Washington — Pledging this past summer to increase agency transparency in fiscal year 2023, Chemical Safety Board interim executive Stephen Owens said to expect regular updates on incident investigations, personnel hiring and other agency developments.

Washington — Chemical Safety Board interim executive Stephen Owens affirmed his optimism that “we can rebuild and revitalize the CSB and perform our mission as Congress intended” during a Nov. 17 confirmation hearing before the Senate Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight Subcommittee.

Washington — The Senate on Dec. 13 confirmed Steve Owens as chair of the Chemical Safety Board and Catherine J.K. Sandoval as a CSB member, returning a quorum to the short-staffed agency.

Washington — Although still navigating the federal onboarding process since her Dec. 13 Senate confirmation, Chemical Safety Board member-in-waiting Catherine J.K. Sandoval spoke during the agency’s Jan. 26 public business meeting.

Washington — Catherine J.K. Sandoval was sworn in for a five-year term on the Chemical Safety Board on Feb. 2, returning a quorum to the short-staffed agency.

Washington — Despite being short-staffed, the Chemical Safety Board is “working hard to rebuild and revitalize” the agency, CSB Chair Steve Owens said at an April 27 public business meeting.

Orlando, FL — The National Safety Council awarded six safety professionals with its highest honor Monday during the Opening Session of the 2024 Safety Congress & Expo.

Download KPA's guide to get: An overview of the HazCom standard’s requirements; six key steps to hazard communication; and a checklist for hazard communication compliance.

Don’t navigate the complexities of OSHA reporting alone. Download KPA’s OSHA Record Keeping and Reporting Cheat Sheet.

Don’t navigate the complexities of OSHA reporting alone. Use this OSHA Record Keeping and Reporting Cheat Sheet to guide you through agency requirements.

Strong interest in two upcoming OSHA stakeholder meetings on crane operator certification requirements has prompted the agency to add a third.

Washington – Demolition and underground construction employers must follow the same requirements for crane and derrick use as those in other construction sectors, OSHA said in a final rule issued April 23.

Portland, OR – A hazard alert from the Oregon Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program emphasizes the importance of abiding by the manufacturer’s instructions for construction equipment and building materials.

Washington — A new fact sheet from OSHA is intended to help protect workers from hazards associated with shipboard pedestal cranes.

Washington — As part of a settlement agreement, OSHA has issued a proposed rule that would grant exemptions to its Cranes and Derricks in Construction Standard for work on or along railroad tracks.

Tumwater, WA — A new hazard alert from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries outlines the roles, responsibilities and procedures of erecting and dismantling tower cranes.

Columbia, SC — South Carolina OSHA has announced its plan to adopt a standard on infectious diseases in the workplace, including COVID-19.

Salem, OR — Oregon OSHA has launched a free online training course on silica hazards for Spanish-speaking workers.

Lansing, MI — Michigan OSHA has launched a state emphasis program aimed at identifying and reducing exposures to indoor and outdoor heat-related hazards.

Santa Ana, CA — California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health is “extremely motivated” to move forward on an emergency temporary standard on silica hazards for workers who handle engineered stone.

Washington — Fifty million workers will have to endure “excruciating heat” in the coming months, according to a Public Citizen report that examines state efforts to protect against the hazard.

Washington – Beginning Nov. 1, Department of Transportation safety inspectors must follow new notification procedures when opening packages containing perishable hazardous materials that are deemed unsafe or non-compliant with safety regulations, according to a final rule from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Berkeley, CA — Cannabis industry workers may be at increased risk of respiratory problems as a result of on-the-job exposure to various hazards, results of a recent study led by a University of Washington professor indicate.

Washington – A proposed rule that would modernize OSHA’s reporting system has cleared one regulatory hurdle and could be published soon.

Washington – OSHA is considering a change to its Process Safety Management Standard and has sent a prerule-stage draft to the Office of Management and Budget for review.

Washington – OSHA on Dec. 3 announced a request for information regarding potential changes to its Process Safety Management Standard and related enforcement policies.

Washington – Automobile dealerships should remain exempt from OSHA’s injury and illness recordkeeping requirements, the National Automobile Dealers Association stated during a March 26 meeting officials from OSHA and the Office of Management and Budget.

Washington – The Office of Management and Budget has completed its review of an OSHA recordkeeping and reporting regulation, paving the way for the agency to publish a final rule.

Arlington, VA — Requiring impact guards on the sides of large trucks would save “up to 10 times” more lives than the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates, one safety group says.

Portland, OR — Spurred by five vehicle operator deaths between 2019 and 2022, a new hazard alert offers best practices for protecting roadside workers and stranded drivers.

Portland, OR — In an effort to prevent worker deaths and injuries stemming from runover and backover incidents, the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences has issued a hazard alert.

Tumwater, WA — Janitorial workers can be exposed to needlesticks and should be aware of potential danger spots, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries says in a new tip sheet.

Boca Raton, FL — The National Council on Compensation Insurance has launched a new interactive resource that combines a decade’s worth of data on workers’ compensation claims involving lost-time injuries and insights.

Lexington, KY — Spurred by 56 worker deaths involving confined spaces in the state between 1994 and 2022, the Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program has issued a hazard alert.

Washington – The Mine Safety and Health Administration has published a pair of hazard alerts in response to an increase in fatalities at metal and non-metal mines.

Arlington, VA – Seven miners died during the third quarter of 2015, bringing the total death toll through September to 25, according to preliminary data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Arlington, VA – Last year, 28 miners died on the job – the lowest total on record, according to preliminary data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Arlington, VA – Beginning July 1, the Mine Safety and Health Administration will increase enforcement of its “Rules to Live By” initiative, as well as the nine common standards that fall under the agency’s Exam Rule, the agency announced during a May 12 stakeholder meeting.

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration recently released its annual safety alert spotlighting hazards unique to the mining industry during winter.

Footwear safety is paramount for skilled craft trades across the board. One small misstep or incident can result in varying levels of injury, causing lost time and compromised well-being.

Spot the hazard, assess the risk, make the change – these are common risk mitigation practices for employees working in and around the manufacturing production process. But what about the energy that can’t be seen?

Talk to a Protection 1 employee and there is a palpable energy that radiates outward about their job, the company and the customer. Chicago-based Protection 1, has always contained a deep-rooted love for the customer. But while employees embraced the concept, the execution was missing, as Protection 1 experienced declining growth for seven consecutive years.

They say necessity is the mother of invention.

Grade 43 Chain Positioning Lanyards are ideally suited for positioning or restraint applications when used in conjunction with a full-body harness with side or hip D-rings.

Cable Leading Edge Lanyards have the lightweight durability of a fixed-length lanyard and permit up to 12 feet of protection during a free fall from an at-height working surface.

Washington – Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX) is making another attempt to delay the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s mandate for electronic logging devices in commercial motor vehicles – set to go in effect Dec. 18 – by asking President Donald Trump to sign an Executive Order.

Washington — The publication of a proposed rule intended to add flexibility to hours-of-service regulations for commercial truck drivers is expected soon, on the heels of a recent delay, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration head Raymond Martinez said during a June 19 hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking public comment on a proposal to revise the agency’s guidance on “yard moves” and commercial motor vehicle drivers’ hours of service.

Washington — NIOSH has unveiled a beta version of an interactive, PC-based simulation software tool aimed at improving hazard recognition in mines.

Washington — Arizona’s dispute with OSHA – which at one point appeared to threaten its status as an approved State Plan – has officially ended, OSHA announced in a notice published in the July 26 Federal Register.