Basic precautions and PPE could help to prevent deaths, injuries, and illness in the industry, according to a new NIOSH report. Though significant, safety hazards may be the least of the industry's worries as the 135th Kentucky Derby is run today.
In the first of this series of articles (March 2009, pages 66-67), we explored the difference between primary and secondary prevention strategies of employee injuries. As we stated, the dramatic reduction of employee injuries in the past 15 years demonstrates the employer's success in preventing an injury from occurring. However, when an injury does occur, the cost of that injury continues to spiral upward. We find ourselves in an environment where the frequency of injuries is down, but severity is up.
Analyzing 1,285 deaths in 1992-2007 of workers who died while performing tree care or maintenance, NIOSH found 38 percent were self-employed. While 34 percent died from falls, another 14 percent were electrocuted.
Jail terms and $248,000 in fines and restitution followed prosecution of managers at a Santa Rosa, Calif., roofing company after one worker died and another was permanently disabled.
Seminars and other events are being held all week at various locations throughout the city in support of Construction Safety Week. All sessions are free of charge and open to the public.
Inspectors identified other hazards including locked exits, obstructed exit access, and an unmarked exit; lack of welding screens and personal protective equipment for welders; untrained forklift operators; excess carbon monoxide levels from forklifts; and numerous electrical safety deficiencies including exposed live electrical parts.
The International Powered Access Foundation said a "radical re-examination of harnesses used by female operators of boom-type mobile elevating work platforms" is needed. Norguard Industries Inc. introduced the Go Pro-Girl™ line for women, shown here, on April 16.
Texas Mutual Insurance Company launched it in Lubbock on a trial basis with several participating employers. "Workplace Accidents Are a Pain. Work Smart" is the theme, and a free movie ticket can be earned by taking a safety quiz.
"There is no excuse for the lack of fall protection, and it's outrageous to think that employers still allow employees to be exposed to fall hazards without ensuring fall protection is in use," said Charles Adkins, OSHA's regional administrator in Kansas City, Mo.
Five work-related deaths on farms this year -- half of all workplace fatalities in Ireland thus far in 2009 -- prompted a two-week inspection campaign that ended Monday. The Health and Safety Authority also issued a new guidance document warning performers about hearing loss.
The newspaper is cited for "courageous reporting by Alexandra Berzon," shown here in a Sun photo, and exposing inadequate oversight by Nevada OSHA after several deaths among workers on the mammoth CityCenter and Cosmopolitan sites on the Strip. A safety assessment and follow-up training appear to have improved the situation.
Three items alleging the employer failed to provide guardrails on painters' scaffolds are now back for an administrative law judge's consideration. They've been litigated for years.
The Georgia Local Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the American Society of Safety Engineers' Georgia Chapter, and the Georgia Tech Research Institute's Occupational Safety and Health Division are taking part.
SMG's Preferred Supplier of the Year, Jon Cal Murray Distributor of the Year, and Rich Harper Commitment to Excellence Supplier and Distributor Award winners were announced April 9 at the organization's annual conference in Tampa, Fla.
The latest workplace safety and health information will be showcased at the Region X VPPPA Conference, scheduled for May 19-21, 2009 at the Davenport Hotel and Tower in Spokane, WA.
"The significant hazard of a four-story plunge was exacerbated by the lack of required lifesaving rescue equipment," said C. William Freeman III, OSHA's area director in Hartford, Conn.
In the latest inspection, employees allegedly were working on scaffolding, in an aerial lift, and on the roof at a worksite in Torrington, Conn., with exposure to falls of up to 22 feet. Also, electrical, overhead, and chemical hazard communication deficiencies were identified at the site.
Frost & Sullivan's Chemicals and Materials Research & Consulting practice predicts the country's demand for apparel, gloves, footwear, and head, vision, hearing, and respiratory protection will reach $1.7 billion in 2015.
Both lifelong users and those just introduced to fall protection equipment struggle with hardware compatibility. Unfortunately, there are cases where workers using equipment designed according to American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards have been seriously injured or have died as a result of incompatible connections.
When combined with a well-designed safety plan, industrial safety barriers greatly minimize the risks associated with a host of potentially disastrous accidents that threaten the safety and productivity of virtually any fast-paced industrial environment.