Washington – The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has announced plans for a pilot program to evaluate the safety and security impacts of a paperless hazard communications system for shippers and carriers.

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.

Washington — To support implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, OSHA and Health Canada have released joint guidance on pictogram requirements for three hazard communication categories.

A trio of industry professionals discuss the challenges and opportunities that integrators face when offering both security and data installations.

FieldHub and Affiliated Monitoring's partnership offers a comprehensive solution for managing operations in a single cloud-based platform.

This integration broadens the business’ ability to ensure door-to-door security and capture access related data to store, search and notify of exceptions in the cloud.

Real-life applications of security technologies.

Washington — OSHA is initiating a multipronged approach to protecting workers from extreme heat exposure, both outdoors and indoors, the agency has announced.

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.

Washington — Oregon OSHA is one step closer to having full oversight over temporary labor camps, after federal OSHA published a proposed final approval in the March 13 Federal Register.

Washington — Oregon OSHA now has full oversight of temporary labor camps in the state, after receiving federal OSHA’s final approval.

Tumwater, WA — In an effort to better identify, develop and evaluate effective efforts to prevent amputations, Washington state has created a surveillance system intended to augment employer-reported data.

New York — A new Regional Emphasis Program from OSHA is aimed at curbing worker fatalities and injuries in the tree and landscape services industries.

Sacramento, CA — A new interpretation app that can instantly translate more than 200 languages and dialects can be used by employers and workers in California to communicate more easily.

Silver Spring, MD — The Solid Waste Association of North America is asking the public to take simple steps to help protect sanitation workers from exposure to COVID-19. That includes holding off on cleaning projects that generate large amounts of trash.

Silver Spring, MD — The Solid Waste Association of North America has submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services orders for more than 2.4 million complimentary cloth facial coverings to be distributed to sanitation and recycling workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alcatraz, a developer of secure frictionless access control products, has partnered with Intelligent Systems Marketing (ISM) to sell and market Alcatraz’s innovative security solutions. 

Security systems integrators work in a plethora of vertical markets, implementing diverse security and safety systems to meet the ever-changing needs of their customers. To meet these needs and exceed client expectations, integrators’ suppliers play a large role.

You use a toaster for crisping bread; you wouldn’t use it for blending drinks nor would you heat an entire oven to crisp the bread. Similar to how a kitchen appliance is used to perform a specific task, a security appliance is used for a specific job.

This emergency shower unit is fully assembled and ready for installation to water supply and waste systems.

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.

Santa Ana, CA — California law permits prosecutors to seek civil penalties against employers facing accusations of workplace safety violations under the California Occupational Safety and Health Act, the state’s Supreme Court has ruled.

New Orleans — OSHA can issue citations to general contractors who fail to control hazardous conditions at multi-employer worksites, even if those conditions do not directly affect their own employees, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled Nov. 26.

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.

Washington — The Department of Labor is advising OSHA and other enforcement agencies not to publish press releases – “absent extraordinary circumstances” – about fines and penalties levied against employers for worker safety and health violations “before achieving a successful outcome,” according to a DOL guidance memo obtained by The New York Times.

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.

Pocatello, ID — A tanker testing and repair company owner has pleaded guilty to lying to OSHA and making illegal repairs to a cargo tanker, the Department of Justice announced May 20.

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.

Pocatello, ID — The owner of a tanker testing and repair company was sentenced to one month in prison and five months of home confinement for lying to OSHA and making illegal repairs to a cargo tanker, the Department of Justice announced Nov. 19.

Madison, WI — A federal grand jury has indicted Didion Milling and six of its current and former employees on nine charges, including two willful violations of OSHA standards.

Washington — In an effort to enhance enforcement of and compliance with workplace safety standards, OSHA has expanded the criteria for placement in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program to include violations of all hazards and agency standards, OSHA announced Sept. 15.

In California, employers of outdoor workers must provide drinking water “as close as practicable to the areas where employees are working.”

If someone has a serious cut and gets blood on the floor, how do we treat the cut? And how do we safely clean up the blood?

What are the first aid requirements, and how are good Samaritans protected?

Make plans now to attend the “MSD Pledge 2.0: Empowering Organizations to Transform Workplace Safety” virtual summit, set for 1 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 16.

Pittsburgh – The percentage of improperly fitted respirators increases with the length of time between worker fit tests, giving support to the annual fit-testing requirements in OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard, according to new research from NIOSH.

Washington – Are you one of the thousands of men who grow facial hair – and awareness for men’s cancer – in November? If you are, and you wear a respirator at work, NIOSH has guidance for you.

Washington — Staffing agencies and host employers share responsibility for protecting temporary workers from respiratory and noise hazards, according to separate bulletins recently released by OSHA as part of its Temporary Worker Initiative.

Alexandria, VA — The American Staffing Association, through an alliance with OSHA, is set to host a webinar on Nov. 9 to discuss how to protect temporary workers from exposure to airborne contaminants.

Washington — OSHA area offices must apply a four-part test before issuing General Duty Clause citations for respiratory hazards that do not have a permissible exposure limit, the agency states in a memorandum sent to regional administrators.

Washington — Reusable respirators could prove a “viable option” for health care facilities’ respiratory protection programs, especially in preparation for a public health emergency, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine concludes.

Sacramento, CA — An emergency regulation in California intended to protect outdoor workers from potentially dangerous wildfire smoke was enacted July 30 by the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, also known as Cal/OSHA.

Why do some employers fail to follow fit testing requirements? Experts weigh in on the challenges and go over the basics.

Washington — In an effort to preserve the supply of N95 filtering facepiece respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic, OSHA has temporarily suspended its requirement for annual respirator fit testing in the health care industry.

Triangle, VA — Citing concerns over the adjacent nature of mining work and the growing prevalence of respiratory illness in the industry, the United Mine Workers of America is calling on the Mine Safety and Health Administration to issue an emergency standard to help safeguard mine workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington — In response to a nationwide shortage of N95 filtering facepiece respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic, OSHA has announced further temporary easing of regulations related to respiratory protection.

Washington — A new video is aimed at helping organizations – particularly those in health care – understand the qualitative fit testing process.

Washington — OSHA is extending its temporary leniency on annual respirator fit testing to all covered employers, not only those in the health care industry.

Tumwater, WA — Ethylene oxide should not be used to sterilize filtering facepiece respirators for reuse because “this extremely hazardous toxic chemical poses a severe risk to human health,” the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries warns in a new alert.

West Lafayette, IN — Researchers from Purdue University have developed new designs for N95 facemasks they say will extend the shelf life of the respiratory protection commonly used by health care workers.