Regulatory & Standards


MSHA Fines Contractor $115,000 in Double Fatality

MSHA has assessed $115,000 in fines against Alaska Mechanical Inc., a contractor at Alaska Gold Co.'s Nome Operations Mine, for safety violations contributing to the death of two miners in July 2007.

Sweden Latest to Ratify Occupational Safety and Health Convention

The United Kingdom, Finland, Japan, and South Korea also have ratified the 2006 ILO document recently.

ASTM Committee Approves New Corrosion-Resistant Steel Standard

According to the task group, the standard will most benefit state departments of transportation that require high-performance corrosion protection of reinforcing steel bars in coastal environments, as well as departments of transportation that use deicing salts on roads, bridges, and decks.

ODAPC Updates Drug-Testing & SAP Guideline Documents

The revisions reflect 49 CFR Part 40 changes that were published in the Federal Register on June 25 and will become effective August 25.

Maryland Moves Forward with Stronger Crane Rules

The Maryland Occupational Safety and Health program's Advisory Board unanimously recommended them Wednesday. They now go to a legislative committee for approval.

'Wall-to-Wall' Inspections of Mill Result in 70 Violations, $212,000 in Fines

"The sizable fines proposed here reflect the breadth of hazards found during our inspections and the fact that the company had been cited for similar conditions in the past," said Robert Kowalski, OSHA's area director in Bridgeport, Conn.

New Online Safety Social Network Seeks Traction

Workplace safety professionals who want the ability to interact with each other more than just once a year at trade shows and conferences now have a new resource.

Nine Firms Agree to Pay $355,000 in CPSC Civil Penalties

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced yesterday that nine firms have agreed to pay the money for failing to report children's clothing products that pose a strangulation hazard.



OSHA Sponsors 10th Stateline Safety Workshop to Protect Employees

OSHA will focus on safety and health management systems during the 10th annual "Stateline Safety Workshop" slated for September 17 at the Holiday Inn Express, 3100 Wellington Place, Janesville, Wis.

Arc Protection Around World

Globalization is good for you! Keep saying it (even if you don’t believe it): It really is good for everyone. Things change, and the individuals and companies that can improve, innovate, and automate will win.

Upcoming Safety Conferences: Chicagoland Safety & Health and SHARP/VVP

This year marks the 20th anniversary for the Chicagoland Safety & Health Conference, co-sponsored by the OSHA and slated for September 15-18 at Northern Illinois University, 1120 E. Diehl Road in Naperville.

ISO Unveils New Standard for Safe, Long-lasting Structures

ISO has published a new standard to help engineers, builders and regulators to design structures that are safe and resistant to failure due to environmental and mechanical stresses, and to material degradation.

TSA to Allow 'Checkpoint Friendly' Laptop Bags

These new bags--such as the designs show here--will allow passengers’ laptop computers to remain inside during X-ray screening.

ASTM Committee Creates Copper Antimicrobial Applications Task Group

ASTM International Committee B05 on Copper and Copper Alloys has created a new task group, TG9018, which will be focused on the Antimicrobial Applications of Copper and Copper Alloys. The task group was formed following the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's announcement of its registration of copper alloys as antimicrobial materials with specific health claims.

ASIS to Develop Business Continuity, Risk Assessment Standards

ASIS International has announced its intent to initiate development of two American National Standards: a business continuity management standard and a risk assessment standard.

NAPT Urges NHTSA to Reevaluate Safety Belts in School Buses

NHTSA has a statutory responsibility to thoroughly study and test the issue before recommending changes to school bus transportation, which is already 44 times safer than the typical family car, said NAPT Executive Director Michael Martin. "We just want them to do their job," he added.

Oregon Relaxing Safety Committees Rule for Small Businesses

A public hearing is set for Aug. 28 in Salem to discuss elimination of the minimum $100 penalty for failing to create a committee and a change that lets these employers hold safety meetings with fewer paperwork requirements.

Senate Approves Railroad Safety Enhancement Act

"A twenty-first century rail system cannot run safely on laws from decades ago," said the legislation's author, U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg. "We are risking too much by letting train crews work too long and leaving highway crossings unsafe."

Building Managers’ Group Battling Code Change Proposals

At the Sept. 17-23 International Code Council Final Action Hearing in Minneapolis, BOMA hopes to derail the required extra exit stairway for tallest buildings and an emergency responder radio coverage proposal.

APIC Applauds CMS Payment Restrictions on Certain Infections

"We favor a balanced approach for payment that recognizes institutions that are making progress in reducing infections, rather than an all-or-nothing system based solely on non-payment for infections deemed preventable," said APIC CEO Kathy Warye.

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