July 29, 2019
Porter-Cable brand 10” table saws with model number PCX362010 have been recalled by the manufacturer due to a fire hazard. The saws, which were sold exclusively at Lowes, have a gray body with black accents and the Porter-Cable logo. The model number and serial number are printed on the table saw’s nameplate, located on the back of the saw body near the bottom.The saws were manufactured by Chang Type Industrial Company LTD, of Taichung City, Taiwan. Chang Type has received 61 reports of the table saw motors overheating and causing fires. One consumer reported smoke damage to their home. No injuries have been reported. If you have one of these saws, you should stop using it immediately and contact Chang Type toll-free at 877-206-7151 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or online at www.recallrtr.com/PCSaw for a refund or more information.
Free Amazon HD 10 Tablet with RCRA and DOT Training
Annual hazardous waste training is required for anyone who generates, accumulates, stores, transports, or treats hazardous waste. Learn how to manage your hazardous waste in accordance with the latest state and federal regulations. Learn how to complete EPA’s new electronic hazardous waste manifest, and the more than 60 changes in EPA’s new Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule. Environmental Resource Center’s Hazardous Waste Training is available at nationwide locations, and via live webcasts. If you plan to also attend DOT hazardous materials training, call 800-537-2372 to find out how can get your course materials on a new Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet at no extra charge.OSHA Safe + Sound Week
OSHA will join businesses and organizations nationwide to recognize the importance and successes of workplace safety and health programs during Safe + Sound Week, August 12-18, 2019.The week-long event encourages employers to implement workplace safety initiatives and highlight workers’ contributions to improving safety. Businesses that incorporate safety and health programs can help prevent injuries and illnesses, reduce workers’ compensation costs, and improve productivity.
“Leadership commitment matters and demonstrates workplace safety is a priority,” said Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt. “Safe + Sound Week reminds employers that safety and health programs help businesses save money, eliminate injuries, and most importantly save lives.”
Organizations of any size or in any industry looking for an opportunity to show their commitment to safety to workers, customers, the public, or supply chain partners should participate. Learn more about how to help plan and promote safety and health plans.
Wireless Phone Chargers Recalled Due to Burn Hazard
Spansive, of San Bruno, CA, has recalled Spansive Source wireless multi-phone chargers, which were capable of powering up to 6 phones simultaneously, four wirelessly and two more via USB ports located at the base of the charger. The recalled chargers were sold in both white and charcoal colors, each with a green label at the bottom. “Spansive” is printed on the chargers.If you have one of these chargers, you should contact Spansive at 800-426-6251 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, email the company at support@spansive.com .
New Jersey Contractor Cited for Lead and Other Hazards at Pennsylvania Worksite
OSHA cited Scot Christopher Rule LLC for exposing workers to lead and other workplace hazards as the company renovated and remodeled a worksite in Easton, Pennsylvania. The company faces $104,637 in proposed penalties.OSHA initiated a follow-up inspection in February 2019, after the Frenchtown, New Jersey, painting and wall covering contractor failed to provide proof of abatement related to a 2017 investigaton. Inspectors cited the company with four willful violations that included failing to; provide employees with training and information concerning lead and hazardous chemicals, conduct an initial determination to identify employees’ level of exposure to lead, and not having a written lead compliance program. In addition, OSHA cited the Scot Christopher Rule for permitting improper use of respirators, another serious violation.
In May 2019, OSHA completed a second inspection after a complaint that the employer exposed employees operating aerial lifts to fall hazards, and cited additional serious violations. “Overexposure to lead can result in a wide range of debilitating medical conditions," said OSHA Area Director Jean Kulp, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. “The most effective way to minimize exposure is to use engineering controls, provide training, and use protective clothing and equipment."
OSHA offers compliance assistance resources on preventing fall hazards, lead exposure in construction, and personal protective equipment. Scot Christopher Rule has 15 business days from receipt of the citations (view them here and here) and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Commission.
Emergency Regulation to Protect Outdoor Workers in California from Wildfire Smoke
California’s Department of Industrial Relations’ (DIR) Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board adopted an emergency regulation to protect workers from hazards associated with wildfire smoke. The regulation is expected to go into effect in early August.The emergency regulation will be effective for one year and applies to workplaces where the current Air Quality Index (AQI) for airborne particulate matter (PM) is 151 or greater, and where employers should reasonably anticipate that employees could be exposed to wildfire smoke.
Under the new regulation, employers must take the following steps to protect workers who may be exposed to wildfire smoke:
- Identify harmful exposure to airborne particulate matter from wildfire smoke before each shift and periodically thereafter by checking the AQI for PM 2.5 in regions where workers are located.
- Reduce harmful exposure to wildfire smoke if feasible, for example, by relocating work to an enclosed building with filtered air or to an outdoor location where the AQI for PM 2.5 is 150 or lower.
- If employers cannot reduce workers’ harmful exposure to wildfire smoke so that the AQI for PM 2.5 is 150 or lower, they must provide:
- Respirators such as N95 masks to all employees for voluntary use.
- Training on the new regulation, the health effects of wildfire smoke, and
- the safe use and maintenance of respirators.
This emergency rulemaking process began last December, after the Standards Board received a petition to protect workers from wildfire smoke before this year’s wildfire season. The Standards Board will file the regulation tomorrow with the Office of Administrative Law, which has 10 working days to review and approve it as a new workplace safety standard enforced by Cal/OSHA. Once approved and published, the full text of the adopted emergency regulation, including all requirements, exemptions and exceptions, will appear in the new Title 8 section 5141.1 of the California Code of Regulations.
The Standards Board has also requested that Cal/OSHA conduct a follow-up comprehensive review of the regulation with an advisory committee using the regular rulemaking process in order to adopt permanent regulations. The emergency regulation will remain in effect during that process. Meeting details and documents will be posted on Cal/OSHA’s website.
Sizzling Temperatures Can Cause Pavement Burns in Seconds
When temperatures throughout the sizzling Southwestern U.S. climb to over 100 degrees, the pavement can get hot enough to cause second-degree burns on human skin in a matter of seconds.In a new study published in the Journal of Burn Care & Research, a team of surgeons from the UNLV School of Medicine reviewed all pavement burn admissions into a Las Vegas area burn center over five years. The team compared the outdoor temperatures at the time of each patient admission to, in essence, determine how hot is too hot.
“Pavement burns account for a significant number of burn-related injuries, particularly in the Southwestern United States,” said Dr. Jorge Vega, UNLV School of Medicine surgeon and the study’s lead author. “The pavement can be significantly hotter than the ambient temperature in direct sunlight and can cause second-degree burns within two seconds.”
For the study, researchers identified 173 pavement-related burn cases between 2013 to 2017. Of those, 149 cases were isolated pavement burns and 24 involved other injuries, including those from motor vehicle accidents.
More than 88% (153) of related incidents occurred when temps were 95 degrees or higher, with the risk increasing exponentially as temperatures exceeded 105 degrees.
That’s because pavement in direct sunlight absorbs radiant energy, making it significantly hotter and potentially dangerous. Study authors say that pavement on a 111-degree day, for example, can get as hot as 147 degrees in direct sunlight. For reference, a fried egg becomes firm at 158 degrees.
And while it seems like a no-brainer to stay off a hot sidewalk, for some it’s unavoidable – including victims of motor vehicle accidents, people with mobility issues or medical episodes who have fallen to the ground, or small children who may not know better.
The takeaway – summer in the desert is no joke, and more education is needed to warn people of the risks of hot pavement, particularly as temperatures creep above 100 degrees.
“This information is useful for burn centers in hotter climates, to plan and prepare for the coordination of care and treatment,” says Vega. “It can also be used for burn injury prevention and public health awareness, including increased awareness and additional training to emergency medical service and police personnel when attending to pavement burn victims in the field.”
The study, “A 5-Year Review of Pavement Burns from a Desert Burn Center,” was published in the July/August 2019 issue of the Journal of Burn Care & Research.
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