Occupational Safety

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Fatal falls, slips, or trips took the lives of 666 workers in 2011, or about 14 percent of all fatal work injuries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Falls to lower level accounted for 541 of those fatalities.

A new report finds that many immigrant workers in New Hampshire have no knowledge of workers’ compensation, leading -- in some cases -- to medical bills for work-related injuries going upaid, or to workers not seeking treatment for work-related injuries because they couldn’t afford to pay for it themselves.

An employee at a NJ surgical center who was stuck with a contaminated needle was not counseled about what to do in the wake of the injury, was not tested in a timely manner for disease and was not provided with appropriate medicine to help him avoid contracting a disease, according to OSHA inspectors, who have cited the Health East Ambulatory Surgical Center for 10 serious violations.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA), has announced the winners of the 2013 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards™.

Topic: Firefighters. Q) Has your company ever worked with firefighters to address their specific fall protection needs while performing their daily work duties? How so?

Minnesota experienced a significant drop in workplace fatalities in 2011, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor (BLS). Preliminary data from the BLS's Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries shows that there were 60 fatalities from work injuries in Minnesota in 2011.

With the much anticipated sequestration deadline finally here, OSHA plans to freeze hiring and bonuses – moves that will enable the agency to avoid furloughing employees despite the looming budget cuts. That contradicts a Feb. 8 White House prediction that sequestration would force OSHA to take some of its inspectors off the job, at least for a period of time.

Last month, Assistant Secretary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Dr. David Michaels held an OSHA Employees All-Hands Meeting. OSHA employees who were not able to attend the meeting in person were able to participate through the web.

A gas well fire that injured three workers has resulted in two serious citations against a West Virginia drilling company. OSHA inspected Hall Drilling LLC’s facilities following the August 2012 incident as part of its regional emphasis program for the oil and gas industry. Proposed penalties total $12,600.

The deadline for nominating people for Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) Awards of Excellence (AoE) is coming up fast. Nominations must be postmarked by Thursday, February 28, 2013 to qualify.