Hazard Communication


FDA Forms Transparency Task Force

The Food and Drug Administration recently announced the formation of a task force to develop recommendations for enhancing the transparency of the agency's operations and decision-making process.

Rosenker Urges Motorcoach Industry to Adopt Occupant Restraint Systems

In an address to the New Jersey Motorcoach Association, NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker called on the motorcoach industry to voluntarily move toward fleets equipped with lap/shoulder belts.

Lessons Learned from Las Vegas

June 3, 2008, was not just another hot day on the Las Vegas Strip. After 12 workers died in 18 months on Strip construction projects (an average of one worker every six weeks), some 7,000 construction workers on the CityCenter and Cosmopolitan work sites walked off the job over safety concerns.

FDA Seeks $3.2 Billion FY 2010 Budget

The new budget represents a 19 percent increase from the current fiscal year budget, including increases of $295.2 million in budget authority and $215.4 million in industry user fees.

Public Alert: Beware Fraudulent 2009 H1N1 Influenza Products

The Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission are alerting the public to be wary of Internet sites and other promotions for products that claim to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat, or cure the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. The agencies are also advising operators of offending Web sites that they must take prompt action to correct and/or remove promotions of these fraudulent products or face enforcement action.

Washington State Airs Safety Ads Emphasizing 'Homecomings'

The state's safety administration purchased and repurposed the campaign from Australia, where surveys showed that about 85 percent of viewers thought it was quite or very effective. Also, 24 percent of employers and 18 percent of employees said they had personally taken action as a result of the ads. L&I said this was considered a very strong result in a low-interest category such as occupational safety and health.

Texas Drywall Contractor Fined $60,000 Following Worker's Fatal Fall

"In this case, a worker was unloading materials from a box that was being elevated on a lift truck that became unstable, causing the worker to fall 36 feet to his death," said Stephen Boyd, OSHA's area director in Dallas.

A collage of Hydroxycut products.

Nearly All Hydroxycut Products Recalled Amid Liver Health Concerns

The Food and Drug Administration has received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, an indicator of potential liver injury, to liver damage requiring liver transplant. One death due to liver failure has been reported.



Maine Storage Facility Pays for Chemical Reporting Violations

EPA found that the site was storing sulfuric acid, lead, and propane gas in amounts greater than the minimum threshold levels allowed before reporting requirements kick in.

Combustible Dust Dangers: Too Dangerous for a 'Wait and See' Approach

Training is critical, including a relevant, compelling message that explains the reasons for precautions as much as the precautions themselves.

Air France Flight Disappears

The aircraft, an Airbus 330-200 carrying 216 passengers and 12 crewmembers, left Rio de Janeiro for Paris at 7 p.m. local time on Sunday and went off the radar eight hours later. Reports indicate the plane may have been hit by lightning.

Frederick County Commissioners Settle Underground Storage Tank Violations

The Board of County Commissioners of Frederick County, Maryland, has settled alleged violations of underground fuel storage tank regulations, the Environmental Protection Agency announced recently.

NTSB Revises Public Docket Procedures

The National Transportation Safety Board today announced that it will begin to release all accident investigation public dockets to the NTSB public Web site, www.ntsb.gov, beginning tomorrow, in accordance with the NTSB Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Improvement Plan.

Lightning Safety Week is June 21-27

June is National Safety & Home Safety Month

Also, because summer is the peak season for one of the nation's deadliest weather phenomena--lightning--NOAA is calling attention to Lightning Safety Week, June 21-27, by offering a number of new, free resources to increase safety awareness.

Add Pictorial Warnings to All Tobacco Packages: WHO

'World No Tobacco Day 2009' on May 31 is the occasion for a campaign to make packaging more alarming, to warn smokers and potential smokers more directly.

Safer Alternatives to Pesticides Explored

A May 28 conference co-sponsored by the California Department of Public Health looked at sustainable farming and ecologically friendly pest control, along with health impacts of pesticide use.

St. Louis Property Lessor to Pay Civil Penalty for Lead-Based Hazards

The intent of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act and its accompanying regulations is to help prevent exposure to lead-based paint by requiring disclosure and notification of actual and potential hazards when selling or leasing housing.

Revised Shipyard Guidance Document Addresses PPE Payment, CrVI Levels

In addition, the standard's Fire Protection in Shipyard Employment subpart includes sections on implementing a fire safety plan, fire watches, and fire response. Hexavalent chromium has been added to the list of air contaminants whose concentrations should not exceed stated exposure levels.

CSB Issues Final Report on Allied Terminals Fertilizer Tank Collapse

In a final report issued on May 27 into the November 2008 fertilizer tank collapse at Allied Terminals in Chesapeake, Va., the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) recommended that the Commonwealth of Virginia regulate or authorize local jurisdictions to regulate the design, construction, maintenance, and inspection of large fertilizer storage tanks located on the Elizabeth River.

OSHA Cites Piping Manufacturer for Potential Safety, Health Hazards

The alleged failure to protect its employees from potential safety and health hazards has brought JSW Steel (USA) Inc. $146,500 in proposed penalties from OSHA following an inspection at the company's facility in Baytown.

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