Environmental Health and Safety

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Many occupational safety and health professionals perform tasks outside of their main area of expertise, according to a recent survey on their continuing education needs published in the American Journal of Industrial Hygiene icon. The survey built on the 2011 National Assessment of the Occupational Safety and Health Workforce, also called the Westat report, which had similar findings.

Federal safety regulators, state oil and gas authorities, and the energy industry need to close regulatory gaps that contributed to the worst oil drilling accident in nearly a decade, a federal agency said in an unprecedented report. The 2018 explosion and fire outside Quinton, Okla., killed five people, making it the deadliest accident in the drilling industry since 2010, when a BP oil rig exploded and killed 11 workers in the Gulf of Mexico.

The new-look Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is beginning to rewrite state rules to emphasize public safety and the environment instead of energy production. The previous law said encouraging production was regulators' top priority. In addition to the new focus on protecting the public and the environment, the law gives local governments some authority over the location of wells and changes the commission makeup to dilute industry influence.

California oil regulators levied more than $2.7 million in fines against Chevron Wednesday for alleged violations related to a series of west Kern oilfield leaks that shone a harsh light on the industry even as the state said they caused minimal environmental damage.

IBM has announced “major collaborations” with SmartCone, Guardhat, Garmin Health and Mitsufuji that will help to monitor the safety of workers in hazardous environments. The collaborations will use internet of things (IOT) technologies that have been integrated into wearables, the tech giant said in an announcement Wednesday. Workers in sectors including factories, construction and mining will use the technology, IBM added.

There’s a strong case to be made for wearable technology when it comes to promoting worker safety, especially in distribution and the warehouse. Continuous measurement of biometrics such as body temperature, heartrate and respiration has provided valuable new insights into human health.

Independent research firm Verdantix announced the 11 winners of the annual EHS Innovation Awards at the Verdantix Summit in Atlanta. The international awards recognize organizations which have implemented innovative EHS technologies. Winners were selected by three independent judges, including the heads of EHS at Amazon and Birla Carbon and the Director of the Campbell Institute at the National Safety Council.

From November 5 – 8, 2019, A+A – the Leading International Trade Fair for Safety, Security and Health at Work – held concurrently with the 36th International Congress for Occupational Safety and Health - will provide a comprehensive overview of the sector and its future in the digital age. Several new features have been added for this years’ event including the enhanced A+A Highlight Route, the “kommmitmensch Film & Media Festival of A+A 2019” and the international A+A START-UP ZONE.

As the keynote speaker at the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) Fall Conference, safety expert Richard Hawk presented "The Future of Safety in Manufacturing Plants: A Hawk-Eye View of What's on the Safety and Health Horizon." Hawk, who has more than 35 years of experience in the health and safety field, offered tips for how to energize on-site safety trainings at manufacturing plants and facilities.