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OSHA has cited First Choice Energy of Minot with nine serious safety violations for exposing workers to unsafe conditions at an oil field drilling and fluid disposal operation in Stanley. The inspection was prompted after a worker was killed after being caught in the agitator of an oil field vacuum truck storage tank on March 14.

President Barack Obama has signed a proclamation declaring May as Building Safety Month. “When natural disasters and other hazards put American lives at risk, robust codes and standards for our buildings play an important role in keeping us safe,” the proclamation reads. “They ensure our homes and businesses are resilient to the challenges of our time -- not just by making them structurally sound, but also by boosting their energy efficiency.”

Craig Wagner, President of Global Glove & Safety Mfg., Inc. was inducted recently into the prestigious International Glove Association (IGA) Hall of Fame. With more than 28 years of experience in sales, manufacturing and design, Craig Wagner has been instrumental in the evolution of hand safety PPE, from dipped products, chemical resistance, disposables and mechanics style to the latest in HDPE cut resistant yarns. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released data last week showing that the final count of fatal work injuries in the U.S. in 2011 was 4,693 -- the third lowest annual total since the fatal injury census was first conducted in 1992.

The hand is the part of the body most often injured and these injuries are sometimes difficult to heal. Hand injuries are preventable. By identifying hazards and developing safety measures, you and your employer can prevent your hands from being among the 500,000 injured in Canada every year.

A report focusing on the nearly 150 worker deaths in North Carolina in 2011 demonstrates the effect of lax enforcement and weak fines, according to the National Council of Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH), which issued the document.

In a memo sent Monday to OSHA’s regional administrators, Director of Enforcement Programs Thomas Galassi said the agency is making a “concerted effort” to better protect temporary workers from workplace hazards using enforcement, outreach and training.

OSHA has cited New England Confectionery Company Inc., also known as Necco, for 19 alleged serious violations of workplace health and safety standards at its Revere production plant. The manufacturer of Necco Wafers, Clark Bars and other candies faces proposed penalties of $133,000 in connection with the release of 8,000 pounds of ammonia from the plant's refrigeration system on Oct. 5, 2012.

News sources are reporting that a worker in Oregon was killed on Friday after falling into a blender used for processing meat. Authorities said the accident at Interstate Meat Distributors in Clackamas claimed the life of 41-year-old Hugo Avalos-Chanon, a contract worker employed by DCS Sanitation Management.

Just in time for the spring and summer construction season, OSHA has produced a new bilingual English-Spanish booklet, "Falling off Ladders Can Kill: Use Them Safely."