Editor Dave Johnson brings more than three decades of experience as an occupational safety and health journalist to the stories he writes for ISHN each month. Whether he’s drilling down through the data or examining the big picture, Dave finds the intersection of safety and humanity on a variety of OSH-related topics. Here are his 2017 articles for ISHN Magazine.
The BLS releases 2016 occupational fatality statistics, U.S. teens are smoking cigarettes less but vaping more and an Amtrak train derailment in Washington State claims lives. Here are the top stories of the week:
Workers who were dismantling a mercury boiler in Portsmith, New Hampshire were exposed to high levels of mercury, according to OSHA inspectors who took action following workers’ complaints.
In response, OSHA cited Manafort Brothers, Inc. of Plainville, Connecticut for two willful and six serious violations concerning mercury, respirators, protective clothing, and sanitary conditions. The construction contractor faces penalties of $329,548.
With over one million workers entering confined spaces each year, it’s essential that safety managers invest in developing a confined space entry (CSE) plan of action, which can help identify and alleviate present risks.
When is asking employees about their illness OK, what caused a cargo ship to sink during a hurricane and which category of first responder saw on-the-job injuries decrease sharply last year? These questions were answered by the stories featured on ISHN.com this week.
Under Food Code, to prevent spread of foodborne illness, yes
December 14, 2017
While health concerns are usually considered private matters, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wants restaurant managers to talk to employees who are ill, to make sure they don’t spread foodborne illness to co-workers and customers.
It’s a significant problem. Nearly half of restaurant-related outbreaks are caused by sick food workers.
Managers may be hesitant to ask their employees about symptoms and diagnoses, especially since that conversation might lead to workers missing work and forgoing pay.
A new compilation of articles published in the November issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, describes an effort led by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to develop and evaluate clinical decision support (CDS) designed to assist primary care clinicians’ with care of their working patients using CDS tools in electronic health records.
Changes in safety and health approaches are needed both in and outside of government. Many established beliefs and assumptions concerning government operations currently are being re-evaluated and questioned. This reset presents an opportunity.
Methylene chloride kills. We wrote about 21-year old Kevin Hartley last June. He died last April 29 — Workers Memorial Day — while when he was overcome by methylene chloride while stripping a bath tub. Seventeen workers have died from over-exposure to methylene chloride between 2000 and 2015, and probably at least as many consumers. “Methylene chloride is too dangerous to keep on the store shelves,” said Dr. Robert Harrison of the University of California San Francisco. He says in a small room, just a half gallon’s worth of product containing that chemical can lead to a buildup of vapors that can prove lethal in less than an hour.
American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Executive Director Dennis Hudson has been honored with the President’s Distinguished Service Award by the U.K.-based Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). The presentation occurred in November at the IOSH annual conference in Birmingham, England.
The award honors the work and achievements of individuals who have made significant contributions to IOSH or the occupational safety and health profession for several years.
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