Risk Management


Pharmaceutical Firm to Pay $42.5M for False Claims about Pain-Relief Drug

"Illegal marketing of pharmaceutical drugs jeopardizes the public's confidence in our health care system," said Tony West, assistant attorney general for DOJ's Civil Division.

Scalped Employee Leads to $91,000 Penalty for Die Cast Metal Facility

"Having proper machine guarding on equipment can prevent these needless injuries to workers," said OSHA Area Director Jule Hovi in Toledo, Ohio.

Army Proposes Resuming Fort Richardson Live-Fire Training

Restrictions were imposed in 1990 on the practice when white phosphorus from Army munitions was found to be killing ducks and swans on Eagle River Flats. A Superfund cleanup of the area is about to be completed.

OSHA Releases Electric Power Safety eTool

The eTool provides preventative tips for protecting electric power workers’ safety and health.

Oregon's Workplaces Much Safer in Past Decade

Oregon OSHA said 31 people covered by the state’s workers’ compensation system died during 2009, tying the record low for the state.

Most of the U.S. workers who are exposed to hexavalent chromium compounds while on the job are welders, according to OSHA.

HexChrome Change: Employees to Learn All Exposure Results

An appeals court told OSHA to explain why it decided to require disclosure to workers only when the PEL for hexavalent chromium was exceeded, and now the safety agency has changed its mind. Most U.S. workers who are exposed to Cr(VI) compounds on the job are welders, according to OSHA.

Hearing to Resolve Rail Safety Testing Dilemma

The Association of American Railroads' petition for a "common sense" inspection/test interpretation by the Federal Railroad Administration triggered the April 7 public hearing, which was delayed last month by snow.

This photograph of a Burmese python comes from the Web site of Everglades National Park in Florida.

Nine Snake Species Proposed as Injurious Wildlife

If the listing is finalized, Burmese pythons, boa constrictors, and the other species could not be imported except by permit for scientific, medical, educational, or zoological purposes, nor could they be moved in interstate transportation.



Poultry Processing Plant Penalized for Plethora of Problems

The 45 serious violations of which the facility stands accused address hazards with industrial trucks, falls, PPE, machine guarding, electrical safety, process safety management, respirators, and emergency response.

New York-New Jersey Railroad Found in Violation of Whistleblower Law

OSHA has ordered The Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corp. to pay $1,000 in punitive damages and to take corrective actions, including expunging disciplinary actions and references to them from various records as well as compensating the worker for attorneys' fees.

FDA Issues Warning on Counterfeit Surgical Mesh

The Food and Drug Administration is warning health care providers and consumers about counterfeit surgical mesh being distributed in the United States under the C. R. Bard/Davol brand name. Surgical mesh products are used to reinforce soft tissue where weakness exists.

The DAYLITE CR123 is the brightest midsized flashlights in the Duracell line, according to the company.

'Set Your Clocks, Check Your Stocks,' APHA Urges

The American Public Health Association says Sunday's switch to daylight saving time is the right time to ensure your emergency supplies are ready.

Beware shockingly cold water

Coast Guard Issues Fair Weather Boating Warning

With coastal water temperatures just a few degrees above freezing and inland waters even colder, the lure of spring-like weather creates a deceptively dangerous combination, USCG notes.

Builders Cited for Impalement, Cave-In Hazards at Synagogue Site

Unguarded protruding steel rebar, uncovered 7-foot deep holes, and an unprotected 14-foot-high excavation wall were among the unsafe conditions OSHA found at the construction site in Newton, Mass.

Pipe Layer's Death in Trench Leads to $44,500 Penalty

"Unprotected trenches can become deathtraps in an instant when cave-ins occur," said Richard S. Terrill, OSHA's regional administrator in Seattle.

Pellet Mill Busted for Combustible Dust, Other Hazards

"Employers should not assume this [combustible dust] hazard is minor or non-existent. Addressing it requires ongoing attention and effort, but proper precautions can prevent or minimize the possibility of a devastating explosion or fire," said William Coffin, OSHA's area director for Maine.

Utility to Inspect Thousands of Sewer Lines

Two homes destroyed in February when gas lines were struck have caused Xcel Energy and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety to warn the public about possibly intersecting gas and sewer lines.

Bulkhead Maker to Pay for Unreported Use of Styrene

Exposure to the toxic chemical can affect the nervous system and can cause changes in color vision, fatigue, slowed reaction time, concentration problems, and balance problems.

light_aircraft

NTSB Study Finds 'Glass Cockpits' Do Not Improve Safety

"While the technological innovations and flight management tools that glass cockpit equipped airplanes bring to the general aviation community should reduce the number of fatal accidents, we have not — unfortunately — seen that happen," NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said.

FAA Links Safety Efforts to Economic Growth

Airport improvements are beginning to give pilots and controllers a more precise picture of the location of aircraft and vehicles on runways and taxiways, noted FAA.

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