill gas processing and compression facility at the U.S. Marine Corps Logistic Base in Albany, Ga.

Oregon OSHA Plans Confined Space Changes

Two public hearings are set for Sept. 30 and Oct. 7 on its proposed rule that would include the construction industry in its scope.



OSHA Blasts N.J. Construction Firm for Trenching Hazards, Issues $158,400 in Penalties

The willful violations involve failing to ensure that the excavation spoil pile was at least 2 feet from the edge of the excavation, ensure that the ladder extended 3 feet above the level being accessed, and provide cave-in protection for employees working in the excavation.

Grain Elevator Hazards Add Up to $229,000 in Fines for Montana Firm

Serious violations involve unguarded platforms, walkways with uncovered holes, improper design of ladders, and a lack of implementation of a housekeeping program for combustible dust.

Commercial Diving, Disorientation Hazards Lead to Firm's $83,160 Fine

OSHA cited Trenton, N.J.-based IEW Construction Group Inc. for 12 serious safety violations found while the company was doing repair work on the Alexander Road Bridge in Princeton, N.J.

Worker's Grain Engulfment Carries $185,600 Penalty

OSHA opened an inspection following the death of a worker who suffocated when engulfed in grain that he was walking on in a bin that had a running auger.

Portable electronic gas detectors worn by workers can provide a warning within seconds of being exposed to dangerous levels of H2S. (Photo: Draeger Safety, Inc.)

Monitoring H2S to Meet New Exposure Standards

2010 ACGIH guidelines provide an impetus for companies to collect H2S monitor data, allowing them to evaluate and refine their safety and hygiene programs.

MSHA Proposes Rule on Proximity Detection Systems

Proximity detection refers to a technology that can be installed on mining machinery to detect the presence of personnel or other machinery within a certain distance.

Five Hot Topics Covered in Today's Virtual Event

Experts will clear up myths surrounding CSA –- the federal motor carrier safety system on which CVSA's upcoming annual conference is focused -– and help attendees cope with sleep apnea, gas detection challenges, slips and falls, and crane mishaps.

MSHA Announces Results of July Impact Inspections

Coal mines were issued 232 citations and 24 orders, while metal/nonmetal operations were issued 108 citations and 11 orders.

Worker Fatally Crushed on Oil Rig, Firm Fined $132,300

OSHA's Baton Rouge Area Office began its inspection March 10 following a report that an employee was fatally injured when a land-based portable rig, which was mounted on a barge, tipped over and crushed the employee to death.

DOE Lab Demonstrates Mine Rescue Robot

Its designers say the robot can enter first and crawl over debris to assess the dangers and give responders information about them before they go into a mine following an accident.

ASSE Releases Updated Standard for Handling Explosives in Construction, Demolition Operations

The A10.7 standard is applicable to the storage, handling, and use of commercial explosives and blasting agents in the construction industry.

NIOSH FACE Twitter Launch Highlights Crane Hazards

Three of the fatality reports posted on the new page concern the deaths of crane riggers. One of the live presentations in the OH&S Aug. 31 virtual event will discuss common errors that lead to such accidents.

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