Sparks and spatter fly off from the welding arc. Hot metal and sparks blow out from the cutting flame. The workpiece and equipment get hot. The flying sparks and hot metal, slag, spatter, hot workpiece, and hot equipment can cause burns.
A nationwide fall prevention initiative, how earnings expectations can affect safety and how flying safety can be improved through better weather reports were among the top stories featured on ISHN.com this week.
In Wheeling, West Virginia’s Rutherford Park, families will share memories of loved ones lost on the job. Names will be read, bells will be run and a wreath will be laid at the coal miner memorial.
What can you tell us so far about the Trump administration’s record on worker safety? Already we’ve seen the Trump administration repeal two important workplace safety rules. They’ve proposed the elimination of funding for worker safety and health training programs. They’ve proposed the elimination of the Chemical Safety Board. And they’ve proposed slashing the job safety research budget.
Managers of U.S. companies facing market pressures to meet earnings expectations may risk damaging the health and safety of workers to please investors according to recent research from the Naveen Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas.
Another depressing installment of the Weekly Toll.
Note that there are 39 fatalities listed here, going back, more or less, for about a week. There are an average of 13 workers killed every day on the job in the United States, which means the list below only covers about one-quarter of the workers actually killed on the job over the last week.
The personal and economic toll of eye injuries at work is alarming. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 20,000 workplace eye injuries happen each year. Injuries on the job often require one or more missed work days for recovery. In fact, OSHA reports that workplace eye injuries cost an estimated $300 million a year in lost productivity, medical treatment and worker compensation.
Retired miners face losing health benefits, Acosta looks likely for DOL head and the nation’s oldest safety association considers a brand new name. These were among the top stories featured on ISHN.com this week.
There are many metaphors that are commonly used in Washington DC. One of those metaphors is to describe something at “the third rail of politics.” Wikipedia defines “third rail of politics” as “a metaphor for any issue so controversial that it is “charged” and “untouchable” to the extent that any politician or public official who dares to broach the subject will invariably suffer politically.”
The 2012 death of an employee of North American Quarry and Construction Services, LLC has resulted in a $360,000 settlement with the contractor, which has withdrawn its contest of the violations leveled against it by U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).