Regulatory & Standards


Maine Wood Mill Fined $119,500 Following Lockout/Tagout Fatality

A worker died when he became caught in moving parts of a machine known as a stacker, which activated while he was inside the machine performing maintenance.

Cave-in Hazards Lead to $112,000 Fine for Florida Contractor

"This employer had been renting a trench box designed to protect workers from cave-ins but returned it to cut down on costs," said Les Grove, OSHA's area director in Tampa, Fla. “Risking the safety of your workers is not an acceptable business decision."

OSHA Nails Picture Frame Maker for Combustible Dust Hazards, More

OSHA is proposing $228,320 in penalties for 34 safety and health violations found at Art Horizons Inc. in Batesville, Miss.

FDA Approves New Defibrillators to Treat Heart Failure

The three devices, all manufactured by Boston Scientific Corp., are intended to treat patients with left bundle branch block who have either mild heart failure or heart failure with no apparent symptoms.

Virtually Yours: ASSE's Petroleum Safety Symposium

A solid lineup of speakers and sessions cover offshore and land operational safety lessons from Kleen Energy, BP, and more Sept. 21-23.

Fruit Processing Plant to Pay $106,000 for Failing to Report Ammonia Release

According to case documents, EPA alleges that Tree Top failed to immediately notify emergency response authorities after the ammonia release occurred and also failed to submit the required reporting documents.

Porta-King Penalized $124,000 for Hazardous Spray Painting, More

The violations address hazards associated with spray painting outside of a predetermined, designated spray booth, and the use of powered industrial truck fork extensions without manufacturer notification, approval and determination of lifting capacity.

Pharmaceutical Firm to Pay $300 Million for Drug Distribution Violations

The company did not obtain drug approval, increased its distribution of Levothroid rather than scaling down, and ignored a subsequent warning letter to stop the manufacture and distribution of Levothroid.



Updated Hydraulic Breaker Safety Manual Available

Expanded from 48 to 68 pages, the AEM manual covers current best practices for using carrier mounted hydraulic breakers on skid steer loaders, compact excavators, hydraulic excavators, and loader backhoes.

LaHood Proposes Legislation to Increase Pipeline Enforcement, Penalties

The proposed “Strengthening Pipeline Safety and Enforcement Act of 2010” would increase from $1 million to $2.5 million the maximum fine for the most serious violations involving deaths, injuries, or major environmental harm. It also would provide additional resources for the enforcement program by authorizing 40 additional inspection and enforcement personnel over four years.

Painting Contractor Fined $225,200 for Scaffold, Fall Hazards

"Scaffolds must be properly erected and fall protection provided to employees when they work on scaffolds at heights of 10 feet or more, yet this employer has repeatedly neglected to implement these basic, commonsense and legally required safeguards," said Anthony Ciuffo, OSHA's Long Island area director in Westbury.

The rule requires construction contractors, mine operators, and industrial users to retrofit, repower, rebuild, or replace off-road diesel equipment.

2,000 Construction Letters Urge CARB to Repeal Rule

The Associated General Contractors of America said its California members sent that many letters to the board seeking repeal of the off-road diesel rule, saying it is unnecessary and threatens contractors across the country.

Honeywell Completes Acquisition of Sperian

“Sperian Protection is an excellent fit for Honeywell,” said Mark S. Levy, president and CEO of Honeywell Life Safety. “With highly developed product lines, well-recognized brands, and a strong global distribution channel, Sperian complements and significantly strengthens Honeywell’s position in the personal protective equipment segment.

$466,400 Fine for Hazardous Dust Exposure, Inadequate PPE

"Even with employees covered head to toe in dust, the company still failed to provide breathing protection and other controls," said Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels.

OSHA Awards $8M in Safety, Health Training Grants

OSHA recently awarded $8 million in Susan Harwood Capacity Building Grants to 45 organizations, including nonprofit and community/faith-based groups, employer associations, labor unions, joint labor/management associations, and colleges and universities. The grants will assist these organizations in providing safety and health training, and educational programs for workers and employers.

FDA Moves to Regulate Electronic Cigarettes, Issues Warning Letters

The Food and Drug Administration recently issued warning letters to five electronic cigarette distributors for various violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act including unsubstantiated claims and poor manufacturing practices.

Elderly Driver

NTSB to Host Aging Driver Safety Forum

The forum is intended to identify possible strategies to prevent accidents and reduce the number of injuries and fatalities within this growing segment of the nation's drivers.

MSHA Publishes Mines' Comprehensive Safety, Health Records

The Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration recently announced the publication of comprehensive data regarding safety and health records of the nation's mines. The data sets contain all of the agency's public data from calendar year 2000 to the present regarding mine locations, accidents, injuries, production, violations, and inspections.

"Fighting fatigue is the joint responsibility of the airline and the pilot, and after years of debate, the aviation community is moving forward to give pilots the tools they need to manage fatigue and fly safely," FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said.

FAA Rule Offers Pilots More Rest

Released Friday, the proposed regulation would provide a nine-hour opportunity for rest prior to duty, which is one more hour than the current rules specify.

FDA Requires New Warnings on Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents

The Food and Drug Administration is requiring that gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) carry new warnings on their labels about the risk of a rare and potentially fatal condition known as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), if the drug is administered to certain patients with kidney disease.

Featured

Artificial Intelligence

Webinars