One state considers a bill to help prevent workplace violence. OSHA fines for safety violations increase – by two percent. And the production company that produces the TV show “The Walking Dead” is cited and fined for the death of a stuntman. These were among the top stories featured on ISHN.com this week.
NYC Mayor signs legislation to help limit construction noise
January 19, 2018
Mayor Bill de Blasio this week signed legislation into law, authored by Council Member Ben Kallos in collaboration with DEP, aimed at reducing overnight and weekend construction noise and making New York City more livable. Intro. 1653-B allows inspectors to take noise readings from the roadway or sidewalk, rather than requiring that the reading be taken from inside of a complainant’s apartment, empowers inspectors to shut down equipment that is too loud, and calls for new rules for responding when the noise is most likely to happen again.
Va. bill would let companies warn about violent workers
January 19, 2018
Virginia is considering a bill aimed at getting out in front of workplace violence by allowing companies to communicate freely with police about potential perpetrators. Legislation introduced by Del. Chris Hurst, D-Blacksburg, would grant civil immunity to employers who share information about violent acts or threats made by current or former employees to potential employers or law enforcement.
Confusion in smoke-filled plane put passengers at risk
January 19, 2018
Indecision and communication issues during an emergency on board an American Airlines flight put the lives of 161 passengers and nine crew members in jeopardy, but fortunately, there were no fatalities during the Oct. 28, 2017 episode. That was one of the conclusions about the incident at Chicago O’Hare International Airport that was already released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Inside NIOSH
High BPA levels found in factory workers
January 19, 2018
Factory workers participating in a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study had urinary BPA levels that far exceeded those found in the public. For years, manufacturers have used the industrial chemical BPA, or bisphenol A, to make polycarbonate plastic, epoxy resins, and other specialty materials. Although BPA’s effects on people remain unclear, health concerns about the chemical have arisen because it weakly mimics the hormone estrogen.
Hand crushed, fingers amputated at Ohio manufacturing company
January 18, 2018
Serious injuries to two employees brought OSHA inspectors to a vinyl floor manufacturing facility in Fostoria, Ohio, where they found multiple safety violations. Nox US LLC, an Ohio manufacturer of luxury vinyl tile, now faces $514,236 in proposed penalties and has been placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program. Both injuries occurred in June 2017.
OSHA adjusts penalty amounts for 2018
January 18, 2018
On Jan. 2, civil penalty amounts for violations of workplace safety and health standards increased by two percent from last year. In accordance with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, the Department of Labor is required to adjust penalties for inflation each year.
A Confined Space blog post
Do fewer OSHA inspectors matter?
January 18, 2018
One sign that anti-OSHA conservatives are getting nervous about articles (and television appearances) highlighting the declining number of OSHA inspectors are articles questioning whether government plays a useful role in protecting workers. In this case, the Reason Foundation, which “advances a free society by developing, applying, and promoting libertarian principles, including individual liberty, free markets, and the rule of law,” has concluded that reducing the number of OSHA inspectors has no effect on workplace safety.
EPA moves ahead on repeal of Clean Power Plan
January 17, 2018
The EPA’s proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan (CPP) will get three public hearings in the months ahead, as the agency continues its effort to dismantle President Obama’s initiative to reduce emissions from power plants in order to combat climate change.
Veterans use tobacco at much higher rates than non-veterans
January 17, 2018
Tobacco use among U.S. military veterans is higher among non-veterans for males and females across all age groups, except males ages 50 years and older, according to data published recently by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Three in 10 U.S. military veterans used some form of tobacco product during 2010–2015.
Report from abroad
Bangladesh workplace fatality rate remains high
January 17, 2018
Work-related accidents in 2017 in Bangladesh in 2017 claimed 1,242 lives and injured 371, according to a report by the country’s Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE). Nearly 300 fatalities and 101 serious injuries occurred during the first three months of the year.
A FairWarning story
Baby powder battles: Johnson & Johnson internal documents reveal asbestos worries
January 17, 2018
In the early 1970s, a Johnson & Johnson official posed a question that haunts the company today. If Johnson’s Baby Powder contained asbestos at a level of, say, 1 percent, how much of the cancer-causing substance would a baby inhale when dusted with the powder?
Study: ERs not a major source of opioid prescriptions
January 16, 2018
Opioid prescribing has increased 471 percent from 1996 to 2012, according to a new Annals of Emergency Medicine study, “Emergency Department Contribution to the Prescription Opioid Epidemic.” But, emergency departments are not a major source of opioid prescriptions. In fact, their share of opioid prescribing is small and declining.
Kayak guide dies after plunge in icy water
January 16, 2018
OSHA has cited a Wyoming kayak company for training and clothing deficiencies, after one of its guides died of hypothermia when an attempt to rescue a client went awry. The incident occurred on June 14, 2017 and claimed the life of 23-year-old Timothy Hayden Ryan of Salt Lake City.
Space heaters cause majority of fatal house fires
January 16, 2018
Keeping sufficiently warm during the winter months can prove challenging, particularly when frigid temperatures persist, as they have recently for much of the country. While portable space heaters can help generate heat, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is reminding the public that they do present potential fire hazards and must be used with caution.
A NIOSH Science Blog post
Frequent exertion and frequent standing among US workers
January 16, 2018
Have you ever wondered if your job involves more standing, bending, or lifting than other jobs? Or if there are ways you could avoid injuries from these movements while on the job? Last week, NIOSH published an article on frequent exertion and frequent standing among US workers by industry and occupation group.
How organizations can really fight sexual harassment
Workplace psychologists weigh in on culture, policies, and prevention
Stephany Below
January 16, 2018
The latter half of 2017 saw The New York Times break the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the movie titan’s subsequent fall. Since then, victims have brought forth a seemingly endless barrage of allegations against numerous high-profile, and very powerful, men and women within Hollywood, politics, the media, and other industries. This movement has helped to purge organizations of longstanding sexual predators and has also ignited a fervent interest in changing the workplace cultures that have allowed such abuse to go on for so long.
A Confined Space blog post
Construction company owner charged with manslaughter in trench death
January 15, 2018
Nothing sharpens the mind like the prospect of spending time in jail. Those of you who know me know that there’s little that makes me more angry than seeing a worker killed in a trench collapse. Every construction company owner knows how to prevent trench collapses — or they should know, or shouldn’t be in business.
TV stuntman death results in citation, fine
January 15, 2018
The motion picture company behind the TV show, “The Walking Dead” has been cited and fined for a fatal fall that occurred on the Senoia, Georgia set last year. Stuntman John Bernecker died on July 12 of blunt force trauma to the head after plunging headfirst from a balcony to a concrete floor 22 feet below.
Number of flu sufferers rising rapidly
January 15, 2018
If you are getting the impression that the flu season is worse than usual this year, you’re right. The CDC, which tracks the number of people who seek treatment for the flu, confirms that the numbers are higher than last year in all regions of the country.
Neighborhood factors may predict heart failure
January 15, 2018
Neighborhood-level socioeconomic factors in low-income areas may significantly predict heart failure risk beyond individual health factors and socioeconomic status, according to new research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal.
