OSHA has kicked off its summer campaign to inform employers and employees about the dangers of working in the heat. The campaign will continue its annual outreach to highlight how heat-related worker fatalities are entirely preventable. In 2014 alone, 2,630 workers suffered from heat illness and 18 died from heat stroke and related causes on …
National Law Review, 1 June 2016
Employers are not exempt from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s reporting rule for on-the-job injuries linked to alcohol intoxication even though the injured employee’s consumption of alcoholic beverages took place off the job.
The interpretation was outlined in a letter from Amanda Edens, head of OSHA’s Technical …
The Arizona Republic, 22 May 2016
“Purple bolts of electricity crackle inside the as technician Bruce Redford runs a batch of rubber gloves through a routine test for holes. The gloves, standard equipment for about 2,200 SRP employees who work on the electrical system, must be tested every six months to ensure they …
In looking at the OSHA rulemaking schedule released May 18, 2016, protecting workers’ health seems to be the main theme. Five out of the six new rulemakings that OSHA plans to initiate involve a long-sought measure to guard healthcare employees from workplace violence.
From Bloomberg BNA, 5/19/16:
The regulatory agenda also revived OSHA’s infection …
By Ed Rutkowski
Baltimore Convention Center, Inner Harbor Baltimore, Md. (May 23, 2016)–Rita, a CIH and the new vice president for Product Stewardship at a U.S.-based apparel company, visits suppliers in Southeast Asia and finds a number of safety violations: blocked exits, incapacitated fire suppression devices, excessive noise and dust. When she returns, Rita informs …
Triple Pundit, 16 May 2016
People often aren’t aware of the harmful chemicals they put down their drains and how those substances might impact the environment. These chemicals can create toxic landfills, presenting a serious problem that is difficult for waste management companies to overcome. As toxic dumps smolder, the air pollution risks increase.…
Excerpts from the executive summary of the Risk Management Programs proposed rule:
epa.gov, April 21, 2016
The proposed revisions include several changes to the accident prevention program requirements including an additional analysis of safer technology and alternatives for the process hazard analysis for some Program 3 processes, third-party audits and incident investigation root cause
Pendleton to Host Blue Mountain Safety Conference – “Employers and workers are invited to attend the annual Blue Mountain Occupational Safety and Health Conference in Pendleton. The event is scheduled for June 2, 2016, at the Pendleton Convention Center and will highlight a variety of safety and health topics. Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Division …
ChemicalWatch, 27 April 2016
“Walmart has announced a 95% by weight reduction of ‘high priority chemicals’ from certain products sold in US locations, according to its latest global responsibility report. The company’s policy on sustainable chemistry in consumables, launched in 2013, seeks to remove substances of high concern from goods such as personal care, …
A team of federal government researchers successfully has tested a new method to more quickly and cheaply collect data that can help define the potential human health risks for more than 80,000 chemicals now in commerce and the environment. The researchers believe it lays