The EHS year in review, dangerous noise, ASSE extends its global reach and the explosion of a train carrying crude oil in North Dakota were among this week’s top stories on ISHN.com.
Heavy snowfall, frigid temps cause special hazards for workers
How to stay informed, reduce risk
While the record snowfalls slamming a large swath of the U.S. are keeping many people indoors, some who work outdoors or whose jobs involve driving do not have that option.
Deadline for ISHN's Readers' Choice and ASSE Safety 2014 Attendee Choice Awards is Feb. 1
One entry puts you both awards programs
Enter your best-of-the-best product(s) in any of ISHN’s 50+ EHS categories. Public voting begins in March – and you’ll have a chance to win one or both contests in each product category you enter!
Seahawks football fans, and the team, take pride in the Seattle Rattle
"The 12th man"
From the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team website: “Sunday, November 27th 2005 in a dramatic overtime win, the Seahawks defeated the New York Giants who were called for 11 false start penalties and 3 missed field goals — Courtesy of the 12th MAN’s vocal support.
NTSB issues five new general aviation safety alerts
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued five new Safety Alerts last week that provide general aviation (GA) pilots with mitigating strategies for preventing the most frequent types of accidents.
PtD coordinator needed in Cincinnati
NIOSH is seeking an industrial hygienist or safety engineer to coordinate the agency’s Prevention through Design (PtD) program. This position offers the opportunity to serve a national initiative that promotes the prevention and reduction of occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities through the design and re-design of workplace environments.
Supervisor safety liability: Four common exposures
The responsibilities and expectations placed on supervisors are enormous at times—production, workforce management, quality control, budgets, and of course safety. These “deliverables” communicated to them by management require the supervisor to work within the employers system to effectively perform their duties.
Not far enough away from the roaring crowd
Earlier this fall, Seattle Seahawks fans at CenturyLink Field broke the world record for loudest stadium crowd with a brain-rattling 136.6 decibels. Weeks later, Kansas City Chiefs fans at Arrowhead Stadium upped the antie with 137.5 piercing decibels of their own.
Four million workers go to work each day in damaging noise
NIOSH recommends that all worker exposures to noise should be controlled below a level equivalent to 85 dBA for eight hours to minimize occupational noise induced hearing loss.
EHS goes global
ASSE teams up with China, Taiwan counterparts to advance occupational health & safety issues
The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) has signed memorandums of understandings that will explore opportunities to collaborate, exchange technical information and conduct joint educational programs with the largest occupational health and safety organizations in China and Taiwan.
Lack of machine guarding costs worker four fingers
A week later: machine in use, still no guarding
Grand Rock Co. Inc. of Painesville, Ohio has been cited by OSHA for one willful and one serious safety violation after a worker suffered the amputation of four fingers on June 12. The employee was operating an unguarded machine that bends tubes at the Painesville automotive parts manufacturer.
Listening to loud music:
Buds up to 4x as likely to cause hearing loss as headphones, says research
Youngsters could be risking permanent hearing loss by listening music in loud volume, a latest study reveals. The UK study showed that around 60 percent of youngsters are risking their hearing power to loud music.
Train carrying oil strikes derailed train, explodes in N. Dakota
Both trains owned by BNSF Railroad
A train transporting crude oil exploded in a giant fireball yesterday in North Dakota after hitting another train that had derailed. No injuries were reported, although the accident sent more than 2,400 people living within a five mile radius of the crash site to hastily set up shelters in Fargo.
Acoustical trauma – a particular risk for call center workers
coustic trauma, also known as acoustic shock, can occur when a person is subjected to an extremely loud noise or series of loud noises such as gun shots, explosions or shouting at very close proximity.
The Year in Review:
Falls remain leading cause of construction industry deaths
Prevention, protection options numerous but not always used
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.
Ladder safety info goes digital and bilingual
Ladder safety came in for a fair amount of attention during 2014. Federal agencies like OSHA and NIOSH produced ladder safety materials in several languages. Among the resources that can help safety professionals keep workers who use ladders free from injury:
