As wildfires that have already destroyed more than 1500 homes continue to burn in Texas, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) are encouraging people in vulnerable areas to prepare their homes for the possibility of fire -- and to evacuate if called upon to do so.

I try to stay abreast of the safety profession by reading several magazines and websites monthly. In addition, I am fortunate to talk to a number of highly skilled safety mangers on a frequent basis and I blatantly pick their brains as much as possible.

American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) President Terrie S. Norris, CSP, ARM became a member of an international committee during the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work conference, which wraps up today in Istanbul, Turkey. Norris joined colleagues from Germany and France, becoming a vice-chair of the newly-formed International Section of the International Social Security Association's (ISSA) "Prevention Culture Section."

One month before the start of A+A 2011, the leading International Trade Fair with Congress for Safety and Health at Work, a record 1,580 exhibitors from 54 nations have booked  617,800 square feet of exhibit space.

I really like the idea of reinventing OSHA. I think OSHA is good, but public perception is mostly negative. 

OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have developed new guidance, Nail Gun Safety – A Guide for Construction Contractors*, to help construction employers and workers prevent work-related nail gun injuries.
 

Workplace safety programs haven’t yet caught up to the nanotechnology age, if results of a recent University of California-Santa Barbara study are any indication.

As domestic oil and gas development continues to expand on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) Director Michael R. Bromwich recently announced a proposed rule that they say will reduce the likelihood of accidents, injuries and spills in connection with oil and natural gas exploration and development activities.

OSHA has cited ABC Coke in Birmingham, Alabama for 27 safety and health violations following the death of a worker in March.

Saying it is “passionate” about the safety of young drivers, Ford Motor Co. is sponsoring clinics at U.S. high schools to urge teens to heed traffic laws and avoid distractions behind the wheel.