Facility Safety

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Blocked fire exits, lack of foot protection and dangerously stacked merchandise were among the hazards discovered recently at a California distribution center by the state’s Department of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA).

A new national poll released by a coalition of more than 100 health, labor, community, environmental and public interest organizations shows that, in the wake of the West, Texas, chemical plant explosion, American strongly support new federal requirements to prevent disasters at facilities that store hazardous chemicals.

According to a recent report released by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 540 civilian deaths in the United States were attributed to smoking material fires in 2011, a 30 year low that is well down from 1980 levels.

The fine levied by OSHA against the company whose West, Texas fertilizer storage facility exploded in in April, killing 15 workers, “sends a message,” according to one worker safety coalition – but also highlights how understaffed the agency is.

Many U.S. workers feel that their workplaces are not well prepared for emergencies such as extreme weather or health crises, according to a recent survey commissioned by Cintas Corporation.

Nebraska Cold Storage Inc. has been cited for 14 safety violations and fined $132,800 by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for exposing workers to anhydrous ammonia at its Hastings facility.

Natural disasters are the top safety concern among office employees, yet the majority of businesses (60 percent) said recent disasters, including Hurricane Sandy, haven’t led them to reassess their safety plans, according to Staples second annual workplace safety survey.