A new warning about the skyrocketing rates of e-cigarette use among young people, a film crew member killed in New York City and 2017 work-related fatality statistics from the BLS were among the week’s top occupational safety and health stories featured on ISHN.com.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released this week show that the incidence rate for non-fatal occupational injuries and illnesses in the meat and poultry packing and processing industry reached an all-time industry low.
Cal/OSHA has cited a manufacturer of cannabis products for multiple
serious safety violations following an explosion that seriously injured a worker.
On June 19, an employee of Future2 Labs Health Services was working alone inside a
128-square-foot portable storage container in Watsonville, using propane to extract oil
from cannabis leaves.
Working on electrical equipment exposes a worker to electric shock and arc flash hazards. Unlike many safety concerns, these hazards simply can’t be eliminated or avoided as working on or around energized equipment is often required for some tasks, such as using a meter to test for voltage or rack a breaker.
With a growing number of states legalizing marijuana, causing a rapid increase in the cannabis industry workforce, increasing attention is being given to the health and safety of those involved in the cultivation and distribution of the substance in its various forms. One potentially serious health risk is from occupational exposure to mold.
The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) reports struck-by falling objects result in hundreds of fatalities annually and thousands of injuries. In 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 255 fatalities and 47,920 injuries from dropped objects in the United States.
29 CFR 1910.21-1910.30 Final Rule Industry Walking-Working Surfaces Standards Personal Protective Equipment
December 20, 2018
OSHA's efforts to revise and update the existing general industry walking-working surfaces standards have been underway since 1973. The final rule incorporates advances in technology, industry best practices, and national consensus standards to provide effective and cost-efficient worker protection.
Work started on Z10 in March, 1999. Almost 100 safety and health professionals spent six years drafting and reworking the document. The Z10 standard for occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS) is now titled ANSI/ASSP Z10-2012 (R2017).
The standard provides requirements for managing combustible dust fire and explosion hazards. It directs the users to appropriate NFPA industry or commodity-specific standards by establishing a relationship and hierarchy between them.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer’s re-classification of welding fume as a Class 1 carcinogen has emphasized the health risks welders face. Previously classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” welders should take every precaution possible to protect their health.