Permissible exposure limits rulemaking, a construction safety worksheet and another hazmat train derailment were among the top stories featured on ISHN.com this week.
CSB: Our recommendations are making a difference
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released a video safety message discussing the role that the CSB recommendations program plays in ensuring that the Board’s accident investigations have a lasting impact on industrial safety.
OSHA moves forward on updating PELs
OSHA today announced the publication of a Request for Information (RFI) to stakeholders and others requesting recommendations on how the agency might update its permissible exposure limits (PELs) for hundreds of chemicals, many of which have exposure limits dating back to 1970.
High-pollution days linked to increased risk of cardiac arrest
Rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest are elevated after days with high levels of air pollutants, reports a Japanese study in the October Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).
MSHA: Operator failures lead to double fatality at West Virginia coal mine
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has released the findings of its investigation into an accident in May at Brody Mine No. 1 that killed two miners. The underground coal mine, located in Boone County, West Virginia, is operated by Brody Mining LLC, a subsidiary of Patriot Coal Corp.
From CPWR-
New worksheets help you rate, improve your worksite safety
It’s no secret that when workers and management value safety, there tend to be fewer hazardous work practices on the jobsite. But are safety managers doing all they can to make that happen?
Georgia paint manufacturer exposed workers to amputation, electrical hazards
Plaid Enterprises Inc. was cited by OSHA for six safety violations that involved amputation, electrical and other safety hazards following an April 2014 inspection at the company's craft paint production facility located on Mellon Court in Decatur.
The high cost of roadway accidents
Motor vehicle crashes – a leading cause of injury in the U.S. generally and consistently the leading cause of U.S. work-related fatalities – impose a “terrible public health burden and economic cost” on Americans, according to a "Vital Signs" bulletin just released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Hazmat train derailment in Canada forces evacuation
Dozens of residents in Saskatchewan, Canada were evacuated yesterday after a train carrying hazardous materials derailed, spilling petroleum distillate and bursting into flames. Petroleum distillates are used in diesel, kerosene, heating oil and jet fuel.
Calling all respirator manufacturers
NIOSH to hold meeting on Standard Application Procedure Oct. 22
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) is holding a meeting for all respirator manufacturers on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 at the NIOSH Pittsburgh site. Remote participation, via Adobe Connect, will be available.
DTSC warns companies about manifest mistakes
Eight manifest mistakes to avoid in California
Hazardous waste generators in California recently received an alert from the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) by mail. The DTSC’s letter addresses a growing problem with Hazardous Waste Manifests: DTSC finds mistakes on many of the roughly 500,000 Manifests it receives and compiles in the Hazardous Waste Tracking System (HWTS) each year.
National COSH recognizes Health and Safety award winners
Activists from CA, MA, NY, and NJ lauded for standing up for safer workplaces
The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) says the the winners of its 2014 health and safety awards are “extraordinary people” who are helping to make workplaces safer by empowering workers and building coalitions.
Healthcare workers aren’t always handling antineoplastic drugs safely
A new National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study published online in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (JOEH) found that recommended safe handling practices for workers who administer antineoplastic drugs in healthcare settings are not always followed.
2015 ISHN Readers' Choice and ASSE Safety Attendee Choice Awards now accepting submissions
ISHN's 2015 Readers' Choice Awards and the ASSE Safety 2015 Attendee Choice Awards programs are now accepting submissions. Just one product entry will qualify your company to win both awards programs.
Report: NY airport workers face serious health, safety hazards
Hazardous exposure to bodily fluids, bloodborne pathogens, unlabeled chemical cleaners, diesel emissions, temperature extremes and ear-splitting noise has put contracted airport workers at risk, according to a report by the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH). The report confirmed the many dangerous, yet preventable, working conditions that workers at JFK and LaGuardia airports have complained about for years.
KY firefighter injured in “Ice Bucket Challenge” dies
A Kentucky firefighter who was injured while participating in an ALC “Ice Bucket Challenge” has died from his injuries, according to news sources.
Renovation work results in respiratory illness
Fourteen workers renovating an old house in Quebec, Canada developed a respiratory disease from inhaling hazardous materials, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which warns employers to provide appropriate protective equipment during such work.
MSHA awards $1M in Brookwood-Sago mine safety grants
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has awarded $1 million through its Brookwood-Sago grants program to seven organizations that provide education and training within the mining industry.
Drug & alcohol testing for railroad workers delayed
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced an extension of the comment period for proposed new alcohol and drug testing requirements for railroad maintenance workers. The regulations, which were unveiled in July, would mean an expansion of drug and alcohol testing that is already in place for conductors, engineers and dispatchers.
