Risk Management


MSHA Taking 'Stay Out--Stay Alive' Message to Children

"No matter how attractive they may appear, active and abandoned mines are not playgrounds. If you're not trained or authorized to enter the property, stay away," said Michael A. Davis, MSHA's deputy assistant secretary of labor for operations.

NIOSH, Many Others Observe Workers Memorial Day

The day will be marked in Washington, D.C., and on six continents with candlelight vigils, conferences, and rallies calling to governments to pay more attention to occupational deaths and injuries.

ASHRAE Guideline Readies Facility Managers for Major Events

Intended for a range of stakeholders, from architects to owners, Guideline 29-2009 offers a flexible approach to risk assessment for a wide range of safety and health hazards, according to ASHRAE.

a worker wears a protective mask covering her nose and mouth

IFMA Foundation Offers Pandemic Readiness Manual

Though written with avian flu in mind, the guidebook will help workplaces prepare for the swine flu already affecting several countries. The organization is making it available free.

New York City Spotlighting Construction Safety

Seminars and other events are being held all week at various locations throughout the city in support of Construction Safety Week. All sessions are free of charge and open to the public.

Lack of Dust Masks, 33 Other Violations Found at Rubber Products Plant

Inspectors identified other hazards including locked exits, obstructed exit access, and an unmarked exit; lack of welding screens and personal protective equipment for welders; untrained forklift operators; excess carbon monoxide levels from forklifts; and numerous electrical safety deficiencies including exposed live electrical parts.

FDA's Drug Safety Panels to Discuss Acetaminophen Risk

Three advisory committees will meet June 29-30 to discuss the public health risk these popular medications pose. FDA said it does not plan to seek acetaminophen's removal from the market.

Tammy Miser, founder of United Support Memorial for Workplace Fatalities (www.usmwf.org)

ASSE's President, Memorial Founder Testifying Tomorrow

Taking place on 2009's Workers Memorial Day, the hearing by the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety has a strong lineup of witnesses -- including Tammy Miser, shown here -- who will describe the true cost of workplace fatalities.



Eliminating Hospital Infections Takes Center Stage at APIC Conference

Author and pediatric neurosurgeon Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D., of Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes will be the conference's keynote speaker. He will be joined by a cadre of other experts making presentations at the event, June 7-11.

ARCO to Spend $10.2 Million for Anaconda Mine Site Cleanup

The threats on the site come from metals contaminating the groundwater and fugitive dust that could impact human health and surface water. Mining operations enhanced levels of naturally occurring uranium, making the radiological substance more pervasive and mobile in and around the site.

Cesspools Near Hawaii Shopping Center Lead to $52,500 Fine

Under the terms of the proposed settlement, which is currently available for public comment, Puainako Town Center in Hilo, Hawaii, must close all eight large capacity cesspools owned and operated by the company by May 1, 2009.

a surge pile shown in an MSHA photo

MSHA Renews Campaign for Surge Pile Safety

Personnel and equipment at coal mines can be in danger if working too close to or atop piled material as it is drawn down by a feeder below onto a conveyor belt. New bulldozer operators need to know about it, and all operators should be reminded about the inherent hazards, according to MSHA.

FDA Findings Contribute Insights into Avian Flu Virus

An in-depth analysis of blood from patients recovering from the H5N1 avian influenza virus has provided important insights into how to combat the potentially lethal virus.

OSHA Reform Bill Filed Again in Congress

The Protecting America's Workers Act (HR 2067) would expand OSHA's jurisdiction to cover more employees and would allow felony prosecutions against employers who commit willful violations that result in death or serious bodily injury.

OneWrongMove.org logo, part of a Texas Mutual Insurance Company teen safety campaign in Lubbock, Texas

New Teen Safety Campaign Launched in Texas

Texas Mutual Insurance Company launched it in Lubbock on a trial basis with several participating employers. "Workplace Accidents Are a Pain. Work Smart" is the theme, and a free movie ticket can be earned by taking a safety quiz.

Developers Pay $86,000 for Stormwater Violations at Idaho Construction Site

"Keeping sediment from polluting rivers and streams isn't just a good idea, it's the law," said Jim Werntz, EPA's Idaho state office director.

Roofing Firm Charged with Willfully Endangering Workers in Omaha, Neb.

"There is no excuse for the lack of fall protection, and it's outrageous to think that employers still allow employees to be exposed to fall hazards without ensuring fall protection is in use," said Charles Adkins, OSHA's regional administrator in Kansas City, Mo.

Russell N. Olmsted, MPH, CIC

Worker Safety Advocate Receives Carole DeMille Award

An infection preventionist for more than 26 years, Russell N. Olmsted, MPH, CIC, is epidemiologist in Infection Control Services for St. Joseph Mercy Health System in Ann Arbor, Mich., and a member of Trinity Health, a national Catholic health care network headquartered in Novi, Mich.

a wildfire

Upper Midwest States Stress Fire Safety

Wildfire Prevention Week continues through Friday in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario.

NRC Backs Continued Use of Cesium Chloride Radiation Sources

The federal agency directed its staff to continue enhancing the security of cesium chloride radiation sources and encourages research on alternatives, but it agrees near-term replacement is impractical and would harm cancer treatment, research, and emergency response capabilities.

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