Wal-Mart workers poured hazardous materials down sewers and the CSB clashes with the ATF over fertilizer plant explosion investigation in this edition of the weekly news roundup.
How are you doing with innovation?
The value of "forced collaboration"
By Dave Johnson
The American Industrial Hygiene Association® (AIHA) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists® (ACGIH) kicked off the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo (AIHce) 2013 in Montreal, Canada, with a dynamic presentation by Frans Johansson, CEO of The Medici Group in New York, NY.
“Health is a currency to invest in”
Modern workers face greater challenges
By Dave Johnson
The third day of AIHce 2013 featured a General Session address by L. Casey Chosewood, MD, Senior Medical Officer for Total Worker Health™, NIOSH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia.
Well-known safety activist stepping down
Joel Shufro retiring after 34 years at NYCOSH
After 34 years as Executive Director of the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH), safety activist Joel Shufro is retiring. Shufro has headed up the organization for most of its 31-year history, growing it into a membership encompassing approximately 200 local unions and 300 individuals.
Standards relating to arc flash
Software can aid in compliance
By Dave Johnson
OSHA Standards 29-CFR, Part 1910. Occupational Safety and Health Standards. 1910 sub part S (electrical) Standard number 1910.333 specifically addresses Standards for Work Practices and references NFPA 70E.
What you need to know about management systems
They're about tools, not guarantees
By Dave Johnson
Consultants Tom Rancour and Bradford Russell offered these takeaways in a session at the AIHce: Some companies implement and dedicate time to management systems, but the guiding principle, the safety and health policy, is buried in some labor manual. Without a “map,” management systems develop “escapes” or leaks in risk management compliance because the vision and the followup protocols are buried.
Wal-Mart pleads guilty to environmental crimes
Federal charges stem from hazmat handling, disposal
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will pay $86.1 million in fines after pleading guilty yesterday to federal environmental crimes and civil violations. Coupled with previous actions brought by California, Missouri and the EPA for related offenses, Wal-Mart will pay a combined total of more than $110 to resolve charges against the company.
Top occupational & environmental health and safety issues at the conference
By Dave Johnson
Prominent at this year’s AIHce were seminars and workshops reflecting the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s (AIHA biennial membership survey listing top public policy issues of concern to AIHA members and the occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) profession over the next two years.
Who’s competent to assess indoor air quality?
Major EHS associations to develop registry
By Dave Johnson
The American Industrial Hygiene Association® (AIHA), the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) and AIHA Registry Programs, LLC, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will lead the way toward joint development of a registry for qualified indoor air quality (IAQ) practitioners.
Union safety activist to retire
Bill Borwegan spearheaded needlestick prevention, other laws
Bill Borwegan, Director of Safety and Health for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) for the last 30 years, has announced his retirement.
Selecting PPE for arc flash protection
Two ways to choose
By Dave Johnson
Four different arc flash type events need to be assessed when designing safety programs: Open Air Arc Flashes; Ejected Arc Flashes; Equipment Focused Arc; Flashes (Arc-in-a-box); Tracking Arc Flashes. Many methods exist to protect personnel from arc flash hazards.
Train derails, explodes near Baltimore
At least one person injured
A CSX freight train derailed and exploded this afternoon near Baltimore after colliding with a tractor trailer, news sources are reporting. Although numerous witnesses report a loud explosion accompanied by intense heat, and the incident caused a major disruption by forcing the shutdown of U.S. 40, only one injury is being reported: that of the truck driver, who was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Yes, occupational safety and health investigative reporting still exists
“I began chasing down a long, long paper trail"
By Dave Johnson
The13th Annual Upton Sinclair Memorial Lecture for Outstanding EHS Investigative Reporting at AIHce was entitled, “Breaking the Silence: The Importance of Public Records for Worker Safety at Sensient Flavors,” presented by Tony Cook, an Indianapolis Star reporter who covered the investigation of the Sensient plant where federal health officials found a third of the plant’s roughly 100 production workers had experienced abnormally restrictive lung function.
Michaels concerned about safety pro shortage
OSHA chief also spells out changes for VPP sites
By Dave Johnson
A packed assembly room at the AIHce was treated to a conversation between OSHA boss Dr. David Michaels and a former OSHA chief, John Henshaw, who headed OSHA during the Bush II administration. Here are some takeaways from Dr. Michaels’ comments:
DuPont global competency leader in occ health assumes AIHA presidency
By Dave Johnson
The American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce) 2013 concluded its six-day event with the induction of a new American Industrial Hygiene Association® (AIHA) leader. Barbara J. Dawson, CIH, CSP, was inducted as president of the international professional society, which represents 10,000 occupational and environmental health and safety professionals.
Can be inconsequential...or fatal
By Dave Johnson
An arc flash is distinctly different from the arc blast. It is part of an arc fault, a type of electrical explosion that results from a low-impedance connection to ground or another voltage phase in an electrical system.
CSB: ATF destroyed, withheld fertilizer plant blast evidence
Board investigators not allowed onto site
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) says a turf war is hindering its investigation into the April 17 West, Texas fertilizer plant blast. In a letter to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Cal.), CSB chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso accused the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) of destroying and withholding evidence and refusing to permit CSB investigators access to the site.
New AIHA president inducted at AIHce 2013
Group approaching its 75th birthday
Barbara J. Dawson, CIH, CSP, began her year-long term as president of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) at the group’s just-concluded AIHce 2013. Dawson will head up the international society, which represents 10,000 occupational and environmental health and safety professionals, until AIHce 2013, which will take place in San Antonio, Texas.
