New OSHA guidance will help employers select and use the appropriate slings when handling and moving materials.
"OSHA's current general industry standard is more than 30 years old," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, Edwin G. Foulke Jr. "This guidance document will aid users in the safe selection and use of slings, including synthetic round slings, which are not covered in OSHA's standard, as well as the newer grades of materials being used in alloy steel chain and wire rope slings."
OSHA adopted its general industry sling standard on June 27, 1975, based on ANSI B30.9-1971 Slings standard. OSHA has since made only minor corrections. OSHA issued its construction industry sling standard on Feb. 9, 1979, and its sling standard for shipyards on April 20, 1982.
Improper selection or use of slings can result in sling failure or load slippage, which in turn can lead to injuries or death. OSHA accident data for the years 1994–1996 show that there were four fatalities in general industry involving the misuse or failure of slings.
OSHA intends to format the final product for use on the Web. With the document in web format, a user can quickly get information on the type of sling being used without having to look through material that is not relevant to the workplace.
OSHA Announces Three Actions to Protect Workers Exposed to Butter Flavorings
OSHA recently announced that it is taking the following three actions that will address concerns regarding diacetyl exposure in the workplace:
- Initiating a rulemaking under Section 6(b) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act
- Issuing a Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB)
- Providing Hazard Communication Guidance
These actions build upon the National Emphasis Program that OSHA announced in April 2007 to focus on the health hazards of microwave popcorn butter flavoring containing diacetyl.
"OSHA's goal is to protect workers from exposure to chemical hazards associated with microwave popcorn manufacturing," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke Jr. "Our open, transparent regulatory process will seek information and guidance from all stakeholders to gather the best information on the health effects of exposure to diacetyl. That information will allow us to institute effective protections for workers."
The SHIB provides information on health effects for workers exposed to butter flavorings in microwave popcorn processing plants; information on exposure controls that may be used to reduce exposures to butter flavorings; and information on applicable OSHA standards.
The Hazard Communication Guidance alerts employers, workers, manufacturers, and importers about new information related to the health hazards associated with diacetyl and food flavorings containing diacetyl, and it provides guidance on how to develop material safety data sheets and hazard warning labels to be in compliance with OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard.
Nearly 400 Cosmetic Products Contain Ingredients Banned in Other Countries
Environmental Working Group (EWG) released the results of a new investigation that found hundreds of cosmetics sold in the United States containing chemicals the industry itself has determined to be unsafe, even when used as directed. Many of the products included chemicals most other countries have outright banned.
“Cosmetics do not have to be approved as safe by the FDA before they are sold. As a result, they too often contain dangerous ingredients banned in Europe and Japan or chemicals deemed unsafe for specific uses by their own industry scientists,” said Jane Houlihan, vice president for Research at EWG.”
“Nearly 90 percent of ingredients in personal care products have not been assessed for safety by anyone, so we are not sure what “regulatory obstacles” the FDA and industry need to minimize,” Houlihan added.
"It's an outrage that the FDA would shut consumers out of this important process," said Janet Nudelman, Coordinator of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, "especially since they've set a place for the cosmetics industry at the table."
In a new analysis of the ingredients in more than 23,000 products, EWG discovered that nearly 1 of every 30 products sold in the United States fails to meet one or more industry or governmental cosmetics safety standards. EWG’s investigation also found nearly 400 products sold in the United States contain chemicals that are prohibited for use in cosmetics in other countries, and more than 400 products contain ingredients that the U.S. cosmetic industry’s own safety panel has determined to be unsafe when used as directed.
Unlike for drugs and food additives, FDA has no authority to require that cosmetics be tested for safety before they are sold. An industry-funded panel, not a government health agency, reviews the safety of cosmetic ingredients in the United States. EWG research shows that this largely self-regulated industry routinely fails to adhere to their own safety panel’s advice and to heed the health warnings inherent in cosmetic safety standards set in other countries.
OSHA Fines Signature Aluminum More Than $155,000 for Willful and Serious Violations
OSHA has proposed $155,585 in fines against Signature Aluminum Inc. for alleged safety and health violations. The Greenville aluminum manufacturing facility employs 300 people.
OSHA initiated its investigation March 21 in response to a complaint that employees were being exposed to machine hazards. The investigation resulted in citations for two willful violations with a penalty of $112,500; 26 serious violations with a penalty of $43,085; and three other-than-serious violations that carried no penalty.
"Without proper energy controls on machinery, employees are at constant risk of serious injury," said Ed Selker, director of OSHA's area office in Erie, Pa. "It is imperative that the company correct these hazards as soon as possible to prevent a tragedy."
The willful violations cite the company's failure to establish and maintain adequate energy control procedures for employees working on a cut-off saw blade. The serious violations include inadequate and missing handrails and mid-rails, improper flammable liquid containers, no emergency response training for an ammonia system, a lack of personal protective equipment for employees, unmarked or missing emergency fire exits, defective equipment, and inadequate forklift truck inspections. The other-than-serious violations address improper recordkeeping, inadequate vermin control, and a broken grounding pin on a flexible electrical cord.
OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Serious violations are issued when there is a substantial probability that death or serious injury could occur from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
OSHA Cites Wisconsin Bridge Builder for Violating Federal Lead Exposure Standards
OSHA has proposed $115,200 in fines against Ruzic Construction Co. Inc., Neillsville, for alleged multiple willful, serious, and repeat violations of federal workplace health standards, primarily for employee overexposure to lead.
OSHA opened an inspection where employees were not adequately protected from exposure to airborne lead during torch cutting of lead-painted steel as part of a bridge repair operation over the Baraboo River. As a result of the inspection, OSHA issued two willful citations with a proposed penalty totaling $70,000, alleging that the company failed to provide engineering and work practice controls while torch cutting where exposure for lead exceeded permissible limits.
The agency issued citations for eight serious violations with proposed penalties of $15,200 covering a variety of concerns, including hazards associated with arsenic exposure, improper handling of protective clothing, and failure to provide training.
Six repeat violations, based on citations issued and affirmed in 2006, covered inadequate respiratory protection; inadequate protective clothing for lead exposure; and a lack of hand-and-face wash facilities and clothing change areas. Proposed penalties for the repeat violations total $30,000.
OSHA has inspected Ruzic Construction Co. sites four times since 1984. "The devastating health effects of lead exposure are well documented and well known," said Kim Stille, OSHA's area director in Madison, Wis. "When employees carry this deadly material home on their clothing, their families are also put at great risk."
$58,800 Fine for Trenching Violations at Atlanta Site
OSHA has proposed penalties of $58,800 against Dutton Grading of Gainesville, Ga., for four alleged safety violations. The inspection occurred at a company worksite in southwest Atlanta as part of OSHA's National Emphasis Program on trenching and excavation, one of the most hazardous operations in construction.
"Trench cave-ins occur quickly with little time for employees to react and often with deadly results," said Andre Richards, director of OSHA's Atlanta-West Area Office. "OSHA treats this problem as serious, and employers who continue to ignore safety standards will face increasingly stiffer penalties."
OSHA issued one willful violation with a penalty of $40,000 for allowing employees to work in a trench that was improperly sloped and lacked a protective system. OSHA issues a willful citation when an employer has shown an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
OSHA issued two repeat violations with penalties of $16,000 for failing to train employees on trenching and excavation hazards and failing to provide a ladder or other means for employees to climb out of the trench should a cave-in occur.
The agency also issued a serious violation with a $2,800 penalty for placing a spoil pile at the edge of the trench that could allow material to fall or roll back into the trench and onto employees.
OSHA Cites Refinery $122,400 for PSM Violations
OSHA has issued citations to Calumet Shreveport Lubricants & Waxes LLC for one alleged willful violation, seven alleged serious violations, and one alleged repeat violation of federal health and safety regulations.
"Calumet Shreveport Lubricant & Waxes failed to follow OSHA's process safety management standards," said Dean McDaniel, OSHA's regional administrator in Dallas. "Employers must remain committed to keeping the workplace safe and healthful to prevent injuries and fatalities."
The willful violation was issued for failing to review and update operating procedures. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
The seven serious violations included failing to update process equipment to meet recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices; failing to address the loss of the flare header system, a safety feature to prevent over pressurization in the event of an emergency; failing to develop a written schedule for process hazard analysis action items; and failing to certify that operating procedures were being followed. Serious violations are issued when there is a substantial probability that death or serious injury could occur from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
The repeat violation was issued for failing to maintain documentation of inspection results. A repeat violation is defined as a violation that was previously cited where, upon reinspection, a substantially similar violation is found. This facility was cited for violating this same standard on July 29, 2004.
Calumet Shreveport Lubricant & Waxes, which specializes in refining gasoline and lubricants, employs about 130 workers at its Shreveport site and 350 workers company-wide. The company operates two additional refineries in northern Louisiana and a terminal in Indianapolis, Ind.
Almost $130,000 in Penalties for Trenching Violations
John Romines, which does business as S.A.M. Grading & Pipeline Inc., faces $129,500 in proposed penalties from OSHA for several alleged safety violations.
OSHA's inspection occurred after a building inspector notified the agency about safety hazards at a Rome, Ga., trenching site and the company's owner ignored his requests to correct them. The inspector, who had attended an OSHA multi-day course on trenching and excavation, was familiar with the agency's requirements for sloping, shoring, and benching.
"This employer failed to heed the building inspector's warnings and continued to expose employees to trenching hazards," said Andre Richards, director of OSHA's Atlanta-West Area Office. "Trenching remains one of the most hazardous jobs in construction, and employers who ignore OSHA's regulations can expect significant penalties."
Three willful violations, with proposed penalties of $115,500, were issued for not providing a safe means of egress from a trench, not keeping material at least two feet from the trench edge, and exposing employees to potential cave-in hazards. OSHA issues a willful citation when an employer has shown an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
The company also was issued four serious safety violations, with proposed penalties of $14,000, for not properly training employees, not requiring employees to wear head protection, not using fall protection while using a work board over a deep trench, and not protecting employees from being struck by large rocks.
Careful Consideration Urged Regarding the Purchase and Installation of Outdoor Wood-Fired Boilers
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is reminding residents that outdoor wood-fired boilers, which are gaining popularity as an alternative residential energy source, are subject to state air quality regulations and should be purchased and installed conscientiously.
Outdoor wood-fired boilers, or OWBs, are wood-fired water heaters that are located outdoors and are separated from the home or building being heated. At first glance, they look like outdoor sheds with smokestacks. Fires in the OWBs’ large fire boxes heat water that is circulated into the home through underground pipes. The energy may be used to heat houses, shops, domestic hot water, greenhouses, swimming pools, and spas.
Colorado retailers have seen a surge recently in the purchase and installation of OWBs as an alternative to more traditional natural gas-fired furnaces and other devices as sources for home heating. Some residents are purchasing and installing OWBs in preparation for the upcoming winter season. One reason for the growing popularity of OWBs is the availability of inexpensive and/or free wood to stoke the boilers—a result of the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation in North-Central Colorado and from other forest restoration and wildfire mitigation activities occurring throughout the state.
“We understand the interest in these devices from an economic perspective,” said Paul Tourangeau, director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Air Pollution Control Division. “The fuel can be cheap or even free, and they provide an effective method for disposing of wood that has resulted from wildfires, insect and disease events, and related forest improvement projects.”
Tourangeau, however, cautioned residents regarding the thick smoke and air pollutant emissions that can be generated by the OWBs.
“These devices are subject to air quality regulations that govern opacity, or the thickness of smoke. If not well engineered or properly maintained, they can create a lot of smoke that can affect a neighborhood. It’s important that Coloradans consider this when deciding whether or not to purchase a wood-fired boiler, or which model they choose to buy. Consumers have options. While there are a number of OWB manufacturers, only a handful utilize cleaner-burning technology. We encourage everyone to do a little homework and make a choice that is wise for themselves, their neighbors, and their community.”
Most OWBs employ primitive combustion technology. When the water circulating through the furnace reaches a certain temperature, the air supply to the fire is cut off, cooling the fire so the water will not overheat. The furnace operates in this "idle" mode until the water temperature hits a lower temperature and the air supply is re-established. This results in poor combustion and potentially heavy smoke.
Most of the smoke emitted is fine condensed organic material that does not burn under cool, oxygen-starved conditions.
The choice of wood also can have an impact on how much smoke OWBs generate. For example, green wood full of moisture causes poor combustion. Wood from an outdoor winter woodpile also may be very cold when loaded into OWBs, causing less efficient fires. Wood from urban sources (demolition and/or construction debris) should not be used as it may include paints, glues, or other contaminants that exacerbate the pollution potential.
OWBs are subject to provisions of Colorado Air Quality Control Commission Regulation No. 1, which details emissions controls for particulate matter, smoke, carbon monoxide, and sulfur oxides. Regulation No. 1 sets a 20 percent opacity standard for devices like OWBs. If found to be in violation of the opacity standard, the owner or operator may be subject to an enforcement action from the Air Pollution Control Division that could result in a fine.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment urges residents to educate themselves regarding OWBs. “We appreciate that many individuals want to use biomass to replace fossil fuels,” said Tourangeau. “However, this can be done without adding to air pollution concerns. Cleaner technologies are available, so consumers can make wise choices.”