Regulatory & Standards


Major Fraud Case Involves MNOSHA Fines

Authorities said as many as 759 companies that paid fines by check between Jan. 1, 2009, and Nov. 18, 2009, could have had fraudulent checks issued to steal money from their bank accounts.

MSHA Releases Report, Issues Violations in W.Va. Mine Inundation

MSHA has issued its accident investigation report in the May 2009 inundation that left seven coal miners trapped underground for nearly 24 hours at the Cobra Resources LLC Mountaineer Alma A Mine in Wharncliffe, W.Va.

Grade Crossings Hearing Set

FRA has proposed that the 10 states with the highest average number of collisions in the past three years at highway-rail grade crossings, such as California and Texas, develop action plans. A Feb. 22 public hearing in Washington, D.C., will give stakeholders more input.

NIOSH PPT Meeting to Offer PPE Updates

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 ASSE Utilities Branch will address EHS issues in solar and wind power generation, among other areas.

ASSE Forms Agricultural and Utilities Branches

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.

Another Hours of Service Meeting Scheduled

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will host a "listening session" Jan. 28 in Davenport, Iowa, to find out what the industry wants in a new rule.

The Positive Train Control final rule could require significant additional safety investments by the industry.

AAR Weighing Positive Train Control Final Rule

Railroads and other stakeholders have until Feb. 14 to submit comments about the Federal Railroad Administration's rule, which would require significant additional safety investments by the rail industry.

Rebuild Haiti with Seismic Safety Principles in Mind, ICC Urges

“Structures built to the most modern codes should resist minor earthquakes without suffering damage and ride out severe earthquakes without collapsing,” said ICC CEO Richard P. Weiland.



Are hospital operating rooms by default "wet locations" requiring electrical shock protection or a risk assessment?

Operating Room Electrical Safety Open to Debate

Are hospital operating rooms by default "wet locations"? Deciding yes or no has not been easy for the technical committee revising NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities, Richard P. Bielen writes in the current NFPA Journal.

Strong Interest in New ANSI/ASSE Construction Standards

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.

FDA Unveils First Phase of Transparency Initiative

The Food and Drug Administration recently unveiled the first phase of its Transparency Initiative that is designed to explain agency operations, how it makes decisions, and the drug approval process.

CPSC Approves Final Guideline Rule for Mandatory Recall Notices

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) unanimously approved a new rule setting guidelines and requirements for information in mandatory recall notices. A mandatory recall can be ordered by the commission or a U.S. District Court.

ASSE Launches 'Prevention Through Design' Standard Initiative

According to the society, recent studies indicate that approximately 40 percent of work-related fatalities are design related.

Former Wholesale Grocery VP Busted for Using Untreated Wood Pallets

The Department of Agriculture requires the heat treatment of wood pallets imported into the United States. The requirement is designed to prevent plant pests that can destroy domestic agriculture and livestock from entering the United States in wood packaging materials.

OSHA Fines Camden Chocolate Processing Plant Following Worker Death

OSHA has cited Lyons & Sons Inc. with seven serious citations and Cocoa Services LP with five serious citations for workplace safety and health violations following the death of a worker.

IOSH says the most powerful Buncefield explosion is thought to be the largest ever in peacetime Europe. This photo is posted on the site of MP Mike Penning.

Gasoline Terminals May Yet Fall Under CFATS

The Department of Homeland Security has not agreed to exempt them, and it published a new request for comments today about the models it is using for vapor cloud explosions and pool fires. The industry asked to be exempted.

It is the responsibility of whoever packs the container to ensure the cargo, including hazardous materials, is safely secured.

Coast Guard Eyes Cargo Straps

Saying it is aware packages may have shifted and been damaged in transit when secured with flexible strapping, the agency wants comments as it contemplates a rulemaking. Exemptions allow its use for certain hazmats.

FDA Seizes more than $1M of Food from Nashville Food Processor

At the request of the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Marshals have seized bulk restaurant food product at Won Feng Trading Company, a food processor and warehouse in Nashville, Tenn. The products are adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because they have been held under unsanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with filth. The act uses the term "insanitary" to describe such conditions.

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, based in Wichita, Kansas, manufactures this King Air 350.

More Aviation Incidents to Require NTSB Reporting

A final rule taking effect March 8 will require reports when an aircraft lands or departs on an incorrect runway, when damage of a helicopter’s tail or main rotor blade necessitates major repair or replacement, and when all or part of a propeller blade separates from an aircraft, except when ground contact is the sole cause.

Colo. Company to Pay $5M to Resolve Medical Device Allegations

Spectranetics Corp., a medical device manufacturer, located in Colorado Springs, Colo., has agreed to pay the United States $4.9 million in civil damages plus a $100,000 forfeiture to resolve claims against the company, the Department of Justice announced.

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