OSHA has delayed the enforcement date for its final rule on occupational exposure to beryllium in general, construction, and shipyard industries until May 11, 2018 – a move that angered the United Steelworkers (USW) union. The start of enforcement had previously been set for March 12, 2018.
The agency said the 60-day delay will “ensure that stakeholders are aware of their obligations, and that OSHA provides consistent instructions to its inspectors.”
An international study suggests other aspects of the diet may not offset the harmful effect of sodium on blood pressure. The study, published in the American Heart Association’s (AHA) journal Hypertension, also reaffirms the need for widespread sodium reduction in the food supply.
Researchers reviewed data on sodium intake and intake of 80 nutrients, such as proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and amino acids, that may relate to blood pressure in 4,680 women and men (ages 40-59) in Japan, People’s Republic of China, the United Kingdom and the United States participating in the INTERMAP study.
An alarming leap in excavation and trench-related fatalities has made reducing them an Agency Priority Goal for OSHA for 2018.
The agency plans to accomplish this by increasing awareness of trenching hazards in construction, educating employers and workers on safe cave-in prevention solutions, and decreasing the number of trench collapses.
OSHA has cited a Palatine, Illinois-based contractor for multiple safety violations after agency inspectors observed employees exposed to fall hazards on half a dozen Chicago-area residential roofing projects between August and November 2017. The company faces $281,286 in proposed penalties.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has begun offering a series of free, confidential health screenings to coal miners as part of the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP). The screenings are intended to provide early detection of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP), also known as black lung, a serious but preventable occupational lung disease in coal miners caused by breathing respirable coal mine dust.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the creation of a Compliance Assistance Program to help regulated entities - including vehicle and trailer manufacturers, equipment manufacturers, and dealers - comply with safety regulations as a means to promote safety on our highways.
Las Vegas hotel housekeepers negotiating new union contracts with their employers are seeking something New York City hotel housekeepers have had for five years: “panic buttons” they can use to summon immediate help in case they’re assaulted.
Persistent rainfall has continued rain has complicated the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the Feb. natural-gas related house explosion in Dallas that killed a young girl.
The incident claimed the life of the 12-year-old, injured several other people and destroyed a single family home.
The messages to OSHA from the Chamber of Commerce at this week’s House hearing were clear:
1. Don’t (miss)use the General Duty Clause as a substitute for issuing OSHA standards.
2. Don’t issue any OSHA standards.
On the heels of an announcement by the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) that that organization is fast-tracking an active shooter response standard comes word that the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) is also taking steps to address the issue.
The ASSE convened a working group of safety and health experts to provide insights into the development of an active shooter technical report, which could guide organizations toward safer work environments with fewer hostile events.
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