Sprains, strains, and tears were the most frequently occurring injuries resulting in lost worktime, transfer, or restriction in five of the six industries studied in Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. More of these cases resulted in days of job transfer or restriction than days away from work in crop production; transportation equipment manufacturing; and amusement, gambling, and recreation.
Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout-Tagout) General Industry (1910.147)
January 4, 2019
Workers servicing or maintaining machines or equipment may be seriously injured or killed if hazardous energy is not properly controlled. Injuries resulting from the failure to control hazardous energy during maintenance activities can be serious or fatal. Injuries may include electrocution, burns, crushing, cutting, lacerating, amputating, or fracturing body parts.
OSHA statistics indicate that there are roughly 85 forklift fatalities and 34,900 serious injuries each year, with 42 percent of the forklift fatalities from the operators being crushed by a tipping vehicle.
Factors contributing to falls from ladders include haste, sudden movement, lack of attention, the condition of the ladder (worn or damaged), the user's age or physical condition, or both, and the user's footwear.
OSHA’s Eye and Face Protection standard was the tenth most-frequently cited agency standard in FY 2018.
January 4, 2019
OSHA requires employers to ensure the safety of all employees in the work environment. Eye and face protection must be provided whenever necessary to protect against chemical, environmental, radiological or mechanical irritants and hazards.
It’s a new year, and in many ways a fresh start; but not for the NORA (National Occupational Research Agenda) councils that continue to build on the efforts of the past two years. The ten sector councils from the second decade of NORA carried forward their work to improve occupational safety and health in industry sectors.
OSHA has cited roofing company Aspen Contracting Inc. – based in Lee’s Summit, Missouri – and subcontractor J Cuellar LLC – based in West Bend, Wisconsin – for exposing employees to dangerous fall hazards at a Fountain, Colorado construction site. The companies face proposed penalties totaling $147, 998.
29 CFR 1910.146: OSHA Confined Space Standard – General Industry
January 3, 2019
The standard applies to all general industry places of employment, including agricultural services, manufacturing, transportation and utilities, wholesale trade, food stores, hotels and other lodging, health services, museums, botanical gardens and zoos.
The standard applies to all occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica, except where employee exposure will remain below 25 μg/m3 as an 8-hour TWA under any foreseeable conditions and those occurring during agricultural operations covered under 29 CFR part 1928 and and exposures that result from the processing of sorptive clays.
OSHA 1926.1201 Safety and Health Regulations for Construction: Confined Spaces in Construction
January 3, 2019
Any entity doing construction work, such as building a new structure or upgrading an old one, must follow the construction confined space rule. Because the new rule applies to all employers who perform construction activities in a confined space, safety managers in all industries should become familiar with the standard.