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What caused engine failure, fire in commercial aircraft?

December 5, 2017

Engine failure on an American Airlines plane that resulted in serious injuries to a passenger and substantial damage to the aircraft will be the subject of a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) meeting on Jan. 23, 2018. The Boeing 767-300 experienced an uncontained failure of the right engine during the take-off roll at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.


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Patient advocates: Senate tax bill will deprive Americans of affordable health care

Will bring “harm to patients and families”
December 5, 2017

A group of 15 non-partisan patient and consumer organizations say the Senate Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed this week “takes yet another step towards undermining the stability of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) insurance markets." The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network; American Heart Association and others said; "The repeal of the individual insurance mandate destabilizes an essential pillar of the ACA by removing incentives for young and healthy people to purchase insurance."


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Here’s a hurricane recovery hazard you didn’t think of

December 5, 2017
Reinforced plastic tarps, commonly called “Blue Roofs,” provide temporary protection for the roofs of homes and other buildings damaged during severe weather such as a hurricane or tornado. However, when employees access roofs to install these tarps, they are at risk of falls, electrocutions, and other hazards. OSHA has issued a new fact sheet containing steps that employers can follow to help keep workers safe.
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Retired miners may get to keep promised health care benefits

December 4, 2017

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals last week dismissed an appeal by CONSOL Energy that sought to overturn a federal judge’s decision requiring CONSOL to continue paying for health care benefits to some 3,400 retired miners, their dependents and widows. Judge David A. Faber of the Federal Court for Southern West Virginia in Bluefield found CONSOL was attempting to violate a collective bargaining agreement requirement to pay for lifetime health care benefits for retirees.


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A Confined Space blog post

“Weird noise coming from the chipper” as employee is dragged to his death

December 4, 2017

This article by Elizabeth Floyd Mair of the Altamont Enterprise is a rare summary of a court case involving an employer challenge of an OSHA citation related to the gruesome death of a day laborer who was dragged into a wood-chipper on May 4, 2016. The employer, Tony Watson, owner of Countryside Tree Care, is contesting citations totaling $141,811 related to the death of Justus Booze, a 23-year old day laborer halfway through his first day on the job.


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Safety tips for reducing “chain shot risk” in lumber industry

December 4, 2017
Tree harvesters and processor attachments equipped with hydraulic bar saws cut with great power and speed. When a chain breaks, if a resulting whipping action projects a chain shot link, the link often has a mass, velocity and resultant energy, in some cases enough to reach an operator in a cab, which has potential to cause damage, harm or severe injury. This may be complicated by the remote nature of forestry operations.
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How to avoid foodborne illness this holiday season

December 4, 2017
For many, feasting with friends and family is the best part of the holiday season. Whether you are hosting or attending celebrations, food is often prepared in one location and taken to another. Use the following tips to curtail the diverse opportunities which allow bacterial growth and contamination. Stop Foodborne Illness, a national nonprofit, public health organization dedicated to preventing illness and death from foodborne pathogens wants to ensure that safe food handling becomes a normal part of everyone’s holiday plans. Many standard food safety practices such as hand washing, and avoiding cross contamination apply no matter what you’re celebrating. These tips are offered with the goal of making your festivities memorable. (In a good way!)
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Older drivers set record for second year

Safety enhancements address their needs
December 1, 2017
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published new data today showing a record-high 221.7 million licensed drivers in the U.S. in 2016, including 41.7 million – or almost one in five – who are 65 years or older. This age group is growing faster than any other, and is far outpacing their teenage counterparts. The largest single-year percentage increase in licensed drivers that year was among those who are between 75-79 years old, increasing by 4.98 percent over the previous year. Except for five states – Michigan, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming – the nation saw increases among licensed drivers in 2016 compared to the previous year.
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A Confined Space blog post

Hurricane recovery workers face safety, health and wage problems according to report

December 1, 2017
Substandard conditions in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey have impacted workers’ health and safety on the job, as well as their wages according to a devastating new report from from the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) and University of Illinois Chicago that surveyed 360 workers. The report also offers recommendations for improving working conditions during post-disaster recovery operations. Hurricanes and other disasters present a major challenge for OSHA and other local and national government agencies dedicated to protecting workers during recovery operations.
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Workers “fortunate” to escape injury at Pa. energy company

December 1, 2017
A Pennsylvania company willfully exposed its workers to confined space and fall hazards, according to OSHA, which has assessed US Environmental Inc. proposed penalties of $333,756 for a dozen safety violations. The Downingtown company is an integrated industrial energy services firm that serves the energy, petroleum, natural gas, petro-chemical, power, chemical, manufacturing and engineering sectors. Investigators inspected the facility on May 31, 2017, and found that the company failed to implement rescue procedures for employees in confined spaces; provide protective equipment when working in confined spaces; and provide employees with fall protection training and equipment.
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