No facility is exempt from slip-and-fall injuries. Even in non-manufacturing environments, slips and falls to the same level account for more than 15 percent of OSHA reportable injuries and more than 70 employee deaths each year, according to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
According to EPA, the Mattoon, Wis.-based manufacturer failed to comply with certain requirements of its state operating permit for its wood-fired boiler that emits air pollutants, including particulate matter (smoke, dust, ash) into the atmosphere.
"Facilities that use toxic chemicals must provide complete and accurate information about these chemicals so residents and emergency responders are aware of possible chemical hazards in the community," said Enrique Manzanilla, Communities and Ecosystems director for EPA's Pacific Southwest region.
Officials with the California State Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (Labor Commissioner's Office) issued citations totaling more than $269,000 in fines to agriculture businesses in a statewide, two-day enforcement sweep.
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) recently announced they are working on an action plan to address Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requirements that were issued Monday, Sept. 22, for the accreditation of third party conformity assessment bodies (laboratories) to test children's products for lead content.
Employers who use forklifts in their workplaces have a new resource to help keep their employees safe on the job. The Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklift) eTool is the latest Web-based training tool unveiled by OSHA.
It has always amazed me how a simple thing such as a lack of communication can not only lead to less-than-optimal results, but also that the sub-par performance can sometimes continue for decades! No example of this phenomenon is more readily apparent than the traditional approach used to irrigate injured eyes in commercial or industrial facilities.
The agency says its facilities experience an average of one sudden cardiac arrest per year among more than 46,000 employees. In the next three years, 97 percent of those employees should have AEDs at their disposal at work, according to the new plan.
The agency also will hold a public hearing on the proposal on Oct. 14 via webcast.
EPA said that in August 2007 its inspectors found open and unlabeled containers of hazardous waste at the facility and evidence of a release of used oil, as well as stored containers of hazardous waste without a permit and stored hazardous waste for longer than the 90 days allowed. At the time of the inspection, the company had ceased its pineapple growing operations, the agency noted.
The standard is intended to serve as a guide for window cleaners, regulatory agencies, manufacturers, architects, consultants, designers, and building owners.
“Serious injuries can occur while performing tasks commonly associated with fire sprinkler installation. It is our goal to provide useful information and resources to protect the safety and health of these employees,” said OSHA chief Edwin Foulke Jr.
The revisions take into account feedback from the private sector and the experience gained since implementing Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) in April 2007, the department said.
As part of the partnership, ADA representatives will continue to provide expertise in updating the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention and the Dentistry Safety and Health Topics pages.
The Environmental Protection Agency, in conjunction with Google Earth, released an interactive map Wednesday that identifies thousands of old, contaminated properties that could be reused as renewable energy sites.
"Participants will learn how to ensure that signal word and color combinations used on safety signs are in agreement with the level of risk in the particular safety situation," says event presenter Gary Bell. "If safety is your job, learn to warn effectively."
The organization recommends notifying employees and visitors of denied or restricted areas, and notifying supervisors and responders of contact lens wearers working in eye-hazardous areas.
The interagency agreement concerns environmental reviews for proposed nuclear power plants as well as significant actions at existing plants.
OSHA's inspection found that the office did not provide the injured employee with no-cost, post-exposure medical evaluation and follow-up, and did not have the blood of the source individual tested, as required under OSHA's bloodborne pathogens standard.