He also told members of a House subcommittee yesterday that he's suspended the practice of setting goals for new VPP sites and Alliances to direct OSHA's resources instead to enforcement.
The Food and Drug Administration issued a final rule on April 28 that requires manufacturers of over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers and fever reducers to revise their labeling to include warnings about potential safety risks, such as internal bleeding and liver damage, associated with the use of these popular drugs.
RMPs contain information assessing plans in place to prevent and respond to accidental releases of hazardous substances from facilities and must be updated at least every five years.
For users, the key to the new ANSI/ISEA 201 standard is a label that will provide information to make garment selection based on the work environment and tasks.
Beryllium is the fourth element in the periodic table. It comes right after lithium and before boron. It's a metal that looks like aluminum but is lighter and stronger. In ceramic form, beryllium oxide (BeO) conducts heat but not electricity and has the highest thermal conductivity of commercially available ceramics. It is used in everything from wireless base stations to satellites and advanced radar systems.
"Mercury and lead can pose severe threats to people's health, so properly managing waste that contains them is of the utmost importance," said EPA Acting Regional Administrator George Pavlou.
The U.S. Fire Administration and the International Association of Emergency Medical Services Chiefs have both issued detailed guidance for EMS and other responders to use during the flu.
The Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (MACOSH) will meet May 19-20, 2009, at the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss topics such as speed limits and safety zones in marine terminals and commercial fishing, among other issues. Notice of the meeting appears in the April 27, 2009, Federal Register.
U.S. Labor Secretary Solis also announced OSHA is moving forward the proposed regulation governing workers' exposure to diacetyl food flavoring by convening a Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) panel May 5.
With more outbreaks of the new strain of swine flu come outbreaks of misinformation and rumor. The following is edited from a press release of 20 questions answered by infectious disease expert Charles Ericsson, M.D., professor of internal medicine and director of Travel Medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
Analyzing 1,285 deaths in 1992-2007 of workers who died while performing tree care or maintenance, NIOSH found 38 percent were self-employed. While 34 percent died from falls, another 14 percent were electrocuted.
The groups have scheduled five live Webcasts throughout the day--10 a.m. to 6 p.m.--on May 6, which is Occupational Safety and Health Professional day.
"No matter how attractive they may appear, active and abandoned mines are not playgrounds. If you're not trained or authorized to enter the property, stay away," said Michael A. Davis, MSHA's deputy assistant secretary of labor for operations.
The day will be marked in Washington, D.C., and on six continents with candlelight vigils, conferences, and rallies calling to governments to pay more attention to occupational deaths and injuries.
Intended for a range of stakeholders, from architects to owners, Guideline 29-2009 offers a flexible approach to risk assessment for a wide range of safety and health hazards, according to ASHRAE.
Though written with avian flu in mind, the guidebook will help workplaces prepare for the swine flu already affecting several countries. The organization is making it available free.
Seminars and other events are being held all week at various locations throughout the city in support of Construction Safety Week. All sessions are free of charge and open to the public.
Inspectors identified other hazards including locked exits, obstructed exit access, and an unmarked exit; lack of welding screens and personal protective equipment for welders; untrained forklift operators; excess carbon monoxide levels from forklifts; and numerous electrical safety deficiencies including exposed live electrical parts.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently recommended that consumers not eat raw alfalfa sprouts, including sprout blends containing alfalfa sprouts, until further notice because the product has been linked to Salmonella serotype Saintpaul contamination. Other types of sprouts have not been implicated at this time.