E-cigarettes getting into the wrong hands, a new option for OSHA whistleblowers and developments in the NY train derailment were among this week’s top EHS- and health-related stories as featured on ISHN.com.
ESFI kicks off new 4 Seasons of Safety campaign
Holiday decorating safety featured first
The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) has developed a 4 Seasons of Safety campaign to educate the public about basic fire and electricity concepts and provide critical information to help identify and prevent the unique fire and electrical safety hazards that exist during each season of the year.
New alliance aims to improve roadwork safety
Hazard awareness training one of the goals
The Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Coalition* has formed an alliance with OSHA aimed at reducing the hazards for both workers and motorists in roadway construction zones.
Louisiana wants oil and gas companies to repair flood-protection zones
Lawsuit says pipelines put New Orleans at risk
The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority – East (SLFPA-E) has filed a lawsuit alleging that approximately 100 companies cut at least 10,000 miles of oil and gas canals and pipelines through the state’s coastal lands – lands that protect most of the greater New Orleans area from catastrophic flooding.
E-cigarettes behind rise in calls to poison control centers
Children are picking up liquid cartridges
Manufacturers and some users of electronic cigarettes claim they’re a healthier alternative to the real thing. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is seeking the authority to regulate them like it does conventional cigarettes.
OSHA publishes new technical manual chapter on noise
AIHA, NIOSH contributed information
OSHA has published a new chapter that provides technical information and guidance to help Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs) evaluate noise hazards in the workplace. The content is based on currently available research publications, OSHA standards, and consensus standards.
“Zero-Cost” workers' comp claims aren't really zero cost, study finds
Employee insurance picks up costs for some work-related injuries
Many workers' compensation (WC) claims result in no payment from the WC system, but do lead to increased costs for employee group insurance plans, reports a study in the December Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).
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NTSB: Positive train technology would have prevented Bronx train derailment
Some in railroad industry say it's too costly
Positive train control technology – which some in the railroad industry have opposed due to its cost – would have prevented the fatal Dec. 1st derailment in New York, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which has finished its on-scene investigative work.
Worker falls 125 feet from cell tower
Custom Tower LLC of Scott, La., has been cited by OSHA for one willful safety violation following the death of a worker who fell approximately 125 feet while attempting to install a microwave dish on a cellular tower along Highway 149 in Louise. OSHA initiated the August inspection in response to the fatality.
50 years after vaccine, measles still a threat
CDC reports spike in imported measles cases
Five decades after the approval of an extremely effective vaccine against measles, one of the world’s most contagious diseases, the virus still poses a threat to domestic and global health security.
Oil industry produces human rights guide
“It is imperative that we conduct business in a responsible way”
An oil and gas industry group has produced a new guide that offers practical advice on how human rights can be integrated into environmental, social and health impact assessments (ESHIAs) for oil and gas sector projects.
Whistleblowers can now file complaints online with OSHA
Workplace safety whistleblowers will now be able to file complaints with OSHA online, by visiting www.osha.gov/whistleblower/WBComplaint.html. Until now, complainants had to file a written complaint, call the agency's 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) number or visit an OSHA regional or area office.
Diesel exhaust the culprit in some lung cancer deaths
An estimated 6 percent of lung cancer deaths in the United States and the United Kingdom – 11,000 deaths per year – may be due to diesel exhaust, according to a study recently published in Environmental Health Perspectives.
Workers exposed to lead during bridge demolition
No respiratory protection, hand washing stations
An Illinois company faces $100,000+ in fines after a sharp-eyed OSHA inspector noticed workers without PPE conducting demolition operations on a Chicago bridge that was coated with lead-based paint.
NHTSA reveals safety plan for senior drivers
Accidents involving older drivers are increasing
With traffic accidents involving people over 65 on the rise, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has rolled out a new five-year traffic safety plan for older drivers and passengers.
