Today's Safety News

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A report on the health of children as it relates to the environment shows that fewer U.S. children are being exposed to lead, tobacco smoke and air pollution, but more are developing asthma.

A recent incident at a rural oil and gas production site in Texas that critically injured two people has the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) renewing its call for more precautions – despite the fact that the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC-TX) has declined to increase security at such sites, arguing that the number of incidents doesn’t justify it.

A public service career that started “almost as a lark” ends – at least for now – with the departure of Hilda S. Solis as U.S. Secretary of Labor. In her farewell on the Department of Labor’s (DOL) blog, Solis listed the accomplishments of the department under her tenure:

BP has named Bob Fryar Executive Vice-President for Safety and Operational Risk (S&OR), starting February 15th. Fryar, who is currently Executive Vice President for production in BP’s upstream business, will report directly to Bob Dudley, Group Chief Executive. Dudley said that Fryar’s “deep technical expertise, profound knowledge of our operations and commitment to our values will serve him well in his new role” on the executive team.

In a move that could impact worker health and safety, the U.S. Labor Department (DOL) will launch a $1.9 million study on job misclassification. “The misclassification of employees as something other than employees, such as independent contractors, presents a serious problem for affected employees, employers, and to the entire economy,” according to the DOL.

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) submitted comments on Jan. 22 raising questions about a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed-policy to allow the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) oversight of aircraft cabin workplace safety issues. The FAA proposal raises the specter of additional oversight and regulation of business aircraft operations, according to an NBAA press statement.

Seth D. Harris, the Department of Labor's deputy secretary since May 2009, has been named acting secretary of labor. Before joining the department, Harris was a professor of law at New York Law School and director of its Labor & Employment Law Programs.

In mid-January, in a press conference in front of Target Corporation headquarters in downtown Minneapolis, over two dozen employees of retail cleaning companies that clean Target stores in the Twin Cities metro area announced OSHA complaints that were filed January 17th. The complaints allege that workers, who are employees of the cleaning contractors, are locked in the Target stores and must find a manager to unlock doors if there is a need to exit the building.

National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah A. P. Hersman is testifying about pipeline safety today before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Hersman will provide an overview of the NTSB’s ongoing investigation into the cause of a natural gas transmission pipeline rupture that occurred in Sissonville, West Virginia on Dec.11, 2012.

December impact inspections by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) found one of the lowest number of violations to date, but Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health said: "We still see some mines that fail to address recurring problems that put miners at risk."