The last time the nation's foremost industrial hygiene groups gathered in Denver in a large-scale way, American astronaut Neil Armstrong was still two months away from stepping down from the Apollo 11 landing craft, making "one giant leap for mankind."
The majority of employers in the United States would not argue the point that the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) has cost their company an incredible amount of time, money, and grief since its inception. Though it is a great concept, I question whether the HCS, even after more than 20 years in existence, has produced more than a few positive results in the eyes of most employers and employees.
These allow quick and frequent access, provide protection for multiple operators, and allow better visibility of the hazard.
"One means of preventing hazards is for employers to establish an effective comprehensive workplace safety and health program that involves their employees in proactively evaluating, identifying, and eliminating hazards," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's regional administrator in New York.
You'll find it easy to find out about new regulations and workplace safety campaigns in Europe, including the safe maintenance campaign launching April 28.
"Our inspection found that the blades on this and other saws lacked the guarding designed to prevent just this type of accident," said Diana Cortez, OSHA's area director in Tarrytown, N.Y.
Cited violations against the company include failing to provide safe work practice procedures for hot work in a confined space, failing to prevent cutting operations in the presence of explosive atmospheres, and the lack of procedures for summoning resuce and emergency services.
"There is no excuse for this accident," said Charles Adkins, OSHA's regional administrator in Kansas City, Mo. "This worker should not have been allowed to work in the machine without energy sources being locked out."
On April 13, the Food and Drug Administration published guidance for small egg producers to help them comply with a 2009 federal egg safety regulation designed to prevent Salmonella Enteritidis in shell eggs during production, transportation, and storage.
Damaged, inoperable emergency lighting and a lack of hazard assessment certification were among other faults uncovered in a February inspection.
An inspection conducted under OSHA's Chemical Industry National Emphasis Program resulted in $153,000 in proposed penalties.
To date, EPA has certified 184 training providers who have conducted more than 4,900 courses. Based on current estimates, the agency expects more than 125,000 contractors to be certified by the deadline, with many more seeking and obtaining the training afterward.
Each of the chemicals is "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen," the agency said, noting the additions would be the first program chemical expansion in more than a decade.
“The CSB has 18 ongoing investigations. Of those, seven of these accidents occurred at refineries across the country. This is a significant and disturbing trend that the refining industry needs to address immediately,” said John Bresland, CSB chairman and CEO.
During FY 2009, field inspectors conducted 59 inspections of high-hazard federal worksites and found 336 violations of OSHA safety and health standards -- more than twice the number cited in 2008.
The Department of Justice, in an action initiated by the FDA, is seeking a permanent injunction against Chung’s Products LP ("Chung's"), an egg roll manufacturer in Houston; Charlie A. Kujawa, the company's president; and Gregory S. Birdsell, the firm's director of quality assurance.
Citations address the farm's failure to provide a guarding mechanism to prevent power-driven machinery from accidentally falling into the earthen manure storage facility, alteration of seat belts on that machinery, and the lack of adequate training and instruction for operators of the skid-steer machinery, among other things.
In addition to the combustible dust violations, an inspection found that the Delaware company failed to provide fire retardant clothing for employees and require them to wear adequate eye protection with side shields, among other hazards.
Based on the violations found, total penalties assessed would amount to $125,000 if the employer was in the private sector, but under the law, federal agencies are cited without penalties.
Thirty-seven percent of respondents are optimistic about health care being a hot market this year, but 40 percent are in the "wait and see mode," and 23 percent are not touching it.