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FRA issues final rule amending Positive Train Control regs

Washington — The Federal Railroad Administration is revising its regulations governing Positive Train Control systems – emergency slowing and stopping systems designed to help prevent train crashes and derailments caused by human error – and reporting on their function.




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Design issue could allow Positive Train Control systems to be disabled, FRA warns

Washington — The Federal Railroad Administration has issued a safety advisory to railroads and rail employees regarding a recently identified interface design issue that relates to how Positive Train Control systems interface with locomotive and cab car braking systems.




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Senate confirms Amit Bose as head of Federal Railroad Administration

Washington — The Senate has confirmed Amit Bose as administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, with a 68-29 vote Jan. 12.




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FRA revises regs on roadway worker protection, maintenance machine

Washington — The Federal Railroad Administration has finalized amendments to a pair of regulations related to roadway worker safety and on-track roadway maintenance machines and hi-rail vehicles.




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FRA lays out requirements for railroads’ fatigue risk management programs

Washington — The Federal Railroad Administration has issued a final rule requiring certain railroads to develop and implement a fatigue risk management program as a component of their larger safety risk reduction program.




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FRA seeks comment on proposal to codify train crew size requirements

Washington — The Federal Railroad Administration is requesting public comment on a proposed rule that would require at least two crew members for most trains.




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More time to comment on FRA proposal to codify train crew size requirements

Washington — The Federal Railroad Administration has extended until Dec. 2 the comment period on a proposed rule that would require at least two crew members for most trains.




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Train crew size requirements: FRA to host public hearing in December

Washington — The Federal Railroad Administration has scheduled a public hearing on a proposed rule that would require at least two crew members for most trains.




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Fatal incident in Texas train yard involving a portable derail spurs FRA safety advisory

Washington — In response to a recent fatal derailment at a Texas train yard, the Federal Railroad Administration has issued a safety advisory on the use of portable derails.




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Unintended train brake release spurs FRA advisory

Washington — In response to an incident involving the unintended release of a train’s automatic air brakes while stopped at a signal, the Federal Railroad Administration has issued a safety advisory.




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PHMSA issues safety advisory on aluminum rail tank car covers

Washington — The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is alerting hazmat rail tank car owners and others of “the potential for certain manway assemblies with aluminum protective housing covers to melt when exposed to extreme heat.”




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Railroad association announces new safety measures

Washington — Spurred by the Feb. 3 train derailment and fire in East Palestine, OH, the freight rail industry says it’s taking several “initial steps” to improve safety.




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Railroad safety agency calls for caution on train car placement

Washington — Although recent technologies can improve train handling and fuel efficiency, “they cannot replace the need for correct car placement and assembly,” the Federal Railroad Administration says in a recent safety advisory.




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FRA providing funding for rail safety research

Washington — The Federal Railroad Administration is making available $5 million in grants for the creation of a rail research and development Center of Excellence.




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FTA proposal aimed at strengthening transit worker safety

Washington — Alarmed by a recent spike in assaults against transit workers, the Federal Transit Authority is proposing a rule designed to protect workers and passengers.




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PHMSA proposal calls on railroads to provide real-time hazmat info to emergency responders

Washington — The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is set to publish a proposed rule that would require railroads to maintain and update information about hazardous material shipments.




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PHMSA extends comment period on proposed railroad hazmat information rule

Washington — The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has extended until Oct. 27 the comment period on a proposed rule that would require railroads to maintain and update hazardous material shipment information.




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Railroad safety agency raises the alarm on roadway maintenance machines

Washington — Concerned by the deaths of two workers struck by roadway maintenance machines in separate instances within the past two years, the Federal Railroad Administration has issued a safety advisory.




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Pipeline safety agency awards grants for hazmat training

Washington — Enhancing first responders’ education and training on hazardous materials is the focus of more than $30 million in recent Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration grant funding.




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Railroad agency issues safety recommendations about severe weather

Washington — Spurred by 123 rail incidents linked to severe weather over the past three years, the Federal Railroad Administration has issued a safety advisory.




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Transit agency aims to make workers safer near train tracks

Washington — The Federal Transit Administration is accepting comment on a proposed rule that would establish mandatory minimum safety standards for rail transit employees who work on or near tracks.




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FRA says new rule will ensure freight trains are ‘safely staffed’

Washington — Large freight trains must have at least two crew members on board, under a recently announced Federal Railroad Administration final rule.




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Railroad association white paper touts safety improvements

Washington — The railroad industry says its investment in safety is paying off with significant decreases in train incidents and rail worker injuries.




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Main: OSHA hazcom standard compatible with MSHA requirements

Arlington, VA – Employers in the mining industry that follow OSHA’s newly revised Hazard Communication Standard will be in compliance with the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s hazcom standard, MSHA clarified in an Aug. 13 policy letter.




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Getting a Handle on Opportunity With AI

Subject matter experts assess practical use case applications for artificial intelligence, along with identifying vertical market opportunities and sales conversation insights.




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Retail Security

Retail security -- there are chains, regionals and mom-and-pops. Everyone has some type of security; many report they are upgrading. An annual, national survey reports that shrinkage -- the losses




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SDM 2023 Industry Forecast: Cautious Optimism Prevails

The good news is COVID-19 seems to be in the rear-view mirror; but ahead all signs point to a recession. Security dealers and integrators are wary, but cautiously optimistic they can weather this downturn with the skills they have honed in recent years.




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OSHA emphasis program aimed at protecting New England tree, landscaping workers

Boston — Spurred by an “alarming” and “unacceptable” number of incidents in the tree and landscaping industries throughout New England in recent years, OSHA has launched a Regional Emphasis Program intended to reduce the risks of injury and death faced by workers in these industries.




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National grain safety week set for April 4-8

Washington — OSHA and its Alliance Program partners in the agriculture industry are teaming up to host the sixth annual Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week – slated for April 4-8.




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Purdue professors expand safety training for young farm workers

West Lafayette, IN — Two Purdue University professors have used a federal grant to expand their safety and health training program for beginning agricultural workers ages 12-20.




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EPA aims to reinstate worker protections from pesticides

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is requesting public comment on a proposed rule that would retain various pesticide application exclusion zone requirements amended but not implemented as part of a previous agency final rule currently under a court-ordered stay.




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National grain safety week set for March 27-31

Washington — OSHA and its Alliance Program partners in the agriculture industry are teaming up to host the seventh annual Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week.




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‘In danger every day’: Report details hazards facing sanitation workers in NYC

New York – Injuries and fatalities are prevalent in the New York City commercial waste industry despite being easily preventable, according to a recent report from the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health.




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Agencies partner on infectious disease response training for health care, hazardous waste workers

Research Triangle Park, NC – Outbreaks of viruses such as Ebola and Zika have prompted the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences – together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, OSHA, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response – to launch an infectious disease safety training program for first responders and hazardous waste workers.




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Waste and recycling workers lack training on infection prevention: study

Ann Arbor, MI — Despite being regularly exposed to biohazards, fewer than 3 in 10 solid waste and recycling workers receive training on infection prevention, results of a recent study show.




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New Napco Professional Security Solutions Catalog Available

Napco Security Technologies, a manufacturer of advanced electronic security equipment, released a brand new version of its full line catalog of professional security solutions.




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Free Contact Tracing Available on Identiv’s Access Control Platform

Available via download for Hirsch customers, the free feature has been launched to support worldwide office re-openings with improved health and safety management tools. 




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How to Create a Touch-Free Environment in Uncertain Times

Thomas Paine, an early American philosopher, once said, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” Although these insightful words were written in reference to the American Revolution, they embody the sufferings of so many people today, due to the proliferation of COVID-19.




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Distributor Training Options Are Broader Than Ever

When the COVID-19 pandemic drove people nationwide to isolate themselves and curtail travel, security dealer training largely went digital. Now that the pandemic is waning, will the shift toward digital be a permanent change?




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Powered air-purifying respirators

Miller NIOSH-certified powered air-purifying respirators not only protect against welding fumes, but also incorporate features that result in a comfortable fit for the weld operator.




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Welding helmet for powered air-purifying respirator

Bullard has launched a new Welding Helmet, SparxLift, for use with its EVA Powered Air-Purifying Respirator.




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OSHA settlement policy puts workers at risk, report claims

Washington – The “deterrent effect” of OSHA fines takes a hit when the agency reduces penalties in cases involving willful violations and worker deaths – and OSHA too often agrees to reduce fines in exchange for an employer’s promise to quickly abate hazards, according to a report released June 30 by the Center for Progressive Reform.




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Government inspections and fines lead to safer workplaces, researchers claim

Toronto – Government safety and health inspections that result in penalties for non-compliant employers encourage organizations to take action to reduce work-related injuries, according to research from the Institute for Work & Health.




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Advocacy group launches ‘Crimes Against Workers’ database

Washington – A new database from the Center for Progressive Reform spotlights state criminal cases and advocacy campaigns against employers that have failed to comply with worker safety laws.




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OSHA taking ‘good faith’ into account when issuing citations during COVID-19 pandemic

Washington — “Good-faith efforts” by employers to comply with worker safety regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic should be taken into “strong consideration,” OSHA states in an April 16 memo to area offices and inspectors.




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OSHA COVID-19-related fines: Senators claim penalties ‘inadequate,’ ask Scalia to respond

Washington — Two dozen Democratic senators have taken issue with the dollar amounts OSHA has chosen to levy against employers in its individual COVID-19-related fines.




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DOL final rule aimed at improving debt collection efforts

Washington — The Department of Labor has published a final rule intended to help its agencies, including OSHA, improve their collection efforts for citation penalties and other debts.




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DOL OIG report on OSHA: More complaints, fewer inspections during COVID-19 pandemic

Washington — OSHA received 15% more complaints during the first nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic than it did during the same period in 2019 – but conducted 50% fewer inspections, according to a Department of Labor Office of Inspector General audit report released March 2.




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Fall Protection remains atop OSHA’s ‘Top 10’ list of most frequently cited violations

Orlando, FL — For the 11th consecutive fiscal year, Fall Protection – General Requirements is OSHA’s most frequently cited standard, the agency and Safety+Health announced Oct. 12 during the 2021 NSC Safety Congress & Expo.




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Republicans’ bills aimed at banning fines tied to possible vaccine mandates

Washington — Legislation recently introduced by House and Senate Republicans would prohibit the federal government from imposing a fine, fee or tax on workers or employers who don’t comply with COVID-19 vaccine mandates.