Washington – A disturbing rate of worker injuries and fatalities involving captive elephants has led People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to submit a formal petition to OSHA asking for stronger worker protections in the industry.

Washington — Advocacy groups Farmworker Justice and Earthjustice filed a joint Freedom of Information Act lawsuit April 17 seeking Environmental Protection Agency meeting notes related to a pair of regulatory changes regarding worker protection.

Grain Valley, MO — The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety and 12 other organizations have sent a letter to lawmakers urging them to oppose two House bills that would allow drivers younger than 21 to operate interstate commercial motor vehicles.

Washington — More than 130 organizations and 90 individuals are petitioning OSHA to issue regulations aimed at protecting workers against heat stress.

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture used flawed worker injury data to advance its controversial proposal to remove maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants, according to the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy group.

Washington — Public Citizen will not appeal the second dismissal of its lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s “2-for-1” deregulatory Executive Order, a spokesperson for the watchdog group told Safety+Health Jan. 16.

Washington — This year’s Workers’ Memorial Day, marked on April 28 each year to honor those who have lost their lives on the job, served as a poignant reminder of the ultimate sacrifice made by the many workers providing essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington — Two days after OSHA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued voluntary interim guidance aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 among workers in the meatpacking and poultry-processing industries, President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act of 1950 and declared the facilities “critical infrastructure” in an Executive Order intended to keep meatpacking facilities open.

Washington — The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is evaluating its next course of action after the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Sept. 18 denied a CVSA petition requesting that the agency update its definition of “personal conveyance” and clarify a mileage limit.

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Serious injuries and even death can occur if overhead cranes aren’t inspected and properly used.

Workers at height. Stacked materials. Pedestrian, forklift and truck traffic. All in one place. “Loading docks are very dangerous areas for employees,” OSHA’s Reginald Jackson says.

Are you getting ready to operate an aerial lift? OSHA recommends a pre-start inspection of the vehicle and lift components.

GuardianCoil^® Coiled Wire Fabric Machine Guards are widely used in the manufacturing and fabrication industries to guard operators from ejected parts and debris during machine use. Available in numerous sizes, our kits fit most hydraulic presses and equipment – plus, we can design and manufacture custom machine guards for special applications.

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Washington — NIOSH and the National Hearing Conservation Association are accepting nominations for the 2019 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award.

Washington — NIOSH, along with the National Hearing Conservation Association and the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation, has extended to Aug. 15 the nomination deadline for the 2023 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award.

Washington — Nominations for NIOSH’s 2023 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award are due June 8.

Just as safety pros need to be prepared to identify and abate even the rarest of safety hazards, employers always should be ready for the possibility of a surprise visit from OSHA. Do you know what to do?

Jim Spigener from DEKRA Insight shares 11 leadership characteristics that he says the best performers in safety practice consistently.

Washington — In partnership with OSHA, the American Chemistry Council has published an infographic to encourage workers in the automotive refinishing industry to wear the correct personal protective equipment.

Arlington, VA — Aiming to promote electrical safety among people who are working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Electrical Safety Foundation International has published an infographic.

Chicago – With summer approaching, three medical organizations have teamed up to issue tips to help prevent lawn mower injuries.

Washington — The Chemical Safety Board has extended to Dec. 31 its deadline for comment on a recent initiative that seeks to better understand why efforts to manage and control combustible dust hazards “have often failed” to prevent explosions.

Washington — Managing and controlling combustible dust should be considered a unique hazard – not simply “tidying up the place,” the Chemical Safety Board says in a recently released learning review document that includes input from workers and industry stakeholders.

Greenbelt, MD — Commercial motor vehicle inspectors across North America conducted 35,764 brake system inspections and identified 4,295 vehicles – or 12% – with out-of-service conditions during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week, the organization announced recently.

Washington — The Department of Labor Office of Inspector General will conduct an audit of the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s ability to complete required safety and health inspections amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Boise, ID — As a result of “continuing incidences of fatalities and injuries” at grain handling facilities within the jurisdiction of its Boise area office, OSHA on Dec. 31 renewed a Local Emphasis Program focused on inspections at these facilities.

Greenbelt, MD — Law enforcement officials will keep an extra-close eye out for commercial and passenger vehicle drivers who are distracted behind the wheel during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Operation Safe Driver Week, scheduled for July 10-16.

Cincinnati — The 6th U.S. Court of Appeals on May 11 ruled unanimously to uphold a citation against a Muhlenberg County, KY, coal mine for violating the Mine Safety and Health Act by providing underground mine workers with advance notice of a Mine Safety and Health Administration inspection.

Greenbelt, MD — Commercial motor vehicle inspectors throughout North America will conduct announced and unannounced brake system inspections Aug. 21-27 during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week.

Greenbelt, MD — A recent, unannounced inspection blitz of trucks and buses resulted in 14.1% of those checked being placed out of service for brake-related violations, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance announced June 22.

Denver — Deaths and serious injuries resulting from falls in the construction industry in recent years have prompted OSHA to launch an initiative to inspect worksites across Colorado’s Front Range, Montana and South Dakota on weekends, “when many employers typically do not monitor their jobsites well.”

Greenbelt, MD — Commercial motor vehicle inspectors across North America conducted 38,117 brake system inspections and identified 5,059 vehicles – or 13.3% – with out-of-service conditions during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week, the organization announced recently.

Greenbelt, MD — Law enforcement officials issued more than 26,000 citations and warnings to passenger-vehicle, truck and bus drivers during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Operation Safe Driver Week.

Read this free white paper from J. J. Keller to learn what to expect and how to handle an inspection with confidence. It covers everything from examining records and interviewing employees to a complete facility walkthrough, the citation process and more.

Washington — The Mine Safety and Health Administration uncovered hundreds of violations at mines with concerning compliance histories during recent impact inspections.

Greenbelt, MD — Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance inspectors placed 11.3% of the trucks and buses they examined out of service for brake-related violations during a recent, unannounced inspection initiative.

Greenbelt, MD — Law enforcement officials will target speeding and other unsafe driving behaviors July 9-15 during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Operation Safe Driver Week.

Greenbelt, MD — Commercial motor vehicle inspectors throughout North America will conduct announced and unannounced brake system inspections Aug. 20-26 during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week.

Washington — OSHA has pushed to Nov. 13 the deadline for comment on its proposal to allow workers to designate someone who doesn’t work for their employer to represent them during OSHA “walkaround” inspections.

Greenbelt, MD — Law enforcement officials issued more than 10,000 citations and warnings combined to passenger-vehicle, truck and bus drivers during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Operation Safe Driver Week.

Greenbelt, MD — The results are in for the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week.

Greenbelt, MD — Law enforcement officers will have an eye out for reckless, careless or dangerous driving July 7-13 during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Operation Safe Driver Week.

Washington — A coalition of nearly 60 employer groups is urging members of the House to support a resolution intended to repeal OSHA’s final rule on worker walkaround representation.

Washington — A pair of House Democrats are calling on acting Labor Secretary Julie Su to address recent allegations that officials from two State Plan agencies are giving employers advance notice of workplace safety inspections.

Suspension trauma is a rare occurrence, but it is important to know the warning signs to reduce the hazard.

Fall protection is designed to save a worker’s life, but it also can create risks in certain situations. If a worker is suspended for too long, he or she may develop what is known as suspension trauma.

Fall protection systems may prevent a serious injury or fatality. However, if a worker wearing fall protection gear falls and is suspended in a static upright position for an extended period of time, too much blood can accumulate in the veins and blood flow cannot normalize.

Falls through skylights and roof and floor openings can cause severe injuries and, in the worst case, death. According to NIOSH, workers should follow these tips to protect themselves:

If a worker wearing fall protection falls and is left suspended in the air too long, he or she may develop suspension trauma.