Environmental Health and Safety

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The number of coal company officials charged in a case involving defrauding regulators about black lung disease has risen to nine, according to a recent announcement from the U.S. Department of Labor. U.S. Attorney Russell M. Coleman said Glendal “Buddy” Hardison, the former manager of all Armstrong Coal mines in western Kentucky, is the latest official from thecompany to be charged by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to defraud an agency of the U.S. government by deceit, trickery, and dishonest means.

Being a safety professional is not black and white like what you learned in university, college or what a safety enforcement officer will tell you. It is in fact, different shades of gray. This you will learn as you grow as a safety professional.

In the final seconds of the championship game, the quarterback hands off the football to his star running back. The running back skillfully weaves, dodges and avoids tackles. The home crowd cheers as he crosses the goal line, securing victory.

It almost sounds like the plot of a movie. Alert neighbors living near a home being renovated notice that some workers are improperly removing exterior asbestos tiles from the structure. They confront the man who claims to be the homeowner. He promises to remove the asbestos correctly, but the neighbors take videos showing that his workers continue to commit asbestos-related violations. Angry that the neighborhood’s residents – and those workers – are being exposed to the dangerous substance, they contact the...