OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed two guidance documents, one for workers and one for employers, which describe the use of spirometry testing to help reduce and prevent worker exposure to respiratory hazards.
Spirometry is a common pulmonary function test that measures how well a person moves air in and out of the lungs. Workers who inhale some types of dusts, gases or other air contaminants can, over time, experience lung damage. The spirometry test may detect breathing problems or significant changes in a worker’s lung function at an early stage. The information in these new guidance documents assists employers with identifying and eliminating hazardous workplace exposures and helping reduce or prevent the chances of workers developing lung disease.
The Infosheet also describes how monitoring workers’ lung function over time can help individuals by identifying problems early and make the workplace safer by identifying when workplace respiratory hazards are causing problems that must be corrected.
“Spirometry is the best available test for early detection of decreasing or abnormal lung function,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. “Our joint effort with NIOSH in developing these products will help broaden outreach and enhance knowledge of preventive measures aimed at protecting worker health and safety.”
“We are pleased to join with OSHA in emphasizing the important role of spirometry in preventing costly, debilitating, and potentially fatal occupational lung diseases,” said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. “These tests are a vital component of health and safety programs in workplaces where workers may be exposed to hazardous airborne contaminants.”
OSHA also recommends spirometry testing for workers exposed to diacetyl and diacetyl substitutes. These documents recommend that employers include spirometry testing in their medical surveillance programs to identify workers experiencing adverse health effects from exposure to flavorings, including food flavorings containing diacetyl.
How to Prepare for OSHA Adoption of the GHS for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals
It is expected that in August, OSHA will announce U.S. employers must begin to adopt the GHS.
This means that virtually every chemical label, MSDS (soon to be called “safety data sheet”), and written hazard communication plan must be revised to meet the new standard. Worker training must be updated so that workers can recognize and understand the symbols and pictograms on the new labels as well as the new hazard statements and precautions on SDSs.
Theses dramatic changes will also impact other OSHA standards such as Flammable and Combustible Liquids, Process Safety Management (PSM), Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER), Fire Prevention and Protection, Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories, and many of the chemical-specific OSHA standards such as the Lead Standard.
At this live webcast, you will learn:
- GHS standards OSHA is adopting
- How the new standards differ from current requirements
- How to implement the changes
- Expected timetable for GHS implementation
Advertising Opportunities Available
Environmental Resource Center is making a limited number of advertising positions available in the Safety Tip of the Week™, the Environmental Tip of the Week™, and the Reg of the Day™.
Guidelines for Working with Hazardous Chemicals Released
An update to the 1995 edition, new topics include emergency planning, laboratory security, green chemistry, compatible chemical storage, and the handling of nanomaterials, as well as an expanded discussion of environmental health and safety systems.
OSHA Seeks Input on Proposed MSD Data Column on Form 300
This proposal would require those employers already mandated to keep injury and illness records to add the step of checking a column when recording work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
Small businesses from around the country are encouraged to participate in the teleconferences. The first will be held on Monday, April 11 at 1:30 p.m. EDT. The second and third will be held Tuesday, April 12, 2011, at 9 a.m. EDT and 1:30 p.m. EDT. Participants may provide input about their experiences in recording work-related MSDs and how they believe the proposed rule would impact them.
The proposed rule only covers MSDs that employers are already required to record under the longstanding OSHA rule on recordkeeping. Prior to 2001, OSHA’s injury and illness logs contained a column for repetitive trauma disorders that included hearing loss and many kinds of MSDs. In 2001, OSHA proposed separating hearing loss and MSDs into two columns, but the MSD column was deleted in 2003 before the provision became effective. OSHA’s proposal would restore the MSD column to the Form 300.
For more information, contact Robert Burt, director of OSHA’s Office of Regulatory Analysis, at 202-693-1952 or Bruce Lundegren, assistant chief counsel for SBA Advocacy, at 202-205-6144.
CSB Releases New Safety Video on Catastrophic Explosion and Fire at Bayer CropScience Facility in 2008
The video is entitled “Fire in the Valley,” a reference to the Kanawha River valley where numerous chemical facilities are located, including the Bayer plant that manufactures insecticides, near Charleston, West Virginia.
The video features a detailed computer animation showing how a series of errors and deficiencies during a lengthy startup process resulted in a runaway chemical reaction inside a residue treater pressure vessel.
Investigations Supervisor John Vorderbrueggen, P.E. discusses the CSB’s findings, “We found serious deficiencies in the company’s process safety management program. This resulted in a series of critical omissions during the startup that led to a runaway reaction and violent explosion.”
These events contributed to the over pressurization of the residue treater which ultimately exploded and careened into the methomyl pesticide manufacturing unit, leaving a huge fireball in its wake. Pieces of the vessel struck a steel-mesh covering surrounding a large tank of methyl isocyanate, a highly toxic chemical of concern to residents of the valley since 1984 when an accidental release of MIC in Bhopal, India killed thousands.
In the video, CSB Chairperson Rafael Moure-Eraso says, “The communities surrounding Bayer CropScience have been concerned for decades about the MIC stored there. Its presence added even more gravity to the series of safety lapses the CSB investigation found to have preceded the tragedy. And when the accident occurred, the company refused to give out critical information to responders and the public.”
Ultimately, 40,000 area residents were requested to shelter-in-place the night of the accident. The video features comments by county and state officials on the initial refusal of Bayer to provide information to Metro 911 emergency response operators as well as resident’s concerns about chemical plant safety in the area. “Fire in the Valley” also details the key CSB safety recommendation that Kanawha Valley county authorities emulate the regulatory regime of Contra Costa County, California. There, chemical process safety experts regularly inspect the multitude of facilities throughout the county in a program that is paid for by a proportional levy on the plants. The program’s director, Randy Sawyer, comments in the CSB video on the success of the program.
Chairperson Moure-Eraso concludes the video saying, “Good communications between chemical plants, responders, and community leaders can help assure the safety of workers and residents during an emergency. But preventing accidents requires companies to have effective process safety management programs. The fact that accidents continue to occur shows the need for improved inspections and oversight whether at the federal or local levels.”
OSHA Urges Employers to Guard Against Fall Hazards after Citing Employer for Fall and Electrocution Hazards
OSHA cited A.C. Castle Construction Co., Inc., of Danvers, Massachusetts for allegedly exposing employees to fall and electrocution hazards at a residential worksite located at 5 Collins St., in the same town. The roofing contractor faces a total of $60,800 in proposed fines for 21 repeat and serious violations of workplace safety standards. OSHA is calling upon employers in Essex and Middlesex counties to be cognizant of fall hazards and safeguards, and to take proper precautions.
“These citations address basic construction safety hazards that should not have existed in the first place. They should be of vital concern to all employers whose workers labor at heights and near power lines,” said Jeffrey A. Erskine, OSHA’s area director for Essex and Middlesex counties. “Employers should take the time to perform a spring tuneup, including reviewing their safety programs, equipment, employee training and applicable OSHA regulations to ensure that their workers are effectively protected against falls and other hazards.”
OSHA opened its inspection of A.C. Castle Construction upon observing employees working without fall protection on the building’s roof and on a ladder jack scaffold, exposing them to falls of nearly 19 feet. Additional fall hazards stemmed from employees using or working on damaged, unsecured, misused, or inadequate ladders.
Electrocution and electric shock hazards stemmed from employees working within 3 feet of an energized power line, using ladders that lacked nonconductive side rails, and from ungrounded or frayed power cords. Employees also lacked head, eye and foot protection, and the worksite was not inspected by a competent person who would have identified and corrected such hazardous conditions.
As a result of its inspection, OSHA issued A.C. Castle Construction three repeat citations with $15,200 in fines for the rooftop and unsecured ladder fall hazards, and the lack of head protection. Eighteen serious citations with $45,600 in fines were issued for the remaining hazards. The repeat citations were based on OSHA having cited the employer in December 2009 for similar hazards at a Hamilton worksite. OSHA issues a repeat citation 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. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Judge Upholds Citations Issued to ALL Erection and Crane Rental Corp.
An administrative law judge with the Occupational Health and Safety Review Commission has affirmed six of seven OSHA safety and health citations issued in July of 2009, to ALL Erection & Crane Rental Corp., based in Independence, Ohio. The company was assessed penalties totaling $10,850.
The citations were issued following an OSHA investigation opened in June of 2009 after a worker was struck in the head by debris during the cleanup of a 600,000-square-foot factory building in Cleveland owned by ALL Erection & Crane.
“Employers have a responsibility to ensure their workplaces are safe and that workers at their premises are afforded the proper protection for their health and safety,” said Howie Eberts, OSHA’s area director in Cleveland. “We are pleased that the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has affirmed our findings in this case. Employers have a responsibility to protect the workers on their jobsites.”
The company employed subcontractor Labor Ready to remove debris, including pigeon waste, from the building, which was in disrepair. The inspection revealed that several employees were exhibiting symptoms of histoplasmosis, a potentially fatal respiratory disease, as a result of inhaling dust created by sweeping and shoveling the bird waste.
ALL Erection & Crane contested the citations on the grounds that the workers were employed by Labor Ready, not ALL Erection & Crane. The judge rejected that argument because workers were being supervised on the jobsite by ALL Erection & Crane, and the company was controlling the manner and means of the work being accomplished.
As a result of the OSHA investigation, ALL Erection & Crane was issued five serious citations, all now upheld, for failing to provide guarding for a fifth floor elevator shaft, provide personal protective equipment, provide compliant respirators, provide medical personnel for advice and consultation, and train employees on hazardous chemicals in the workplace. An additional serious citation issued by OSHA for failing to provide a lead assessment was dismissed by the administrative law judge.
OSHA issued one other-than-serious citation, which was upheld by the judge, for failing to determine the presence, quantity and location of asbestos-containing material or presumed asbestos-containing materials at the worksite. 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.
CSB Investigators Deploying to Fatal Explosion and Fire in Louisville Kentucky
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has deployed a team to investigate a fatal accident at Carbide Industries, a producer of calcium carbide products located in Louisville, Kentucky.
Two workers were killed and two others injured on March 21 as a result of a fire and explosion that occurred at the facility. According to emergency responders at the scene of the incident both of the fatally injured workers were located inside a control room at the time of the accident.
The CSB team will be led by Investigations Supervisor John Vorderbrueggen, P.E., with the investigators accompanied by CSB Board Member Mark Griffon.
Board Member Mark Griffon said, “CSB investigations look at a wide range of issues. Previous CSB investigations have included assessing a plant’s facility siting practices and examining the location of occupied buildings such as control rooms.”
According to the company’s website, Carbide Industries primarily produces calcium carbide which is used to manufacture acetylene gas, as well as a number of specialty chemicals. In its pure form, calcium carbide is a colorless chemical compound that reacts violently with water.
The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. The agency’s board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems.
CPSC Warns: As Button Battery Use Increases, so do Battery-Related Injuries and Deaths
Small, coin-sized batteries can be found in products in nearly every home and business. From the flashlight sitting on the table, to the remote control next to the TV, “button batteries” as they are commonly referred to, are in thousands of products used in and around the home. Young children and senior adults are unintentionally swallowing the button batteries and in some cases, the consequences are immediate and devastating.
A recent study conducted by Dr. Toby Litovitz of the National Capital Poison Center, found that button battery-related incidents resulting in severe injury and fatality have increased sevenfold since 1985. The majority of reported incidents involve 20 mm diameter, or larger, 3 volt batteries. Occasionally, a swallowed battery will pass through the intestine. Most often, however, batteries that become lodged in the throat or intestine can generate and release hydroxide, resulting in dangerous chemical burns.
Incidents most often involve children younger than four years old and senior adults. In the majority of incidents, children gain access to batteries directly from games, toys, calculators, remote controls, and other items commonly left within a child’s reach. Senior adults have swallowed button batteries used in hearing aids after mistaking them for pills.
Parents often are unaware that a child has swallowed the button battery, which makes it difficult to diagnose the problem. In fact, in the recent study, more than 60% of reported incidents initially were misdiagnosed. Symptoms resemble ailments common in children, such as an upset stomach and fever, and in some incidents, there are no symptoms at all.
“These incidents are preventable and CPSC is working to get ahead of this emerging hazard quickly,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “Our consumer awareness efforts and outreach to the electronics industry are under way.”
CPSC has reached out to the electronics industry and battery manufacturers, urging them to develop warnings and industry standards to address this issue.
CPSC recommends the following steps to prevent unintentional battery ingestion:
- Discard button batteries carefully (they may be classified as Universal Waste).
- Do not allow children to play with button batteries, and keep button batteries out of your child’s reach.
- Caution hearing aid users to keep hearing aids and batteries out of the reach of children.
- Never put button batteries in your mouth for any reason as they are easily swallowed accidentally.
- Always check medications before ingesting them. Adults have swallowed button batteries mistaken for pills or tablets.
- Keep remotes and other electronics out of your child’s reach if the battery compartments do not have a screw to secure them. Use tape to help secure the battery compartment.
If a button battery is ingested, immediately seek medical attention. The National Battery Ingestion Hotline is available anytime at 202-625-3333, or call your poison center at 800-222-1222.
How much do you know about button batteries?
Citation Against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in Crowd Management Fatality Case Upheld
OSHA applauded a ruling by Chief Administrative Law Judge Covette Rooney of the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission upholding the citation and full penalty issued to Wal-Mart Stores Inc., for inadequate crowd management following a November 2008 trampling death of a worker at one of the company’s retail locations in New York.
“This is a win for both workers and consumers. It’s only fitting that today, the 100th anniversary of the deadly Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City where 146 workers lost their lives, a judge affirmed OSHA’s right to protect the safety and health of workers from clearly recognized hazards,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. “Today’s ruling supports OSHA’s position that, even in the absence of a specific rule or standard, employers are still legally responsible for providing a place of employment free of recognized hazards that are likely to cause serious injury or death. If not properly managed by retailers, a large crowd poses a significant threat to the lives of workers and customers.”
In May 2009, OSHA cited Wal-Mart Stores Inc., for inadequate crowd management, concluding an investigation launched after a worker was trampled to death on November 28, 2008, at a Wal-Mart store in Valley Stream, New York. The worker was knocked to the ground and crushed by a crowd of about 2,000 shoppers surging into the store for its annual “Blitz Friday” holiday sales event. OSHA’s inspection found that the store’s workers were at risk of being crushed by the crowd due to the store’s failure to implement reasonable and effective crowd management practices. Those practices would have provided the store’s workers with the necessary training and tools to safely manage a large crowd of shoppers.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s general duty clause, OSHA issued Wal-Mart Stores Inc., one serious citation for exposing workers to the recognized hazards of asphyxiation or being crushed by a crowd. The citation carried a proposed fine of $7,000, the maximum penalty amount for a serious violation allowed under the law.
“During the course of OSHA’s investigation, the company implemented crowd control measures storewide, and the National Retail Federation also promoted those practices to its members,” said Michaels. “We praise that action, and urge all retailers to implement crowd management practices ahead of future sales events likely to draw large crowds.”
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., disputed the May 2009 OSHA citation before the OSHRC, an independent federal agency created to decide contests of citations or penalties resulting from inspections of American workplaces by OSHA. An employer who is cited by OSHA for an alleged workplace health or safety violation(s) can contest the citation(s) and have the case heard by a commission administrative law judge, who ultimately issues a decision. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., has 20 days from the date Rooney’s decision is docketed with OSHRC to appeal to its commissioners, whose members are presidential appointees.
OSHA’s safety inspection was conducted by the agency’s Long Island Area Office. The case was litigated for OSHA by Jeffrey Rogoff, Darren Cohen, Kathryn L. Stewart, Sudwiti Chanda, and Diane C. Sherman of the Labor Department’s Regional Office of the Solicitor in New York.
Metal Finisher Fined $49,000 for Repeat and Serious Safety Hazards
OSHA has cited C.I.L. Inc., for alleged repeat and serious violations of workplace safety standards at the company’s plant located at 400 Canal St. in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The company, which performs metal finishing, anodizing, and hard coat services, faces a total of $49,280 in proposed fines following an inspection conducted under OSHA’s Site-Specific Targeting Program, which directs inspections to workplaces with higher-than-average injury and illness rates.
OSHA’s latest inspection, opened in December 2010, found hazards at the plant similar to those cited during inspections in 2005 and 2007, including extension cords used in place of permanent wiring to power equipment and inadequate air velocity for a paint spray booth. The first condition poses an electrocution or electric shock hazard to workers while the second could expose them to hazardous fumes and/or a buildup of flammable vapors. These conditions resulted in the issuance of two repeat citations with $26,950 in proposed fines.
Five serious citations with $22,330 in fines were issued for inadequate ventilation in an area where flammable materials are stored; waste cans and other materials stored too close to paint spray booths; excess air pressure for a cleaning hose; unlabeled electric circuits; and the use of unapproved electrical equipment in an area where flammable paints and solvents are mixed.
“Left uncorrected, these conditions expose employees to the hazards of fire, electrocution and electric shock,” said Jeffrey Erskine, OSHA’s area director for Essex and Middlesex counties. “It’s imperative that the employer address these issues thoroughly to ensure their correction and prevent them from happening again.”
OSHA Cites Dakota Prairie Organic Flour for Variety of Workplace Hazards
OSHA cited Dakota Prairie Organic Flour Co., in Harvey, North Dakota with four repeat, two serious, and one other-than-serious alleged violation for exposing workers to unsafe conditions. Proposed fines total $29,568.
“This employer has demonstrated an indifference toward ensuring employee safety and compliance with OSHA regulations,” said Tom Deutscher, OSHA’s area office director in Bismarck. “The hazards uncovered during this investigation are well-recognized in the industry.”
OSHA’s Bismarck Area Office began its investigation in October 2010 and issued the company repeat citations for failing to establish and maintain an effective respiratory protection program, provide appropriate personal protective equipment, utilize approved electrical equipment and comply with OSHA recordkeeping requirements. Dakota Prairie was cited for similar hazards from two inspections that began in January of 2009.
The serious citations were issued for failing to protect workers from electrical hazards and provide suitable facilities for the quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body.
The other-than-serious citation was issued for failing to ensure fire extinguishers were readily accessible at all times.
OSHA Cites Metal Container Corp. Following Amputation Accidents
In response to a report of accidents at the facility, one in which an employee lost fingers in machinery and another in which an employee lost a foot in a forklift incident, OSHA cited Metal Container Corp., in Arnold, Missouri for one willful and 13 serious violations. Proposed penalties for the citations total $107,200.
“There is no excuse for employees to be exposed to such hazards. Workers operating and working around machinery must be protected from potential dangers,” said Charles Adkins, OSHA’s regional administrator in Kansas City, Missouri. “It is imperative that employers take the necessary steps to eliminate hazards and provide a safe working environment for all of their employees to avoid serious accidents like these.”
The willful citation was issued for hazards associated with unguarded machinery. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health.
The serious citations address hazards associated with exits, flammable/combustible materials, personal protective equipment, lockout/tagout of energy sources, forklift use, machine guarding, and electrical deficiencies.
OSHA Cites Roofing Contractor $116,000 for Fall Hazards
OSHA cited Gerardo Montes, a roofing contractor in Wichita, Kansas with two willful and two serious alleged violations of OSHA’s safety standards. The agency has proposed a total of $116,000 in penalties.
OSHA initiated its inspection in September 2010 when employees of the company were observed installing a roof without fall protection.
“There is no excuse for employees to be exposed to fall hazards such as these. Employees working at heights must be protected,” said Charles Adkins, OSHA’s regional administrator in Kansas City, Missouri. “It is imperative that employers take the necessary steps to eliminate hazards and provide safe working environments for all of their employees.”
The willful citations allege employees were working at heights without fall protection, as well as a lack of necessary training in fall hazards and use of protective equipment.
The serious citations address hazards associated with improper ladder use and a lack of training on the proper use of ladders.
$75,000 Fine for Exposing Workers to Possible Amputations
OSHA cited Trautschold Millwork Ltd., for 22 serious and two other-than-serious violations for exposing workers to potential amputations at the company’s worksite in Waco, Texas. Proposed penalties total $75,525.
OSHA’s Fort Worth Area Office began its inspection of the Franklin Avenue facility on November 16, 2010, as part of the agency’s National Emphasis Program on Amputations. The planned inspection found that employees working on or around hazardous machinery were not properly protected.
“This company exposed its employees to numerous safety hazards that could result in serious injuries,” said Zachary Barnett, OSHA’s area director in Fort Worth. “OSHA’s standards must be followed to prevent the loss of limb and life.”
The serious violations include failing to provide adequate guarding on hazardous machinery such as sanders, saws, grinders, and staple guns; ensure workers were protected from electrical hazards such as explosive proof wiring; provide training for employees who operate forklifts; ensure the use of respiratory and personal protective equipment; and provide a written personal protective equipment hazard assessment.
The other-than-serious violations include failing to meet OSHA’s standards that apply to emergency exits and to provide training on the use of a fire extinguisher.
Tex-Tube Fined Nearly $125,000 for Multiple Violations
OSHA cited Tex-Tube Co., with 12 alleged serious, four alleged repeat, and 10 alleged other-than-serious violations following an investigation at the company’s Houston facility. Proposed penalties total $124,740.
“This company repeatedly has failed to provide a safe and healthful workplace environment for its employees,” said David Doucet, director of OSHA’s Houston North Area Office. “OSHA’s safety and health standards must be followed to prevent injuries and accidents.”
OSHA’s Houston North office began its investigation on October 5, 2010, at the company’s facility on North Post Oak Road, finding multiple safety and health violations. The inspection was part of OSHA’s Site-Specific Targeting Program, which directs enforcement resources to workplaces with higher-than-average injury and illness rates.
The serious violations include failing to cover floor openings to prevent falls, provide periodic testing of lockout/tagout procedures to prevent accidental energy start-up, have employees wear a seatbelt while operating a forklift and ensure electrical circuits on an overhead crane were enclosed.
Repeat violations include failing to develop procedures for the control of hazardous energy and failing to provide covers for junction boxes. These same violations were found during April 2007 and January 2006 OSHA inspections.
The other-than-serious violations include failing to properly complete OSHA occupational injury and illness forms, and to provide the required detailed information on the OSHA 300 log.
Painting Company Fined $129,900 for Lead and Other Hazards
OSHA issued citations against Panthera Painting Co., Inc., for exposing workers to dangerously high levels of lead, among other violations, while repainting and performing lead abatement at the George Wade Bridge in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Proposed penalties total $129,900.
OSHA began inspecting the site in September 2010 after being alerted to the hazards during another inspection involving the project’s general contractor.
“Panthera Painting’s failure to implement the proper safeguards left employees exposed to lead levels above the permissible limit,” said Kevin Kilp, director of OSHA’s area office in Harrisburg. “Lead overexposure is a leading cause of workplace illness that can lead to serious adverse health problems.”
OSHA cited Panthera for one willful violation, with a penalty of $42,000, for failing to monitor lead levels on a quarterly basis.
Twenty-nine serious violations, with a penalty of $87,300, include exposing workers to lead levels in excess of the permissible limit, electrical hazards, deficiencies in the company’s lead protection program, failing to properly provide medical evaluations for employees prior to respirator fit testing, failing to provide initial respirator fit tests, failing to ensure employees were using well-fitting respirators, failing to provide ring buoys for emergencies, failing to secure pneumatic tools to hoses, failing to guard pulleys and failing to provide fall protection to employees exposed to fall hazards as high as 60 feet.
The company also was cited for five other-than-serious violations, with a penalty of $600, for failing to properly record injuries and illnesses and to periodically inspect fire extinguishers.
OSHA’s lead standards require employers to protect their workers from lead exposure, which can cause many serious health issues including brain damage, paralysis and kidney disease, as well as death.
Plywood Manufacturer Cited for 17 Safety Violations
OSHA has cited Smith Family Cos. Inc., of Pelham, Alabama with 17 safety violations for exposing workers to a variety of hazards, with proposed penalties of $51,100. The inspection was triggered as part of OSHA’s site-specific targeting program for industries with high occupational injury and illness rates. Smith Family Cos. Inc., is primarily engaged in cutting plywood to customer specifications.
“Targeting industries with higher-than-average injury and illness rates is an efficient use of OSHA’s resources and allows the agency to focus on industries where workers are most at risk,” said Roberto Sanchez, OSHA’s area director in Birmingham. “A number of electrical hazards were found at Smith Family Cos. that exposed workers to electrical shocks and burns. It is unacceptable to expose workers to these kinds of hazardous working conditions.”
OSHA is citing the company with 16 serious violations, including failing to use lockout/tagout procedures for energy sources; provide railings for unguarded open-sided floors; mark permanent aisles or passageways where mechanical equipment was used; ensure tiers of wood were stacked, blocked, interlocked or limited in height so that they were stable and secure against sliding or collapse; provide emergency stop bars in red on hazardous machines; provide machine guarding; and provide appropriate splicing of electrical cords servicing equipment and ground prongs for extension cords.
The company is also being cited with one other-than-serious violation for an exit that was not clearly visible and marked.
OSHA’s site-specific targeting program is the agency’s main programmed inspection plan for non-construction workplaces that have 40 or more employees. The SST plan is based on the data received from the prior year’s OSHA Data Initiative survey. The Data Initiative survey and the SST program help OSHA achieve its goal of reducing the number of injuries and illnesses that occur at individual workplaces by directing enforcement resources to those workplaces where the highest rate of injuries and illness have occurred.
Carolina Skiff Cited for Combustible Dust and Hexavalent Chromium Exposure
OSHA cited Carolina Skiff LLC, for 19 safety and health violations. The citations, carrying fines of $95,240, were issued after OSHA conducted a follow-up inspection to evaluate the abatement of violations found during a 2008 site-specific targeting program inspection. The program focuses on industries with high injury and illness rates.
OSHA has issued Carolina Skiff six repeat citations with $45,740 in fines. Four violations are safety-related, including using compressed air and unapproved electrical equipment in areas where the dust concentrations are high enough to lead to a fire or deflagration hazard; failing to clean up dust accumulations; and a lack of exit signage resulting in emergency escape hazards. Two violations are health-related, including failing to train welders regarding hexavalent chromium hazards and not implementing engineering controls to reduce high noise levels.
The agency also has issued Carolina Skiff 10 serious citations with $48,510 in fines. Some of the safety-related violations include exposing employees to fall hazards; improperly storing and transferring flammable liquids used during spray painting operations; using compressed air greater than 30 pounds per square inch for cleaning; and an improperly installed electrical service system resulting in an electrical hazard. Three violations are health-related, including failing to provide a hearing conservation program, exposing workers to airborne styrene that exceeded the permissible exposure limit, and not providing suitable protective clothing and gloves for employees whose skin was exposed to styrene-containing resin.
“Carolina Skiff continues to leave its employees at risk of serious injury or illness by failing to implement the proper safety and health protections,” said Robert Vazzi, OSHA’s area director in Savannah.
The company also received three other-than-serious health citations with $990 in proposed penalties for not posting the OSHA noise standard in the workplace, failing to ensure respirator face pieces had adequate seals and not conducting additional air samples for hexavalent chromium when stainless steel production increased.
OSHA Notifies FAA’s Lakefront Air Traffic Control Tower in New Orleans of Workplace Safety Violations
OSHA has issued Notices of Unsafe or Unhealthful Working Conditions to the Federal Aviation Administration’s Lakefront Airport Air Traffic Control Tower in New Orleans for exposing workers to possible fire hazards.
OSHA began an inspection on September 22, 2010, as part of its Airport Air Traffic Control Tower Monitoring Program, which found violations of the Alternate Standard for Fire Safety in Airport Traffic Control Towers. Notices have been issued for six alleged repeat violations and one alleged serious violation.
Repeat violations include improper use of electrical equipment such as relocatable power taps; failing to correct deficiencies in the fire alarm system and stair tower pressurization system; failing to provide a facility emergency action plan and a fire prevention plan; and failing to ensure fire drills are performed. The FAA was cited in 2009 and 2010 for similar violations at other sites in the region.
The serious notice was issued for failing to provide a facility compliance program.
As required by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, federal agencies must comply with the same safety standards as private sector employers. The federal agency equivalent to a private sector citation is the Notice of Unsafe and Unhealthful Working Conditions. The notice is used to inform establishment officials of violations of OSHA standards, alternate standards and 29 CFR citable program elements. OSHA cannot propose monetary penalties against another federal agency for failure to comply with its standards.
Lasko Recalls Almost 5 Million Box Fans Due To Fire Hazard
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Lasko Products, Inc., announced a voluntary recall of 4.8 million box fans because an electrical failure in the fan’s motor poses a fire hazard to consumers. Lasko has received seven reports of fires associated with motor failures, including two house fires and one barn fire, resulting in extensive property damage.
The recalled Lasko fans have model numbers 3720, 3723, and 3733. The recall also applies to Galaxy box fans with model number 4733 that have date “2002-03” or “2003-04” stamped on the bottom of the metal frame. “Lasko” or “Galaxy” is printed on the front of the fan. The model number is either stamped or printed on the bottom of the fans.
The fans, which were manufactured in the US, were sold at: Mass merchandisers nationwide from July 2002 through December 2005 for between $12 and $25.
If you have a recalled fan, you should immediately stop using the recalled fans and contact Lasko to receive a free fused plug safety adapter.
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