Occupational Safety

RSS

On farms, manure storage facilities are used to store animal waste, which can then be used for fertilizer. Farmers or farm workers may need to enter the facilities to repair or maintain equipment, such as pumps and intake hoses. These confined spaces are often oxygen-deficient atmospheres and can contain toxic and/or explosive gases that create a dangerous environment.

A recent internet discussion group focused on the job market in 2013 for environmental health and safety pros. The discussion was kicked off by this question:

Maureen O’Donnell, CIH, an industrial hygienist at OSHA’s Office of Health Enforcement, has been elected vice president of the Academy of Industrial Hygiene (AIH).

OSHA’s stand down program is coming to the oil and gas industry. During national stand downs, participants are asked to suspend work for at least one hour in order to allow employees to attend meetings and learn safety and health information specific to their industry.

Optimum Plastics Inc. has been cited by OSHA after four workers suffered forearm fractures while operating winder machines with inadequate guarding at the company's Delaware packaging plant. OSHA has cited three safety violations carrying proposed penalties of $81,000.

OSHA inspectors who were traveling to a scheduled inspection drove past the trench worksite of a different company and saw no trench box in use. They also noticed that traffic along the road caused loose debris to fall from the trench's wall.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has released Chinese and Portuguese editions of its Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) best practices bulletin, in addition to the Spanish and English versions already available.

OSHA has cited Taylor’s Drain and Sewer Service in Lincoln, Neb. for ten safety violations after a worker was buried waist deep when a 9’ trench he was working in collapsed. The worker suffered a serious injury in the March, 2013 incident and required surgery.

Approximately 3,000 workers at the Washington Navy Yard were ordered to stay in place this morning after a man armed with an assault rifle, shotgun and handgun opened fire, killing 12 people and wounded at least eight others, news sources are reporting.

OSHA has cited St. Louis Cold Drawn for 26 safety violations after a worker was electrocuted May 15 when he reached into an energized electrical panel box to retrieve work gloves stored in the box at the company's St. Louis steel bar manufacturing facility.