A natural gas leak recently prompted evacuations of workers and road closures at 9th and Locust in downtown St. Louis.
A hissing sound could be heard as gas escaped the line. Those who were evacuated could smell the gas.
A federal jury last week ruled that the company who hired workers to clean up a coal ash spill in Tennessee failed to protect them from the hazards involved. The ruling clears the way for workers affected by the highly toxic substance to seek damages from Jacobs Engineering, the company tasked with cleaning up a massive coal ash spill at the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Kingston Fossil Plant.
How confident are you that a costly, serious safety event isn’t just around the next corner? If your organization has ever been surprised or caught off-guard by a sudden deterioration in its safety performance, it may be that you’re simply not getting the whole picture when it comes to operational risk.
If you work in the oil and gas industry, then you know how dangerous the job can be. The conditions can be harsh and the weather unpredictable. Not to mention the hazards that exist with complex industrial equipment. But did you know that one of the most serious hazards you’re exposed to is something you can’t even see? That’s right. The invisible hazards we discuss here are some of the deadliest gases in the industry.
Pay attention to local air quality reports. Listen and watch for news or health warnings about smoke.
If you are advised to stay indoors, keep indoor air as clean as possible. Keep windows and doors closed unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside.
A tricky thing, disciplining employees. Every safety pro has a story about discipline:“I had to terminate a woman in 1987 because her body odor was so repulsive, affecting other workers (and her boss… me),” says a pro who requested anonymity. “I remember progressive discipline... You bet I asked the HR manager for assistance.”
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA®) and OSHAhave renewed a partnership aimed at fostering safer and more healthful American workplaces. Through the alliance, the two organizations will pursue the following national priorities, among others: young worker health and safety; temporary workers; workplace hazards within emerging industries; disaster preparedness, response and recovery; and opioids in the workplace.
Exposure to environmental noise appears to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes by fueling the activity of a brain region involved in stress response. This response in turn promotes blood vessel inflammation, according to preliminary research to be presented in Chicago at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2018, a premier global exchange of the latest advances in cardiovascular science for researchers and clinicians.
Not long ago gloves were considered just another uncomfortable piece of PPE that one was obliged to wear. Leather was the material of choice for premium protection, while less expensive fabric offered basic hand coverage.