Fall Protection


Ireland's Safety Agency Focused on Farming, Entertainment

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.

Alexandra Berzon, Las Vegas Sun reporter

Las Vegas Sun Wins Pulitzer for Construction Safety Coverage

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.

Manganas Case Still Alive as Rogers Nominated for OSHRC Chair

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.

OSHA, Allies Promote Safety at Georgia Construction Career Expo

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.

Safety Marketing Group Presents Top Awards

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.

Spokane Safety Event Brings Safety Leaders Together

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.

Bridge Contractor Faces $180,950 in Fines for Fall, Drowning Hazards

"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.

Stucco Contractor Cited for Fall Hazards in 2007, 2008, and now 2009

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.



buildings in Red Square in Moscow

Russia's Appetite for PPE Increasing

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.

a worker equipped with compatible fall protection connections

Hardware Compatibility: Your Life Depends on It

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.

Avoiding Serious Accidents Can Be Easy

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.

Computer Applications

Would an online engineering analysis of fall protection anchor points really work? Who needs it? OH&S Editor, Jerry Laws, asked those questions before seeing a demo of the Anchor Point Evaluation Program from Fall Protection Professionals, Inc.'s Jeffrey B. Reep, P.E., the Green Bay, Wis., company's senior structural engineer and developer of the program. What he demonstrated was the initial release, which evaluates the steel supports of fixed or mobile anchoring systems. Timber and concrete add-on modules are scheduled to be released later this year, Reep said.

a protective helmet/faceshield with hearing protection included

NIOSH Personal Protective Technology Program Offers Expansion Plan

Stakeholders are asked to comment by April 20 on the plan, which anticipates an expanded role five years out and beyond.

Two Companies Cited in Kiln-Related Death

OSHA began its inspection following a release of steam and heated petroleum coke that occurred the day before while workers were removing refractory brick used for lining furnaces in kiln chambers.

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.

Roofing Fatality Leads to Willful Citation against Contractor

In addition, eight serious violations include management's failure to provide a warning line system around the entire perimeter of the roof, failure to provide a path of access to the hoisting area, improper use of ladders, and lack of employee training.

NATE 2009 Webinar Showing Wednesday to Aid Tower Climbers

The broadcast at 10 a.m. Central time is a roundtable discussion in which company representatives will share safety best practices and how they train employees.

UL Urges Careful Inspection of Spring Cleaning Tools, Supplies

With some families operating on tighter budgets this year, Underwriters Laboratories encourages consumers to be cautious when deciding whether to "reuse" or "replace" their spring cleaning tools this season.

an active construction site

High Interest Expected for NIOSH-Funded Construction Safety Center

Letters of intent to create the center are due by March 16. NIOSH expects to make one award of up to $5 million per year for five years to support the center, with the intention of making it a national information resource for all construction stakeholders.

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.

Featured

Artificial Intelligence