Washington — The Department of Labor has raised civil penalty amounts for violations around 1 percent to adjust for inflation, effective Jan. 23.

Washington — The Department of Labor has increased civil penalty amounts for violations to adjust for inflation, effective Jan. 15.

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.

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 — The Department of Labor has increased civil penalty amounts for violations to adjust for inflation, effective Jan. 15.

Washington — OSHA, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, and other Department of Labor agencies have increased civil penalty amounts for violations to adjust for inflation, effective Jan. 15.

Washington — The Department of Transportation has increased civil penalty amounts for violations to adjust for inflation, effective March 21.

Washington — The Department of Transportation has revised civil penalty amounts for violations to adjust for inflation.

Washington — The maximum penalty for a “willful” or “repeat” OSHA violation has increased to $156,259 after the agency, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, and other Department of Labor agencies automatically increased civil penalty amounts to adjust for inflation.

Salem, OR — Legislation recently introduced in Oregon would significantly increase civil penalties for safety violations that contribute to worker injuries and deaths.

Washington — The Department of Transportation has updated civil penalty amounts for violations to adjust for inflation, effective Dec. 28.

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

Washington — The Department of Health and Human Services has reopened until Sept. 25 the comment period on an interim final rule that allows NIOSH to approve a new class of powered air-purifying respirators for workers in the health care and public safety sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic, among other changes.

Robust investment growth in target building segments is expected to drive increased spending through 2023, according to the NSCA’s Electronic Systems Outlook report for Summer 2023.  

Watertown, SD — Proper rescue planning for suspension trauma incidents at tower sites is the focus of a new video from NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association.

Harrisburg, PA — Pennsylvania will explore the possibility of providing OSHA protections to workers in the public sector, Gov. Tom Wolf (D) has announced.

“In all aspects of our lives, confirmation bias can hinder our ability to stay open-minded. As safety pros, it can make us less effective.”

Electromagnetic and radio frequency interference (EMI-RFI) can disrupt the performance of sensitive communications systems and devices, potentially compromising confidential data.

After spotting a gap in the market, Openpath — a provider of touchless access control and workplace safety automation — is now offering Pro Series Video Readers with sleek hardware, and touchless unlock and remote management capabilities.

The offering combines Johnson Controls OpenBlue suite of connected solutions, and the ability to monitor and manage security devices across vendors.

This white paper provides a comprehensive overview of global workplace incident trends, focusing on the top three biases leading to such incidents.

Cincinnati – Nominations are being accepted for the annual Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards.

Washington — NIOSH, along with the National Hearing Conservation Association and the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation, is accepting nominations for the 2021 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award.

Physical security systems need to be nimble to counter a changing threat landscape.

Washington — More than 4 out of 5 workers are willing to try safety technologies, a new research report from the Work to Zero initiative at the National Safety Council shows.

The upgraded Stylus Pro USB penlight features a slimmer, matte black body. Measuring only 5.95 inches long and weighing 1.8 ounces, the penlight’s micro USB port allows on-the-go charging of the lithium-ion battery in 2.5 hours.

Lyngby, Denmark — Better work performance could be tied to the air quality in your bedroom while you sleep, a team of Danish researchers has concluded.

Itasca, IL — Taking simple steps before work begins can help curb job-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Washington — Physical assaults on health care workers in hospitals could lead to federal penalties and up to 20 years of jail time, under new bipartisan legislation.

Washington — Legislation aimed at strengthening Department of Labor civil penalties will be introduced soon, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) announced April 30.

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 — NIOSH and the National Hearing Conservation Association are accepting nominations for the 2019 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.

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.

Imagine this scenario: A construction worker is replacing shingles on the roof of a two-story house 20 feet above ground. He loses his footing and slips, falling off the roof. He’s wearing a fall-arrest system, and as a result is saved from death. But he’s not out of danger yet.

The patent-pending Foam Plug Dispenser is designed for easy and economical dispersal of earplugs.

Jobs that require frequent standing can lead to a number of health-related problems, including sore feet, leg swelling, muscle fatigue, low back pain, and stiffness in the neck and shoulders.

New York — Nearly three-quarters of remote workers say their employer should provide a general work-from-home stipend to help make their home workspaces more ergonomically correct, results of a recent survey show.

As many employees begin returning to a more typical work environment, employers must remember to prioritize safety. Here are 10 steps the National Safety Council – based on recommendations from its SAFER task force – says employers should take before reopening.

What are the best methods for avoiding suspension trauma after a fall?

Are chains allowed to protect a ladder opening instead of a gate?

Construction Suicide Prevention Week, an outreach event aimed at addressing a growing issue in the industry, is set for Sept. 9-13.

Around half of adults – and 58% of parents – visit local parks or spend time in nature to help relieve stress, results of a recent survey show.

Washington — The Chemical Safety Board is “very determined” to avoid an investigation backlog similar to the one it recently cleared, board Chair Steve Owens said during the agency’s first public business meeting of 2024.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking feedback on Part 2 of a final draft risk evaluation that claims legacy use and disposal of asbestos presents an unreasonable health risk to demolition workers, firefighters and other workers in certain situations.

The Application Center features a variety of versatile bench-top scale and pilot scale equipment that can be used alone or in combination, giving BENEO the ability to cover a wide range of applications.