OSHA Cites New Bedford, Mass., Seafood Processor following Worker Death in Ice Machine

BRAINTREE, Mass. - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a New Bedford, Mass., seafood processor, for 23 alleged violations of workplace safety standards after a worker was killed on May 4 when he became caught in the moving parts of a large industrial ice-making machine that activated while he was performing maintenance work inside it.

OSHA found that the plant lacked specific steps and procedures to power down and lock out the ice machine's power source before employees entered it. The agency's investigation also found that workers were not trained to recognize and address the hazard of the machine operating without warning. In addition, the plant lacked a program and employee training for working in confined spaces, such as the ice machine, and ladders were not available to ensure safe entry and exit from the ice machine.

"This is exactly the type of grave accident that OSHA's hazardous energy control, or 'lockout/tagout' standard, is designed to prevent," said Brenda Gordon, OSHA's area director for southeastern Massachusetts. "For the safety of their workers, employers must always ensure that machinery is powered down and its power sources locked out before workers perform maintenance. Employers must also ensure that workers are properly trained for work in confined spaces."

Additionally, OSHA's inspection identified unmarked exit doors and a lack of emergency exit route lighting, no eyewash or drenching facilities for employees working with corrosive chemicals, a lack of material safety data sheets and chemical hazard communication training, unguarded open-sided floors, a missing safety latch on a hoisting hook and several electrical-related hazards.

All told, these conditions resulted in the issuance of 19 serious citations, with $62,800 in proposed fines. OSHA issues serious citations when death or serious physical harm is likely to result from hazards about which the employer knew or should have known. The company also has been fined $4,000 for four other-than-serious hazards, including incomplete recording of injuries and illnesses. The combined penalties total $66,800.

Let us know if you would like to preview the SafetyCertified Lockout/Tagout course: Control of Hazardous Energy blittle@safetycertified.com

Workplace H1N1 Influenza Precaution and Protection

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued commonsense fact sheets that employers and workers can use to promote safety during the current H1N1 influenza outbreak.

The fact sheets inform employers and workers about ways to reduce the risk of exposure to the 2009 H1N1 virus at work. Separate fact sheets for health care workers, who carry out tasks and activities that require close contact with 2009 H1N1 patients, contain additional precautions.

"Protecting our nation's workers is OSHA's top priority," said Jordan Barab, the agency's acting assistant secretary. "These fact sheets are tools we have developed to help ensure America's workers stay healthy and our businesses remain viable. OSHA's new fact sheets will help all employers identify appropriate actions to protect their workers."

OSHA's "Workplace Safety and H1N1" Web site provides easy to understand information appropriate for all workplaces and more extensive guidance for those involved in higher risk health care activities. The fact sheets are advisory in nature and informational in content.

As new information about the 2009 H1N1 virus becomes available, these workplace fact sheets will be updated. Employers and workers should review OSHA's http://www.osha.gov/h1n1 site often to ensure they have the most up-to-date information when making decisions about their operations and planning.

First World Pneumonia Day

November 2nd was the first World Pneumonia Day. A diverse group of health, humanitarian, business and industry, advocacy, faith based and community organizations have come together to increase worldwide awareness about the global burden of pneumonia and the prevention and treatment options that will have the greatest impact on reductions in child mortality and morbidity. CDC has provided technical assistance to this coalition.

Pneumonia is a leading killer of both children and adults around the globe. Few know that pneumonia kills approximately 2 million children under the age of five years worldwide each year. Resource-poor countries are particularly hard hit—for every child who dies of pneumonia in a developed country, more than 2,000 children die of pneumonia in developing countries. In the US, over 1 million children and adults are admitted to the hospital for pneumonia each year.
The CDC has released a comprehensive story on Prevention Detection and care in an effort to reduce the deaths attributed to pneumonia both in the US and worldwide.

SafetyCertified has many courses to teach preventing disease spread. To make these courses available to employees, contact us today blittle@safetycertified.com

To read the rest of the CDC’s storey click here

FOLLOW UP: Gunman Kills 12, Wounds 31 at Fort Hood

NBC News and msnbc.com
updated 9:48 p.m. CT, Thurs., Nov . 5, 2009

An Army psychiatrist who opened fire at Fort Hood, Texas, killing 12 people and wounding 31 others, was shot but captured alive, military officials said late Thursday.

The gunman, identified as Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, was wounded at the scene but was captured alive and was in stable condition, Lt. Gen. Robert W. Cone, commanding general of the Army’s III Corps, said at a press conference late Thursday.

Eleven of the victims died at the scene, military officials said. A 12th died later at a hospital, NBC station KCEN-TV of Waco reported. Cone said that most of those who were shot were military but two were civilians.

Cone also said that a female officer who was thought to be the first responder shot Hasan and was herself wounded and had undergone surgery at a hospital. It was not clear if the officer was a military policewoman or a civilian officer.

Col. Ben Danner said the suspect was shot at least four times. "I would say his death is not imminent," Cone said, adding that Hasan was in custody at a hospital.

It initially was reported that Hasan had been killed at the scene. But Cone said at the press conference that Hasan had been in custody since the incident occurred, and there was no explanation of the earlier report.

To read the rest of the story click here

BREAKING NEWS: 12 Dead, 31 Wounded in Shootings at Fort Hood in Texas

Texas - A shooting at Fort Hood military post in Texas killed 11, wounded as many as 31, and left the gunman dead, the Army said.

The shooter was killed and two other suspects were in custody, Lt. General Bob Cone said. All three were U.S. soldiers.

Cone said witnesses reported seeing more than one shooter, but that the primary shooter used two handguns.

The shooting took place 1:30 p.m Thursday at the post's Soldier Readiness Center where soldiers who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening.

"We have a terrible, tragic situation here," said Cone. "Soldiers, family members and the civilians that work here are absolutely devastated."

Cone said the injuries "vary significantly."

A motive wasn't immediately known.

The victims were a mix of civilian and military, but no children were involved, officials said.

The FBI ruled out terrorism.

Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said the shooting was a terrible tragedy for all of the military families affected.

The base and area schools were on lockdown after the mass shooting, and all those on the Army post were asked to gather for a head count.

FoxNews.com's Michelle Maskaly and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

SafetyCertified will update.

OSHA Addresses Workplace Violence and Fatigue at Upcoming International Conference on Work Stress and Health

WASHINGTON - The dangers to workers of violence and fatigue are among topics OSHA presenters will address at the 8th international conference on occupational stress and health, "Work, Stress and Health: Global Concerns and Approaches," Nov. 5-8, 2009, in San Juan, PR.

Presenters will describe how alarm accessibility, unobstructed views from inside and outside the workplace and brighter lighting help reduce violence and improve security for workers. Discussions will also include the impact of working long hours and how fatigue contributes to depression, illness and other symptoms experienced by recovery personnel.

"Protecting workers' safety and health is a global issue," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab. "Workplace violence and other occupational hazards that threaten workers' health and safety should be a concern for employers everywhere."

In addition to OSHA representatives, U.S. and international leaders and professionals in the research, business, labor, medical and social science fields will meet to discuss the global effects of work, stress and health on people in developed and developing countries.

The conference is co-sponsored by the American Psychological Association, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the Society for Occupational Health Psychology and the University of Puerto Rico. Visit the conference's Web site for additional details and registration information.

Forklifts now used as "Drink Mixers"

Check out the video below. This error cost the company more than $100,000! Just a friendly reminder why forklift training is so important.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/33599428#33599428


"Courtesy of YouTube"

US Department of Labors OSHA Issues Record-Breaking Fines to BP

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced it is issuing $87,430,000 in proposed penalties to BP Products North America Inc. for the company's failure to correct potential hazards faced by employees. The fine is the largest in OSHA's history. The prior largest total penalty, $21 million, was issued in 2005, also against BP.

Safety violations at BP's Texas City, Texas, refinery resulted in a massive explosion — with 15 deaths and 170 people injured – in March of 2005. BP entered into a settlement agreement with OSHA in September of that year, under which the company agreed to corrective actions to eliminate potential hazards similar to those that caused the 2005 tragedy. Today's announcement comes at the conclusion of a six-month inspection by OSHA, designed to evaluate the extent to which BP has complied with its obligations under the 2005 agreement and OSHA standards.

"When BP signed the OSHA settlement from the March 2005 explosion, it agreed to take comprehensive action to protect employees. Instead of living up to that commitment, BP has allowed hundreds of potential hazards to continue unabated," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Fifteen people lost their lives as a result of the 2005 tragedy, and 170 others were injured. An $87 million fine won't restore those lives, but we can't let this happen again. Workplace safety is more than a slogan. It's the law. The U.S. Department of Labor will not tolerate the preventable exposure of workers to hazardous conditions."

For noncompliance with the terms of the settlement agreement, the BP Texas City Refinery has been issued 270 "notifications of failure to abate" with fines totaling $56.7 million. Each notification represents a penalty of $7,000 times 30 days, the period that the conditions have remained unabated. OSHA also identified 439 new willful violations for failures to follow industry-accepted controls on the pressure relief safety systems and other process safety management violations with penalties totaling $30.7 million.

"BP was given four years to correct the safety issues identified pursuant to the settlement agreement, yet OSHA has found hundreds of violations of the agreement and hundreds of new violations. BP still has a great deal of work to do to assure the safety and health of the employees who work at this refinery," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab.

The BP Texas City Refinery is the third largest refinery in the United States with a refining capacity of 475,000 barrels of crude per day. It is located on a 1,200-acre facility in Texas City, southeast of Houston in Galveston County.

A willful violation exists where an employer has knowledge of a violation and demonstrates either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970, or shows plain indifference to employee safety and health. A penalty of up to $70,000 may be assessed for each willful violation.

A notification of failure to abate can be issued if an employer fails to correct a cited condition and the citation is a final order of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. A penalty of up to $7,000 may be assessed for each day that the violation remains uncorrected.

OSHA's New Letter of Interpretation Requires that Construction Workers Wear High-Visibility Warning Garments

WASHINGTON - High-visibility warning garments are required safety attire for highway and road construction workers according to a new letter of interpretation recently released by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

"Highway construction workers should not suffer serious or fatal injuries simply because they could not be seen," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab. "Requiring the use of reflective vests is essential to help prevent workers from being injured or killed."

In 2004, OSHA issued a letter of interpretation about the use of high-visibility apparel in highway construction. The letter emphasized that section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act requires workers in highway work zones to wear high-visibility apparel.

However, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission ruled that OSHA's letter indicated a more limited position: high-visibility garments are only required where the Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) mandates their use.

Therefore, OSHA is issuing a new letter stating that all highway and road construction workers must wear high-visibility apparel regardless of whether the MUTCD requires them. OSHA considers road and construction traffic a well-recognized hazard to highway/road construction workers. Bureau of Labor Statistics reinforced the need for using safety apparel when data from 2003 to 2007 showed there were 425 road construction work zone fatalities.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, OSHA's role is to assure safe and healthful working conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; and providing training, outreach and education. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

US Labor Department's OSHA issues report

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released a report on Nevada's occupational safety and health program that reveals a number of serious concerns with the program's operation, including failure to issue appropriate willful and repeat citations, poorly trained inspectors and lack of follow-up to determine whether hazards were abated. The comprehensive evaluation of the Nevada OSHA plan points to an urgent need for corrections in oversight and changes in all phases of its workplace safety and health program.

Twenty-five workplace deaths occurred in Nevada from January 2008 through June 2009. Those deaths, in addition to extensive media coverage revealing Nevada OSHA's poor handling of the fatality investigations and several serious complaints filed with federal OSHA about Nevada's state plan administration, compelled OSHA's investigation.

"The safety of workers must be priority one, and the U.S. Department of Labor is stepping up review of state OSHA plans to ensure that is the case," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "I am pleased that Nevada OSHA cooperated fully throughout the evaluation process and that the state agency's new leadership has pledged to take prompt corrective action."

Between July and August 2009, OSHA monitors evaluated Nevada's workplace fatality investigations, as well as information from all Nevada OSHA inspections conducted from January 2008 through June 2009. OSHA identified a number of systemic issues that caused great concern: Identified hazards were not cited, families of deceased workers were not notified of fatality investigations nor provided opportunities to speak to investigators – though family members may provide information pertinent to a case, and Nevada OSHA investigators demonstrated limited knowledge of construction safety hazards.

The details of OSHA's Nevada report raised concerns about OSHA's monitoring of all state plan states. Jordan Barab, the Labor Department's acting Assistant Secretary for OSHA, added, "As a result of the deficiencies identified in Nevada OSHA's program and this administration's goal to move from reaction to prevention, we will strengthen the oversight, monitoring and evaluation of all state programs."

Barab also pointed out the benefits of state programs: "Many state programs have shown they have the flexibility to deal with workplace hazards that are sometimes not addressed by federal OSHA, and we strongly support their initiative and dedication."

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 encourages states to develop and operate their own job safety and health programs. Federal OSHA approves and monitors the state plans and provides up to 50 percent of an approved plan's operating costs. Nevada, one of 27 states and American territories approved to operate its own safety and health enforcement program, has been a state plan state since December 1973. OSHA's role is to promote safe and healthful working conditions for America's men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, outreach and education. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.