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One man – a company owner – has turned fall prevention in the construction industry into a moral crusade. A fall victim has made a video to warn others about the mistake he made on the job – an error that left him paralyzed.

Excessive and prolonged exposure to loud noise in the workplace can cause workers to be susceptible to cases of industrial deafness. According to the Health and Safety Executive (United Kingdom) more than one1 million U.K. employees are currently at risk of suffering from future industrial deafness due to the conditions in which they currently work.

The consultants and staff of Mercer HSE Networks (formerly of ORC Worldwide) are moving into the final phase of their transition to ORCHSE Strategies, LLC, effective January 1, 2014.

Metalworkers are accustomed to working in hazardous environments. Plants, factories, workshops and construction sites all come with unique safety risks. It’s understandable to focus on being cautious when operating machinery or cutting sheet metal. But one safety risk that’s easy to overlook on the job is being exposed to metalworking chemicals.

OSHA has cited Tim Graboski Roofing Inc. of Delray Beach for four safety violations, including two willful, following the death of a worker. OSHA also conducted a second inspection at a different company location as part of the agency's local emphasis program on fall hazards in construction.

Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA and Dr. John Howard, Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), spoke recently at the 2013 National Worker Safety and Health Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.

OSHA has cited Emerald Coast RV Center LLC of Robertsdale for nine serious safety violations following an inspection at the recreational vehicle sales and service facility on Highway 59 South. Prompted by a complaint, the agency initiated an inspection in August, resulting in proposed penalties of $41,000.

Rail Car Services LLC has been cited by OSHA for 11 safety and health violations, including eight repeat, at its Kansas City rail car refurbishing facility. An inspection began following a complaint about previously cited violations that resurfaced and involved fall protection and permit-required confined space hazards.

Among the many items on the federal government’s recently-released fall regulatory agenda are nine belonging to the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Two of them are in the final stage of rulemaking.