The staff of Industrial Safety & Hygiene News wishes you a happy 4th of July. Although many people will get today off work others – especially public service personnel who perform vital services – will be on the job. Whatever your work status, we hope you get a chance to enjoy the festivities and fireworks, grilling and sunshine, friends and family. There’s still plenty of summer left, so we thought we’d provide you with some reminders about how to enjoy the season safely.

Cincinnati Metro, a service of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, had a stellar safety year in 2018. While providing about 14 million rides throughout the Greater Cincinnati area, Cincinnati Metro: reduced overall preventable accidents by 20%; reduced collisions by 80%; had zero lost-time injuries in maintenance,

An alarming increase in the incidence of the black lung disease among the nation’s coal miners has led to a call by the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) and the United Steelworkers International Union (USW) for a new standard to protect miners from the silica dust that causes the disease. In a letter to David Zatezalo, the head of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), UMWA President Cecil Roberts and USW President Leo W. Gerard noted that changes in mining practices have led to increased exposure to silica for miners.

Parents who view off-highway vehicles (OHVs) as suitable for drivers too young to have drivers’ licenses should take note: they can be just as dangerous as street-legal vehicles. OHVs include all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs), and utility task vehicles (UTVs). The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is alerting parents and all off-highway vehicle (OHV) riders to not allow their children to drive adult-size OHVs and to use caution when allowing them to ride OHVs.

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.