Facility Safety


DHS announced a new national information-sharing partnership with Amtrak as part of the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative.

DHS Launches 'See Something, Say Something' Campaign

"Implementing a national suspicious activity reporting partnership with Amtrak and expanding the 'See Something, Say Something' campaign strengthens our ability to guard against terrorism and crime," said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

Imperial Sugar has settled litigation stemming from the 2008 explosion at its Georgia plant in which 14 people died.

Imperial Sugar Settles with OSHA, Agrees to Pay $6.05 Million

As part of the settlement, the company agrees that it has corrected all deficiencies at both of its plants or will correct those deficiencies according to a set schedule. Originally, OSHA fined the company $8.8 million following the 2008 explosion that took 14 lives and seriously injured dozens of others at its plant in Port Wentworth, Ga.

NYC Building Projects Affected by New Energy Code

The Department of Buildings has launched the New York City Energy Conservation Code, part of the city's plan to cut carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030. Lighting, power, and HVAC in new projects or renovations must comply.

Workshop to Investigate Impacts of Indoor Air Contaminants, Lead Paint

The half-day event will focus specifically on damage to building contents that can result from airborne contaminants and the ramifications to contractors of EPA’s Renovation, Repair, and Painting rule.

CVS Signs Mediation Agreement to Handle Potential Workplace Disputes

The mediation partnership marks the 200th such national or regional agreement between EEOC and a large employer (mainly Fortune 500 companies) and bolsters a multi-year trend of corporate America signing on to such Alternative Dispute Resolution programs.

Parts of Dust Standard Likely to Be Retroactive

The OSHA Combustible Dust Team's web chat with more than 400 stakeholders also gave some idea of the timetable for the combustible dust standard that will be developed.

Concrete Mixing Equipment Firm Fined $59,775 for Hazardous Waste

“Industries that fail to properly manage their hazardous wastes can pose serious risks to the health and safety of their employees because improper disposal of those wastes can cause serious harm to the environment,” said EPA Regional Administrator Karl Brooks.

ASSE: Safe Parading Requires Planning, No Stallions

Among other things, the society recommends that the proceedings be an “all forward motion” event with planned distances between parade entries, and that there be no stopping along the parade route.



Firm Reveals Ingredients for Successful Shiftworkers

Hirers might be surprised, but sometimes the difference between those who quit after one month on the job and those who stay for 20 years is having the availability of and sharing the right information about shiftwork when they are hired.

Manufacturing Firm Fined $118,750 for Hexavalent Chromium, Other Hazards

The GISHD inspection identified numerous violations of the following MIOSHA standards: hexavalent chromium, dipping and coating operations, asbestos, formaldehyde, and noise. The most serious violations involved employee overexposures to highly hazardous air contaminants.

EPA Takes Wind Out of Texas' Air Permit Program, Steams Governor

The agency determined the state's 16-year-old plan allows companies to avoid certain federal clean air requirements by lumping emissions from multiple units under a single "cap" rather than setting specific emission limits for individual pollution sources at their plants.

PETCO to Pay $145,000 for Discriminating against Deaf Pet Stylist

A store manager eventually refused to schedule customers for the groomer, despite their specific requests for her, and other employees inaccurately informed customers that she no longer worked for the company as a means to funnel them to non-disabled pet groomers, according to EEOC.

Leadership Through the Clouds

Companies need both Clocker and Cloud leaders, often operating at different organizational levels.

The New Safety U

Loyola University Chicago recently became the first university to launch an electronic pre-plan program for fire emergencies.

A New Era for Learning and Safety Management

Industry professionals want features that enable them to create safety audits and inspections, surveys, scorecards, and more.

Welding technician Tim Moore prepares a GMAW torch on a mechanized fixture.

A Switch in Time

Edison Welding Institute realized efficiency and safety gains from installing combination plug/receptacle and disconnect switches at more than 100 of its workstations.

Ensure all employees are trained and know what is to be done in an emergency, including emergency egress during a fire.

Back to Basics: Safe Egress

Ensure all employees are trained and know what is to be done in an emergency. Review the plan with new hires or newly assigned employees so they know the plan and their responsibilities.

Fifth Postal Facility Fined This Month, This Time in Maine for $430,000

All five of the facilities were investigated following complaints, and all ended up being fined for insufficient electrical safety practices. This latest fine brings OSHA's proposed penalty total against USPS to more than $1.3 million for the month of June alone.

FSIS to Push 'Voluntary' Food Defense Plans

A July letter from the USDA agency will ask establishments that did not have such a plan in place, according to a December 2009 survey, to adopt one.

Major Washington Apple Grower Sued for Sexual Harassment

"Filing for a temporary restraining order is not a common action for us," said EEOC Regional Attorney William Tamayo. "But in this case, we saw an urgent need to do all in our power to protect the farmworkers who participate in this case."

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