28
2015
Employer In Seattle Fined Over $400K For Noncompliance With OSHA
Labor & Industries (L&I) recently cited the marine terminal operator for more than 50 workplace safety and health violations. The state began investigating the company after injury reporting of a worker that was hospitalized for injuries when he fell into an underground grain storage pit in December 2014. The company performs several operations at its facility, including transferring large quantities of ethanol fuel from railcars…
30
2015
Prevent Employee Exposure to Silica
OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently issued a joint hazard alert about protecting workers from significant crystalline silica exposure during manufacturing, finishing, and installing natural and manufactured stone countertops. Protect workers in this and other industries from silica exposure with the safety measures outlined below. Preventing Silica Exposures Because the damage crystalline silica causes can’t be undone,…
15
2015
Generation Y Safety: The Challenges of Reaching the Under-30 Worker
When it comes to under-30 workers’ approach to safety and their trainability safety professionals such as Mike Byington of LaCrosse, Wisc.-based Inland Label and Marketing Services believe there is a difference between them and their older (or perhaps the more politically correct description is “age-enhanced”) counterparts. For one thing, Byington has observed that under-30 workers tend to absorb information and respond with questions quicker. “That’s…
13
2015
Expanded Safety Fest 2015 Set For September
Safer workplaces result in safer communities. Why? Because workers take safety practices learned on the job back home and into their communities. In Oak Ridge, once a year, an event is held to ensure safer communities by offering free safety training to anyone who registers. For the fourth consecutive year, the Oak Ridge Business Safety Partnership (ORBSP), partnering with numerous businesses and organizations will host…
08
2015
Don’t Tell OSHA Injury Was Due to ‘Careless Workers’
Telling OSHA that an injury was the worker’s fault is a sure way to get inspected, according to the head of the agency. OSHA administrator David Michaels made the comment in a recent speech at a National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH) meeting. “When employers say an injury was a worker’s fault, an inspection will likely take place,” Michaels said. For the first 5…
06
2015
OSHA Announces Increased Enforcement at Hospitals
The rate of work-related injuries and illnesses at U.S. hospitals is nearly twice as high as the overall rate for private industry. OSHA has asked inspectors to focus on five key hazards at hospitals and other inpatient care sites including nursing homes. Get details on the hazards and find out why OSHA is so concerned about this vulnerable worker population. Although the agency has officially…
01
2015
OSHA Cites Poultry Processor for Ergonomic Hazards
Workers cutting chicken fat, bone and cartilage eight hours a day at a Delaware poultry plant were suffering musculoskeletal injuries caused by their jobs, an OSHA inspection found. Keep reading to learn what OSHA cited the employer for and how to prevent and fix similar hazards at your worksite. Following the inspection, OSHA cited the company for exposing employees on the debone line to musculoskeletal…
22
2015
Niagara Recalls 14 Bottled Water Brands From Same Source for E. Coli Risk
Niagara Bottling LLC has recalled all spring water products produced at its two Pennsylvania facilities between June 10-18, 2015, after being informed that the water source was potentially compromised by E. coli bacteria. Niagara stated that the bacteria were found on June 10, noting, “As the spring source did not notify us in a timely manner, we have discontinued the use of this source.” The company…
04
2015
OSHA Shares Best Practices for Restroom Access for Transgender Workers
In a week that saw the debut of Caitlyn Jenner, OSHA is working to improve protections for transgender workers. OSHA published a Guide to Restroom Access for Transgender Workers – a document that offers best practices for restroom access for transgender workers. The guide, which was developed by request of the National Center for Transgender Equality, explains gender identity, why restroom access is a health…
03
2015
Owner and Consultants Disobey Order to Allow OSHA Inspection – Now They’re Fined
In what it believes to be the first time in OSHA’s history, a company has been found in criminal contempt for not allowing OSHA to inspect a facility after a judge’s order. Now a federal court has fined four people. Martin Foundry Inc. owner Darrell Stone and three representatives from Compliance Professionals Inc., all based in Kansas City, MO, have been fined for disobeying an…