Facility Safety


Tewksbury Post Office Delivers Safety, Health

Among the site's areas of excellence are proactive efforts to identify and correct hazards to carriers encompassing community involvement, analysis of route hazards, and implementation of a motor vehicle logbook system for vehicle safety.

Metal Forgings Manufacturer Cited for Serious Safety Violations

A Dec. 23, 2008, incident in which two employees were injured when they were struck by a 700-pound forging that shot up in the air while they were attempting to free it from a malfunctioning die on a power press led to the second of two agency inspections.

MSHA Fines Hiawatha Coal Co. Nearly $342,800 for Rollover Accident

MSHA recently announced it has issued penalties totaling $342,800 to Hiawatha Coal Co. for a powered haulage accident last year at the Bear Canyon Mine in Huntington, Utah. A miner was seriously injured in that accident.

Chemical Releases Spur Investigation, Lead to $44,000 in Penalties

The W. Va.-based company was cited for failing to ensure that operating procedures addressed special or unique hazards of the process, failing to conduct adequate inspections on process equipment, and failing to ensure that proper respiratory protection and personal protective equipment were utilized during an emergency response, among other things.

Burger King to Pay $85,000 for Teen Harassment

The suit asserted that Joyner complained about the harassment to her assistant managers, who failed to take appropriate action to stop the unlawful conduct.

United Airlines to Pay $850,000 for Disability Discrimination

"Disability does not mean inability," said EEOC San Francisco District Director Michael Baldonado. "The ADA encourages us all to focus on opening doors to all a worker can do and discourages the closing of doors through restrictive stereotypes about disabilities, such as what you may think that person cannot do."

DOL Proposes Nine-Month Suspension of H-2A rule

On March 13, the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration announced the proposed suspension for nine months of a final rule implementing changes to the H-2A program, which allows U.S. agricultural businesses to employ foreign workers in temporary or seasonal agricultural jobs.

New Study Finds Worker Wellness Programs Could Lower BMIs, Bottom Lines

A new analysis by researchers at the National Business Group on Health suggests that investing in employer-sponsored health programs could improve companies' bottom lines by reducing medical claim costs.



Sugar Producer Fined for Combustible Dust Hazards

Other alleged violations of the Florida company include not developing lockout/tagout procedures on packaging machines to prevent accidental machinery start-up; exposing employees to electrical hazards; and using high-pressure compressed air for cleaning purposes.

New Whitepaper Provides Roadmap for Reducing Electrical Risks

"The shrouded mystery of electricity compels many safety managers to depend upon plant electrical maintenance or engineering departments to manage their electrical safety program," writes Phil Allen, president and owner of Grace Engineered Products.

Turkey Feed Producer Gobbles OSHA's Praise

The California, Mo.-based company, which produces bulk turkey feed for 197 independent producers, earned VPP recognition after implementing a comprehensive employee safety and health management system in accordance with VPP standards, which exceed minimum OSHA standards.

Over Victims' Protest, Houston Judge OKs $50 Million BP Fine

U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal, who approved the fine, said she had no authority to alter the deal submitted to her and cannot make the Texas City refinery safe, The Houston Chronicle reported today.

Construction Company to Pay $325,000 for National Origin Harassment, Retaliation

The EEOC’s complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona charged that employees Leonard Lopez and Juan Campos were subjected to harassment based on their national origin (Mexican) and retaliation for complaining about it.

AHRQ Releases Tools for Safeguarding Children during Emergencies

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released two new tools designed to protect and care for children who are in a hospital or a school during a public health emergency.

Study: N.C. High Schools Inadequately Prepared for Cardiac Arrests

The findings were used to support a new statewide program to place automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in high schools.

Process Safety Management Failings at Refinery Lead to $130,500 in Fines

Included in the penalty amount is one willful violation for the company's failure to appropriately test gas monitors for hydrogen sulfide and combustible gas in the HVAC systems for the control rooms.

an electrician at work

Workshops to Help Canadian Firms Use New Electrical Safety Standard

The first of two Workplace Electrical Safety Workshops from the Canadian Standards Association and Schneider Canada Services & Projects will take place Friday in Halifax. CSA announced the new Z462 standard on Feb. 13.

New Organization Focuses on Healthcare Emergency Preparedness, Waste

The Healthcare Waste and Emergency Preparedness Coalition has been formed to raise awareness and provide education about two major problems facing the healthcare system today -- healthcare facility operational sustainability during a crisis and the proper methods of discarding hazardous medical waste.

Escalating Workplace Violence in Florida the Focus of New OSHA Alliance

"With up to five percent of American workplaces experiencing a workplace violence episode annually, this alliance is both timely and beneficial to all employers," said James Borders, OSHA's area director in Jacksonville, Fla.

Mattress Manufacturer Springs into VPP

In recognition of its industry-leading commitment to employee safety and health, the company received a VPP flag and plaque during a ceremony this week at its site in Aurora, Colo.

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