Anyone who has participated in any of the National Safety Council's 95 previous annual Congresses might have a hard time taking literally the theme of the 2009 version of the event: "Beyond Your Wildest Expectations." That's because most in the industry already recognize it as the biggest show in the safety kingdom, and this year, despite the execrable economy, the preliminary numbers are setting up to maintain that tradition.
Look at any company that operates a fleet of trucks and ask whether it pays attention to safety. Chances are good you'll find four basic elements in its program: equipment maintenance, hiring policies, training, and holding people accountable for accidents. But often missing is a fifth element that can make all the difference in accident rates: ensuring that drivers are motivated to operate safely.
President Obama signed an executive order Wednesday night telling federal employees not to text while operating a government vehicle or a private vehicle on government business and asking federal contractors to do likewise.
The responsibility of today's maintenance and engineering managers to maintain a clean indoor air environment has increased markedly in recent decades.
Between the National Safety Congress and A+A, taking place amid Dusseldorf's lovely scenery, the world's PPE providers and safety professionals will have plenty to chew on before the holidays.
The St. Peters, Mo.-based facility became the latest VPP star site, OSHA's highest recognition for meeting or exceeding workplace safety and health standards.
The Globally Harmonized System was developed to provide a single, consistent system to classify chemicals, labels, and safety data sheets for workers, employers, and chemical users. Under GHS, labels would include signal words, hazard and precautionary statements, and pictograms such as the one shown, used for carcinogens, respiratory sensitizers, and germ cell mutagens.
According to EPA, one the company's drivers failed to provide immediate notification to authorities following a 920-pound release of anhydrous ammonia while making a delivery to a farm.
NIOSH said yesterday it has readied a computer-based training program to prepare the new generation of miners to read mine maps, which is critical for staying safe underground. NMA's "Safety First: Stay Alert" initiative has offered training materials to mine operators.
An advisory panel recommended FMCSA ensure new entrant carriers have their safety audits within a year on average, with "chameleon carriers" and others not in compliance found through roadside inspection data and other procedures.
Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in 22 technical committee meetings on the institute's standards and guidelines. Other program highlights include a CEO roundtable, a pump knowledge workshop, an HR network session, and a bowling tournament.
OSHA, the University of the Sacred Heart, and the Puerto Rico OSHA also vowed to work together on specific issues and projects regarding construction and general industry safety and health that are developed and addressed through the alliance.
In addition, the company faces fines for three serious violations relating to poor egress procedures from the trench, failure to provide proper training for trench operations, and placing excavated materials too close to the edge of the trench.
Under an agreement signed last week, OSHA and LSU Continuing Education will work together to deliver workplace safety and health courses, specifically focusing on related hazard awareness and the recognition and benefits of an effective safety and health management system.
The specific objective of report is to identify all on-duty firefighter fatalities that occurred in the United States and its protectorates during the calendar year and to present in summary narrative form the circumstances surrounding each occurrence.
OSHA cited the company with one willful violation for failing to provide an adequate protective system for employees working in an excavation 8 to 10 feet in depth and one serious violation for failing to ensure employees were wearing high visibility vests.
Grantees will use the funds to provide federally mandated training and retraining of miners working at surface and underground coal and metal and nonmetal mines, including miners engaged in shell dredging or employed at surface stone, sand, and gravel mining operations.
According to the investigation, the worker was covered by almost 240-degree asphalt released from an open valve on the transfer system due to a pressure increase that separated the transfer hose from the system.
Proposed penalties against the two companies total more than $97,000. John Healy, OSHA's area director in Englewood, Colo., said the agency "will be stepping up its enforcement of fall hazards, especially in those areas of the state that experienced significant hail damage this year--areas where we expect to see an influx in roofing work."
European authorities are already taking in-vehicle safety to a new level, with Sweden mandating alcolocks in 11,000 government vehicles by 2012. The new report discusses benefits of speed limiters, event data recorders, distance warning systems, and more.