Mark Ghaly, M.D., MPH, California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS) secretary, has extended California’s indoor mask mandate by another full month. The masking requirement intended to combat the coronavirus pandemic now runs through February 15. While citing a recent surge in the state’s positivity rate to over 21 percent, Ghaly also noted data on […]
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Fed-OSHA seeks suggestions for strengthening VPP
Fed-OSHA is holding a stakeholder meeting July 17, in Washington, D.C., to discuss the future direction of its Voluntary Protection Programs. The agency’s aim is to “reshape VPP so that it continues to represent safety and health excellence, leverages partner resources, further recognizes the successes of long-term participants, and supports smart program growth.” Fed-OSHA is […]
Curated Content Articles of Interest from Around the Web
- A young worker at a McDonald’s outside St. Louis, is recovering from injuries, after being viciously assaulted by a customer.
- The assailant dragged the 15-year-old worker by her hair and slammed her head against the concrete parking lot. She suffered several injuries, including a fractured skull.
- The assault was preceded by a group of customers who became unruly and started throwing objects and “menacing” employees.
- Some fast-food chains have closed restaurants in high-crime areas for the safety of employees and customers.
Read More - A labor contractor is challenging a fine issued by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, after a worker died.
- McNeil Labor Management, which calls itself a labor resource management company, has been cited for several violations including failure to provide proper protection from the heat. The fine is over $20,000.
- The worker, who was from Mexico, was here on a visa when he died in a sugar cane field.
- The contractor has given no reason for the challenge.
Read More - A company has been cleared by the Occupational and Safety and Health Administration, after a saw blade came loose and took off.
- A concrete contractor was doing some work on a leaky gas valve in Oregon, when a saw being used lost its blade hurling at a high rate of speed into the wall of a convenience store.
- Reportedly, no workers were harmed, but the blade nearly hit a man walking into the store.
- An OSHA complaint was filed, but OSHA has let the company off the hook after they retired the saw and has taken other safety steps.
Read More - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration publishes its 2023 numbers from 375,000 establishments.
- The information is provided via companies’ OSHA form 300A summary of work-related injuries and illnesses. Employers with 100 employees or more are required to maintain 300A logs.
- Records must be kept at the workplace for five years.
- The deadline for submitting the data was March of 2024.
Read More - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating an incident at a Minnesota company where a worker lost part of his legs.
- The worker, who was employed by a company called Shred Right, got his legs caught in a paper shredder. The resulting injury required surgery and the amputation of his lower legs.
- OSHA says this is a serious problem and cited 52 cases of amputations over the last five years.
- The OSHA investigation at Shred Right is ongoing, so OSHA has provided no information on possible safety violations.
Read More - A West Virginia Highway worker says he was thrown on a “60-foot flight path” after being hit by a car.
- The worker was setting up traffic cones when he was struck by the car. He suffered multiple broken bones.
- The driver was driving under the influence at the time of the accident.
- The Federal Highways Administration says the five people were killed in work zone crashes in 2023. In 2022, there were eight crashes killing eight people.
Read More - The danger to workers from hazardous materials is ever present, especially during transport, a logistic expert says.
- A host of regulations governing hazardous waste about, including signage on vehicles. Both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Environment Protection Agency regulate hazardous materials.
- Over 3 billion pounds of hazardous waste is transported every year.
- OSHA, specifically, regulates how much hazardous material a worker can be exposed to and for how long.
Read More
McDonald’s Worker Beaten
McDonald’s Worker Beaten
Company Challenges OSHA Fine
Saw Blade Off the Hook
OSHA publishes 2023 Data
Workers Legs Amputated
Worker Thrown 60 Feet
Transporting Hazardous Materials Always a Challenge