Today's Safety News - Articles - Page 200

Poor workmanship caused deadly Pennsylvania house explosion

March 1, 2019

An improperly installed gas connection that allowed natural gas to seep into a single-family house was the probable cause of a deadly 2017 explosion in Millersville, Pennsylvania, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined. The July 2, 2017 explosion at 206 Springdale Lane killed one person and injured three others, destroyed the residence and significantly damaged six neighboring homes, one of which was subsequently condemned.

emergency preparedness, facility emergencies

How to execute in an emergency

You need a good plan, training, practice, signage and lighting

Karen Hamel

February 27, 2019

In the final seconds of the championship game, the quarterback hands off the football to his star running back. The running back skillfully weaves, dodges and avoids tackles. The home crowd cheers as he crosses the goal line, securing victory.

U.S. Navy sailors get help with hearing loss prevention through innovative program

Developer wins this year's Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award

February 26, 2019

Exposure to loud flight deck operations and noisy equipment takes a toll on U.S. Navy sailors: approximately one in four suffer from Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). One man’s innovative and broad-based approach to the problem has earned him this year’s The Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award. The multi-tiered program to NIHL among sailors developed by Kurt Yankaskas of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the NIHL Research Program maximized the use of various funding strategies within Department of the Navy and DoD.

Milliken & Company named to 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies List

Global manufacturer receives prestigious Ethisphere Institute honor for 13th consecutive year

February 26, 2019

Aligning values-based business practices with an ever-present culture of integrity fuels continued success for Milliken & Company, a global manufacturer with expertise in specialty chemicals, floor covering, and performance and protective textiles. Today, the company was named among the 2019 World's Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices.

OSHA’s position on incentives

Agency clarifies that rate-based programs OK if reporting is encouraged

Dave Johnson

February 26, 2019

No, OSHA has not banned safety incentive programs. In fact, on October 11, 2018, agency regional administrators received a memo from Kim Stille, acting director of enforcement programs, which walks back the Obama administration OSHA’s more hard line stance on safety incentive programs. Even under former agency head Dr. David Michaels, OSHA never out-and-out “banned” incentive / reward programs. Michaels and his leadership team took a tougher line on incentive / reward programs that retaliated against or punished workers for reporting work-related injuries or illness.

Could a dropped Thermos bottle have caused deadly bus accident?

February 25, 2019

A dropped Thermos bottle lodged between the brake and accelerator pedals could not be ruled out as a possible cause for the fatal 2017 collision between two buses in Flushing, New York, according to a report released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). On Sept. 18, 2017, at 6:16 a.m., a motorcoach operated by Dahlia Group Inc. collided with a New York City Transit Authority bus at the intersection of Northern Boulevard and Main Street in Flushing. The motorcoach was traveling 60 mph — twice the posted speed limit.

A FairWarning Story

Deaths mount from high-speed police pursuits, despite calls to restrict them

Thomas Frank

February 22, 2019

The high-speed chase through residential streets in Evansville, Indiana ended badly, as police pursuits often do. A Chevy Impala, which police mistakenly thought had been stolen, blasted through a stop sign at 74 mph and smashed into the passenger side of a PT Cruiser crossing the intersection. A young family was inside.

ACGIH® Board names Frank Mortl III, CAE as Executive Director

February 21, 2019

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®) announced today the appointment of Frank Mortl III, CAE as Executive Director of the association. ACGIH® is a 501(c)(3) charitable scientific organization that advances occupational and environmental health. For over 80 years, the group has been highly respected around the world for their dedication to the OEHS community.

safety investigations, root cause analysis

Improve your investigation skills

Recommendations should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely

Ed Perz, PE

February 21, 2019

Good investigators understand what their biases are and work to control them while in investigation mode. Adopt the persona of a sports referee—the neutral arbitrator, without a stake in the outcome.

OSHA trainer caught selling fake training cards

February 20, 2019

A certified OSHA trainer who plead guilty to selling fake OSHA training cards faces up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines. According to the Department of Justice, training agent Mark Dropal sold more than 100 fraudulent training cards for about $200 each to carpenters in New York and New Jersey between Feb. 21 and March 11, 2018.