The Department of Labor recently announced it is soliciting public comments to assist in determining whether and possibly how to expand or modify current rules regarding the electronic distribution of employee benefit plan information.
The newly developed tool permits mine operators, miners, the media, and the public to determine, based on the most recent data available, how a specific mine matches up with the criteria for a potential pattern of violations.
The U.S. Fire Administration recently announced the theme for the 2011 Arson Awareness Week: Working Together to Extinguish Serial Arson.
One death occurred in September 2010 in New Jersey, the other in February 2011 in Illinois.
Serious and repeat citations were issued for failing to ensure that lockout/tagout devices were used by authorized employees to de-energize a machine.
At least 26 U.S. workers were killed in grain entrapments last year, and the numbers of entrapments are increasing, according to researchers at Purdue University.
OSHA cited the company for 19 safety violations following the October 2010 death of a worker who was ejected and crushed after the forklift he was operating overturned.
MSHA proposed to revise its Pattern of Violations regulation on Feb. 2, and the changes it wants to make are a priority for Assistant Secretary Joe Main. Stakeholders now have until April 18 to submit comments.
Following several fatal pipeline accidents, including one that killed five people in Allentown, Pa., Ray LaHood called upon U.S. pipeline owners and operators to conduct a comprehensive review of their oil and gas pipelines to identify areas of high risk and accelerate critical repair and replacement work.
"A trench can become a grave in seconds. Disregarding workers' safety by leaving them unprotected from potential cave-in and struck-by hazards is unacceptable and will not be tolerated," said Roberto Sanchez, OSHA's area director in Birmingham.
RBC-West Trenton was investigated under OSHA's Site-Specific Targeting Program, which focuses on industries with high injury and illness rates.
Specific violations cited by OSHA included workers being hoisted on the load hook of an overhead crane, an improperly designed combustible dust collection system, and a lack of personal protective equipment.
The Mine Safety and Health Administration recently announced that it will hold a briefing on June 29 to share with the public information gathered during the investigation of the explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine in Raleigh County, W.Va.
The company faces penalties totaling $45,000 as a result of an OSHA inspection conducted in October 2010.
OSHA issued the citations after an inspection of the company's facility identified a potential release of anhydrous ammonia and other workplace hazards.
Special impact inspections, which began last April following the explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine, involve mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to their poor compliance history or particular compliance concerns.
OSHA opened its inspection of A.C. Castle Construction upon observing employees working without fall protection on the building's roof and on a ladder jack scaffold, exposing them to falls of nearly 19 feet.
In September 2010, a worker with The Warehouse Co., a subcontractor of Winter Park Construction Co., fell approximately 21 feet to a concrete surface while passing furniture from a debris container mounted on the forks of a powered industrial truck.
Taking place April 25-29, the Construction Safety Week will include presentations addressing accident prevention, new concrete requirements, safe use of scaffolds, and safety in demolition.