The state fire marshal and a task force announced the campaign Jan. 21 at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where they said 24 fire deaths and seven firefighter injuries have occurred in such fires since 1997.
"There's no excuse for workers being repeatedly and needlessly exposed to potentially fatal or disabling falls," said Brenda Gordon, OSHA's area director for Boston and southeastern Massachusetts.
Though the revision does not change the long-standing requirements for compliant garments with respect to classification and color, it does address their usable life and issues for the wearer related to flame-resistance and use during rainfall.
Breakout sessions during the March 2-3 stakeholder meeting in Pittsburgh will detail current research on protective clothing performance and help NIOSH do better at warning end users about counterfeit respirators. Dr. John Howard will be the keynote speaker.
The society cited growth and interest in these sectors' safety for launching them. The Utilities Branch will address EHS issues in solar and wind power generation, water and wastewater, and telecommunications, among other areas.
Tim Fisher, ASSE's director of Practices and Standards, said ASSE is developing technical briefs for ANSI/ASSE A10.47-2009, "Work Zone Safety for Highway Construction," and ANSI/ASSE A10.16-2009.
"My goal is to intentionally dampen the excitement of launching any new boat," said USCG's Al Johnson, "unless the person is properly attired and prepared for sudden cold water immersion. It might sound excessive, but if it saves a life, it isn't."
The first major snowstorm of the season is a time of excitement and wonder for a child: snowball fights, sledding, and closed schools. For adults, it's the dreaded shoveling season complete with aching backs, frozen fingers, or worse.
"If scaffolding parts had been inspected and replaced or repaired as needed, it is possible that this tragic accident and loss of life could have been avoided," said Eric Harbin, OSHA's area director in Austin.
"Few Americans are aware of lead's deadly effects or the fact that lead taken home on clothing and work tools can infect an entire family," said OSHA Area Director Richard Gilgrist in Cincinnati.
The new system will display the risk of extreme heat stress and time to flashover (the point when all combustible materials in a room simultaneously erupt in flames) on the incident commander's screen, along with the firefighters' locations and vital signs.
OSHA and other federal agencies track electrical accidents of all kinds, but not arc flash incidents specifically. The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) are working to change that through a collaborative research project to conduct extensive testing on arc flash. At present, only data on all electrical accidents are available.
"The board agreed that the ability for the society to offer certification programs . . . is important in remaining relevant in the changing global marketplace," ASTM International President James A. Thomas said.
Post-secondary students compete in this annual event, which is sponsored by the Safety and Protective Products Division and the Narrow Fabrics Institute of IFAI. A University of Wisconsin Stout design team placed first in the 2009 contest.
"This is a clear example of the grave consequences that can result when basic electrical safeguards are not provided and used," said Arthur Dube, OSHA's area director in Buffalo.
The 2012 edition of the Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace is expected to be issued in August 2011, but it is important for its users to offer proposals now, writes Jeffrey Sargent, NFPA's senior electrical specialist and staff liaison for NFPA 70E.
This approach is the correct risk management process because data are lacking for the risk potential of individual engineered nanomaterials, but there is some understanding of hazards posed by different groups of nanomaterials, Safe Work Australia said in a new report.
In December 2007, EPA issued a rule requiring reductions in air toxic emissions from auto body shops that use spray application to paint cars or that use paint strippers containing a toxic substance called methylene chloride. Existing shops must comply with the rule by January 2011; new shops have to comply by 180 days after startup.
"For the companies, they have to be at this show if they want to be in the market," said Birgit Horn, A+A 2009 director.
Attendees from around the world are filling some of the lavish booths occupied by the largest PPE companies, including the Uvex unit of Sperian Protection, Honeywell Safety Products, MSA, Ansell, and more.