Today's Safety News - Articles - Page 130

Long work hours at the office linked to high blood pressure

December 20, 2019

Office workers who spend long hours on the job are more likely to have high blood pressure, including a type that can go undetected during a routine medical appointment, according to a new study published today in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension. High blood pressure affects nearly half of Americans ages 18 and older and is a primary factor in more than 82,000 deaths per year.

“A hot and smoky scene” – then it got worse

CSB report details how spilled chemical spill explosion killed four workers

December 19, 2019

On May 3, 2019, at a chemical manufacturing facility in Waukegan, Illinois, the operator of a tank in which a silicon hydride emulsion was being made suddenly yelled a warning. Alerted by the “unusual activity,” another operator and the Shift Supervisor – fellow employees of AB Specialty Silicones – ran over to the emulsions area. By the time they got there, the tank was overflowing with foam.

Red Wing Tradeswoman boot: Designed by women for women

Tradeswoman offers women in the trades enhanced comfort and fit

December 19, 2019

Red Wing Shoe Company has unveiled the Tradeswoman (models 2328, 2329, 2345, 2346), a new work boot designed for women in the trades, available now. Designed for women in construction, light manufacturing and warehouse or distribution industries, Tradeswoman work boots provide a purpose-built fit specifically crafted for female workers’ feet to provide them all-day safety and comfort on the job.

OSHA issues corrections to Walking-Working Surfaces rule

December 19, 2019

In a notice published Tuesday in the Federal Register, OSHA issued corrections to its Walking-Working Surfaces Personal Protective Equipment (Fall Protection Systems), and Special Industries (Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution) rule. They include:

No safety management system at company that had fatal tank explosion

Decommissioning process made equipment "a bomb"

December 18, 2019

There is no way now to know exactly what chemicals were present in two pieces of equipment that were being decommissioned at the Midland Resource Recovery (MRR) Facility in Phillippi, West Virginia on May 24, 2017. What is known, according to the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, is that dangerous chemical reactions occurred, leading to violent explosions that left workers dead and injured.

Teen marijuana vaping numbers double in a year

December 18, 2019

The percentage of high school seniors who reported vaping marijuana within a month of being surveyed jumped from 7.5 percent in 2018 to 14 percent in 2019, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The data analyzed in the study indicate that this was the second largest single-year jump for teen use of any substance since the survey began in 1975 – second only to another vaping-related increase, of nicotine use, between 2017 and 2018.

Pattern of heavy alcohol drinking may damage heart tissue

December 18, 2019

A pattern of harmful alcohol consumption, or heavy drinking, increases level of blood biomarkers indicating heart tissue damage, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the open access journal of the American Heart Association.

Data shows work-related fatalities in U.S. increased last year

December 17, 2019

Fatal work injuries rose by two percent in 2018, to a total of 5,250, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It is the fourth time in the past five years that fatal occupational injuries increased. The BLS fatality data comes on the heels of the department’s annual injuries and illnesses report that showed a stagnation of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2018.

How to improve safety for solo workers

Kayla Matthews

December 17, 2019

Workplace accidents are, unfortunately, a frequent occurrence. An employee is hurt on the job every seven seconds, according to one study, around 4.6 million people each year. Some common injuries include soreness, sprains and lacerations, mainly due to overexertion, slips, falls and trips. Nevertheless, reducing injuries and fatalities is a priority for many industries.

Mass. company owner going to jail in worker trench deaths

December 17, 2019

A company owner in Roslindale, Massachusetts was sentenced this week to two years in the House of Corrections after being found guilty of two counts of manslaughter for the deaths of two employees. Kevin Otto, owner of Atlantic Drain Services, will have three years’ probation following his sentence, and he can never again employ anyone in a job that involves excavation.