In Ohio: Musical instrument maker exposed workers to copper dust An Ohio musical instrument manufacturer has been cited by OSHA for exposing workers to copper dust and machine hazards. Conn-Selmer, Inc., is facing penalties of $200,230 for two repeated and seven serious safety and health violations. OSHA inspectors determined that the company exposed workers to copper dust in excess of the recommended permissible exposure levels and machine hazards that included failure to provide machine guarding and adequate controls to minimize exposure.

After a Florida driver was killed in a crash in 2016 while his Tesla was in “Autopilot” mode, regulators assured the public that Tesla’s autonomous driving system was safe. An investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that after a key component called Autosteer was added, crash rates in Tesla cars had dropped.

The fracking boom that’s made the U.S. the world’s top oil producer shows no signs of slowing down. But in Texas, the boom’s had what the state is calling an “unintended consequence," as oilfield highways have become overwhelmed with heavy truck traffic, there’s been an uptick in the number of deadly crashes. Officials are exploring solutions to this ongoing problem.

A new eGuide from the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) offers recommendations to industrial hygienists and occupational hygienists on ways to manage and advance their careers – no matter what stage of their career they’re at. The  IH Professional Pathway eGuide (PDF), offers practical suggestions to IH/OH professionals, with advice aligned with three different "tracks": technical, management and leadership. AIHA says the eGuide can be used by college students pursuing a technical course of study – even if they have not yet decided on a specific vocation - or more established professionals, perhaps contemplating a career change.

The major players involved in holding the 2019 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction will host a webinar to help would-be participants make the most of the event. Falls are the top cause of construction fatalities and account for a third of on-the-job injuries and deaths in the industry.

Dennis Mason's body was found, face down, between his truck and a crude oil tank at a well site near Kingfisher, Okla. Investigators immediately suspected he was killed by toxic vapors from the oil. But they weren't able to prove it, because state medical examiners didn't test Mason's blood for petroleum chemicals before declaring his death natural, the result of heart failure. OSHA inspectors had quickly sent word to the medical examiners that they suspected his death was related to his job hauling oil for Sunoco Logistics Partners.

According to audio taken from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of the cargo plane that crashed near Houston’s George Bush International Airport Feb. 23, “crew communications consistent with a loss control of the aircraft began approximately 18 seconds prior to the end of the recording.” That description from the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Office of Research and Engineering Vehicle Recorder Division was part of a preliminary report into the crash of Atlas Air Flight 3591, which claimed the lives of the three pilots on board.

There is a network of thousands of miles of pipes underlying the frenzied oil and gas development in the Permian Basin of Texas. Nationally, more than 450,000 miles of such gathering lines snake underground from wells, and reports of death and injury have emerged from Texas to Pennsylvania.

U.S. Congressman Don Bacon’s (R-NE) efforts to help protect the nation’s workers have won him recognition from the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) in the form of a Legislative Leadership Award. The award was presented to Bacon on February 26.

When working in freezing temperatures, it always pays to be prepared. Whether you’re working in a year-round cold environment such as cold storage or you’re working construction in the dead of winter, knowing a few cold weather safety tips can help you remain both functional and comfortable on the job.