Risk Management


Motor Vehicle Fatalities Up 9 Percent

Motor Vehicle Fatalities Up 9 Percent, Could Be the Deadliest Labor Day Since 2008

The National Safety Council reports there are no signs of a decrease in 2016.

OSHA Seeking New FACOSH Members

OSHA is accepting nominations for three labor and three management representatives to serve three-year terms, effective Jan. 1, 2017. The deadline for nominations is Oct. 31, 2016.

BHP Billiton Expects Dam Failure Findings Soon

The giant mining company reported a $6.2 billion year-end loss on Aug. 16 but said "good progress" is being made on environmental restoration, community resettlement, and community health following the November 2015 collapse of the Fundão tailings dam at Samarco in southeastern Brazil, a disaster that killed 19 people, including 14 working on the dams at the time.

MSHA Issues Warning to Drill Operators

"Failing to follow safe drilling practices has tragic consequences, as we've sadly seen," said Assistant Secretary Joseph A. Main. "Paying attention to safe job procedures, staying clear of rotating drill and augers, complying with drilling safety standards, and following best practices will reduce the risk of death or injury."

The 32nd Annual National VPPPA Safety & Health Conference is taking place Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2016, at the Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Fla. (VPPPA graphic)

Getting Ready for VPPPA's National Conference

"The conference lasts four days, but the knowledge and experiences last a lifetime," as the VPPPA says its in its pre-show documents explaining why the #VPPPA32 conference is worthwhile for attendees.

#VPPPA32 Offers Full Day of Construction Safety Guidance

On Aug. 30, there eight hours of presentations devoted to construction safety topics divided into morning and afternoon sessions in the Sun C Ballroom.

Fifth Grader Wins Ohio's 2016 Severe Weather Awareness Poster Contest

The winner of the annual statewide contest was recognized Aug. 6 at the Ohio State Fair for her tornado safety poster.

The GHS classification and labeling system for chemicals uses this symbol to denote carcinogenic substances.

EU OSHA May Conduct Survey on Workplace Exposure to Carcinogens

The agency is commissioning a study to assess the feasibility of designing a computer-assisted phone survey.



2016 Indiana State Fair Under Way

Five years ago, on Aug. 13, 2011, stage rigging collapsed as storms approached the Indianapolis fairgrounds, killing seven people. The Indiana Supreme Court ruled in a key liability case stemming from the collapse earlier this year.

Nevada Governor Signs Mining Agreement in Brisbane

The governor and a Nevada delegation he heads toured the Sustainable Mineral Institute at the University of Queensland, St. Lucia, and Sandoval met with David Camerlengo, Queensland's Trade and Investment commissioner for North America, and Dr. Anthony Lynham, Minister for Natural Resources.

CSB Holding Aug. 2 Meeting on Tesoro Incidents

CSB is currently investigating a sulfuric acid spill that occurred Feb. 12, 2014, at the refinery in Martinez, Calif. It burned two workers in the refinery's alkylation unit who were transported by air ambulance to the nearest hospital burn unit.

"But what if that system of finding and fixing flaws were just as fast and automated as the computer systems they are trying to protect? What if cyber defense were as seamless, sophisticated, and scalable as the internet itself?" Those are questions the Cyber Grand Challenge seeks to answer.

Cyber Grand Challenge Taking Place This Week

The Aug. 4 event in Las Vegas in collaboration with DEF CON 24 is the culmination of a multiyear DARPA competition: Seven high-performance computers will compete live in the world's first all-machine game of Capture the Flag.

Final Rule Requires Transit Agencies to Maintain Capital Assets

Grantees will have to develop plants for assets, including vehicles, facilities, equipment, and infrastructure. In 2013, FTA says, the transit industry deferred maintenance needs to a tune of $86 billion, representing more than 12 percent of total assets nationwide.

FDA first added a Boxed Warning to fluoroquinolones in July 2008 for the increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture. In February 2011, the risk of worsening symptoms for those with myasthenia gravis was added to the Boxed Warning. In August 2013, the agency required updates to the labels to describe the potential for irreversible peripheral neuropathy (serious nerve damage).

FDA Updates Safety Label Warnings for Fluoroquinolones Again

The agency has enhanced the warnings about these antibiotics’ association with disabling and potentially permanent side effects and to limit their use in patients with less serious bacterial infections. FDA says fluoroquinolones should be used for some conditions only when there are no other options available.

HHS Issues Funding for Information Sharing and Analysis Organization

The funding is part of an effort to fight cyber threats.

Canada Cancels Some Uses of Boric Acid Pesticides

There are a total of 110 pesticide products registered for use in Canada containing boric acid, and 25 of those will have their registrations cancelled while the remaining 85 will have to meet new labeling requirements within the next two years.

NRC Discussing NY Nuclear Plant's Preparedness July 26

The agency is hosting an open house in Oswego, N.Y., to go over its annual review of the safety performance at Entergy's James A. FitzPatrick plant in Scriba, N.Y., which the company plans to shut down early next year.

FAA Improves Runway Conditions Reporting

New Takeoff and Landing Performance Assessment standards, matrix will reduce the risk of overrun accidents.

Forest Service Finalizes Saw Safety Policy

Forest Service contractors are subject to applicable federal OSHA requirements governing the use of saws, but contractors are not subject to the final saw directive because USFS stated it does not believe it is necessary or appropriate to track their training and certification as sawyers.

Enbridge Agrees to Pay Civil Penalties Over Pipeline Spills

The company's consent decree with EPA and DOJ includes civil penalties under the Clean Water Act of $61 million relating to the Line 6B release and $1 million related to the Line 6A release, both payable within 30 days of the effective date of the decree.

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