An employee of contractor Mollenberg-Betz Inc. was performing welding atop a 10,000 gallon slurry tank when hot sparks ignited flammable vapors inside the tank, causing an explosion that killed him and injured another Mollenberg-Betz employee.
Producers and importers must notify the European Chemicals Agency by June 1 if any Substance of Very High Concern included in the Candidate List is present in their articles above 0.1 percent weight by weight and over 1 tonne per producer/importer per year.
Effective June 6, the significant new use rule requires those intending to manufacture, import, or process them for an activity designated as a significant new use by the final rule to notify EPA at least 90 days in advance.
Reliability upgrades, quality and environmental improvements are planned at the 40-year-old facility, the company's largest U.S. manufacturing site. Its employees achieved their best safety record ever in 2010.
Twelve serious health violations include failing to offer the hepatitis B vaccination to a caregiver with occupational exposure to blood within 10 working days of initial assignment and train employees in the hazards of chemicals present in their workspaces.
"Our inspections found maintenance workers exposed to a variety of health and safety hazards while performing their duties, including stripping paint, removing drywall, and clearing basements of raw sewage that had backed up during heavy rains," said Kay Gee, OSHA's Manhattan area director.
Innovation, integration, inspiration--and wood dust--will be in the spotlight this month at the 72nd American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Exposition.
Try out these methods to make your hazard communication training fun and informative for employees.
Now is the time to digest the full complement of new rules, evaluate the impact to organizational reporting, determine whether gaps exist in expertise or capabilities, and understand what options exist to fill those gaps.
OSHA began an inspection in October 2010 after an employee died when he was crushed by a large steel frame weighing approximately 1,550 pounds. Proposed penalties total $127,200.
"Eliminating safety barriers and failing to develop emergency plans because they are inconvenient or time-consuming is no excuse for endangering employees," said William Fulcher, director of OSHA's Atlanta-East Area Office.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 3,570 structure fires in dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and barracks in 2003-2006.
Workers are at risk of severe injury and death during machine maintenance and servicing if proper lockout/tagout procedures are not followed.
"This case is a stark example of the devastating consequences to workers when adequate machine guarding is absent," said Edward Jerome, OSHA's area director in Albany.
The seventh annual Take a Stand Day asks companies to request a consultative visit now, promising there will be no citations or fine for participating workplaces.
Current Intelligence Bulletin 63 is the first time the agency has issued separate guidelines for the same chemical based on particle size.
OSHA proposed $82,700 in penalties for the violations following its inspection, which was conducted based on high injury and illness rates reported at the site.
The number of people treated in U.S. hospitals for illnesses and injuries from taking medicines jumped 52 percent between 2004 and 2008--from 1.2 million to 1.9 million--according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. These medication side effects and injuries resulted from taking or being given the wrong medicine or dosage.
The serious violations include failing to maintain the structural integrity of pipe hangers and pipe support rods and report a leak in a critical 4-inch valve at the ammonia storage tank.
“There has been an increase in recent years in promoting the use of foams and sealants by do-it-yourself energy-conscious homeowners, and many people may now be unknowingly exposed to risks from these chemicals,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.