Enforcement


OSHA Issues Alert on CSE Corp.'s Self-Contained Self-Rescuer

Some of these devices have a critical defect that may cause the release of insufficient oxygen during start-up, a defect that could immediately result in a life-threatening situation for workers using the respirator.

MSHA: 10 Mining Deaths in First Quarter of 2012

An uncharacteristic trend identified over the quarter is that five of these fatalities—three of them involving mine supervisors—occurred on five consecutive weekends.

Lead Exposure, Excessive Noise Leads to $106,600 Fine

An investigation that began on Oct. 24, 2011, found that employees were exposed to noise levels surpassing 85 decibels, as well as excessive airborne levels of lead and copper.

Fatigued Workers Led to Cause of 2011 Train Collision in Iowa, NTSB Says

In April 2011, BNSF coal train collided with the rear end of a standing BNSF maintenance-of-way equipment train near Red Oak, Iowa. Both crewmembers had fallen asleep, which led to their failure to comply with the signal indication requiring them to operate at a restricted speed and stop short of the standing train.

Explosion at Texas Worksite Leads to $46,200 OSHA Fine

At the time of the incident, employees were injecting wastewater underground that was left over from hydraulic fracturing and drilling operations.

OSHA Launches Outreach Campaign on 'Struck-By' Vehicle Accidents

"Struck-by" injuries and fatalities are caused by conventional traffic/passenger vehicles, forklifts, and other moving powered industrial equipment such as cranes and yard trucks.

Riverboat Company Pays $245K to Captain Following Whistleblower Investigation

An OSHA whistleblower investigator found that the company terminated the employment of a riverboat barge captain after he complained to the U.S. Coast Guard about an inoperable starboard vessel engine.

OSHA Stomps on Wisconsin Winery for HazCom Deficiencies

The citations are the result of a follow-up investigation conducted in January. Proposed penalties total $71,280.



House Panel Eyes FAA's Safety Oversight

The decision to exempt all-cargo airlines from the pilot fatigue final rule is a topic getting attention from the Subcommittee on Aviation.

FDA Guidelines Address Safety of Nanotechnology in Food, Cosmetics

This guidance covers “any manufacturing process change that might affect a food substance’s identity, intended uses, or the way it behaves in the body after it is eaten,” says Dennis Keefe, Ph.D., director of the Office of Food Additive Safety.

CSB Releases New Video on Hot Work Hazards

The video features a computer animation showing how hot work being conducted on top of a tank led to a deadly explosion that killed one contractor and injured another.

Fatal 35-Foot Fall Leads to Contractor's $51,700 Fine

American Building employees were installing metal roofing onto a prefabricated steel building when one of the workers fell 35 feet to the ground and sustained fatal injuries.

OSHA, NIOSH Renew Alliance with Roadway Work Zone Safety Partners

During the two-year agreement, the alliance will develop fact sheets for paramedics, police officers, truck drivers, and other work zone visitors.

Worker Fired for 'Ratting' about Rodent Infestation

The employee had reported serious concerns to management regarding rodents and rodent droppings in the office and requested to have these problems corrected.

GAO Says OSHA Takes Too Long to Develop Safety Standards

Experts and agency officials cited several factors that contribute to the lengthy time frames for developing and issuing standards, including increased procedural requirements, shifting priorities, and a rigorous standard of judicial review.

OSHA Issues Directive on Communicating with Family Following a Workplace Fatality

Under the new directive, OSHA representatives will contact the victim's family to explain the investigation process and timeline and provide the family with updates throughout the investigation.

Lockout/Tagout Fatality Leads to $51,300 OSHA Fine

An OSHA investigation was initiated in November 2011 following the death of a worker who was crushed in a coating machine while attempting to clear a jam.

Michigan Could Deregulate 18 Occupations, Eliminate 9 Boards

"The Advisory Rules Committee carefully considered the public health and safety benefits of 87 different occupations. We found that there were at least 18 occupations that did not require regulation," said Shelly Edgerton, deputy director of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

Delta Air Lines, OSHA Sign Seat Belt Compliance Agreement for Baggage Vehicles

The agreement is the result of a citation issued to Delta following a workplace fatality in which an employee operating a baggage tug vehicle without wearing a seat belt was ejected from the vehicle and died.

Young People Rarely Object to Drivers Texting, Study Says

Findings from the first nationally representative telephone survey on driver distraction show that younger drivers ages 18 to 20 years old report the highest level of phone involvement in crash or near-crash incidences.

Featured

Artificial Intelligence

Webinars