Risk Management


Thirty Percent of Michigan Bridges Need Work

The Michigan Department of Transportation's updated information about the safety of 4,400 state highway bridges does not say they are dangerous, but 423 are classified as "structurally deficient" and 901 as "functionally obsolete."

Truck Parts Distributor Cited for Repeat PPE Failures, Other Violations

Damaged, inoperable emergency lighting and a lack of hazard assessment certification were among other faults uncovered in a February inspection.

Texas Company Fined $128,300 for Violating Pesticide Law

“Consumers need proper information to ensure they are using pesticides safely and correctly. Improper labeling can result in harm to public health and the environment," said EPA Regional Administrator Al Armendariz.

Cranes and Derricks Rule in Final Stage

OSHA's pending cranes and derricks in construction rule was submitted for OMB review on April 9, which means the July 2010 date for publishing the final rule could be met.

Nationwide Food Distributor Fined for Process Safety Management Problems

An inspection conducted under OSHA's Chemical Industry National Emphasis Program resulted in $153,000 in proposed penalties.

Bill 168 requires Ontario workplaces with at least five full-time employees to complete a risk assessment of violence hazards that may arise before they develop a program.

Deadline Nears for Ontario's Workplace Violence Law

Safety organizations are helping employers prepare for the June 15 compliance date for Bill 168, which applies to all workplaces in the province where more than five workers are regularly employed.

Electric Vehicle Safety Standards Summit Set for October

NFPA is joining with SAE International to co-sponsor the event. NFPA published an article recently about the hazards emergency responders may face when responding to electric vehicle accidents, and the association is developing a responder safety training program with a $4.4 million DOE grant.

April 22 Deadline Looms for Contractors to Become Lead-Safe Certified

To date, EPA has certified 184 training providers who have conducted more than 4,900 courses. Based on current estimates, the agency expects more than 125,000 contractors to be certified by the deadline, with many more seeking and obtaining the training afterward.



The October 2009 death of an Indiana man from rabies linked to a type of bat prompted the CDC recommendations.

CDC Issues PPE Recommendations for Rabies Autopsies

Its work in the investigation of an Indiana man's death from rabies last October has caused CDC to issue recommendations for pathologists who perform autopsies on people who had suspected or confirmed cases.

New York Spearheads First Occupational Health Awareness Week

Enhancing the week's impact, the event is being held in conjunction with Workers Memorial Day, April 28, which traditionally serves as a nationwide day of remembrance to recognize U.S. workers who die and become disabled each year on the job.

Hurricanes cause widespread destruction, and Sandy disrupted landline phone and cell phone communications when it affected the mid-Atlantic states in October 2012.

FEMA Showcases Warning System Improvements

The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System will accommodate cell phones, residential phones, and the Internet and serve as a more flexible tool for communicating with the public before, during, and after disasters.

EPA Proposes Adding 16 Chemicals to Toxics Release Inventory List

Each of the chemicals is "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen," the agency said, noting the additions would be the first program chemical expansion in more than a decade.

The 2010s Safety Break for Oregon is set for May 12.

Oregon OSHA Preparing for 8th Annual Safety Break

The agency's April 2010 e-newsletter zeroes in on fall protection, showing examples of violations found in some of its recent inspections. This year's Safety Break for Oregon is set for May 12.

NQF: U.S. Health Care Not as Safe as It Should Be

Communication failures between patients and health care providers are at the root of systems failures and human errors that lead to harm, says the National Quality Forum, a nonprofit organization trying to improve the industry.

ASSE offers work zone tips

ASSE Fact Sheet Highlights Work Zone Safety

ASSE’s "Road Construction Work Zone Safety Fact Sheet" provides work zone safety tips and standards for motorists and workers.

Distracted Driving Crackdown Underway in Northeast

“If a driver is caught with a cell phone in one hand, they'll end up with a ticket in the other,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “It's time for drivers to act responsibly, put their hands on the wheel and focus on the road.”

Mary Andrus wins lectureship award

Infection Preventionist Honored for Oratory Prowess, Epidemiology Efforts

In addition to her ability to present a dynamic lecture on the science of infection control, Mary Andrus, BA, RN, CIC, has received the 2010 Elaine Larson Lectureship Award "for her breadth of knowledge and experience working to prevent health care-associated infections," said APIC President Cathryn Murphy.

April is Stress Awareness Month

Relax. Stress Awareness Day is Still a Week Away

"Although it is not possible to give a universal prescription for preventing stress at work, it is possible to offer guidelines on the process of stress prevention in organizations," NIOSH says.

Study Spotlights More Accurate Way to Diagnose Tuberculosis

TB continues to be a contagious scourge in developing countries, and with the world shrinking rapidly due to global migration, the World Health Organization considers it a major public health threat in developed nations as well, including the United States.

Defibrillator Maker Pleads Guilty; Penalty to Exceed $296 Million

The company's guilty plea and the proposed resolution would represent the largest criminal penalty ever imposed on a device manufacturer for violating the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act, said Commissioner of Food and Drugs Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.

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