International Safety


$500,000 Fine Issued in UK Ergonomics Case

"This was a case of the company completely failing to grasp the importance of HAVS health surveillance," HSE Inspector Janet Hensey said. "“If they had understood why health surveillance was necessary, it would have ensured that it had the right systems in place to monitor workers' health and the employees' condition would not have been allowed to develop to a severe and life-altering stage."

ISO Panel Updates Sea Anchors Standard

Robin Townsend, chair of the ISO technical subcommittee that developed the 17339:2018 standard, said it "is designed to provide manufacturers with what is required to ensure the anchors not only work effectively, but withstand the conditions in which they are stored. It also features test methods such as for strength, towing, and corrosion."

School Fires Up Sharply in London

The London Fire Brigade reports they increased by 34 percent in 2017 alone.

Boeing forecasts global demand for commercial airline pilots to top 700,000 during the next 20 years. Airbus

Boeing Sees 'Unprecedented' 20-Year Demand for New Pilots

Both Boeing and Airbus forecast very strong demand for commercial airline pilots during the next two decades. The aviation industry faces a pilot labor supply challenge, says Keith Cooper, vice president of Training & Professional Services for Boeing Global Services.

HSE to Prosecute Two Companies for Refinery Explosion

An explosion and fire the Pembroke Refinery on June 2, 2011, killed four workers and serious injured another worker.

Agriculture Deaths Increasing in Great Britain

A total of 33 deaths occurred in agriculture during 2017/18, four more than the year before. The leading cause was being injured by an animal -- mainly working with and near cattle.

Health Canada Proposes Fees to Recover Costs of Regulating Cannabis

The agency proposes to scale fees according to the size of the business and to provide for lower fees for the newly proposed micro-scale license holders, with some types of license—those for research, analytical testing, and hemp production—being exempt from fees.

IMO Holds Port Security Workshop in Veracruz, Mexico

The July 12-13 event aimed to promote a multi-agency approach to maritime security and law enforcement to improve cooperation among government departments.



First International Standard Published for Cookstove Lab Testing

"Standards play a critical role in virtually every industry, delivering transformative impact on safety and performance," said Sally Seitz, co-secretariat of ISO TC 285 and senior program manager at ANSI. "With the publication of this standard, the clean cooking sector is poised to make significant strides toward better products and, ultimately, toward improved outcomes for consumers who use them."

ANSI Publishes Report on 2018 U.S.-German Standards Panel

The April event focused on securing future technologies, cybersecurity, and other challenges, as well as solutions for smart manufacturing, mobility, and agriculture.

Safe Work Australia Publishes Guidance on Work-related Mental Health

The guide is built around three main sections: Preventing Harm, Intervening Early, and Supporting Recovery. It outlines a systematic approach to ensuring workers' psychological health and safety that revolves around the elements discussed in the three sections.

Jail Term Given for UK Electrical Injury

An HSE investigation found the electrical installation at the unit in Carew Airfield operated by George W.E. Jones as part of his scrap metal business was unsafe and was more suited to home than a commercial business.

Bulletin Issued by WorkSafeBC on Prusik Slings

Some commercially available rope grabs are manufactured with "anti-panic" features that lock onto the lifeline even when they are grasped. A Prusik sling, however, does not have this feature, so it potentially will allow a worker to fall.

British Manufacturer Fined in Machine Guarding Case

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive into the incident found that the company had not implemented procedures to ensure machinery was isolated before starting maintenance work.

Largest-Ever Cholera Vaccine Campaign Announced

By mid-June, oral cholera vaccine will be provided to more than 2 million people through campaigns in Zambia, Uganda, Malawi, South Sudan, and Nigeria.

Australian Advisory Stresses Underwater Escape Training

What prompted the notice was a fatality on March 14, 2018, in Western Australia. A Eurocopter EC135 helicopter hit the water at night while on a trip to collect a marine pilot from a departing ship.

Canada Testing Public Safety Alert Network Next Week

During the May 7 and May 9 tests, every compatible mobile device connected to an LTE (long-term evolution) network in the targeted provinces and territory will receive the test alert. They also will be distributed on TV and radio in the same regions.

VR App Promotes Commercial Drivers' Awareness of Blind Spots

In addition to mirror adjustment, the app's scenarios include identifying vehicles in blind spots, joining a motorway from a slip road, overtaking, and tailgating. These scenarios are offered for both left- and right-hand drive vehicles.

Committee Retires Four 2017 Hurricane Names

The World Meteorological Organization maintains rotating lists of names that are appropriate for each tropical cyclone basin. In the Atlantic and Eastern North Pacific, male and female names alternate alphabetically, and the lists are used every six years. But if a hurricane is particularly deadly or costly, its name is retired and is replaced by a different name.

UK Company Fined $1.2 Million After Worker Fell from Ladder

A window installer working for Safestyle UK was attempting to install a first-floor rear bedroom window when the ladder he was on slipped. The ladder was not footed or tied and the worker fell from a height of more than 3 meters. The employee sustained a broken kneecap that required surgery.

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