Government Safety Regulations - Articles - Page 81

Company must reinstate trucker fired for refusing to drive in bad weather

July 1, 2019

A truck driver who was terminated for refusing to drive in dangerous weather must be reinstated by his employer, Freight Rite, Inc. OSHA issued that order – along with stiff penalties - after determining that the employee told Freight Rite management “of his reasonable apprehension of danger to himself and to the general public due to the hazardous road conditions”.

Confined Spaces: Airborne dust & particulates accumulate quickly

These hazardous materials require close exposure monitoring

Kevin Chase

July 1, 2019

Broadly speaking, a confined space is an area that is large enough for a worker to enter and do work, but that is difficult to get in and out of easily, and not designed or intended for regular occupancy.

Safe travels for you AND your drone on the 4th

July 1, 2019

As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day with family and friends, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is reminding Americans to keep safety front and center. If you’re planning to fly somewhere, remember that fireworks are hazardous and are not allowed on aircraft. They are not allowed in carry-on baggage nor packed luggage. There are also other items that are used every day that are considered hazardous when brought on airplanes.

Weekly news round-up

June 29, 2019

A worker’s high-profile death at a baseball stadium, workplace violence at a car dealership and not all types of sitting are equally bad for your health. These were among the top occupational safety and health stories featured on ISHN.com this week.

Georgia manufacturer exposes workers to hazmat, struck-by hazards

June 27, 2019

OSHA has cited Woodgrain Millwork Co. – operating as Woodgrain Distribution Inc. – for exposing employees to chemical and struck-by hazards at the company’s distribution facility in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The company faces $125,466 in penalties. The agency cited the wood molding, window, and door distributor for failing to provide employees with eye, face, and hand protection to prevent exposure to chemical injuries, and provide a functioning eyewash station for employees handling corrosive chemicals.

Zookeeper injured by rhino; zoo cited by OSHA

June 26, 2019

OSHA has cited the Jacksonville Zoo in Florida for an incident earlier this year in which a zookeeper was seriously injured by a rhinoceros. News reports say Archie, a 50-year-old male Southern white rhinoceros, struck the zookeeper with his horn. She was treated for her injuries at a local hospital and released after several days.

Isolating hazardous energy with maintenance procedures

Lockout-tagout devices must resist corrosives, wet environments, improper removal

Mark H. Stromme

June 26, 2019

When employees perform maintenance on machinery or equipment, you must ensure that they know how to protect themselves from the release of hazardous energy. OSHA’s control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) standard at 1910.147 requires you to create procedures for employee protection.

NTSB blasts FRA for delaying railroad safety rule

June 25, 2019

The release off a final report on a fatal 2017 Amtrak train derailment gave the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) an opportunity to voice its frustration over repeated delays of a final rule that was published in 2016. Implementation of Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 270, “System Safety Program,” has been stayed six times and is currently deferred to September 4, 2019.

NTSB issues report on deadly Amtrak passenger train derailment

June 25, 2019

On December 18, 2017, at 7:34 a.m. Pacific standard time, southbound Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corporation) passenger train 501, consisting of 10 passenger railcars, a power railcar, a baggage railcar, and a locomotive at either end, derailed from a bridge near DuPont, Washington.

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Skylights - will we ever solve the problem?

J. Nigel Ellis, Ph.D., P.E., CSP, CPE

June 24, 2019

Why do so many workers and building occupants die from falling through plastic skylights? Why do we have a BLS.gov line item on falling through skylights, average about 16-20/year work deaths in the USA through 2017?