The International Apparel Federation and two allied organizations have organized a conference Tuesday in Paris about product safety and chemical safety regulations in the United States and the European Union, while, outside, the big Texworld 2010 conference takes place.
Industry operations covered include the transfer of cargo between ships, trucks, pipelines, and other modes of transportation, and the operation and maintenance of piers, docks, and associated buildings and facilities.
Anyone intending to manufacture, import, or process them for an activity that is designated as a significant new use would have to notify EPA at least 90 days in advance, giving the agency time to evaluate the intended use and bar it, if necessary.
The settlement between DOL and Pilgrim's Pride Corp. involves overtime back pay for 798 workers at a Dallas facility and also their pay for time putting on and taking off protective gear. Whether donning and doffing are compensable work has challenged federal courts for some time.
In the past, cut-resistant gloves were treated as a commodity, with little training and education of wearers. Now, the emphasis is on information and communication.
The state fire marshal and a task force announced the campaign Jan. 21 at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where they said 24 fire deaths and seven firefighter injuries have occurred in such fires since 1997.
"There's no excuse for workers being repeatedly and needlessly exposed to potentially fatal or disabling falls," said Brenda Gordon, OSHA's area director for Boston and southeastern Massachusetts.
Though the revision does not change the long-standing requirements for compliant garments with respect to classification and color, it does address their usable life and issues for the wearer related to flame-resistance and use during rainfall.
Breakout sessions during the March 2-3 stakeholder meeting in Pittsburgh will detail current research on protective clothing performance and help NIOSH do better at warning end users about counterfeit respirators. Dr. John Howard will be the keynote speaker.
The society cited growth and interest in these sectors' safety for launching them. The Utilities Branch will address EHS issues in solar and wind power generation, water and wastewater, and telecommunications, among other areas.
Tim Fisher, ASSE's director of Practices and Standards, said ASSE is developing technical briefs for ANSI/ASSE A10.47-2009, "Work Zone Safety for Highway Construction," and ANSI/ASSE A10.16-2009.
"My goal is to intentionally dampen the excitement of launching any new boat," said USCG's Al Johnson, "unless the person is properly attired and prepared for sudden cold water immersion. It might sound excessive, but if it saves a life, it isn't."
The first major snowstorm of the season is a time of excitement and wonder for a child: snowball fights, sledding, and closed schools. For adults, it's the dreaded shoveling season complete with aching backs, frozen fingers, or worse.
"If scaffolding parts had been inspected and replaced or repaired as needed, it is possible that this tragic accident and loss of life could have been avoided," said Eric Harbin, OSHA's area director in Austin.
"Few Americans are aware of lead's deadly effects or the fact that lead taken home on clothing and work tools can infect an entire family," said OSHA Area Director Richard Gilgrist in Cincinnati.
The new system will display the risk of extreme heat stress and time to flashover (the point when all combustible materials in a room simultaneously erupt in flames) on the incident commander's screen, along with the firefighters' locations and vital signs.
OSHA and other federal agencies track electrical accidents of all kinds, but not arc flash incidents specifically. The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) are working to change that through a collaborative research project to conduct extensive testing on arc flash. At present, only data on all electrical accidents are available.
"The board agreed that the ability for the society to offer certification programs . . . is important in remaining relevant in the changing global marketplace," ASTM International President James A. Thomas said.
Post-secondary students compete in this annual event, which is sponsored by the Safety and Protective Products Division and the Narrow Fabrics Institute of IFAI. A University of Wisconsin Stout design team placed first in the 2009 contest.
"This is a clear example of the grave consequences that can result when basic electrical safeguards are not provided and used," said Arthur Dube, OSHA's area director in Buffalo.