Weekly news round-up
NTSB names blame in Asiana crash, Europe surveys its aging workforce about hours and the stiffer penalties for texting while driving are favored. These were among the top EHS-related stories featured on ISHN.com this week.
Gene P. Hall passes away at 71
"The safety industry...has lost a man of true integrity"
Obituary of Gene P. Hall: On April 22, 2014 at the young age of 71, the Safety Industry sadly has lost one of their own. Gene P. Hall, President of Western Safety Associates in California has gone from us to be with his heavenly Father.
Teenage worker killed after one week on the job
David Kimberl hadn’t even earned his first paycheck from a Florida construction company when he was killed while dismantling a section of a bridge in Larchmont. The 18-year-old, who had never worked in bridge construction, was crushed to death when a bridge panel weighing nearly 1,800 pounds fell on him.
Intro to Risk and Failures & Workplace Safety and Health
Introduction to Risk and Failures: Tools and Methodologies by D. H. Stamatis and Workplace Safety and Health: Assessing Current Practices and Promoting Change in the Profession by Thomas D Schneid have been released recently by CRC Press.
NTSB: Crew errors caused crash of Asiana flight 214 in San Francisco
The 2013 crash of Asiana flight 214 at San Francisco International Airport was caused by the flight crew’s mismanagement of the approach and failure to monitor the plane’s airspeed, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which investigated the accident.
Making the ROI case for safety
Webinar on Thursday explains gas detection, bottom line
Employees today are expected to do more with less, and safety professionals are no exception. While the business case for safety would seem to be obvious – high injury rates cost money and reduce productivity – getting upper management to commit resources to safety can be challenging if there’s a perception that the cost won’t justify the results.
Fla. workers framing houses with no fall protection
Sonic Creations Inc. cited for repeat and serious safety violations following OSHA inspection
The whimsically-named Water Color subdivision in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. turns out to be a dangerous place for the workers who are building it. According to OSHA investigators, workers were framing houses without required fall protection and lacked necessary PPE.
Public ready for stiffer penalties for texting while driving
New findings from a National Safety Council public opinion poll indicate 73% of respondents think there should be more enforcement of texting laws, while only 22% said the current level of enforcement is fine.
Surge in counterfeit electrical products endangers workers, consumers
ESFI releases results of industry-wide counterfeiting survey
U.S. seizures of counterfeit products have increased more than 325% over the past decade, according to the 2014 Counterfeit Electrical Products Survey by the the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), which says the counterfeits endanger everyone who uses electricity.
In EU: 45 percent of 50-somethings would like to reduce working time
A recent survey on Europe’s aging workforce reveals that 45% of those who are 50+ would prefer to work less, compared with 11% who would like to work more. The remaining respondents were satisfied with the volume of weekly hours they currently work.
From Work in Progress, the official blog of the U.S. DOL
Weather Forecasters: Summer’s Unsung Heroes
By Thomas Perez
When severe weather strikes, we often turn to meteorologists and weather forecasters for life-saving information. Tina Eller of Atlanta told the New York Times that her local weatherman, Glenn Burns, saved the lives of her and her family in 2011 by issuing an on-air warning to take cover when a tornado was minutes away from ravaging her community.
National VPPPA conference app now available
The 30th Annual National VPPPA Conference Mobile App is now live! The app includes numerous functions that will help make your time at the conference even more productive.
WHO calls for higher tobacco taxes to save more lives
The World Health Organization (WHO) says raising taxes on tobacco products will encourage users to stop and prevent other people from becoming addicted to tobacco. Based on 2012 data, WHO estimates that by increasing tobacco taxes by 50%, all countries would reduce the number of smokers by 49 million within the next 3 years and ultimately save 11 million lives.
ASSE recognizes three members as Fellows and Safety Educator of the Year
The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) has awarded three members, Gary Barnett of Ocean New Jersey, Thomas Cecich of Apex, North Carolina and Don Jones, Sr. from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the Fellow Honor, its highest distinction, recognizing their lifetime of commitment to worker safety and their leadership in the occupational health and safety field.
Cigarette smoking among U.S. high school students at lowest level in 22 years
Latest CDC teen behavior survey also finds fewer fights, too much texting and driving
Cigarette smoking rates among high school students have dropped to the lowest levels since the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) began in 1991, according to the 2013results released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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