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A Confined Space blog post

What’s going on inside OSHA?

October 23, 2017

Back from vacation and checking in with people to see what’s going on at the agency charged with assuring the safety and health of American workers. And the answer is not much…and a lot. The Mysteriously Missing Assistant Secretary: The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee yesterday approved the nominations of a Deputy Secretary (Patrick Pizzella), the head of Wage & Hour (Cheryl Stanton), and the head of MSHA (David Zatezalo), all on identical party line votes (all the R’s voted for the nominees, and all of the Dems voted against.)

Half dozen workers injured at NYC construction site

October 23, 2017

Six construction workers were injured last week – four seriously – at a Brooklyn, New York worksite. According to news sources, the injuries occurred when a two-story brick building that was under construction collapsed after a load of cinder blocks was placed on its roof.

Supervisor support critical to employee well-being and workforce readiness

Fewer women than men report opportunities to develop skills needed for career growth

October 23, 2017

Nearly half of American workers are concerned about the changing nature of work, and although most report that they have the skills they need to perform their current job well, those without supervisor support for career development are more likely to distrust their employer and plan on leaving within the next year, according to a new survey released by the American Psychological Association.

NJ scaffold put workers “dangerously close to power lines”

Co. owner cited previously for same violations

October 23, 2017

A South Jersey construction company owner with a long history of workplace safety violations was cited by OSHA for exposing workers to serious scaffold hazards at a job site in Philadelphia. The owner, Vyacheslav Leshko faces $191,215 in proposed penalties. OSHA inspectors responded to a complaint of unsafe working conditions at DH Construction LLC., and discovered employees performing masonry and bricklaying while working on a scaffold that was dangerously close to power lines.

U.S., Europe update aviation safety agreement

October 20, 2017

In updating its long-standing aviation safety agreement with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cited the importance in international partnerships between aviation regulators in securing safety in the global aviation market. The revised agreement, which was signed on September 22, 2017, includes changes to enhance the risk-based approach to safety by optimizing reliance on each authority’s expertise in aircraft certification through Revision 6 of the Technical Implementation Procedures (TIP).

From NIOSH

Pilot program helps prevent bullying among nurses

October 20, 2017

While many of us think of bullying as something that happens in school, for many workers bullying remains a persistent problem in the workplace. At NIOSH, researchers study how to prevent work-related bullying, particularly in the nursing profession.

Circle the date: Next year’s National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls is set

October 20, 2017

Start planning now. The 2018 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls will be held May 7-11. The Safety Stand-Down is a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees about safety. Employers are encouraged to take a break during the event and focus on fall hazards and and fall prevention.

Survey: Safety, worker shortages are top contractor concerns

October 20, 2017

Improving the safety performance of both employees and contractors was identified as a top priority for driving organization's contractor management goals, according to a recent Contractor Management Survey by ISN, a global leader in contractor and supplier information management.

Insurance plays significant role in breast cancer disparities

Study concludes improving access to care could close much of racial gap

October 19, 2017

Differences in insurance account for a substantial proportion of the excess risk of death from breast cancer faced by black women, according to a new study. The study, appearing in Journal of Clinical Oncology, concludes that equalizing access to care could address much of the existing black/white disparity in breast cancer mortality.

Inside NIOSH:

Paid sick leave may help employers reduce costs

October 19, 2017

If you have recuperated from an illness or injury at home recently—or enjoyed the workplace quietude while your coughing, sniffling, and sneezing coworker stayed home—you probably know firsthand the benefits of paid sick leave. Unfortunately, many workers still do not have access to this job benefit, even though it may help employers reduce absenteeism-related costs, according to a recent NIOSH study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.