An Arizona Public Service (APS) employee was killed this week in a fire following an explosion in an underground electrical vault in downtown Phoenix. News sources say 41-year-old Ricardo Castillo died in the incident, which happened at approximately 10:30 p.m. on June 30. Another APS employee was able to escape the fire but suffered burn injuries to his hands and face.

The University of Kentucky (UK) is being honored for implementing a voucher program that reduces UK employees’ cost of buying organic produce and encourages healthy eating. The school has just received an HR Innovation Award from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program that provides participants with vouchers toward shares of weekly produce from a participating local organic farm of their choice.

An Iowa tire recycling company has been cited by the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Association (Iowa OSHA) after one of its employees suffered a partial amputation of his arm while on the job. News sources say the incident at Liberty Tire Recycling in Des Moines occurred on May 9, while workers were performing maintenance on the conveyor system of a tire grinding machine.

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”.

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.

With auto manufacturers producing more vehicles with automated driving components, the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) has developed a technical report to help companies safely manage their high-tech fleets. The report identifies key factors that fleet managers should consider when selecting automated vehicles and outlines a plan to assist with their safe operation.

The public will learn next month what caused an Amtrak train to collide head-on with a stationary CSX train near Cayce, South Carolina, when the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announces the results of its investigation into the incident. The engineer and conductor of the Amtrak train died as a result of the collision, which occurred on Feb. 4, 2018.

A recent spate of construction deaths in the U.S. illustrate the dangers faced by workers in the industry – in a variety of circumstances. A fall from a highway killed a worker in Harris County, Texas June 21. News reports say the man, a subcontractor with Choctaw Construction who was from Mexico, fell to his death at the Highway 288 expansion project being developed by Blue Ridge Transportation.

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.