Lidia Morawska and colleagues explain that previous studies showed that vacuum cleaners can increase levels of very small dust particles and bacteria in indoor spaces, where people spend about 90% of their time. In an effort to provide more information about emission rates of bacteria and small dust particles, the scientists tested 21 vacuum cleaners sold in Australia. The vacuums came from 11 manufacturers, included those marketed for household and commercial use, ranged in age from six months to 22 years and cost from less than $100 to almost $800. They looked at the effects that age, brand and other factors had on the amount of small particles and bacteria released into air.
All of the vacuums released some fine dust and bacteria into the air. Surprisingly, vacuums with so-called High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters in some cases released only slightly lower levels of dust and bacteria. Newer and more expensive vacuum cleaners were generally less polluting than older or less expensive models.
How to Prepare for OSHA Adoption of the GHS for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals
- March 23
- April 17
- May 18
- June 26
- July 18
- August 15
- October 2
How to Author GHS Safety Data Sheets
- April 18
- June 27
- October 3
How to Label Hazardous Chemicals Using OSHA’s New GHS Hazcom Standard
- April 19
- June 28
- October 4
Charleston RCRA, DOT and IATA/IMO Training
San Antonio RCRA and DOT Training
Jacksonville RCRA and DOT Training
Huntsman Corporation’s Auburn Hills Facility Receives CET Platinum Award for Outstanding Safety and Health Record
Huntsman Corporation’s Auburn Hills facility received the CET Platinum Award from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) for an exemplary safety and health record. The MIOSHA program is part of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). The Auburn Hills facility has gone more than 15 years without a lost time accident.
The MIOSHA Consultation Education and Training (CET) Division recognizes the safety and health achievements of Michigan employers and employees through CET Awards, which are based on excellent safety and health performance. The CET Platinum Award recognizes an outstanding safety record of five or more years worked without days away from work.
“During its rise to prominence in the global chemical industry Huntsman has kept firmly in place its core values, particularly their emphasis on workplace safety and health protections,” said Steve Arwood, LARA Deputy Director. “The Auburn Hills site’s record of 15 years without a lost time accident is an astounding success and proof that focusing on safety is a sound business decision.”
MIOSHA Director Martha Yoder presented the award to Auburn Hills EHS Manager Pete Panourgias and Auburn Hills Commercial Director Greg Pelts, who accepted on behalf of all employees. Invited guests, management personnel and employees attended the presentation and luncheon.
On February 27, 2004, the Auburn hills facility received the Michigan Voluntary Protection Program (MVPP) Star Award for workplace safety and health excellence. The company received renewal of its Star Award in 2007 and 2011. This is the most prestigious safety and health award given in Michigan. Since 1999, Michigan has recognized 28 MVPP Star companies.
In addition to going more than 15 years without a lost-time accident, the company has completed the following criteria to receive the CET Platinum Award:
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive safety and health management system;
- Established a safety and health committee, with both employee and management participation;
- Developed an employee training system, with an emphasis on how to do the work in a safe and healthful manner; and
- Worked diligently to change their workplace culture to reflect the importance of worker safety.
The Huntsman Auburn Hills facility has worked with the MIOSHA CET Division for several years. CET Senior Safety Consultant Lee Jay Kueppers performed a hazard survey on site, which is a part of the award process. This survey allowed them an opportunity to walk through the facility with a MIOSHA representative and correct any problem areas that were noted.
The Huntsman Corporation is committed to achieving excellence in environmental, health, and safety protection. Their environmental, health, and safety protection policy states: “It is the responsibility of both management and associates to operate safe, clean, and efficient facilities in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.” This policy is posted at the facility and included in the Environmental, Health, and Safety Procedures Manual.
“Companies that establish an integrated safety and health program reap the benefits of significantly reducing their injury and illness rates,” said Yoder. “Reducing these rates not only protects employees—it has a healthy impact on a company’s bottom line.”
The Auburn Hills facility is the Research and Development Center for the Huntsman Polyurethanes Division. With 75 employees, the Auburn Hills facility includes business, commercial management, and technical staff.
JSW Steel Fined Over $469,000 for Repeat and Serious Violations
OSHA cited JSW Steel (USA) Inc., with 11 repeat, 23 serious, and two other-than-serious violations for exposing employees to safety and health hazards at the company’s facility on East McKinney Road in Baytown, Texas. Proposed penalties total $469,420.
“This company has operated in a way that disregards the safety and health of its employees,” said John Hermanson, OSHA’s regional administrator in Dallas. “OSHA will not tolerate employers that do not protect their workers.”
OSHA’s Houston South Area Office initiated a safety inspection on September 7, 2011, as a result of several employee complaints, while concurrently conducting a site-specific target inspection. OSHA’s Site-Specific Targeting Program focuses on establishments with high rates of injuries and illnesses. Both inspections were performed as follow-up to an inspection in November 2008.
A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years. OSHA cited the company in May 2009 for similar violations with penalties totaling $146,500.
Additionally, numerous electrical hazards were found, including failing to repair conductors, and provide covers for junction boxes. A serious violation is one in which there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
The other-than-serious violations are failing to follow OSHA’s standard to evaluate the workplace for respiratory hazards and to provide training on the use of filtering face pieces. An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.
OSHA has placed JSW Steel in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates targeted follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with the law. The program focuses on recalcitrant employers that endanger workers by committing willful, repeat, or failure-to-abate violations.
Falls Stamping and Welding Fined $124,000, Placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program
OSHA began an inspection after receiving a complaint alleging a failure to lock out and tag out machinery energy sources at the company’s Cleveland, Ohio, metal stamping facility, which exposed workers to amputation hazards. Proposed penalties total $124,740.
The willful violation has been cited for failing to ensure workers who lock out machinery, such as mechanical power presses, were trained in lockout and tagout procedures. A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowing or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health.
The repeat violations include failing to provide machine guarding for equipment including lathes and shears, ensure that hand controls on mechanical power presses were in a fixed position to prevent workers from relocating them and ensure that safety blocks were used when changing the press die. Similar violations were cited at the company’s Cuyahoga Falls facility in 2009.
Seven serious safety violations involve failing to develop and document machine-specific lockout/tagout procedures, provide a periodic review of energy control procedures for the mechanical power presses, ensure that guards were in place on the maintenance department grinder, provide safety blocks for workers making adjustments and repairs to a mechanical power press, and ensure that the horizontal band saw’s power cable had effective strain relief.
Four serious health violations include failing to perform a required workplace hazard assessment, train workers in the use of portable fire extinguishers, implement a hazard communication training program, and evaluate powered industrial truck operators for competency.
Four other-than-serious health violations involve failing to label bottles of oil with their contents and hazard warnings, affix a plate to indicate the load rating for the mezzanine storage level, and include a list of hazardous chemicals used in the company’s hazard communication program.
“Failing to train workers in proper lockout and tagout procedures of energy sources in a manufacturing environment places workers at risk of amputations and other serious injuries,” said Howard Eberts, OSHA’s area director in Cleveland. “Employers cited with repeat violations demonstrate a lack of attention to employee safety and health. OSHA is committed to protecting workers on the job, especially when employers fail to do so.”
Prior to this inspection, the first of the company’s Cleveland location, Falls Stamping and Welding Co.’s Cuyahoga Falls facility had been inspected by OSHA 19 times.
OSHA Cites Maga Construction for Fall Hazards
Proposed penalties total $43,800.
OSHA’ San Antonio Area Office began a safety inspection on February 15 at the company’s Horal Street work site as part of a regional emphasis program on construction. Investigators found that employees were working on scaffolds at heights greater than 20 feet without safety precautions. OSHA standards require that an effective form of fall protection, such as guardrails or personal fall arrest systems, be in use when workers perform construction activities on scaffolding 10 feet or more above the next lower level.
“Falls are one of the most common workplace hazards that can lead to crippling injuries and ultimately can even take a worker’s life,” said Jeff Funke, the agency’s area director in San Antonio. “The employer has a responsibility to ensure that workers are protected from preventable exposure to hazards.”
Hobart Brothers Cited for 55 Violations Fined $174,600
OSHA cited Hobart Brothers Co., a manufacturer of welding wire and ground power equipment for airplanes in Troy, Ohio, with a total of 55 safety and health violations including inadequate lockout/tagout programs, fall protection, and noise sampling, among others. Proposed penalties total $174,600.
OSHA opened an inspection under the agency’s Site-Specific Targeting program, which focuses on companies with injury and illness rates that exceed national standards. Hobart Brothers’ injury and illness rate in 2008 was 5.9% per 100 workers, and in 2009 it was 6% per 100. The 2008 national average was 3.9, and the 2009 average was 3.6.
Twelve serious health violations with penalties of $51,300 involve failing to sample noise levels, provide annual audiograms, train workers on hazard communication, and provide confined space evaluations.
Five other-than-serious health violations with proposed penalties of $1,800 were cited for failing to properly record injuries and illnesses as well as post noise standards.
“Failing to develop and implement procedures to control hazardous energy and to provide fall protection exposes workers to amputations, falls and many other hazards while demonstrating this employer’s lack of regard for workers’ safety and health,” said Bill Wilkerson, OSHA’s area director in Cincinnati. “OSHA is committed to protecting workers on the job, especially when employers fail to do so.”
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