Northern Safety Co., Inc. Safety and Industrial Supplies

In 1996, Dallas, Texas, was a part of an international initiative to reduce injuries and save lives, and was certified as the first Safe Community by the World Health Organization (WHO). Now, in 2011, the city has renewed its certification, showing its commitment to the safety of the people of Dallas.

The push for safety was led by the Injury Prevention Center (IPC) of Greater Dallas, which worked hard to make strides in safety for the past 15 years. IPC developed Operation Installation, which installed 26,000 smoke alarms in homes and businesses, providing protection to more than 42,000 people.

"Because of our commitment to evaluation, we have been able to determine which strategies are producing the desired results and which ones are not," said Shelli Stephens-Stidham, director of IPC. "The strategies being implemented are more effective, which continues to make Dallas a safer city."

Dallas was awarded the certification based on certain indicators, which include programs that document the frequency and cause of injuries, evaluation measures that check programs already in place, and creating long-term sustainable programs for all genders, ages, environments, and situations.

Safe Communities America was developed to decrease the number of injuries at play, at work, and on roads, which is the fifth-leading cause of death in the country.  

Safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers, should be available in all homes, businesses, and vehicles.

On July 20, 2011, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis made a statement regarding the extremely high temperatures that have swept across the country and how they can impact the health and safety of outdoor workers.

"Four weeks into the summer, the nation continues to experience record heat. For outdoor workers, this means being at risk for heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke," Solis said in a recent statement. She went on to outline precautions that outdoor workers need to follow in order to remain healthy.

All outdoor workplaces should have a site plan to prevent heat-related illnesses, and they should be sure that medical services are readily available in the event of an emergency.

Solis also stated that water, rest, and shade are crucial to staying in good health when working outdoors. She advised employers to review guidelines set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which suggest that training should be provided to workers about the hazards that lead to heat stress, and at least one pint of water be drank every hour. 

Safety products to help workers deal with the heat include cooling clothing and bandanas, and disposable respirators with exhalation valves.

On July 18, 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it had approved the influenza vaccine for the 2011-2012 flu season, allowing all six licensed manufacturers to produce and distribute it throughout the country.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent contracting influenza, a contagious disease that affects the respiratory system and is caused by the influenza virus. The vaccination was produced to protect against the three strains of the virus that are expected be the most prevalent this year, including the same strains as the 2010-2011 flu season.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on average, 5 to 20 percent of the population contracts the disease and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued guidance on how to minimize influenza spread in the workplace, which includes proper hygiene, the use of safety products, and staying home from work when ill.

The FDA stresses the importance of receiving the vaccine, for personal prevention as well as for controlling the illness in places of work.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), of the U.S. Department of Labor, released an update on Jul 27, 2011, which reported on the midyear summary of mining deaths throughout the country.

As of June, there have been eight coal mining deaths and six fatalities of workers in the metal and nonmetal mining industries.

"Even though the number of mining deaths for the first half of this year are at an all-time low, one mining death is still one too many," Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, said in the release.

Main added that fatalities were not an "inevitable" aspect of mining, and that effective health and safety programs, training of miners, and proper workplace examinations can help miners identify and eliminate mining hazards.

MSHA provides miners, operators, and trainers with information on actions that should be taken for better safety, which include avoiding "red zones," performing pre-shift and onshift examinations, and always wearing safety products such as work gloves and hard hats.

"We want all miners to go home safe and healthy at the end of each shift," Main concluded.  

A survey released by Kimberly-Clarke Professional on July 27, 2011, found that 89 percent of participating safety professionals admit to having seen workers not wearing safety products that are required on the job. Twenty nine percent claimed workers failed to wear personal protection equipment (PPE) that is required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on "numerous occasions."

The high rate of noncompliance with current protocols poses a major threat to worker health and safety, according to Gina Tsiropoulos, marketing manager for Kimber-Clarke Professional.

"While the reasons for noncompliance are varied, the threat to workers is clear-cut. Without the proper use of PPE, they are at risk of serious injury or even death." she said in a recent statement.

Sixty nine percent of respondents to the survey stated that workers failed to wear the equipment because they thought it wasn't needed. Other reasons that followed included it being uncomfortable, too hot, ill-fitting, and unattractive.

Strategies to improve compliance were proposed after the findings, which included purchasing more comfortable and stylish PPE, associating compliance with individual performance evaluations, and developing incentive programs for wearing PPE. 

New research done by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) suggests that in order for workplaces to fully take advantage of wellness programs, they must be properly integrated with existing safety and health initiatives.

The report states that employers have a tendency to approach safety and health protection programs and workplace wellness programs as two separate items, isolating them and allowing for zero interaction.

Authors with ACOEM argue that for either activity to be truly effective, each much be integrated into a single "workplace health protection and promotion" system.

ACOEM states that "health protection" includes the "activities that protect workers from occupational injury and illness," which includes wearing work gloves, hard hats, and other safety products, while "health promotion" refers more to "activities that maintain or improve the personal health of a workforce."

By combining these two aspects of workplace safety effectively, employers can "increase their impact on overall health and productivity. The whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts."

ACOEM is comprised of more than 5,000 occupational physicians and other health care professionals that provide leadership to promote optimal health and safety of workers, workplaces, and environments. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) assisted Georgia employers by hosting a heat illness prevention training session on August 3, 2011 in order to educate construction workers and employers about the dangers of working in extreme heat.

The construction industry can be an uncomfortable place to work during the summer months, but it has also proven to be dangerous, as temperatures have soared in the last few years. Intense heat can cause heat stroke as well as acute heart, liver, kidney, and muscle damage. Workers suffering from heat stress are also at a greater risk for accidents.

"Workers die from heat-related stroke or illness every year, and every one of these deaths is preventable," Cindy Coe, OSHA's regional administrator in Atlanta, said in a statement. "We are glad that the construction industry recognizes the importance of this issue and is supporting OSHA's heat illness prevention campaign."

According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), heat-related emergencies can be easily prevented by taking frequent rest breaks and wearing loose-fitting clothing in hot weather.

In addition to ensuring proper training about extreme heat conditions, employers should be sure that proper safety products are being used at all times. When the sun contributes to the heat, using hard hats with a full brim to shade the ears and neck, wearing dark shade safety glasses, and providing cooling headwear, bandanas, vests, and towels will all help workers stay cooler.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) recently issued a statement outlining new threats found to be associated with mining and working around bodies of water.

MSHA reports that since 2004, there have been 17 water-related deaths that have occurred in metal and non-metal mines, prompting them to assess the danger of water in mining operations.

The alert states that the potential outcome of working around, over, or near water hazards may result in entrapment or drowning. The highest risks are associated with travel or equipment operation near a body of water, the weight and vibrations caused by large machinery, water banks being undercut, and the sloughing of the ground. Also included were precautions on the varying depth of water and swift currents.

Outlined in the alert was a mining best practices sheet, which included conducting daily examinations of the workplace and becoming familiar with all aspects of a body of water, such as its depth and subsurface conditions. Keeping equipment away from the edge of a water source at all times was also listed as very important.

In addition to personal flotation devices and rescue rings, employers should be sure that proper safety products are being used at all times as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). These products may include safety glasses, work gloves, and hard hats.

Following the Silvertip pipeline oil spill in Montana in July, 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a statement addressing the health and safety of workers who are part of clean-up crews, and offered helpful resources on the best ways to handle oil spills.

Because oil spill clean-up efforts can be very dangerous, the CDC stated that workers and volunteers need to be aware of the hazards and risks involved and the proper safety precautions that need to be taken.

Workers may see hazards such as heat and cold stress, chemicals, and musculoskeletal hazards. The CDC responded by offering online resources intended to help employers and workers prepare for oil-spill response activities, and to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses.

One way that workers can assess the risks involved in an oil spill clean-up is to contact the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which will run a health hazard evaluations program at no cost via phones and writing, or performed on-site.

The CDC also states that safety products are "very important for any emergency responder," respirators, protective clothing, gloves, and eye protection are some of the most important. 

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) announced the availability of $1 million in safety and health training grants. The announcement on August 3, 2011 advised that grant funds are tobe allocated towards the development and implementation of training and training procedures that would help to "identify, avoid, and prevent" hazardous working conditions in underground mines.

The grants are available through the Brookwood-Sago grant program. This program was established through a provision in the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006. In the coming fiscal year, funding will target plans to develop and implement training techniques and materials in order to further prepare mine workers for emergency preparedness and prevention.

"Training is the key to proper and safe emergency response," Joseph A. Main, Assistant Secretary of Labor for MSHA, said in a recent statement. "These funds will enable miners and mine emergency responders to receive the necessary training that may one day save lives if a mine emergency occurs."

As many as 20 grants may be awarded for a 12-month performance period to either states or nonprofit entities, each grant will be at least $50,000, with a maximum award of $250,000. In addition, a new program structure allows applicants to apply for a renewal grant.

MSHA requires that suitable safety products be worn while working in mines, including protective footwear, safety glasses, work gloves, and hard hats. 

Even though it is documented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that employers who develop and implement safety management systems significantly reduce workplace injuries and illnesses, these are the programs that tend to get cut in tough economic times.

According to the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, workers compensation due to work-related injuries cost America $53 billion in 2008.

Injury and illness can also lead to a decrease in productivity, morale and profits, suggesting that preventing such events allows businesses to operate more efficiently when effective safety and health management systems are implemented, according to OSHA.

"Employers that invest in workplace safety and health can expect to reduce fatalities, injuries, and illnesses," OSHA states. "This will result in cost savings in a variety of areas, such as lowering workers' compensation costs and medical expenses, avoiding OSHA penalties, and reducing costs to train replacement employees."

Safety systems vary across workplaces, and include safety budgets for safety products and personal protective equipment as required by OSHA.

At this year's National Safety Council (NSC) Congress and Expo in Philadelphia, the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) will be hosting a forum titled "Solutions from ISEA Experts," which will cater to the personal protection equipment (PPE) user community.

In the discussion, experts from companies affiliated with ISEA will comment on the best ways organizations and companies can avoid violations and the steps manufacturers of safety products are taking to create a safer work environment. The representatives will give presentations on the standards, proper applications, performance, and design of PPE.

Speakers will also demonstrate new products that will be available soon and answer any questions attendees of the event may have.

Topics to be covered in the forum will include hearing and respiratory protection, fall protection systems, and PPE conformity assessment issues.

The NSC Congress and Expo will begin on Sunday, October 30, and run through Friday, November 4, and will feature more than 800 companies. The event will provide safety, health, and environmental insights through various exhibitions, making the expo the "industry's leading networking event," according to exhibit highlights.  

Employers needing help with new recordkeeping regulations proposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) can now find it online.

The agency announced on June 28, 2011, that it has launched an interactive web tool called the OSHA Recordkeeping Advisor. The program simulates an employer's interaction with a recordkeeping rules expert and caters specifically to the questions or concerns presented by users.

On June 22, 2011, OSHA issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and outlined potential changes. One of the new rules, if passed, would require companies to report to OSHA all work-related fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations within eight hours, and work related amputations within 24 hours.

Along with the proposed changes, OSHA requested feedback from the public. The web tool is designed to help them better understand the intricacies of the proposed policies.

"The Recordkeeping Advisor was developed to better help employers understand and comply with their responsibilities to report and record work-related injuries and illnesses," said Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. 

In addition to following recordkeeping regulations, employers should be sure that proper safety equipment is being used at all times.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) renewed its alliance with the Scaffold Industry Association (SIA) one day after it extended its partnership with the Sealant, Waterproofing, and Restoration Institute (SWR Institute).

On June 29, 2011, OSHA announced it would continue collaborating with SIA to develop the most effective fall protection regulations. Since their alliance was first signed in 2008, the two organizations have published Transport Platforms and Mast Climbing Work Platforms safety materials relating to scaffold and fall hazards.

They also produced applicable materials containing American National Safety Institute (ANSI) consensus standards.

The goals of the renewed alliance include enhancing training and education programs as well as emphasizing the importance of using proper safety equipment on job sites.

"Four of the 10 most frequently cited OSHA construction standards involve scaffolding, so renewing this alliance is a great opportunity to build on our work to better protect the men and women who work on scaffolds," said Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA.

Companies using scaffolding in the U.S. require their employees to wear a safety harness while working at high elevations. ile working at high elevations.  

A publishing company recently announced it has released the Maine Handbook on Occupational Safety and Health, 2011-2012 edition.

According to The Times Record of Maine, Compliance Publications in Damariscotta, Maine, produced the 500-page large-format manual. The material was provided by Maine's Department of Labor.

Daniel Goldenson, the president of Compliance Publications, explained that the manual is "hands on" and designed to educate safety managers on the most up-to-date policies in the Pine Tree State. The handbook also comes with a CD and a Quick Start Guide.

The manual “brings together in one place the key information that employers need in order to operate their workplaces safely and in compliance with both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Maine State Division on Workplace Safety," said David Wacker, the director of Workplace Safety and Health in Maine's Labor Department.

In 2009, an average of 3.1 out of every 100 workers in Maine missed days from work, transferred, or had restricted capabilities due to a work-related injury or illness.

Employers can avoid these incidents by purchasing reliable safety equipment for their employees. Items such as work gloves, hard hats, and ear plugs can help workers avoid injuries. 

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), workplaces can reduce costs by 20 to 40 percent by establishing efficient safety and health management systems.  In addition, pursuing OSHA's Volunteer Protection Program (VPP) Star Award , an accolade described as "more than just a safety program," but a "culture-changing program," can help in this regard.

OSHA says the award is given to employers and workers in both private industry and in federal agencies who maintain workplace injury and illness numbers below the averages set by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Axcet, a company that recently earned the award, encourages other small businesses to strive for OSHA's recognition, saying its dedication to safety, which includes access to a first aid kit and other safety products, has paid off in many ways.

"From the top down, Axcet HR Solutions has displayed outstanding effort in implementing a comprehensive safety and health management system," Charles E. Adkins, OSHA's regional administrator in Kansas City, Missouri, said in a statement. "The company is an exemplar of workplace safety."

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently called for two stakeholder meetings to discuss exposure to infectious diseases in the workplace. Information gathered at these meetings will be used to develop proposed rules to protect healthcare workers from occupational exposure to infectious agents and the safety supplies necessary to do so.

"Information gained from these meetings will help us determine the best approach to assure that workers don’t put themselves at risk while caring for patients and doing their job. After all, a good job is a healthy and safe job," Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels said.

The meetings will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a program standard that would limit occupational exposure to infectious diseases, focus on how employers would implement new infection control measures, and identify any current OSHA rules that need to be assessed or revised.

The National Health Institute has outlined proper procedures all health care workers should follow, which include staying up to date with immunizations, using gloves and masks, and making tissues and hand cleaners available. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is adopting the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) in 2011, in an effort to communicate the hazards of certain chemicals to workers through labels and material safety data sheets (MSDS).

OSHA intends to incorporate the GHS into the current system, the Hazard Communication Standard, (HCS) by August 2011, and align it closer to the GHS. Its goal is to "create new compliance obligations for everyone in the lifecycle of hazardous materials."

When the changes are adopted by OSHA, chemical manufacturers will have to write new MSDSs, and entire MSDS libraries will need to be updated in a short period of time. Much of the updating has been completed, but more work is needed.

"GHS is coming and chemical manufacturers, employers, and safety professionals should already be preparing,” said Mike Flynn, vice president of product development at MSDSonline.

OSHA states that the GHS is not a model that can be adopted easily. It involves a long process of choosing parts of the system that apply to existing regulations and preparing literature consistent with current requirements. Provisions that are not affected by the alignment will remain the same, such as the training offered by the HCS system and currently preferred safety products. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has renewed its alliance with the Scaffold Industry Association (SIA) in an effort to protect the health and safety of scaffold workers, and to prevent falls and other deadly accidents associated with the industry.

The alliance was originally formed in 2008, and has since developed Transport Platforms and Mast Climbing Work Platforms and American National Safety Institute consensus standards.

Reasons for renewing the alliance include increasing awareness of the rules and initiatives enforced by OSHA, writing new training programs, and conducting outreach activities on the rights of workers and employer's responsibilities.

SIA was founded in 1972 to represent the scaffold, aerial lift, and access industry, and has worked to promote safety in these areas through training courses, audiovisual practices, and codes of safe practice.

The Alliance Program of OSHA works with groups committed to bettering workplace safety and preventing fatalities, injuries, and illnesses. Benefits of the cooperative program include increased worker access to effective workplace safety equipment, and the establishment of continuous dialogue between agencies and OSHA, which can lead to progress in worker rights, health, and safety.
 

Mercy Tiffin Hospital, located in Tiffin, Ohio, was recently awarded the 2011 Ohio Hospital Safety Campaign Award for employee safety. The hospital was also one of 14 hospitals to earn a Top Twenty Percent Award. In total, 29 hospitals were recognized statewide for their commitment to employee safety and use of inspected safety products.

"Mercy Tiffin Hospital is dedicated to ensuring our staff is working in a safe environment,” Dale Thornton, President and CEO of Mercy Tiffin Hospital, said in a statement. “There are many safety initiatives and programs available for our employees. We encourage our employees to maintain safe workstations."

Hospitals apply for candidacy for the award by taking information, which they are required to maintain for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and submitting it to the state.

Injury rates, which are used in selection, are calculated by dividing the number of injury cases by days away from work per 200,000 hours by the number of hours worked that year.

For 58 years the Ohio Hospital Association Statewide Hospital Safety campaign has been honoring hospitals with exceptional safety programs and employee safety records. The award was created to promote safer workplace standards.

In June of 2011, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) set new directives for fall protection regulations involved with the residential construction industry. These changes will strongly affect industry professionals such as roofers, weather proofers, and others involved in residential construction.

OSHA now requires fall protection, which includes guardrails, safety nets, personal fall arrest systems, and other safety products to be used in residential construction project above 6 feet. If employers can demonstrate that there is not a feasible way to implement these measures, or that perhaps that they would create even more of a hazard, a site specific, written plan must be provided. This plan must specify alternate methods that will be used to eliminate or reduce the possibility of a fall.

The previous regulations stated that employers could use alternative measures such as safety monitoring systems and were not required to prove the infeasibility or greater hazard-risk of the conventional measures.

OSHA intends to increase its enforcement, stating that employers will no longer be allowed to bypass conventional fall protection.

Doctors from the Alaska Native Medical Center have announced that virtually all fishing-related eye injuries, in both salt and fresh water, can be prevented with protective lenses. Safety glasses should always be used when fishing.

Eye injuries can result in extreme vision loss or loss of the eye, and are not easily fixed. Prevention, rather than repair, is the most important aspect in eye safety.

"The world is filled with warnings for everything and ophthalmologists hate to raise one more voice in this symphony," the authors wrote in a column for the Arctic Sounder, "however, the necessity of wearing eye protection when people nearby are violently flinging sharpened bits of metal through the air is obvious."

The doctors stated that the most common fishing-related eye injuries occur when hooks, while under tension from the line, become dislodged from the fish, and whip back into the eye.

Commercial fisherman are advised to wear polycarbonate protective lenses, which are readily available, to reduce the risks of eye injury by hooks that are used on fishing vessels.

Civil engineer for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Douglas M. Thompson, of North Fayette Township, Pennsylvania, was recently recognized with PennDOT's highest recognition, the Star of Excellence Award.

According to a recent PennDOT release, 28 employees received the award statewide for their work done at Pennsylvania highway construction sites.

"These employees are being recognized for going above and beyond what’s expected of them," PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch said in the news release. "Despite constant fiscal challenges and the increasing demands placed on them, they are dedicated to producing excellent results."

Thompson was honored with the award because of his involvement in the largest bridge program ever and his commitment to safety. He ensured that all staff had required training when using safety equipment on site, and helped to develop a fall protection program for District 11.

Thompson's first duties as a civil engineer included safety inspections, a skill which he has carried ever since. While working high on bridges is not as dangerous as it used to be, Thompson regularly made sure his workers were properly secured with a safety harness. 

Three Dot Foods warehouse employees recently took part in a company-sponsored Forklift Rodeo where the workers' skills with forklifts and trucks were tested, and their knowledge of warehouse safety was examined.

Thirty competitors from eight distribution centers (DCs) participated in the event, which included maneuvering through an obstacle course that mimicked the typical layout of a warehouse.

To emphasize safety, Dot added two stop-and-honk intersections to the course.

"The contestants did a great job of focusing on safety first, then speed. This was evident in the low number of infractions issued due to not stopping and honking," Rocky Vecera, assistant warehouse manager of Dot's Indiana DC, said.

In order to stress the importance of proper forklift and safety equipment use, the company offered a free vacation to the top three finishers in the race.

Dot holds the race every year during Warehouse Appreciation Week at all of its distribution centers.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, about 3 million workers face the risk of injury if safety measures are not enforced by employers. 

Dr. Amanda Ely of Pennsylvania State University is spreading awareness that July is Eye Injury Prevention Month, hoping more people will start wearing safety glasses and other protective lenses while working.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology estimates that more than 2 million eye injuries were reported in the country last year, and that 90 percent of the incidents were preventable. Of all the accident victims, only 5 percent were wearing glasses designed for safety.

Dr. Ely said that both consumers and employees need to be aware of the dangers of eye injury, and that all companies should follow occupational protective eyewear safety standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

"Do yourself, and your eyes, a service this summer and invest in a pair of protective eyewear," Dr. Ely said in a statement.

Dr. Amanda Ely is a member of The Penn State Hershey Eye Center, which is committed to providing high quality eye care and works to continually improve eye care throughout the United States through research and education.
 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a warning on July 6, 2011, that scissor lifts can be extremely dangerous when used to film events.

Scissor lifts, which are portable and powered by hydraulics, are often used by colleges and high schools to film sporting events and band performances. In one instance, a student worker was killed while filming a Notre Dame football practice. The worker raised the lift more than 39 feet on a day when winds were exceeding 50 mph, and the lift was blown over.

OSHA declared that employers can minimize scissor lift hazards by implementing safe practices in the workplace, such as safety equipment inspections, positioning and stabilizing the lift, and knowing when weather conditions create a danger that would not permit use of the lift.

To further decrease the risk of injury or death when operating scissor lifts, workers should be properly trained and made aware of the possible risks involved.

OSHA provides health and safety tips on using scissor lifts and presents guidelines for employers who work on scaffolding and other high places, and encourages employers to take part in free on-site consultations. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued a new directive establishing a National Emphasis Program (NEP) for  the Primary Metals Industries based on data that found workers in the sector are regularly exposed to serious safety and health hazards.

The Primary Metals Industries group includes companies that smelt or refine ferrous and nonferrous metals. Some products these groups manufacture are nails, wires and cables, and steel piping.

OSHA has written an instruction that outlines policies and procedures that should be implemented to form a National Emphasis Program, which would identify and reduce the exposure of workers to harmful conditions in the Primary Metals Industries.

Included in the NEP are provisions for safety products and measures of controlling local exhaust ventilation to remove any air-contaminants, substitution of less hazardous materials, and general dilution ventilation.

OSHA intends to inspect facilities and enforce the guidelines during follow up visits to the sites.

The agency hopes to "raise awareness of the dangers of exposure to metals and other chemicals so that employers can correct hazards and comply with OSHA standards" and so that employers will voluntarily comply with current regulations.
 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently concluded a 90-day investigation, sparked by the March nuclear disaster in Japan, which found that better safety measures need to be adopted at nuclear power plants across the country.

According to an NRC press release, the report filed by the government panel suggested that nuclear plant operators should be ordered to re-assess the risk of earthquakes and floods, and more protective equipment and battery operated communication systems need to be available in the event of a disaster. 

The NRC developed 12 recommendations that plant operators could take that would "increase safety and redefine what level of protection to public health is regarded as adequate."

"Our recommendations are grouped into four areas beyond the overarching suggestion to clarify the agency’s regulatory framework," NRC veteran and review team leader Charles Miller said in the release. “We looked at ensuring protection, enhancing accident mitigation, strengthening emergency preparedness, and improving the efficiency of NRC programs." 

According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, there are 104 operating nuclear reactors in the country in 31 states. Vermont has the highest usage of nuclear energy at 73.3 percent.  

Using safety products such as work gloves, coveralls, boots, and respirators is required for the protection of workers at nuclear power plants.

A partnership between Pioneer Construction, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), and the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) was formally signed. This partnership will protect construction workers on a project at Grand Valley State University, according to a recent statement released by LARA.

The goal of the partnership is to enhance health protection and proper use of safety equipment, and to record zero injuries for workers on the project.

In order to attain this goal, LARA and OSHA worked with Pioneer to engineer techniques to assure safety at all times. These items include 100 percent fall protection over six feet, 100 percent eye protection through safety glasses, and substance abuse testing.

"We're proud to recognize Pioneer Construction's commitment to send every construction worker home healthy and whole, every day," LARA Deputy Director Steve Arwood said in a statement.

MIOSHA has made 10 similar partnerships with contractors on other construction projects.

"Partnerships are a cooperative agreement that help not only MIOSHA but also contractors carry out the mission of protecting workers’ safety and health,” safety manager for MIOSHA Paul Wrzesinski said.

The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) recently announced there was an error in the original document on chemical hazards, "American National Standard for Classification and Performance Requirements for Chemical Protective Clothing," and has released clarification on the issues presented.

The agency clarified that Note a) of Table 3 that was attributed to abrasion resistance in protective wear is not applicable. The note only applies to flex cracking resistance. The agency noted that the text within the body of the standard on abrasion resistance is correct.

Also, questions arose over the requirements for permeation and liquid penetration found during pressure testing. In response, the ISEA stated that it was not required for a product to receive a Level L for each agent listed in the original report in order to be compliant.

However, if the protective materials do not achieve any of the levels created by the new standard for a given agent, the product's technical information label should show this clearly. The reader must understand that the material is not classified to the standard for the particular agent in question.

When working with chemicals, wearing appropriate safety products, such as safety glasses and protective clothing, can greatly reduce the risk of injury caused by chemical reactions and burns.  

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced that it would conduct a survey of private employers to help the agency better create new rules and regulations in the future.

The Baseline Survey of Safety and Health Practices will be sent out to as many as 19,000 employers and will ask them about how they manage workplace health and safety issues.

The survey is being sent to employers of varying sizes in any of the industries that are regulated by OSHA. Some of the questions on the survey will focus on whether a safety management system is in place, who is in charge of safety in the company, whether inspections are performed on a yearly basis and what kind of hazards exist in their business.

The survey may also ask about what type of safety equipment and safety supplies are required and used by each business.

Participation in the survey is voluntary and its results will be compiled by Eastern Research Group. The data collection phase is expected to be completed by August 2011.

OSHA said that the results of the survey may help it create better regulations and will also help with its compliance assistance efforts. 

A new report reveals that 2009 was the safest year for the trucking industry since the federal government began tracking job-related fatalities in 1975.

According to the American Trucking Association, the rate of truck-involved deaths on U.S. highways was 1.17 per 100 million miles in 2009. This is a 14 percent decrease from the 1.37 rate in 2008.

ATA Chairman Barbara Windsor said that the trucking industry has made significant strides in decreasing work-related injuries and deaths. Those efforts are highlighted in the organization's 18-point progressive safety agenda and programs such as Share the Road and America's Road Team.

"This is great news, not just for the trucking industry but for the entire motoring public," ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. "These improvements are a testament to the commitment to safety made by the trucking industry, the federal government, and trucking’s law enforcement partners."

By providing training for drivers, safer vehicles, and updating safety equipment, employers have reduced risks for drivers.

A new report indicates that workplace safety continues to improve in the state of Oregon.

The study, which was released by the Department of Business and Consumer Services, reveals that Oregon's private sector workers experienced work-related injuries and illnesses at a rate of 4.4 for every 100 full-time employees in 2009. This is the lowest figure ever recorded in the Beaver State, and a significant improvement from the 1999 rate - seven injured or ill workers for every 100 employees.

In 2009, the highest incidence rate was recorded by the transportation and warehousing industries, while the finance and insurance industries were the lowest. Approximately 53 percent of the 48,304 cases recorded in 2009 resulted in lost work time, including days away from work, restricted activity or transfers.

The trend suggests that employers are putting more emphasis on installing the newest safety equipment. To avoid state or federal fines, many companies are requiring their workers to use safety products, such as hard hats, work gloves and ear plugs.

Although Oregon's workplace safety initiative is seeing progress, the Beaver State still falls behind the national average. Based on the North American Industry Classification System, 3.6 out of every 100 private sector employees in the U.S. suffer a work-related illness or injury.

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) recently sent federal lawmakers draft legislation that details needed reforms in the occupational safety and health law.

The organization's bill, called Enhancing Occupational Safety and Health Protections in the 100th Year Act of 2011, is designed to help the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) improve their capabilities.

ASSE President Darryl Hill said the draft builds on previous policies while addressing what is being neglected by existing laws. The legislation was sent on June 10 to the chairman and ranking members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions as well as the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Some of the proposed changes are updating permissible exposure limits, increasing penalties for those responsible for an unsafe work culture and encouraging collaborative rulemaking within a company.

"Efforts of employers and our members, OSHA’s regulatory oversight, and the research and support for education that NIOSH directs have been highly successful," Hill said. "But no one believes workers are safe enough. No one believes that we cannot do better. Let’s do better."

One of the most important ways to improve workplace safety is through the use of quality safety supplies.

A top-ranking official with the National Safety Council (NSC) has been invited to join a group responsible for identifying major safety and health challenges in the manufacturing industry.

Jim Johnson, vice president of Workplace Safety Initiatives for NSC, will serve as a member of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA). The group has been tasked with developing an agenda over the next decade to address safety and health concerns among manufacturing companies.

Workplace interventions are commonly designed to help businesses identify problem areas that require improvement, such as a need for new safety equipment or the implementation of employee training sessions covering lockout tagout procedures.

Created in 1996, NORA conducts research and designs a framework to improve workplace safety throughout the nation. The group's Manufacturing Sector Council collaborates with employers, employees, government agencies, insurers, and trade associations to determine the most pressing issues in the industry.

"I look forward to working with other members of the Manufacturing Sector to find solutions to the leading manufacturing safety challenges," Johnson said.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) recognized National Safety Month by adding two free safety courses for employees.

According to the News-Messenger, the courses - which are designed by the agency's Division of Safety and Hygiene - focus on industrial ventilation and construction safety practices. The two courses add to the more than 60 courses offered to Ohio employees at no cost.

The ventilation class provides hands-on training for addressing common ventilation system problems. The construction safety review addresses accident analysis, safety program management, hazard communication as well as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.

"BWC's Division of Safety and Hygiene is an outstanding resource for Ohio employers seeking consultation on the most effective safety practices that support the success of their business by protecting their workforce and minimizing costs associated with workers' compensation claims," BWC CEO Stephen Buehrer said.

National Safety Month is sponsored by the National Safety Council (NSC) and recognized every June. Each week of the month has a theme bringing attention to a variety of important safety officials.

Beginning on June 19, 2011 the NSC will shed light on slips, trips, and fall protection. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its annual plan for inspections to help enforce regulations for high-hazard, non-construction workplaces where the highest rates of injury and illness are reported. The announcement came as a part of the Site-Specific Targeting (SST) 2011 program, which will help the agency direct enforcement resources to workplaces with the highest rates of injuries and illnesses.

The program is OSHA's primary inspection plan in workplaces outside the construction industry that have more than 20 workers present. The workplaces identified had above-average injury and illness rates, compared to baseline data compiled in a large survey of 80,000 work sites.

"By focusing our inspection resources on employers in high hazard industries who endanger their employees, we can prevent injuries and illnesses and save lives," said OSHA's Assistant Secretary of Labor David Michaels. "Through the SST program we examine all major aspects of these operations to determine the effectiveness of their safety and health efforts."

The notice has three major differences from the 2010 Site-Specific Targeting program, which include using CY 2009 injury and illness data to compile lists, changing the establishment employee size from 40 to 20, and incorporating an evaluation study to measure the program's impact on future compliance with OSHA standards. 

On September 15, 2011, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) awarded $10.7 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants to 37 new recipients and 32 returning participants, including several nonprofits.

The grants support programs to provide in-person, hands-on training and education for workers and employers involved in industries with high injury and fatality rates. It will also provide training for those who may not be literate, young workers, and small businesses.

"No one should ever suffer injury or death for the sake of a paycheck," Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis stated. "This education and training will help ensure that every worker returns home safely at the end of his or her shift."

OSHA's Susan Harwood Training Grant Program awards organizations on a competitive basis. Solicitation for the program is a function of Congressional budgetary approval and appropriation by the Department of Labor (DOL).

The grant program provides employers with resources and information about unsafe working conditions, mitigation strategies, and their responsibilities. By receiving training, organizations will learn how to better enforce proper use of safety products and site-specific safety programs. The training aims to teach employers to recognize, avoid, and prevent hazards in the workplace.

An alert has been issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), based on a similar notice recently issued by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), warning employers and workers of the risks associated with using certain Eaton/Cutler-Hammer molded-case circuit breakers that were improperly rebuilt by a third party. 

The circuit breakers may appear to be new or properly rebuilt, but a third-party rebuilder changed them from the original Eaton/Cutler-Hammer design. These breakers may be identified by model numbers E2K and E2KM. The breakers may have an actual rating of 600 volts AC (VAC) or less, but are labeled as 1,000 VAC and may contain incorrect parts that can cause the breaker to malfunction. The number of breakers incorrectly rebuilt and the locations where they have been integrated are not known at this time.

The alert warns that improper handling of these incorrectly rebuilt circuit breakers could lead to arc flash, electrocution, fire, shock, burns, and explosions. There have been reports that they may lack proper safety features such as grounding and fault protection, which has led to malfunctions and put workers at risk.

OSHA recognizes these circuit breakers are intended for use in mining operations and that employers performing tunneling operations may use the same breakers. OSHA suggests that a qualified person should remove any known, possibly defective breaker from service and report any malfunctions to the agency, so further information can be attained in the matter.

The hazards presented by the incorrectly rebuilt circuit breakers can be made less severe if the proper steps are taken and the appropriate protective equipment is worn. Safety glasses, work gloves, and other safety supplies may greatly reduce the risk of injury associated with the malfunction of the breakers.  

Four companies were recognized by the National Safety Council (NSC) and given the Safety Leadership Award in August, 2011. The companies were honored for reporting at least five consecutive years of zero occupational injuries or illnesses that resulted in days lost from work or death.

The awards were given as a part of the NSC's Safety Motivation and Recognition Award Program. The program works to recognize companies, units, and facilities.

Work injuries cost America $138 billion in 2008, with an estimated 4,303 accidental work deaths. If companies can inspire safer behavior and cultivate a safety-oriented work environment, they can reduce workplace injuries and fatalities, and ultimately improve their bottom lines.

The NSC has long been an integral part of saving lives and preventing injuries in the workplace, in homes, and on the road by providing leadership, education, advocacy, and research to continue that tradition.

In order for companies to implement solid health and safety programs, proper use of safety products is essential. Site-specific systems, such as fall protection, can greatly reduce the risk of injury or death by tailoring a program to the hazards present in the workplace.
 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently teamed up with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to develop a new guide titled "Nail Gun Safety – A Guide for Construction Contractors," which aims to help employers and workers on construction sites prevent work-related nail gun injuries.

"Nail gun injuries are responsible for approximately 37,000 emergency room visits annually. In some cases, workers have died from their injuries," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "This document will help construction employers make necessary changes to improve nail gun safety and protect their workers from preventable injuries and death."

Although it is a relatively easy tool to operate that is known to increase productivity on construction sites, there has been no shortage of internal and external bodily injury reports related to nail guns. Most are the result of unintended firing of the nail gun, nails that bounce off, rather than penetrate, a surface, and the disabling of the gun's safety features.

In the guidelines, safety products are highlighted, including safety shoes, hard hats, hearing protection, and high impact eye protection such as safety glasses or goggles.

Workplace emergency exit routes are not only helpful, but required for safe evacuation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued design and construction requirements for all emergency exit routes. 

OSHA states than an exit route is a "continuous and unobstructed path of exit travel from any point within a workplace to a place of safety," and can be broken down into three separate parts.

The exit access, exit, and exit discharge points must all be clearly established, with at least two routes available to all employees and personnel during an emergency.

Basic requirements of exit routes include placing them as far apart as possible from each other in the event one is blocked, ensuring that the route is a permanent fixture in the workplace, and separating each exit with fire resistant materials. A route must lead directly to a street, refuge area, open space, or public way with access to the outside, and must be large enough to accommodate the likely amount of people using the exit in an emergency.

In case of a fire emergency, safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, a burn first aid kit, and fire and burn blankets should be available at all workplaces.

In an effort to reduce the likelihood of injuries and accidents, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) Director Michael R. Bromwich recently proposed a rule to improve safety during oil and natural gas exploration and development activities. The rule comes as the department works to enhance U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) safety.

The proposal expands upon the Workplace Safety Rule of October 2010, and will add employee training, strengthen auditing procedures, and help to engage personnel in safety management.

"We must remain fully focused on continually strengthening safety standards to protect workers and to reduce the risk of accidents and spills," Secretary Salazar said in a statement. "Our goal is to ensure that safety is front and center every day, for every worker, on every project."

The proposed Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) rule is designed to reduce the amount of human and organizational errors that result in work-related accidents and offshore oil spills. These programs apply to all oil and natural gas activities.

Worker safety can also be improved by incorporating safety products, such as hard hats and work gloves, into daily activities on the worksite.  

On August 8, 2011, the International Safety Equipment Association's (ISEA's) proposal to revise the industry standard on high-visibility public safety vests became available for public comment and review. The revision is directed towards the ANSI/ISEA 207 standard published in 2006, which specified requirements for protective vests for emergency services personnel, EMT's, and other public safety workers.

The specifications include performance requirements for color and retroreflection, and also suggest how to configure high-visibility materials when constructing high-visibility safety vests. The revision provides test methods to ensure a minimum level of visibility can be maintained during ongoing care procedures .

In the update, clarification of requirements regarding identification panels, logos, and lettering are made, as these are important factors in the public service community. Also included in the revision are useful service life guidelines for high-visibility garments being worn by highway workers. These guidelines were incorporated from the Federal Highway Administration's current standards.

Comments concerning the draft were accepted by ISEA until September 19, 2011. The revisions will be sent through a consensus panel that will decide if the new standard will be submitted to ANSI for acceptance.

Currently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has regulations that specify that high visibility garments and other safety products are required for highway workers.  

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued a new hazard alert that discusses the risks of working in grain storage bins. The alert warns that workers in the grain handling industry are at risk for being exposed to life-threatening hazards, such as suffocation from engulfment and entrapment, fires and explosions from the buildup of grain dust, crushing injuries and amputations from grain handling equipment, and fall risks.

The release cites a report issued by Purdue University that found that 51 workers were engulfed by grain stored in bins in 2010, resulting in 26 deaths, the highest number recorded for one year.

"Suffocation from engulfment is the leading cause of death in grain bins and the number of tragedies continues to climb," Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels said in a release. "They can be avoided if owners and operators use well-known safety measures that are proven to prevent workers from being killed or seriously injured."

The alert provides measures that aim to save grain handlers' lives, including specific training for all workers and a fall protection system such as a body harness and lifeline, or a boatswain's chair that can be used to pull a worker from a storage bin.  

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced it plans to reopen the rulemaking process to extend the comment period on what standards for reporting and recording work-related injuries and illnesses are required by law. The comment period has been extended per request from a stakeholder. The new deadline is October 28, 2011.

The new proposal states that employers would need to report any work-related deaths and all in-patient hospitalizations to OSHA within eight hours, while any amputation that results from a workplace injury must be reported within 24 hours. Current standards require employers to report all hospitalizations and fatalities of three or more employees within eight hours, and reporting work-related amputations is not required.

OSHA has also suggested updating Appendix A of the recordkeeping rule that lists industries exempt from the recordkeeping rule due to their relatively low rates of injury and illness reports.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the final count of fatal work injuries across the country in 2009 was 4,551, up from initial reports of 4,340.

To decrease injuries and illnesses in the workplace, OSHA requires employers to enforce the use of many safety products, such as hard hats and safety glasses. 

The American Society of Safety Engineers ASSE has announced the approval of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/ASSE Z590.3 standard, "Prevention through Design: Addressing Occupational Risks in the Design & Redesign Processes." This standard details groundbreaking ways to prevent risks and injuries through design concepts.

The standard provides guidance on how to integrate preventative design concepts into an existing occupational safety and health management system. These guidances were written to be used in any occupational setting.

"One of the key elements of this standard is that it provides guidance for ‘life-cycle’ assessments and a design model that balances environmental and occupational safety and health goals over the life span of a facility, process, or product," ASSE said in a recent release.

The standard discusses the avoidance, elimination, reduction, or control of safety and health hazards found in the workplace, and risks that are present from the initial planning and specifications of the design and redesign process, where the opportunities are greatest.

Controls in the standards include the necessity for supplying personal protective equipment (PPE), which may include safety glasses, faceshields, respirators, work gloves, and hearing protection.

In order for occupational safety and health to advance, standards must be provided to set regulations and achieve a higher level of excellence. By following the new Prevention Through Design guidelines, occupational settings can improve safety and quality of work for all employees. 

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has issued a new standard, titled "ISO 26800:2011, Ergonomics – General approach, principles and concepts," which aims to increase the use of ergonomics in common appliances and products.

From computer keyboards to parking lot ticket machines, a wide range of products should not pose unreasonable difficulties and risks to operate, the organization says. The new standard was created to increase the well-being of users and improve a system's overall performance, including common products.

"A substantial number of ergonomics standards have been developed to cover specific issues and different application domains, but this standard will serve as an umbrella reference for all such standards and provide an integrated framework bringing together the basic principles and concepts of ergonomics in one document," said Georg Krämer, Chair of the ISO Technical Committee.

The standard was created to improve safety, accessibility, usability and performance, while at the same time developing a safe environment for human health and well-being. It was written to be used by designers, project managers, ergonomists, managers, consumers, procurers, and workers to fill the specific goal of optimizing tasks, equipment, services, and the environment.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), ergonomics is the science of fitting workplace conditions and job demands to the capabilities of the working population.

The application of ergonomics in the workplace can be supplemented with various safety products that also help ensure a safe and productive environment.  

On October 3, 2011, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released three new documents aimed to educate workers and employers about how dangerous trenching operations can be and what hazards are typically associated with the methods.

Within the construction industry, unprotected trenches have proven to be the deadliest hazards. In the past eight years, more than 200 workers have lost their lives when trenches succumbed to cave-ins, with hundreds more suffering major injuries.

"Cave–ins during excavations are some of the most common and grisliest causes of worker fatalities in construction, yet they are entirely preventable," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "These new educational materials provide clear guidance on the necessary steps that employers must take to protect workers in trenches."

The Trenching and Excavation Safety fact sheet provides an overview of possible hazards and the safety measures required to prevent them, and a new poster has been designed for placement at the work site. The poster depicts proper trenching techniques, and includes workers wearing safety products such as hard hats and hi-vis safety vests.

A "Working Safely in Trenches" quick card was also developed by the agency to be an easy to use reference guide about trenching hazards and safety measures with graphics.  

The Missouri Department of Labor recently released its annual statistics on workplace fatalities. The preliminary data showed that a total of 107 fatal workplace injuries were reported in the state in 2010, marking a 25 percent drop from the 142 deaths recorded in 2009.

"The Department has been working hard to promote the free workplace safety programs we offer to employers that save lives. Since this administration came into office, participation in the state’s elite safety program has increased by 56 percent," says Department Director Larry Rebman. "This drop in fatalities shows that workplaces are embracing safety and doing more to protect workers."

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national average for workplace fatalities remained relatively the same, highlighting Missouri's commitment to improving safety at the workplace.

The most workplace deaths were seen in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector, with 25 fatalities in 2010. 23 of these 25 fatalities took place during crop production. For the second year in a row, transportation incidents which include highway, non-highway, air, water, rail fatalities, and being struck by a vehicle were the leading fatality causing events in 2010, accounting for 60 of the 107 total fatalities.

By maintaining safe practices at the workplace and utilizing appropriate safety products, employers across the nation can work to create a safe environment for employees, as demonstrated in Missouri.

Several of the leading researchers in occupational injury are expected to convene in Morgantown, West Virginia's Waterfront Place Hotel on October 18, 19, and 20 for the 2011 National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS).

The event, which is now in its fifth year, will give researchers the opportunity to present their latest findings and suggest methods to remedy those results. NOIRS will be hosted in partnership with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety (LMRIS) and the National Safety Council (NSC).

The cooperating partners will provide a forum for researchers to discuss traumatic occupational injuries with other experts.

The symposium is expected to include oral presentations supplemented with poster presentations and slideshows, which will describe current methods of research as well as studies and findings related to occupational injuries.

In the last five years, NOIRS has become a highly-anticipated annual event that focuses on discussing work-related traumatic injuries and ways to prevent them.

Topics to be discussed will include safety products such as fall protection systems. Safety guidelines will be discussed across various work sites, including construction, agriculture, forestry, fishing, and machine safety.  

A recent article in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) noted that occupational epidemiology by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has helped to make the workplace safer and healthier for more than 40 years.

According to the CDC epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to the control of health problems.

The article notes that The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created three roles for epidemiology to be part of NIOSH's expertise. These roles have helped fuel advances in protecting against a wide range of workplace hazards. The roles that were developed and are still in use today include field epidemiology under the Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) program, epidemiology in large studies across multiple sites, and surveillance for work-related illnesses and injuries.

The CDC states that NIOSH has successfully improved the ways to measure, identify, and address hazards such as traumatic injuries among firefighters, the risk of infection from sharps injuries for healthcare workers, fatal injuries among teen workers, and pesticide poisoning.

The CDC wants NIOSH to continue to work with occupational diseases and injuries into the future.

"The ultimate challenge for NIOSH is to not only effectively control occupational diseases and injuries that are the remnants of the last century, but also to preempt new hazardous exposures and conditions from gaining a foothold in the new century," wrote Dr. Halperin and Dr. Howard, the article's authors.

Along with NIOSH's accomplishments in workplace safety, advancements in safety products, such as respirators and protective coveralls, have also contributed to safer U.S. workplaces.  

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and The Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF) have announced they will be hosting the Alternative Energy Technologies and Electrical Safety Standards Symposium in Atlanta on December 6, 2011.

The symposium will address new questions of safety and reliability that have come about as more businesses are beginning to use alternative energy sources and technologies.

"The landscape for electric and alternative technologies is rapidly changing," said Kathleen Almand, executive director of the Foundation. "New technology brings new safety issues to consider, so it’s important to continue to learn and develop appropriate safety procedures. The Symposium will provide an opportunity for attendees to get familiar with these technologies and get a glimpse of what lies ahead."

The forum will allow professionals in electric and alternative energy and safety industry leaders to discuss aspects of safety and how they relate to the National Electric Code.

Included at the symposium will be information on new lighting technologies, photovoltaic systems, emerging technologies, and more.

Engineers and other power supply workers can greatly reduce the risk of injury by wearing appropriate safety products, such as non-conductive work gloves and hard hats, and should continue to do so as the energy sector continues to change.  

On October 5, 2011, David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), spoke before the Congressional Committee on Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

Michaels took the opportunity to detail the important work OSHA is doing to protect American workers and to hear comments and suggestions on how the agency could best fulfill its mission to create a safe workplace.

In his statement, Michaels urged members of Congress not to become so enveloped in the current economic crisis that they put workplace safety on the backburner, citing President Obama's address to the Joint Session of Congress.

"What we can't do," Obama said, "is let this economic crisis be used as an excuse to wipe out the basic protections that Americans have counted on for decades. I reject the idea that we need to ask people to choose between their jobs and their safety."

Michaels highlighted the many successes of OSHA, especially in developing standards for fall protection systems.

Currently, 25 states have adopted OSHA-approved State Plans that help to develop workplace safety measures including fall protection strategies.  

The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) has released two new documents that aim to help workers and employers prevent injuries due to falls from heights.

The "Personal Fall Protection Equipment Use and Selection Guide" offers help in choosing an appropriate fall protection system, and also provides administrators with maintenance and inspection guidelines. The document is supplemented by a second guide that discusses the most frequently asked questions regarding fall protection systems.

Some of the questions about equipment addressed in the second guide "Frequently Addressed Topics in Fall Protection" include harness attachments, horizontal lifelines, how to position a self- retracting lifeline, the location and strength of anchorage, tie-back applications, and twin-leg lanyards.

"Falls are a leading cause of death and injuries in the workplace, and they’re preventable," said Bob Apel, chairman of the Fall Protection Group (FPG). "At many work sites, fall hazards can’t be eliminated, and ISEA members make the best equipment and systems in the world to prevent and stop falls. This guide will help employers and users understand how to select the right equipment and use it properly."

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were 635 workplace fatalities caused by falls from heights in 2010. Improvements in fall protection and better implementation of equipment has led to a 25 percent decrease in fatal falls since 2007.  

On October 11, 2011, Joe Szabo of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a new advisory to the railroad industry in order to prevent injuries related to switching operations between railcars and other dangerous workplace behaviors.

Szabo stated that the industry must strive for "meticulous safety compliance," and workers should put workplace safety above the speed of train movement.

"Safety is our number one priority, and we are committed to protecting the welfare of our rail workers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a recent release. "This advisory stresses the importance of taking necessary precautions and putting safety first."

In recent months, three railroad industry workers have lost their lives after being caught between rolling equipment. The FRA is issuing the Safety Advisory to heighten compliance with established safety rules in place to protect employees who have to work between rolling equipment..

The advisory notes that although railroad safety has significantly improved over the years, the fatal events that have taken place in recent months indicate more work should be done to improve safety.

When working in rail yards, employees need to follow all established safety guidelines, be aware of their surroundings at all times, and always wear appropriate safety products, such as work gloves, to protect from hazards that may be present in the workplace. 

On October 13, 2011, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published new educational resources that will aid laboratory managers in keeping their workers safe from a number of hazards.

Included in the materials is the Laboratory Safety Guidance, which details how electrical, fire, explosion, and fall hazards can be kept to a minimum if employers follow safety plans, make a commitment to worker training, install engineering controls, and enforce the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

"These educational materials will help employers identify hazards and measures to ensure safe and healthy conditions for their workers and promote a robust safety culture in the workplace," Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels stated.

In the past several years, numerous laboratory incidents have led to fatalities and injuries from fires, explosions and equipment.

In OSHA's Laboratory Safety Guidance document, a PPE standard is established. This standard requires that employers provide and ensure that workers are using safety products that protect the eyes and face, such as safety glasses and shields, as well as hand protection, which includes work gloves that protect against skin absorption of harmful substances.
 

On October 12, 2011, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri announced that the NYC Development Hub, a new center that seeks to expedite the approval process for new construction projects, is open and ready for use.

The facility allows architects and engineers to present project ideas through smart boards, large television screens, computer tablets, and webcams, allowing examiners to review thousands of new designs faster and more efficiently. However safety, city officials insist, will not be compromised.

"When New York’s businesses and developers decide to invest in the city’s future, the city should it make it easy as possible for them to comply with critical safety and regulatory protections," said Robert K. Steel, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development. "By using technology to break down barriers and improve our internal processes, the Development Hub will create jobs and accelerate New York City’s economic growth."

Fire commissioner Salvatore Cassano added that the new hub was a "win-win," in that it provided faster customer service but upheld the city's high public safety standards.

Employees working at any construction or development sites are required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to use appropriate safety products, including hard hats and safety glasses, to minimize the risk of injury.  

On October 20, 2011, The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced that workplace injuries and illnesses that occur in the private industry fell in 2010 to a rate of 3.5 cases per 100 full time workers.

The report marks a decline from the rate of 3.6 in 2009. The total number of workplace injuries and illnesses in 2010 was just below 3.1 million recordable cases, down from 3.3 million cases in 2009.

"We are encouraged by the reported decline in incidence rates for workplace injuries and illnesses, which is reflective of the joint effort of government, business, unions, and other organizations," Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis stated. "Nevertheless, 3.1 million injuries and illnesses in the workplace is too high. Workers should not have to sacrifice their health and safety to earn a paycheck."

Solis added that the country still has a long way to go in creating more secure manufacturing workplaces, which reported the highest injury and illness rates at 4.4 cases for every 100 workers.

Employers can help lower the number of workplace injuries and illnesses that occur every year by ensuring their employees are using appropriate safety products, including hard hats, work gloves, and fall protection systems.

At the Congress and Expo 2011, the National Safety Council (NSC) recognized 40 professionals under the age of 40 for their work in making worksites safer.

The "Rising Stars of Safety" program was developed by the NSC to encourage tomorrow's leaders to commit to safety programs and share their knowledge, insight, and experiences in the workplace.

"To have a strong safety culture, safety needs to be acknowledged as everyone’s responsibility within an organization," Janet Froetcher, president and CEO of NSC, stated. "We are pleased not only to be recognizing safety professionals; this year’s class also includes a digital media coordinator, a human resources director, a regional director of customer operations, and several vice presidents of organizations."

Froetcher added that it will be essential to understand the needs of the next generation of workplace safety leaders in order for the NSC to further its mission of safety. With the help of the up-and-coming industry leaders, Froetcher says, the Council will be able to prevent more injuries and save more lives.

According to the NSC, many eye, head, and foot injuries can be lessened or avoided altogether with the proper personal protective equipment (PPE). Keep your employees protected by creating a safety program for your workplace that includes requirements for the use of safety products, such as safety glasses, work gloves, and hard hats.

On October 25, 2011, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that Erich J. (Pete) Stafford will be the new chair of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH), replacing longstanding chairman Frank L. Migliaccio, Jr.

"Pete's wealth of knowledge and experience on a wide range of construction health and safety matters makes him an ideal choice to chair this important committee," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "We appreciate his commitment to protect the welfare of our nation's construction workers and look forward to his leadership."

The new chairman has a wealth of experience in occupational safety and health, especially within the construction industry. Currently, Stafford works as executive director of the Center for Construction Research and Training (CCRT), a facility that conducts research and organizes training operations for more than 100,000 construction workers each year. The center produces detailed construction health and safety research reports each year.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), improvements in construction industry safety have led to a 40 percent decrease in workplace fatalities since 2006. In addition, fatal falls on construction sites have dropped 25 percent since 2007.

The proper selection, training, and use of fall protection systems can reduce injuries. Using site-specific fall protection plans will help identify hazards and provide solutions that can be implemented for worker safety.

A new study conducted by the American Public Health Association (APHA) indicates that despite improved safety measures, U.S. construction workers still have a high risk of workplace injuries and an increased risk of occupational illness and death.

Researchers examined data from a number of national sources and concluded that the average American construction worker has a 75 percent chance of suffering a debilitating injury across a 45-year career. Data also indicate that one out of every 200 workers is at risk for being fatally injured at the workplace.

"While great strides have been made in reducing construction injuries and illnesses, the numbers are still stubbornly high," Pete Stafford, executive director of Center for Construction and Research Training (CPWR), said in an APHA news release."Workers and their families suffer the consequences of disabling injuries, and this research shows it's far too common."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), several dangerous factors affect the health of construction workers, including working at height, noise, dust, confined spaces, electricity, and the use of power tools and equipment.

Workers who wear appropriate safety products, such as fall protection, dust masks or respirators, ear plugs, and work gloves, can greatly reduce the risk of injury or work-related illness.

New and revised information on worker and employers' rights has recently been published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The information details how to protect workers from hazards in the construction, maritime, and general industries.

OSHA's Small Entity Compliance Guide for Respiratory Protection Standard provides a detailed guide for small businesses to follow, and offers checklists and frequently asked questions that benefit employers and workers by better understanding the Administration's respiratory protection standard.

The guide explains the benefits and uses of various respiratory protection systems, including gas and dust masks, and respirators.

Revised documents include new information on aerial lifts and fall protection, advice for safe trenching and the necessary safety products associated with the activity, nail gun safety, and protecting workers from heat stress. Also revised is OSHA's Worker's Rights booklet, which details the rights that all workers have under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The information discusses several topics, including rights, how to file a complaint, protection for whistleblowers, and resources for education and training.

By setting and enforcing safety standards, and providing training, education, and assistance, OSHA works to keep the American workplace a safe and comfortable environment.  

It has been 40 years since the U.S. Congress and President Richard Nixon made a series of radical proposals to ensure that all workers are provided with a safe working environment, and that injuries, illnesses, and fatalities are avoidable.

Now, four decades later, the hard work of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has led to a dramatic difference in workplace safety. Since 1970, workplace fatalities have dropped by more than 65 percent and occupational injury and illness rates have declined by 67 percent, all while the American workforce nearly doubled.

In a speech at the Center for American Progress, Assistant Secretary of Labor Dr. Davis Michaels noted that before OSHA, workplace injuries, illnesses and death were seen merely as an unfortunate result.

"It is hard to believe... before OSHA, workers in America did not have the basic human right to a safe workplace," he stated.

In 1970, there were 38 worker deaths per day on average. By 2010, that number had dropped significantly to 12 worker deaths. Worker injury and illnesses are down from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 4 per 100 in 2010.

With the advent of advanced safety products such as ear plugs, work gloves, and hard hats, employees can work with confidence that their safety is not in jeopardy.

On November 1, 2011, the National Safety Council (NSC) and the National Institute for Occupation Safety and Health (NIOSH) renewed their partnership during a ceremony at the NSC Congress and Expo in Philadelphia.

The renewed agreement was signed by Dr. John Howard, director of NIOSH, and Janet Froetscher, NSC president and CEO to continue to improve the safety of workplaces across the country.

"We value the partnership of the National Safety Council in working together to identify and seize opportunities to prevent work-related injuries," Dr. John Howard, director of NIOSH, said. "Occupational safety is a vital strategy that benefits workers, their families and communities, and businesses alike."

The two agencies stated they will work together to enhance research, communication, and development opportunities for safety and health professionals.

"Using the collaborative efforts and expertise each of our organizations can provide will help to better advance the protection of workers, promote best practices, and encourage more employers to develop and use safety management systems," said Janet Froetscher, NSC president and CEO.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported 212,760 fall injuries in 2009. By extending the partnership, the two organizations will continue work to increase proper use of safety products, such as fall protection. 

On November 10, 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a free webinar designed to inform all contractors, landlords, property managers, and anyone performing work on residential renovation, repair, and painting projects on lead-safe work practices required under agency rules.

The informational seminar was held to raise awareness of the Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (RRP), which outlines required work practices for dealing with dried lead-based paints usually found in older buildings.

"Anyone receiving compensation for renovating, repairing and painting work in residences built before 1978 that disturbs painted surfaces is required to receive training and certification from an EPA-accredited training provider for lead safe work practices," the agency said in a release.

The session discussed who must follow RRP requirements, how companies can best comply with the rules, and how to become a certified lead-safe firm. The EPA offers ongoing information on how to find or become lead-safe certified through the EPA's National Lead Information Center.

There are several specific standards established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) concerning lead in the construction industry, including safety training standards and the use of personal protective and safety products, such as respiratory protection and protective clothing.

On November 8, 2011, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) published five new safety recommendations to the U.S. Coast Guard regarding the commercial fishing industry.

"The commercial fishing industry continues to have the highest fatality rate of all occupations in the United States; the safety hazards of this industry are unacceptable," said NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman. "While numerous laws have been passed to protect fishing grounds and fish populations, regulations to improve the safety of commercial fisherman are long overdue."

The NTSB has been concerned with the fishing industry for years, finding that between 1992 and 2008, 158 of every 100,000 commercial fishing industry workers were killed, compared to 4 deaths per 100,000 workers in all occupations in the country.

Key issues the tougher standards address include improved flotation devices, more crew training, and strategies for keeping accidents and injuries to a minimum.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that commercial fishing has consistently ranked among the deadliest occupations since 1992, the first year in which the agency began publishing death rates by occupation.  

On November 1, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revealed its top 10 most frequently cited violations at the 2011 Congress and Expo.

The ranking was presented in a demonstration by Patrick Kapust, deputy director of enforcement programs at OSHA, to a crowd on the expo's floor.

This year, fall protection rose to the top of the list, with 7,139 violations, swapping places with last year's number one, scaffolding. In 2010, 260 workers died from falls, which was once again the leading cause of death in the construction industry.

Scaffolding was second with 7,069 citations, with many of the accidents resulting from improper placement and setup of a scaffold.

All top 10 violations, with the number of citations issued, include:

• Fall Protection – 7,139
• Scaffolding – 7,069
• Hazard Communication – 6,538
• Respiratory Protection – 3,944
• Lockout/Tagout – 3,639
• Electrical, Wiring Methods – 3,584
• Powered Industrial Trucks – 3,432
• Ladders – 3,244
• Electrical, General Requirements – 2,863
• Machine Guarding – 2,728

The use of safety equipment can help to meet OSHA standards, avoid citations, and reduce injuries. Lockout/tagout standards alone have resulted in the prevention of 50,000 injuries and 120 fatalities every year.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a final notice on emergency responder exposure to potentially deadly diseases.

Highlights include an updated list of potentially life-threatening diseases, including illnesses that have recently emerged, with specifications on infectious diseases that are generally transmitted by aerosolized or airborne means.

The CDC stated, "This notice sets forth CDC's final list of diseases, final guidelines describing circumstances under which exposure to listed diseases may occur, and final guidelines for determining whether an exposure to the listed diseases has occurred." 

The revision stemmed from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009, which mandates that emergency responders be notified if a determination is made that a victim had an infectious disease and the risk of acquiring the infectious disease was present.

Emergency response workers can help prevent the spread of infectious disease by wearing safety products, such as faceshields, protective glasses, respiratory masks, and latex or nitrile gloves while in the line of duty.
 

On November 9, 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that in 2010, the rate of nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidents that resulted in time away from work was 118 cases per 10,000 full-time workers.

The number indicates that injuries and illnesses in 2010 were statistically unchanged from 2009, however the total number of private industry, state and local government cases dropped by 4 percent to roughly 1.19 million. The median number of days away from work was also unchanged at eight days per year.

Findings showed the incident rate for healthcare support workers increased 6 percent to 283 cases per 10,000 workers, a number Assistant Secretary of Labor David Michaels says is far too high.

"It is unacceptable that the workers who have dedicated their lives to caring for our loved ones when they are sick are the very same workers who face the highest risk of work-related injury and illness," he stated. "While workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities take an enormous toll on this nation's economy – the toll on injured workers and their families is intolerable."

Employers and workers need to follow all OSHA standards for the use of safety products. By utilizing hard hats, work gloves, and other protective equipment, companies can help to lower the rate of injury and illness incidents.
 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a series of 12 educational videos that depict potential hazards found in the construction industry, and the safety measures that would have prevented the injuries and fatalities.

The animated videos are meant to be easily understood and were released for both workers and employers. The educational material was issued to address the problem of construction site accidents, which, on average, claim the lives of almost 800 workers every year.

"I urge anyone who works in the construction industry or operates a construction business to watch the videos. Share them with your co-workers and friends in the construction industry," said OSHA Assistant Secretary of Labor Dr. David Michaels. "Every step we take to educate workers about their rights and the safety measures employers must take to protect workers in construction helps us avoid preventable injuries and the tragic loss of life."

Michaels also encouraged construction companies to organize screenings and to share the videos on company web pages.

The videos cover falls, sprains and strains, struck-by accidents, carbon monoxide, and excavations. Using safety products, such as fall protection, can help ensure safety on a construction site.  

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released a statement urging large retailers across the country to take measures to prevent worker injuries on upcoming major holiday sales, including "Black Friday."

In 2008, one worker was trampled to death as a group of frenzied shoppers stormed the doors of a store during the Black Friday Thanksgiving sales event. After the incident, it was found that the store had not deployed proper crowd management measures recommended by OSHA's Crowd Management FactSheet.

"Crowd control is critical to preventing injuries and deaths," said OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels. "These incidents can be prevented by adopting a crowd management plan, and this fact sheet provides retail employers with guidelines for avoiding injuries during the holiday shopping season."

OSHA's crowd management safety guidelines include creating an emergency plan with trained security or crowd management personnel when a large sale is expected, providing visible signs for exits and entrances, using crowd control barricades, and having a first aid kit and an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on hand.

Training workers to use AEDs and perform CPR, or employing emergency workers for the duration of the sales events are also recommended by the agency.  

On November 8, 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration launched a new website containing information that caregivers and patients can use to learn how to safely dispose of needles and other "sharps" found at home and work.

The term "sharps" includes medical devices with sharp points that can cause injury by puncturing the skin. Devices include hypodermic needles and syringes, fingersticks found in in blood testing systems, IV needles, and connection needles.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that workers in the healthcare industry sustain roughly 385,000 sharps injuries every year.

Once used, sharps pose a serious health risk if disposed of improperly. Poor methods include throwing sharps in waste baskets at home or in public and flushing the devices down toilets. Such methods put sanitation workers, sewage treatment workers, janitors and other workers in related careers at risk, although appropriate use of safety products, such as work gloves, can help reduce that danger.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH'S) STOP STICKS Campaign also hopes to raise awareness and motivate healthcare workers to improve disposal procedures concerning sharps, and also to strengthen the safety culture among healthcare occupations.

The use of sharps is also on the rise in work offices and homes, according to the FDA. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimating more than 3 billion needles and other sharps are used in homes in the U.S. each year, many states have begun to introduce regulations to protect citizens. California, for instance, has prohibited disposing of needles in household trash, while other states such as Florida, New Jersey, and New York have implemented community drop offs.

"Safe disposal of used needles and other sharps is a public health priority," said Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "This website provides information about how to keep used sharps from ending up in places where they could harm people."

In Fort Wayne, Indiana, one electric utility has announced that several copper thefts have been reported across its service area, which have led to higher risk of injury for the company's electrical workers.

The thieves have been going after copper wire and other pieces of equipment found on utility poles, and in cabinets and substations. The thefts present a major problem, as tampering with electrical equipment can change the way a system operates, posing a danger to both employees and the public.

Now, Indiana Michigan Power has released a statement seeking help from the community to identify thieves. One clear indicator of authorized personnel performing work on electric infrastructure is the use of safety products, such as hard hats, safety glasses, and work gloves. Also, utility line employees rarely use ladders to gain access to utility poles, but rather mechanized bucket trucks.

This issue has not been limited to Indiana. Many states, including Kentucky, Ohio, Florida, and the Carolinas have reported thefts. The Wake County, North Carolina Sheriff's Office has reported 137 cases of copper thefts since January 2009, the Charlotte Observer reported. 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and its affiliates are working to develop a "Buy Quiet" web tool to help employers keep hazardous noise levels to a minimum at various work sites by using quieter tools and machinery.

According to Heidi Hudson and Chuck Hayden of NIOSH, "The process encourages a purchaser to compare the noise emission levels of differing models of equipment being purchased and, whenever possible, purchase the quieter model. 'Buy quiet' provides an easy and effective method for an employer to demonstrate a commitment to the use of the best available technology."

The web tool creators expect it will help change market forces so that quieter machines and equipment will be in higher demand in the construction and manufacturing industries and to motivate manufacturers to produce such items.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that hearing loss stemming from high noise levels cannot be helped by surgery or hearing aids, highlighting the importance of using safety products like ear plugs or ear muffs when working in a loud environment. 

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released its report, "U.S. Firefighter Injuries - 2010," which found that injuries in the line of duty have decreased eight percent since 2009, marking their lowest level in 20 years.

Injuries in the report are categorized by duty type, exposures to infectious diseases, and how the size of a community impacts firefighter injuries in a given department.

"Firefighters work in varied environments under extreme conditions that increase their risk of on-the-job death and injury," said Lorraine Carli, vice president of communications for NFPA. "This analysis helps NFPA and local fire departments gain a better understanding of how injuries occur so fire departments can implement the best solutions to minimize inherent risks."

The report indicates that 71,875 firefighter injuries were reported in 2010. Of the total, 15,000, or 20.8 percent, resulted in time away from work. In addition to reported injuries, about 11,200 exposures to infectious diseases occurred, while 25,700 hazardous work conditions were reported.

Firefighters use specialty safety products like self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBAs), helmets, visors, high temperature resistant jackets and pants, boots, and gloves. With the proper review and analysis, equipment, and training, firefighting companies can help ensure safety on the job and continue reducing the number of injuries.

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) has published the sixth edition of its "Illustrated Guide to Electrical Safety." This guide is a reference to help the reader navigate through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) recent changes to CFR 1910 Subpart S, standard Part 1, "Design Safety Standards for Electrical Systems," and Part 2, "Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices." 

The new issue includes an easy-to-use cross-reference that allows readers to find the changes, which were made to sync OSHA requirements with those of the 2011 National Electric Code. Although the Safety Related Work Practices section was not revised by OSHA, the updated guide harmonizes with the latest National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E standards.

According to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), the new publication features several updates that have been made to Subpart S, including working clearances and guarding for low- and high-voltage electrical installation, updated wiring methods, and significant updates to classified locations and special systems. Over 130 illustrations explain the revised requirements and users of the guide are provided with information on how to implement the requirements for a safer workplace.

OSHA standards establish that all employees working near potential electrical hazards must be provided with safety products, including non-conductive hard hats, lineman's gloves, insulated tools, and arc face shields and clothing to protect workers from shock, burns, or other electricity-related injuries. 

With the Secretary of Labor renewing the Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (FACOSH) for another two years, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced it will hold a FACOSH meeting on December 1, 2011.

At the meeting, the council will discuss matters relating to the safety and health of federal employees. Topics will include how to keep the number of injuries and illnesses to a minimum in the federal workforce and ways to encourage federal agencies to implement safety and health programs. Issues discussed at the meeting will be used to better advise the Secretary of Labor.

At the event, the Emerging Issue Subcommittee will give its report and recommendations concerning the group's assessment of Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for Federal agencies, which includes relevant safety products for respiratory protection, among other topics.

The meeting is open to the public, and any persons interested in taking part are encouraged to submit a request to speak. Other comments or pertinent data may also be submitted, with an emphasis on the council's Strategic Planning for 2011-2013 discussion desired.  

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released a revised version of its tire servicing documents to include current hazards in the industry and ensure workers perform large vehicle tire maintenance safely.

The revisions address the Materials Handling and Storage standard established by OSHA that is in place to protect workers who perform single- and multi-piece rim wheel work. Revised materials include updates to the "Multi-piece Rim Matching Chart," including an updated list of current and obsolete components. The "Demounting and Mounting Procedures for Truck/Bus Tires" chart has also been updated to a series of two charts that cover tube-type and tubeless tires.

"These updated materials will provide readily accessible information on how to prevent worker injuries and deaths from tire-servicing incidents," said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for OSHA. "The new format and easy access will simplify compliance with the standard by helping employers provide their workers with vital servicing information."

Hazards in the tire servicing industry often occur while employees attempt to repair or service mismatched tires and rims, and have led to severe head and arm injuries. OSHA standards require that a barrier consisting of a fence, wall, or other structure be placed between a single piece rim wheel and an employee during tire inflation, to contain the rim wheel components in the event of the sudden release of the contained air of the single piece rim wheel. OSHA also requires protective safety products, such as safety glasses, protective footwear, and ear protection be used when servicing tires to help avoid injuries.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced it will hold a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) December 13-16, 2011, and is currently accepting nominations for individuals to serve on the committee.

The ACCSH will use the meeting to gather information needed to advise the Secretary of Labor on standards in the construction industry and other policies. At the meeting, ACCSH will hear an update from the Directorate of Construction on OSHA's outreach efforts, issues with enforcement, and rulemaking projects. The agenda also provides time for updates on programs from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

ACCSH members will also consider and make recommendations on the proposed rule to update standards on head protection for construction work.

According to OSHA's Personal Protective Equipment publication, hard hats can protect employees from impact and penetration hazards. Employers are required to supply hard hats to their employees if the risk of falling objects is present, if fixed objects are head-level, or there is a possibility for accidental contact with electrical hazards.  

In early November, 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it had finalized its plans to study the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water through an assessment directed by Congress.

Congress has requested that the EPA study the impact of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to ensure that the country can continue to utilize its vast natural gas resources in a responsible manner.

The final assessment follows the entire cycle of water through the fracking process, beginning where the water is acquired, continuing through what chemicals are mixed with the water, the actual process of fracturing, and how the water is managed after it has been used in natural gas extraction.

The plan allows the Obama administration to continue its work to ensure that the country can rely on natural gas as a clean source of energy for generations to come without jeopardizing the natural resources involved in its extraction.

According to standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for oil and gas well drilling, safety products must be utilized to ensure worker safety. Hard hats, safety glasses, work gloves, ear plugs, and other personal protective equipment always needs to be worn on the jobsite, while safety equipment, including lockout/tagout systems must be used when repairs and servicing are necessary.

On November 30, 2011, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its new National Emphasis Program (NEP), which aims to protect chemical facility workers from catastrophic releases of highly hazardous chemicals.

"Far too many workers are injured and killed in preventable incidents at chemical facilities around the country," said assistant secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "This program will enable OSHA inspectors to cover chemical facilities nationwide to ensure that all required measures are taken to protect workers."

The new document replaces OSHA's pilot NEP, which was drafted in 2009, but many of the same safety-related problems uncovered during the refinery industry NEP were noted. OSHA chose to expand the program to a national level to increase awareness of chemical danger so that employers will more effectively prevent the release of highly hazardous chemicals.

The new guidance is a part of OSHA's Process Safety Management (PSM), which provides information for general industry and construction on how to develop a process hazard analysis and requirements for preventing hazardous chemicals from being released.

When working around chemicals, OSHA requires the use of safety products such as respiratory protection, gloves, protective clothing and safety goggles to reduce employee exposure to hazards.  

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) Picture It!: Safe Workplaces for Everyone photo contest was held in celebration of the agency's 40th anniversary, and was open to anyone with a passion for photography. The photo contest challenged photographers to capture strong workplace safety practices being put to use, and OSHA has now announced the winners of the competition.

Aaron Sussel of Cincinnati, Ohio, was awarded first place in the contest for his depiction of workers on the site of last year's Gulf Oil Spill, who were wearing broad-rimmed hats, gloves, and other personal protective equipment.

The second place photo was entered by Roberto Carlos Vergara of Charlotte, NC and shows a group of workers high above the clouds secured by fall protection, and the third place winning photo illustrates a manufacturing worker utilizing work gloves, safety glasses, and a face shield, and was entered by Roberto Rodriguez of Mesquite, TX. The variety of entries submitted included many instances of workers using assorted safety products.

"I am thrilled by the way these photographers have so creatively captured the challenges of workplace safety and health," said Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA. "Each winning photograph tells its own powerful story of the contribution of workers to our great country's success, and America, and of the vital importance of protecting their health and safety."

As millions of drivers leave work the day before Thanksgiving, highways across America will be filling with families and individuals heading home for the holiday.

To remind drivers to remain cautious as they drive home from work and over the weekend, the National Safety Council (NSC) has released its Thanksgiving Day Holiday Period Traffic Fatality Estimate. The 2011 Thanksgiving Day holiday begins at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 27. In that period, the NSC estimates there will be 434 deaths, with a 90 percent confidence interval of 368 to 509 deaths. 43,400 are estimated to have injuries that are serious enough to seek help from a medical professional.

Estimates are based on data from a five-year period beginning in 2004. In 2009, the council estimated 447 deaths, while actual deaths totaled 401.

Further studies show that safety belts are 45 percent effective in preventing traffic deaths when they are used by front-seat passengers. Other safety equipment, such as jumper cables, flares, and reflective triangles can be carried in a vehicle as part of an emergency pack, and a first aid kit can help increase safety in the event of a highway accident.

On December 5, 2011, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force released its final long-term plan for restoring the Gulf Coast ecosystem in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The strategy was delivered by the Task Force on December 2 to President Barack Obama, who initially ordered the Task Force to be created. The group is comprised of representatives from the five states surrounding the Gulf, as well as 11 federal agencies.

In drafting the plan, the Task Force asked for input from states, tribes, federal agencies, local governments, and thousands of affected citizens and organizations.

"This Task Force brought together people from across the Gulf Coast in unparalleled ways to talk about how we tackle both the immediate environmental devastation, as well as the long-term deterioration that has for decades threatened the health, the environment and the economy of the people who call this place home," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.

Since the disaster, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued between 20 and 40 safety professionals to the Gulf to help protect cleanup workers. The agency states the employers must provide workers with all required safety products, including work gloves, boots, and coveralls, and all workers must be trained on the hazards of the job prior to taking part in the cleanup effort.  

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has announced it will hold a two-day Buy Quiet Workshop, November 9-10, 2011, to encourage greater use of engineering noise controls at construction sites and in manufacturing plants.

The event is a National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) activity, and will be jointly organized by its Construction Sector and Manufacturing Sector Programs, as well as the NIOSH Hearing Loss Prevention Cross-sector program.

The workshop is intended to determine feasibility and functionality of Buy Quiet programs and discuss steps that will ensure its successful implementation. In the end, workshop officials hope to encourage a wider adoption of noise control techniques in the construction and manufacturing industries.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 30 million people are exposed to hazardous noise in the workplace each year. Hearing loss due to occupational noise has been one of the most prevalent work hazards for more than 25 years, indicating a need for better protection.

Safety products such as ear plugs and ear muffs, and enclosing or isolating the noise source with sound barriers, have been proven to significantly reduce dangerous noise levels.  

The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) has published updates to its American National Standard for High-Visibility Public Safety Vests, ANSI/ISEA207-2011, which outlines the design, performance specifications, and utilization of safety vests.

The revision includes updates to the initial publication from 2006, and was approved by major stakeholders from fire and police forces, testing laboratories, safety equipment manufacturers, and government organizations.

"ISEA members are aware of the need for emergency personnel to be recognized during a situation where multiple responders may be present and where their identification is critical to mitigating the crisis at hand," noted Jim Teigen, chairman of the ISEA High-Visibility Products Group. "The standard serves to meet the desires of the wearers through identification means on the vest, while ensuring that they are visible to vehicle operators at the same time."

The update also highlights the service-life guidelines for high-visibility apparel that have been established by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

"It is important that wearers understand that a public safety vest’s ongoing visibility properties can be influenced by environmental and use conditions," stated Teigen. "For these reasons, they should become familiar with FHWA and manufacturers’ guidelines to ensure that they are wearing items that provide the necessary protection from a visibility standpoint."

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced it will host an informal meeting at which stakeholders will discuss ways to prevent occupational hearing loss. The public meeting is being held to determine the best practices for hearing conservation programs.

Additional topics will include the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and engineering controls used to prevent hearing loss.

"Between 20,000 and 25,000 workers suffer preventable hearing loss every year due to high workplace noise levels," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "In January, OSHA committed to holding this stakeholder meeting to elicit the views of employers, workers, noise control experts and public health professionals."

The meeting is set to take place in Washington, D.C., on November 3, 2011.

According to OSHA, several safety measures can be utilized to prevent worker hearing loss, including opting for low-noise machinery, keeping equipment well-maintained and lubricated, placing sound walls or curtains between machinery and workers, and isolating the noise source.

Providing safety products, such as ear plugs or ear muffs, is required by OSHA in high noise level workplaces to protect workers' hearing.  

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has worked through it's National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) partnership program to develop and release the National Services Agenda which includes safety and health goals for auto repair services to strive toward.

The automotive repair and maintenance industry has more than 1.3 million workers nationwide, which include automobile dealerships, general repair, and specialty shops. While these workplaces may not have safety professionals on staff, injury and illness risks can be reduced by adopting effective hazard controls and safe work practices.

Employers can also lead a work group to discuss major issues about hazards in the industry, develop a system to better track occupational injuries and illnesses, and provide input to NORA to further develop more safety goals for the industry.

NORA's Services Sector Council created strategic goals within the auto repair industry, and plans to track accomplishments through 2016. NORA stated that to achieve these goals partnerships are necessary to encourage the creation of comprehensive occupational safety and health programs, analyze potential exposures to hazardous materials, and to develop effective training programs to help employees recognize and control hazardous material in auto repair shops.

​As a part of these automotive repair health and safety goals, the National Services Agenda has listed important issues, including cuts, lacerations, bruises, and exposure to chemicals, exhaust, and asbestos. Businesses can reduce risks of injuries with the appropriate safety products, including work gloves, respiratory protection, and safety glasses.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently issued its Safety Advisory 2011-03 to remind railroad bridge workers, contractors or subcontractors to a railroad of the dangers of crossing unsecured sections of walkways and platform gratings.

The advisory contains a number of recommendations for employers and urges that fall protection be used to decrease the number of accidents.

"The regulations require railroads and railroad contractors to provide, and employees to use, fall protection and personal protective equipment, including head, foot, eye, and face equipment," the report stated.

FRA regulations require that a personal fall arrest safety device or safety net be used when bridge workers perform duties 12 feet or higher above the ground or water. Appropriate systems can consist of an anchorage, connectors, body harness, lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline, or a combination of these components.

Preliminary investigations conducted by the FRA found that although some exceptions apply to these regulations, none of the recently reported accidents were found to be exempt from fall protection standards.

In a recent study conducted at the Parkinson's Institute in Sunnyvale, California, researchers found that workers exposed to chemicals in electrical work, industrial machinery repair, and dry cleaning showed a significantly higher risk of developing Parkinson's Disease.

The team of scientists analyzed twins in which one had developed the disease, isolating the exposure to six chemicals found in such workplaces that have been linked to Parkinson's. Researchers found that two of these chemicals, trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PERC), are especially hazardous. 

"The potential importance is great, since both solvents persist in the environment and are commonly used," said Dr. Samuel Goldman, at the Parkinson's Institute. "Parkinson's was sixfold more common in twins exposed to TCE, and ninefold more common in twins exposed to TCE or PERC."

The research also took into account workplace head injuries, which are suspected to increase the risk of the disease.

The study concluded that the highest exposure was found in the industrial machinery repair and industrial worker categories.

In response to industrial chemical exposure, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets enforceable permissible exposure limits (PELs) to keep workers safe from over-exposure to hazardous chemicals. The standards include proper ventilation and the use of personal protection equipment, including respiratory protection, protective clothing, gloves, eye and face protection, and other safety products. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created a rule regarding Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) for contractors and renovators to follow. The rule addresses the hazards of lead dust and chips created by sanding, cutting, and renovating areas in housing and facilities containing lead-based paint.

Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the EPA created the requirement to regulate activities that disturb lead-based paint in "target housing," or homes built before 1978, and child-occupied facilities.

The rule requires that renovators, training renovators, and dust sampling technicians undergo training activities regarding proper handling of lead-based paint dust and chips. The requirements were founded on studies conducted in part on the amount of lead dust that was released from abrasive sanding paint removal, demolition of interior plaster walls, window replacement, carpet removal, HVAC renovations, and refurbishments that use drilling or sawing into wood and plaster.

The next phases of testing included studies conducted on worker blood-lead levels in relation to renovation and remodeling activities, a retrospective study based on the relationship between children's blood-lead levels and renovations and remodeling, and workers that specialized in historic building renovation and remodeling.

The Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) states that lead overexposure is one of the most prevalent overexposures in industry, and is a leading cause of workplace illness. The agency has ranked lead overexposure as one of its highest priorities, and has developed a strategic plan to reduce the average severity of lead exposure by 15 percent over a five year period. OSHA addresses lead hazards and required personal safety products through several different standards and directives.
 

Werner Ladder Co. recently celebrated its role as the Official Ladder of the NCAA Basketball Championships by presenting the University of Connecticut men's basketball team with the two ladders used to cut down the nets after the team won the National Championship in 2010.

"Werner Ladder is proud to be able to celebrate the achievements of Coach Jim Calhoun and the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team," Chris Filardi, vice president of marketing for Werner, said in a press release.

Werner developed the two stepladders exclusively for the NCAA, and they are uniquely sized at 9 feet, providing easy access to the net.

Other ladders produced by Werner include twin step, platform, extension, tripod, and utility.

Werner is also the official ladder, and corporate partner, of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA)

Ladders from Werner can help companies comply with rules established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which specify that employers must provide stairways and ladders where there is a break in elevation of more than 19 inches. 

MedPro Safety survey finds that 68 percent of healthcare workers believe needlestick injuries are still a major threat in the workplace.

The survey took responses from 262 healthcare professionals at the APIC 2011 Annual Educational Conference in June 2011, which found that 68 percent stated they believe that syringe needlestick injuries have not been eliminated despite requirements established over a decade ago by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Another 43 percent stated they do not believe the safety measures developed by the agencies to prevent needlesticks are activated after use and before disposal at their institutions. An additional 43 percent indicated they were not happy or ambivalent with the syringes used by their institutions.

The findings suggested a high degree of concern in the medical field about the present risk of needlestick injuries and the measures that are in place to control them.

According to the CDC, about 385,000 sharps injuries occur to hospital employees every year. Workers can reduce the risk of such injuries by following OSHA's requirements, which include safer needle devices and proper handling and disposal. Safety products, like puncture-resistant work gloves, are also beneficial for employees handling sharps disposal.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH's) Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program launched its own Twitter page on August 8, 2011. The new page will be used to raise awareness of the FACE program, according to Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S).

The Twitter page is a part of the institute's FACE research program, which began in 1982. The program works to identify and study fatal injuries that occur in the workplace.

The page's first three tweets were in response to crane rigger fatalities, a topic of concern that will be addressed on August 31, 2011, at a virtual event to be held by Occupational Health and Safety. The tweets will focus on highlighting investigations that seek to target causes of death, involving confined spaces, machine-related fatalities, falls, and electrocutions.

Another tweet recently posted offers information on fall protection when working on precast concrete floor slabs. Other initial tweets included information on hazards faced by crane workers, crossing guards, electricians, and others. FACE is currently investigating deaths involving machinery, energy production, and construction falls.

Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OROSHA's) December newsletter discusses ways supervisors can better promote safety in the workplace.

The newsletter begins by discussing some of America's most tragic workplace accidents, including the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire that occurred 100 years ago. The accident, which led to the death of 146 workers, was said to have been made worse by locked exit doors. Agency Administrator Michael Wood stated the event displayed "employers taking unacceptable risks with the lives of their workers in order to prevent pilferage."

The agency stated that safety can be greatly improved with better supervisor-employer relationships. OROSHA's requirements state that all employers are responsible for the safe performance of the work under their supervision, the safe conduct of the crew, and the safety of all workers.

Poor supervision can lead to confusion about safe practices and responsibilities, and put workers at risk for injury, the newsletter stated. It is up to a supervisor to explain safety requirements and how they relate to the job at hand to prevent injuries.

Supervisor responsibility includes training employees on safety requirements that apply to their jobs, including hazards, safety rules, and the proper use of required safety products.

In 2010, the prevalence of four infections commonly seen in healthcare facilities declined, but more work is needed to eliminate healthcare-related illnesses.

At a policy summit held on October 19, 2011, in Washington, D.C., staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided details on how the reduction is occurring in heathcare facilities across the country.

"Hospitals continue to make impressive progress in driving down certain infections in intensive care units through implementation of CDC prevention strategies," said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden. "Hospitals and state health departments need to translate this progress to other areas of healthcare delivery and healthcare infections."

The CDC reported that in 2010, there was a 33 percent drop in central line-associated bloodstream infections, with a 35 percent reduction in critical care patients.

At the summit, officials also discussed how to boost patient safety and quality improvement. Denise Cardo, M.D., Director of CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion stated, “Preventing infections in healthcare saves lives and reduces healthcare costs.”

Healthcare workers can prevent the spread of infections by wearing appropriate safety products, such as masks, shields, and gloves, when working with infectious patients.

On October 13, 2011, the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) recognized members from its Bureau of Fire Prevention for their efforts in keeping New York residents safe from fire.

"The work you do is meticulous," Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano told members during the ceremony at FDNY Headquarters. "It involves long hours and lots of hard work, but it saves lives."

In all, 19 members were honored as Inspectors of the Year, while one worker was recognized for Clerical Support. At the ceremony, the 34 new members who joined the bureau in the last year were also recognized for their roles in such an important agency.

"Each year Fire Prevention shows they are a stronger, better team than ever before," Chief of Department Edward Kilduff said. "Your expertise is something that's never questioned."

The bureau helps ensure the city's safety by providing resources and information on safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, that can help save lives. According to the bureau, fire safety plans should be adopted by workplaces, hotels/motels and other places of assembly, and sprinkler system tests should be performed regularly.  

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that October 9 through October 15 was National Fire Prevention Week, with the 2011 theme of "Protect your Family from Fire." The campaign was developed to keep individuals, their families, and their communities safe from fire.

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and FEMA are providing fire prevention tips and resources going forward, including information materials and tips on the leading causes of fires.

"Annual observances like National Fire Prevention Week are excellent opportunities to focus on fire hazards - but we should all practice fire safety every day - at work, at play, and particularly at home,” said FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy. "The most common causes of home fires include cooking, heating, electrical malfunction, smoking materials, and candles."

FEMA states that several small steps can be taken to prevent damaging fires, including staying in the kitchen while cooking, having chimneys inspected regularly, and keeping flammable materials away from light bulbs and lamps.

Also, using flashlights in the event of a power outage, rather than candles, significantly lowers the chance of fire. If a candle is used indoors, keep them away from anything that can easily burn, and make sure to blow them out before going into another room.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), it is important for homes and businesses to have fire safety equipment, which includes large and portable fire extinguishers, readily available.  

The recent Warner Bros. Pictures film Contagion depicts a scenario in which the world struggles to stop a global outbreak of a deadly respiratory virus. In the movie, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) fights to contain the deadly outbreak.

Now, the CDC Foundation has announced that while the theatrics of the movie may be far fetched, the possibility of a global outbreak of a serious, deadly disease is very real. On average, one contagion is investigated each year by the agency.

But it is not only new diseases that can spread with deadly results. Some illnesses that have long been thought to be controlled in the U.S., such as tuberculosis, could once again appear more deadly than ever.

If an outbreak were to occur, the CDC's Emergency Operations Center would serve as the command center for monitoring the threat level of the virus. The center is staffed 24/7 and is open for contact for reporting public health threats including the flu, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters.

Safety precautions in the workplace include regularly washing hands and wearing safety products such as health masks or gloves, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).  

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has released its annual report titled "Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2010," which details the 2010 study conducted by USFA on the deaths of on-duty firefighters.

In total, there were 87 firefighter fatalities in 31 states in 2010, resulting from 83 fatal incidents. The report noted 2010 was the second-consecutive year that saw significantly lower firefighter deaths across the country.

In the previous six years, from 2004 to 2009, an average of 112 firefighters died every year while on duty, with Illinois ranking highest with nine fatalities. New York and Ohio shared the second-highest number of deaths, with eight fatalities each.

In the report, the nature of fatal injuries was detailed, suggesting heart attack and trauma were the most prevalent causes of death while on the job, accounting for 57.5 percent and 23 percent of fatalities, respectively.

USFA has tracked firefighter fatality data for 34 years, focusing on specific problems to continue to reduce the rate of firefighter fatalities.

Help reduce risk in your workplace with education, fire drills, and reliable safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, and fire escape ladders. Burn blankets and burn first aid kits kept at your facility or worksite, and carried in vehicles will help keep you and your workers prepared for a fire emergency.
 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently allowed the marketing of the first device to be developed that can aid in the detection of life-threatening bleeding in the skull.

The machine, called the Infrascanner Model 1000, can be used by healthcare providers to identify the severity of head trauma when an immediate brain imaging study is needed.

"While patients with suspected brain injuries routinely receive a CT scan, this portable device offers emergency room physicians a non-invasive mechanism to aid in assessing whether an immediate CT scan is needed," said Christy Foreman, director of the Office of Device Evaluation at FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

According to data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), head injuries caused by contact with objects and equipment lead to 15,000 occupational injuries in 2010.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to provide workers with personal protective equipment, which includes ensuring the use of safety products, such as hard hats, that can help protect workers from traumatic brain injuries.

The National Transportation Safety Board NTSB has made an unprecedented move in recommending that the use of all personal electronic devices (PEDs) be banned while behind the wheel.

The action came during a December 13, 2011 board meeting regarding a multi-vehicle highway accident in a construction zone, which injured a total of 38 people and killed two others. The accident was determined to be caused by texting while driving.

The recommendation calls for all 50 states and the District of Columbia to ban all non-emergency use of PEDs, and also urges the use of high-visibility enforcement and a series of targeted communication campaigns to inform drivers of such a ban.

"In the last two decades, there has been exponential growth in the use of cell-phone and personal electronic devices," the NTSB noted in a statement, adding that a recent Virginia Tech study found a safety-critical event was 163 times more likely to occur if a driver is texting, emailing or on the internet.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were 968 fatal occupational highway incidents in 2010, comprising 21 percent of all occupational fatalities. To help lower the risk of injury or death, highway workers should wear and use safety equipment, such as high-visibility safety vests and traffic safety cones, when working near oncoming cars. 

As the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) enters into its second century, president Terrie S. Norris has issued a call for more action to the occupational safety, health, and environmental profession.

"As we move into the next 100 years of protecting people, property and the environment, we face many challenges," Norris said. "Despite the dedicated efforts of ASSE’s members, employers, workers, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the fact that fatalities are not significantly decreasing should be a call for action, not complacency."

Norris added that businesses need to be reminded to resist cutting back on occupational safety and health systems. He also noted that stakeholders in occupational safety and health need to work together to make sure the economy, jobs, and corporate bottom lines can benefit from a safe and healthy workforce.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 4,547 workers were killed on the job in 2010, compared to 4,551 the year before. Norris stated that this "statistical plateau" of worker deaths is not an achievement, and more must be done to protect American workers.

To help prevent workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses, OSHA requires employers to provide employees with proper safety products relevant to the job being performed. This personal protective equipment can include hard hats, fall protection, and ear plugs.

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) recently announced that the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved an updated version of the ANSI/ASSE A10.33-2011 standard, Safety and Health Program Requirements for Multi-Employer Projects.

The standard establishes the minimum elements and activities a program must have in order to define construction employers' duties and responsibilities on a site where multiple employers will be doing the work. It will be used as a minimum safety and health guideline to develop a safe and healthy worksite and the most cost-effective construction.

"This revised standard for multi-employers should reinforce the importance of proper planning, effective execution, and safety on construction and demolition jobsites," said Richard King, Certified Safety Professional and chair of the A10 Committee. "We continue to work to enhance work safety and health on construction sites."

This standard is one in a series created by the A10 Accredited Standards Committee to guide contractors, workers, and equipment manufacturers in the construction and demolition industries.

Construction is considered a high hazard industry and to protect workers at multi-employer worksites from falling from rooftops, unguarded machinery, being struck by heavy construction equipment, and electrocutions, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to provide appropriate safety products, including fall protection, hard hats, safety glasses, and work gloves.

American auto manufacturers had much to show for at the recent North American International Auto Show in Detroit, as all agreed the domestic auto manufacturing industry has been reborn and is ready to meet the soaring domestic demand for cars.

Mike Jackson, CEO of AutoNation, predicted sales of U.S. cars will grow to 14 million in 2012, compared to an expected finish of 12.7 million vehicles in 2011, and up from 11.6 million sold in 2010. J.D. Power and LMC Automotive have similar estimates, forecasting sales of 13.8 million vehicles in 2012.

The Center for Automotive Research (CAR) expects General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler to add 30,000 hourly and salaried positions by 2015, while total employment in the auto manufacturing and supply industry is expected to grow 28 percent in the next four years.

To ensure the safety of workers in the automobile manufacturing industry employers are required to provide proper safety products, such as hard hats, ear plugs, and safety glasses.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has reaffirmed its position on protecting workers from injury and illness by presenting a white paper that that calls its programs "effective, flexible and commonsense" tools.

The white paper discusses the agency's injury and illness prevention programs (I2P2), and cites many examples and studies on how I2P2 has helped reduce injury, illness, and workplace fatalities and increased productivity.

An I2P2 is a process that helps employers proactively identify and fix hazards before employees are hurt. Currently, 34 states require or encourage such programs.

"The key elements common to all of these programs are management leadership, worker participation, hazard identification and assessment, hazard prevention and control, education and training, and program evaluation and improvement," notes the introduction to the Injury and Illness Prevention Programs White Paper.

Companies that have already implemented the programs at their work sites have experienced "dramatic decreases" in workplace injuries, and have also reported a new workspace culture that may lead to higher quality work, lower turnover, lower costs, and more overall employee satisfaction.

According to OSHA, such programs require the use of safety products that protect workers from the hazards presented. Such items may include hard hats, work gloves, safety glasses, or other forms of personal protective equipment. 

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) recently announced that the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved two new A10 construction and demolition safety standards.

One new standard, ANSI/ASSE A10.1-2011 Project and Pre-Task Safety and Health Planning for Construction and Demolition Operations, will establish the elements and activities that take place before and after safety and health planning for construction sites. The second, ANSI/ASSE A10.26-2011 Procedures for Construction and Demolition Sites, applies to emergency procedures involving fires, collapses, hazardous spills and other emergencies. The A10.26 standard also addresses emergency rescue, on-site first aid and emergency care, evacuation of injured or ill workers, and training on emergency plans and procedures.

"The A10 standards play an important role in providing technical guidance to the construction and demolition industry in order to prevent occupational fatalities, injuries, and illnesses,” said Richard King, chair of the A10 Committee. "These two new standards build upon our existing documents to enhance work safety and health on construction sites."

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), construction is a high-hazard industry that presents workers with safety risks including falling from heights, unguarded machinery, being struck by heavy equipment, and electrocutions.

To reduce the risk of such accidents, employers must provide their workers with fall protection systems, hard hats, work gloves, and other safety products. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, which are the first aimed to protect Americans from the emissions of mercury and other toxic air pollutants. The new standards will rely on proven pollution controls that are widely available to reduce emissions. More than half of the coal-fired power plants in the nation are already using these pollution controls. 

The EPA estimates that the new standards will prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths and 4,700 heart attacks each year. They are also expected to help children grow up healthier, possibly preventing 130,000 cases of childhood asthma and about 6,300 fewer cases of acute bronchitis each year. The total economic and health benefits of their implementation are estimated at $90 billion dollars annually.

"With these standards that were two decades in the making, EPA is rounding out a year of incredible progress on clean air in America with another action that will benefit the American people for years to come," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.

The EPA also estimates that manufacturing, engineering, installing, and maintaining the pollution controls to meet these standards will provide employment for thousands. Potential employment includes up to 46,000 short-term construction jobs and 8,000 long-term utility jobs.

Many standards have been set for workers in the electric power generation, transmission, and distribution industry. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that all electric grid workers wear safety products, including safety glasses, face shields, hard hats, insulating gloves with protectors, and flame-resistant (FR) clothing.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its 2010 analysis of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), which assesses the impact of toxic chemical disposals and other releases into the environment, and also provides information on waste management and pollution prevention.

The publication found that total releases including disposals for 2010 are higher than the previous two years but lower than 2007 and all years before. Many of the releases from TRI facilities were under the regulation of the EPA's programs and requirements that were developed to decrease human and environmental harm.

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said TRI is an important aspect of the EPA's community-right-to-know programs. The information found in the study is used by citizens, emergency planners, and public health figures to make crucial decisions about their community's safety and welfare.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published several guidelines regarding the response to dangers posed by hazardous waste. Such standards include emergency action plans, exit routes and fire prevention plans, as well as the use of personal protective equipment.

To maintain a safe workplace when disposing of toxic chemicals, provide safety products such as safety goggles, protective clothing, and respiratory protection. 

In a recent article, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) outlined the necessary steps Americans should take to avoid coming down with the flu this season.

The best thing anyone can do to fend off the flu virus is to get a flu vaccine, but there are many supplementary actions that can be taken to help keep the flu at bay. Exercise has shown to be highly beneficial in warding off the virus. A recent study showed adults who exercised regularly during flu season spent 43 percent fewer days with an upper respiratory infection.

The amount of sleep people get each night is another indicator of how susceptible they may be to the virus. According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep deprivation leads to less effective immune systems, lowering the body's defenses against the flu.

In close quarters such as a work place, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that doorknobs, phones, and other objects regularly be cleaned with disinfectant wipes. In the office, hand sanitizers, tissues, and proper work practices can help keep the virus from spreading among employees, ensuring a productive and healthy environment.

On December 16, 2011, Safety Daily Advisor highlighted the importance of hard hat safety in initial training of employees, as well as in refresher training courses.

Employees should be trained to select a hard hat that is appropriate for the task at hand and protects against existing hazards. Hard hats are rated by type and class, which workers should understand when making a selection.

Type I helmets provide top impact protection, while Type II hard hats provide protection against top and side impacts. Class E are tested to withstand 20,000 volts. Class G is tested to 2,200 volts, while Class C does not provide any protection from electricity.

Employers are also encouraged to explain that workers must inspect hard hats for damage and wear before and after every use, adjust the headband to an appropriately fitting position, and clean the helmet occasionally. Also include training on when a hard hat needs to be replaced, including if it has been involved in an impact, is cracked, broken, or punctured, or if the suspension's headband is worn or stretched out.

In response to a recent chemical fire and fatality, Chemical Safety Board (CSB) Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso has urged the Environmental Technology Council (ETC) to petition the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to issue a specific hazardous waste standard that would provide guidance to treatment, storage, and disposal facilities that handle such materials.

The most recent incident resulted in a flash fire that occurred when workers were attempting to split large solid waste drums of flammable inorganic chemicals into smaller drums.

"Unfortunately accidents at hazardous waste processing facilities are all too common," said Moure-Eraso in a statement. "The standard would provide guidance to prevent the occurrence of fires, explosions, and releases at these types of facilities."

As an independent federal agency, the CSB investigates chemical accidents, including those caused by equipment failures, inadequate regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems. The ETC is a hazardous waste industry trade group consisting of people inside and outside of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that exchange information and review technology solutions for environmental problems. NFPA develops fire prevention codes and standards that may be incorporated into Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards.

In its efforts to help protect hazardous waste workers, OSHA's Hazardous Waste Standards state that all workers must wear appropriate personal protective equipment, which includes totally-encapsulated chemical protective suits, self-contained breathing apparatuses, and all general safety products such as work gloves and safety glasses. 

On January 12, 2012, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it had selected 10 OSHA authorized training providers to instruct 25 online courses in line with its Outreach Training Program.

The program was developed to teach employees how to identify, prevent, and eliminate hazards that exist in the workplace. It also ensures all workers understand their rights, and employers know their responsibilities.

"We are pleased to announce the selection of these online training providers," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "These high-quality online courses will allow a greater number of workers to receive valuable interactive training supported by safety professionals - especially in remote areas with limited access to standard classrooms."

The courses are not required by OSHA, but the training they provide can help workers and employers create a safe and healthy workplace. For specific hazards related to their job, workers also need to receive additional, focused training.

The courses will provide instruction in Construction, General Industry, and Maritime in either 10- or 30-hour classes.

Developing a safe and healthy work site includes the use of OSHA-required safety products, which include safety glasses, ear plugs, work gloves, and hard hats. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced updates to its Federal Agency Targeting Inspection Program (FEDTARG) directive for fiscal 2012.

The directive provides guidance on programmed inspections of federal agency establishments reporting high numbers of injuries that led to time away from work in 2011. The update outlines the procedures of conducting these inspections. Any establishments that reported 100 or more lost-time cases in fiscal 2011 will be inspected by the agency.

Other updates include provisions for reviewing alternative and supplementary standards, as well as clarifications on how OSHA Area Directors determine the number and location of site-specific inspections for establishments with more than one service or operation.

FEDTARG 2012 will help OSHA continue its nationwide inspection campaign of federal work sites. The program first started in 2008 after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended OSHA develop a specific inspection program for federal workplaces.

When inspecting work sites, OSHA covers a wide range of standards, including ensuring proper use of safety products such as fall protection, hard hats, and safety glasses. 

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel recently joined Illinois utility ComEd to announce the company's new investment plan that will pump $1.1 billion into building smart grid technologies that will bring the state's aging infrastructure into the 21st century.

This year, ComEd will begin the infrastructure upgrades, digitizing the electric grid, and installing smart meter technologies in the homes of its customers. The project will create more than 2,400 jobs in Chicago in construction, engineering, IT, dispatching, and equipment distribution, with 350-400 jobs created in the next year alone.

"We’re modernizing Chicago’s electric infrastructure and building a Smart Grid that will bring significant economic opportunity for the City, adding jobs and creating new facilities that will train Chicagoans to contribute to Chicago’s growing green economy and help Chicago families save money on electricity," Emanuel stated.

The new projects will be required to follow standards established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) which state that all employees working in areas that may have potentially dangerous electrical hazards must be provided with and use safety products designed specifically for the work that is to be performed.

Such protective equipment includes safety glasses and nonconductive hard hats, as well as gloves, tools, and other properly insulated protective products. 

On January 20, 2012, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was looking for applications to provide assistance to agricultural producers and small businesses to perform various energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

"Renewable energy development presents an enormous economic opportunity for rural America," said Vilsack. "This funding will assist rural farmers, ranchers and business owners to build renewable energy projects, providing opportunities for new technologies, create green jobs and help America become more energy self-sufficient."

Funding for these projects is available through the USDA's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The program was created to help the nation meet its critical energy needs and to help rural businesses and agricultural producers reduce their energy consumption and cost.

As more green jobs appear and the use of alternative fuel sources, such as biofuels, becomes more common, employers must be aware of the standards established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Green job hazards in the biofuels industry include fire/explosion hazards and chemical reactivity and toxicity hazards in the manufacturing of biofuel.

Minimize these risks by implementing procedures for using appropriate lockout/tagout devices while servicing or repairing equipment and ensure workers wear proper safety products, such as protective clothing, head and face protection, and respiratory protection.

As the demand for low-carbon, domestically sourced fuels increases, employers will need to comply with such standards to ensure the safety of all workers. 

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently announced that construction-related accidents in the city dropped by 18 percent in 2011, and injuries related to construction dropped 7.8 percent, which the Mayor attributed to safety measures enacted in 2008.

Last year, five accidents resulted in deaths, which were documented as the result of improper safety procedures. Construction-related accidents dropped to 128 in 2011 from 157 the year before, and construction-related injuries fell from 165 in 2010 to 152 last year.

"Even as construction activity rose by nearly 8 percent last year, the number of construction-related accidents fell," Bloomberg told reporters at a construction site in Queens.

The most common construction accident in 2011 was workers falling from heights, but the number of workers who were injured in a fall dropped from 66 in 2010 to 52 in 2011, a 21 percent decline.

To help ensure that construction accidents and injuries continue to decline, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued requirements to help employers confront the many hazards present in the construction industry, and require the use of safety products, such as fall protection, hard hats, and safety glasses. 

Industrial production grew 0.4 percent in December 2011, after falling 0.3 percent the previous month. December helped fourth-quarter manufacturing totals rise at an annual rate of 3.1 percent, marking the 10th consecutive quarterly gain.

The manufacturing sector alone grew 0.9 percent in December, while both durables and nondurables saw similar advances. Total industrial production reached 95.3 percent of its 2007, pre-recession average, rising 2.9 percent above 2010's levels.

"Manufacturing remains an engine of growth," said John Herrmann, a senior fixed-income strategist at State Street Global Markets LLC in Boston. "Manufacturing has benefited from exports to emerging markets. The more resilient those economies are, the better it is for U.S. manufacturing."

Higher output means more workers are going to work in more factories. Keep workers protected from hazards by following standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) including the use of safety products such as hard hats, work gloves, and safety glasses.

A study conducted by a researcher at the University of California, Davis has found that occupational injuries and illnesses cost the nation about $250 billion every year, much higher than previous estimates.

The study suggests the U.S. should focus more on reducing work-related injuries and illnesses, considering the costs have risen by more than $33 billion, adjusting for inflation, since a study conducted in 1992.

"The costs are enormous and continue to grow," said J. Paul Leigh, professor of public health sciences at UC Davis and author of the study. "And the potential for health risks are high, given that most people between the ages 22 to 65 spend 40 percent of their waking hours at work."

The study was funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and advises that benefits of a strong commitment to workplace safety and health could provide economic benefits.

NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. states, "Gaining a better understanding of the burden helps NIOSH and our partners make the case that preventing work-related injuries and illnesses is part of a wise national strategy for economic recovery and growth."

Employers can help lower the amount of workplace injuries and illnesses by complying with regulations established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). These regulations include the use of appropriate safety products at work, such as work gloves, a safety harness, and ear plugs, to reduce exposure to workplace hazards.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has teamed up with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) for a second year and announces a supplemental issue of the International Journal of Audiology.

The issue highlights research presented at NHCA's 36th Annual Conference. The studies include potential roadblocks to implementing engineering noise controls in the manufacturing sector, the sources of noise in daily working life, and how different safety products, such as ear plugs and ear muffs, perform across a wide range of sounds.

"The ability to hear can greatly impact a worker's ability to do their job as well as their quality of life," said NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard. "Understanding the causes and how to effectively prevent noise-induced hearing loss is an important priority for NIOSH as we continue to look at total worker health."

Additionally, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states approximately 30 million people in the U.S. are exposed to hazardous noise in the workplace every year. Noise-related hearing loss is one of the most prevalent workplace health concerns in the country, as thousands of workers every year suffer from hearing loss that could have been prevented.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has announced that in October 2011, the refinery field of distillate fuels, which includes diesel fuel and heating oil, hit 29.7 percent. This ties the previous record that was set in December 2008.

Distillate yields have followed their upward trend since 2001, before reaching their peak in 2008. Yields were on an upward trend again in 2011. The recent growth in distillate yield is attributed to much higher price margins over the cost of crude oil for distillate compared to gasoline.

The higher yield is also due to growing distillate exports, which hit a record of 1,067 thousand barrels per day in October 2011. The average U.S. refinery has about 1.5 times as much gasoline as distillate from each barrel of refined.

Employers in the oil and gas well drilling industry must follow standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in order to minimize worker exposure to hazards. These guidelines include the use of safety products, including respiratory protection, head protection, and eye and face protection such as safety glasses.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is celebrating its 150th anniversary. President Abraham Lincoln enacted a law that established the agency in 1862.

In what Lincoln described as "The People's Department," the USDA was formed when about half of all U.S. citizens lived on farms. Although that number has dropped to only 2 percent, the USDA's work on food, agriculture, economic development, science, and natural resources is still fulfilling Lincoln's vision, affecting the lives of Americans every day.

"What was true 150 years ago - remains true today - agriculture and rural America matter," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack remarked at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting on January 9, 2012.

The USDA has addressed the changing needs of the industry throughout the years, working to ensure a safe food supply and providing a healthy environment for agricultural workers. The agency encourages the use of USDA-approved items, such as shelving units, hand sanitizers, cleaners, containers, and more.

Vilsack concluded his speech by affirming the American agricultural industry is set to thrive.

"During the 20th century, farmers and rural Americans helped to build the strongest nation on earth," he said. "At the beginning of the 21st Century, farmers and rural Americans are helping again to strengthen America so it may continue for this century to be the freest, safest, greatest nation on earth."

On February 7, 2012, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced there were 3.4 million job openings across the country in December, up from 3.1 million the previous month.

The numbers mark a continued upward trend since the U.S. began its slow climb out of the recession in June 2009. Although the number of job openings in December was still below the 4.4 million openings that were reported before the recession took hold in 2007, it has increased 39 percent since June 2009.

In the construction industry, there were 71,000 job openings in December 2011, compared to 44,000 in the same month the year before. Manufacturing job openings increased from 242,000 in November to 264,000 in December, compared to the 184,000 manufacturing industry job openings in December 2010.

As more jobs become available in industries such as construction and manufacturing, more workers will be regularly exposed to large equipment, loud machines, and other safety hazards. Equip new hires with safety products, such as work gloves, ear plugs, and safety glasses, when working near occupational hazards.

High-visibility protective vests are required for right-of-way workers, flaggers, and adult crossing guards by standards in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) uses as a basis for their regulations.

These garments must be compliant with ANSI/ISEA 107, the American National Standard for High-Visibility Public Safety Vests.

The revision to the MUTCD in 2009 requires public safety vests to be labeled as compliant with the 2006 standard, or any further changes to the version. ANSI approved the revision in 2011, leading the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) to seek an interpretation from the FHWA that safety equipment vests meeting the new standard would be acceptable.

ISEA claimed that the requirements of the two standards for daytime and nighttime visibility lacked any major difference.

FHWA agreed with ISEA, and has released an official interpretation that the ANSI/ISEA 207-2011 standard is equivalent to the 2006 version, and that garments labeled to meet the 2011 standard are also in compliance with MUTCD requirements.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released a summary of the key discussion points made during an informal stakeholder meeting that was held to gather information on the best practices for noise reduction in the workplace.

The meeting, which was held November 3, 2011, included discussions on personal protective equipment, hearing conservation programs, and engineering controls.

The stakeholders agreed that it is a best practice to provide workers with a variety of hearing protectors. Offering different choices makes it more likely that a worker will wear the safety products due to varying personal comfort levels.

If employers make a strong effort to reduce noise through noise controls, they said, it should provide incentive for workers to wear hearing protection.

Stakeholders also discussed the disciplinary measures against employees for failing to wear ear plugs or other safety products, and decided that it may actually deter workers from wearing such products. It was noted that failure to comply with employer created hearing conservation programs may be the result of hearing protection devices interfering with speech and alarm detection for workers. This dangerous interference may be especially true for many older workers that already have hearing loss.

The stakeholders suggested that employers develop a rule, communicate the rule to workers through training, audit the program at different levels, and proactively resolve problems when identified.

Northern Safety, a leading distributor of personal protective equipment and safety supplies, recently unveiled a new search system that will greatly enhance the way you browse, find, and select the exact safety products you need. The new features allow the use of refinements to drill down in search results to individual products. 

The new search system allows you to quickly find exactly what you're looking for on the first try. Browsing through all product information, you will see results in a much higher relevance while searching, compared to searching only designated keywords.

The addition of auto-complete offers suggestions to search for by completing phrases typed into the search bar. For example, if you type in "hard hat," you will see other popular searches in a list, such as "bullard hard hat" or "full brim hard hat." The new "did you mean?" feature boosts accuracy of results by automatically redirecting searches with common misspellings or non exact terms.

Searches can be refined more than ever by narrowing search results and selecting various characteristics of products, such as color, price, brand, category, size, material, and many more details.

By introducing the new search system, Northern Safety has shown its commitment to providing a hassle-free safety product purchasing experience. These additions help guide you to products you're looking for faster and easier than ever.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized two facilities of the Department of Defense (DoD) with the Energy Star Combined Heat and Power (CHP) award.

The honor was presented to the facilities for their achievement in taking an efficient, clean, and reliable approach to deriving thermal energy and power from one source. By implementing CHP technology, the award winners showed leadership and devotion to the protection of the environment and people's health, while saving an estimated $6.8 million per year.

“I congratulate these military bases for leading by example in the efforts to reduce pollution, improve energy efficiency, and cut energy costs,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “These advanced CHP systems give us reliable, clean and cost cutting ways to keep our military bases powered and our environment protected.”

The EPA's award is demonstrative of the focus the U.S. is placing on green initiatives. As more begin to unfold, employers will need to help ensure the safety of workers in green jobs by providing them with the appropriate safety products, such as hard hats, work gloves, and safety glasses.

On Wednesday, February 8, 2012, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood visited Sacramento, California, to promote President Barack Obama's vision for a high-speed rail in the state.

LaHood discussed with suppliers how they can maximize the economic impact of almost $800 million in American-made next generation trains that will be purchased or built this year.

"California’s investments in high-speed rail are creating jobs for American workers today and building a strong foundation for California’s economic future," said Secretary LaHood. "This is exactly what President Obama was talking about when he laid out his blueprint for an economy that’s built to last."

Building the rail line would mean a number of new jobs in the construction and manufacturing industries. By the second half of 2012, the California High-Speed Rail Authority hopes to begin construction on the first 130-mile stretch of rail in the state's Central Valley. The first phase will cost about $6 billion.

To protect workers from the hazards present in the manufacturing of rail supplies and in the construction of the high-speed rail, provide them with the appropriate safety products and follow standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Although some items were financially cut, the budget proposal for fiscal year 2013 that was presented to Congress on February 13, 2012, includes millions of dollars to improve the health and safety of U.S. workers.

The proposed budget includes $16.9 million that will be used to reduce a large case backlog at the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC). The Department of Labor (DOL), which submitted the budget, requested a total of $12 billion in discretionary funding to run programs including education and employment efforts that help veterans transition into civilian jobs, and job retention and training programs for the unemployed, disadvantaged youths, vulnerable communities, and dislocated workers.

"The Labor Department's fiscal year 2013 budget request reflects our commitment to supporting an American economy that's built to last," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Our budget request focuses on programs that will help keep America's workforce strong and innovative, while providing needed worker protections."

As more Americans complete these programs and enter the workforce, training and the appropriate safety products, such as hard hats, safety glasses, and work gloves will help ensure their health and safety.

On February 13, 2012, the Obama Administration released a proposed budget of $8.344 billion for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which will be used to continue to ensure environmental and human health protections.

"This budget is focused on fulfilling EPA’s core mission to protect health and the environment for millions of American families," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "It demonstrates fiscal responsibility, while still supporting clean air, healthy waters, and innovative safeguards that are essential to an America built to last."

The proposal includes $755 million in funding for the Superfund Cleanup initiative, which was developed to support cleanup efforts at hazardous waste sites that address emergencies at some of the nation's most highly prioritized cleanup sites.

The budget also provides $576 million to continue research and innovation in areas such as hydraulic fracturing, potential endocrine disruptors, and green infrastructure.

Hazardous waste cleanup can potentially put response workers in danger. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has several standards regarding the issue, which require all workers wear safety products that can include respiratory protection, safety glasses, and protective clothing. 

A new study, released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), found that fallout from the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in Japan resulted in trace amounts in precipitation in the U.S. in about 20 percent of 167 sites analyzed.

The survey was conducted as part of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP), and found levels were similar to those taken by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the days and weeks after the incident. Many sites studied were far from urban areas, giving a better representation of the American landscape as a whole.

"Japan's unfortunate nuclear nightmare provides a rare opportunity for U.S. scientists to test an infrequently needed national capability for detecting and monitoring nuclear fallout over a wide network," explained USGS director Marcia McNutt. "Had this been a national incident, NADP would have revealed the spatial and temporal patterns of radioactive contamination in order to help protect people and the environment."

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), radiation exposure can pose considerable health risks to workers. Prevent the risk of radiation exposure by using the appropriate safety products, such as turn-out gear, self-contained breathing apparatuses, and other personal protective equipment.  

On February 21, 2012, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that 142 small businesses from around the country have begun work on new research projects that will increase the use of green energy, such as better wind turbines, chemical-free ways to kill bacteria in power plant cooling water, and improving gas turbines.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is providing grants totaling $26.4 million to the small businesses, which it says will create jobs and new projects in America and boost the country's global competitiveness.

"These small businesses are working to develop new technologies to bring to the marketplace, creating new jobs and potentially new industries here in America," said Secretary Chu.  "As part of the Obama Administration’s Startup America Initiative, these innovative small businesses are helping the Department improve America’s energy security, grow our economy, and ensure U.S. companies can compete in the global economy." 

The development of more green projects, such as wind turbine installations, will likely come with more exposure to green job hazards. Falls, confined spaces, electrical, fire and other similar hazards may be present in these projects.

Ensure worker safety by providing appropriate safety products, such as fall protection, electric-shock resistant hard hats, and work gloves, to employees.

Manufacturers in New York expanded in February at the quickest speed since June 2010, indicating the industry is putting more Americans to work in factories, and manufacturing is continuing to lead the recovery.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed manufacturing in New York State rose for the third consecutive month, rising six points to 19.5, the highest level in more than a year. Other readings from the index show continued expansion in shipments and employment growth, and generally more plans for capital spending.

In their 2012 spending plans, 46 percent of manufacturers say they plan to spend more than they did in 2011, while only 25 percent say they plan to spend less. Likely expenses will include structures, computers, related hardware, and software.

Because the index typically moves parallel with manufacturing employment, manufacturing jobs are also on the rise.

As more Americans find work in factories, employers will need to ensure they are following the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) regulations on the use of appropriate safety products , including hard hats, safety glasses, and work gloves. 

During President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, he announced that "millions of new acres for oil and gas exploration" had been opened, and included a directive to his administration "to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources."

Obama stated that American oil production is at its highest level in eight years, and that last year, America relied less on foreign oil than it had in any of the last 16 years. Still, he noted, America has only 2 percent of the world's oil reserves, and needs to create a strategy to develop every source of American energy available.

With a supply of natural gas that could last America nearly 100 years, Obama stated his administration will "take every possible action" to ensure these resources are not only developed, but developed safely. Experts believe more than 600,000 jobs for Americans could be created in the coming decade.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) states that the oil and gas extraction sector has an annual fatality rate of 30 per 100,000 workers, about eight times greater than the rate for all U.S. workers. With so many potential jobs in the industry, provide appropriate safety products, including hard hats, fall protection, and work gloves to help keep workers safe.

A milestone agreement between the U.S. and Mexican governments will allow 1.5 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico to be opened for oil and gas extraction.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signed the agreement alongside Mexican officials, providing clarity on development of transboundary resources in the Gulf. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) estimates the region holds some 172 million barrels of oil and 304 billion cubic feet of natural gas.

"The Obama administration is committed to the responsible expansion of domestic energy production," Salazar said in a statement. "This agreement makes available promising areas in the resource-rich Gulf of Mexico and establishes a clear process by which both governments can provide the necessary oversight to ensure exploration and development activities are conducted safely."

The agreement ensures compliance with applicable laws and regulations with joint inspection teams from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the Mexican government. Plans will be reviewed and additional requirements could be set before development can begin.

As more exploration and drilling projects begin in the Gulf, workers will need industry-specific safety products, as well as general industry products like hard hats, work gloves, and safety glasses.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released the final health assessment for tetrachloroethylene (perc) to its Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database.

Perc is most often used in the dry cleaning industry, but is also often found in the cleaning of metal machinery and can be used by factory workers to manufacture consumer goods and other chemicals. The assessment confirms what has long been thought - that perc is a "likely human carcinogen."

"The perc health assessment released today will provide valuable information to help protect people and communities from exposure to perc in soil, water and air," said Paul Anastas, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development, in a statement on February 10, 2012. "This assessment emphasizes the value of the IRIS database in providing strong science to support government officials as they make decisions to protect the health of the American people."

The health assessment includes information on the cancerous effects of perc for the first time and replaces the 1988 IRIS assessment.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires workers who may be exposed to perc be equipped with the appropriate safety products to reduce the risk of its adverse health effects.

Personal protective equipment, including aprons, work gloves, and goggles should be worn, while respirators with organic vapors cartridges must be used when elevated perc exposures are anticipated. 

On Thursday, February 16, 2012, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood announced the first-ever federally proposed guidelines to urge car makers to design vehicles with the risk of distraction from electronic devices in mind. The move could prevent the installation of "excessively distracting devices" and enhance safety for drivers, pedestrians, and roadway workers.

The new guidelines would be voluntary, and would apply to communications, entertainment, information gathering, and navigation devices that are not required to safely operate a vehicle.

Written by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) division of the DOT, the guidelines would create specific recommended criteria for electronic devices that are installed in vehicles and require drivers to visually or manually operate them.

"Distracted driving is a dangerous and deadly habit on America’s roadways – that’s why I’ve made it a priority to encourage people to stay focused behind the wheel," said Secretary LaHood. "These guidelines are a major step forward in identifying real solutions to tackle the issue of distracted driving for drivers of all ages."

After performing extensive studies, NSHTA says it considers some tasks performed by drivers to be unsafe and should be locked out when the car is in motion. The list of "per se" lockouts includes displaying photographic moving visual images that are not related to driving, automatically scrolling text, manually entering information, and reading more than 30 characters of visually presented text.

The guidance was proposed to keep roadways safe for all, including highway workers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drivers encounter many distractions while in highway work zones, such as signs, barrels, and abrupt lane changes. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that crashes in work zones led to the death of 103 workers in 2010. Highway workers can reduce the risk of injury or death by wearing appropriate safety equipment, such as high-visibility safety vests.

The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) Executive Summit, regarded as the premier meeting for the safety products industry, will draw some of the top global suppliers of personal protective and safety equipment to the Hill Country of San Antonio, Texas.

The summit is scheduled for April 29 to May 1, 2012 and will provide a unique combination of business intelligence and social networking, allowing business representatives to hear experts on economic trends, market opportunities, policies, and government actions. Through networking, participants will be able to build strong, lasting strategic alliances with others in the industry.

"The Executive Summit is a meeting for you and your peers in the business of designing, making and selling worker protection products," ISEA said in a release on the summit. "It offers the kind of networking that will enable you to grow your business."

The ISEA Executive Summit and similar events are important for keeping up with trends in the safety products industry. For all employers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires the use of personal protective equipment, such as hard hats, work gloves, and fall protection, to reduce employee exposure to hazards.

On February 23, 2012, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), working with the National Hearing Conservation Association, announced the winners of the 2012 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards.

Colgate-Palmolive, 3M's Hutchinson Plant, and Bechtel National, Inc. were honored for their dedication to the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss through successful occupational hearing loss prevention practices. The awards were given out on February 24, 2012 at the Annual Hearing Conservation Conference in New Orleans.

"Since noise is everywhere, preventing its negative effects requires the integration of occupational safety and health protection with health promotion," said NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard. "NIOSH supports this concept, also called Total Worker Health, as the most effective approach to promote health. To effectively maintain healthy hearing, it is important for us to extend preventive initiatives outside the workplace, and this year’s recipients offer us compelling examples of this approach."

NIOSH estimates that between 5 and 30 million workers in the U.S. experience noise levels at work that put them at risk of hearing loss, with an another 9 million that may be at risk through exposure to chemicals that damage hearing. Help protect workers' hearing by using hearing-related safety products, including ear plugs and ear muffs, and implementing hearing loss prevention programs in your workplace.

On February 24, 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a warning, stating that occupational exposure in the refinishing industry to products containing methylene chloride can be fatal.

The alert was issued based on an investigation into the death of a bathtub refinisher, conducted by the Michigan Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation program. The program found two earlier, similar fatalities and notified the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which in turn notified the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA identified 10 additional deaths throughout nine states and noted 10 different products have been associated with the deaths of 13 bathtub refinishers. The products included paint and varnish removers, finish strippers, and aircraft and marine paint removers.

"Each death occurred in a residential bathroom with inadequate ventilation. Protective equipment, including a respirator, either was not used or was inadequate to protect against methylene chloride vapor, which has been recognized as potentially fatal to furniture strippers and factory workers but has not been reported previously as a cause of death among bathtub refinishers," the CDC warning read.

In addition to paint stripping and removing, methylene chloride is used in electronics manufacturing and in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, drugs, and film coatings. The extreme hazard the use of methylene chloride poses should be communicated clearly by manufacturers, worker safety agencies, trade organizations, and public health organizations.

The alert concluded that employers "should strongly consider" alternative methods of bathtub refinishing, and always ensure worker safety protections to reduce the risk of health hazards.

According to OSHA, methylene chloride poses serious risks, and workers must wear appropriate safety products when working near the chemical. Respiratory protection, protective clothing, and equipment can help keep workers operating near the chemical safe.

On February 15, 2012, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a six-month extension for its temporary enforcement measures in residential construction.

The measures have been extended through September 15, 2012. During this time, OSHA will continue to place a high priority on compliance assistance for residential fall protection, including increased outreach and penalty reductions to help employers understand and comply with the new standards. OSHA Compliance Assistance Specialists (CASs) are responding promptly to requests for on-site assistance.

The extension of the temporary measures also includes abatement extension dates and consistency measures.

"Over the past year, OSHA has worked closely with the industry, conducting over 1,000 outreach sessions nationwide to assist employers in complying with the new directive," OSHA said in a statement. "OSHA will continue to work with employers to ensure a clear understanding of, and to facilitate compliance with, the new policy."

OSHA provides several resources that help employers ensure compliance. Easy-to-read fact sheets, PowerPoint presentations, and other materials written specifically for fall protection in residential construction are readily available at OSHA's Fall Protection in Residential Construction page. 

On Monday, February 13, 2012, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation had been given a budget of $74 billion, which will be used to create the framework for economic growth and competitiveness through infrastructure network investments, enhanced safety, and a modernized transportation system.

"President Obama’s budget for the Department of Transportation reflects our commitment to investing in an America that is built to last," said LaHood.  "A strong American economy depends on the roadways, runways, and railways that move people and goods from coast to coast and around the globe."

At the heart of the fiscal 2013 budget is a six-year $476 billion project that aims to improve highways and transit networks across the country, working to ensure the safety of travelers and providing them with more options for transportation.

With these funds, many new roadway construction and maintenance projects will begin, increasing the chances for injuries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a preliminary total shows 103 fatalities in work zones occurred in 2010. That year, transportation incidents accounted for 72 percent of roadway work zone fatal occupational injuries.

Roadway workers can help prevent injuries by wearing safety products required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which include high-visibility vests, work gloves and hard hats. 

In the first report of its kind, the U.S. Geological Survey has estimated the potential undiscovered, technically recoverable shale oil and gas found in the lands of Alaska's North Slope.

The estimates range from zero to 2 billion barrels of oil and from zero to 80 trillion cubic feet of gas. The resources are said to be technically recoverable, suggesting current technology and industry practices are sufficient for extraction. The area has not yet been tapped for its oil and gas due to economic and infrastructure issues, and lies far from the environmentally sensitive Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

"Better knowledge of the untapped resource potential found in all areas of the country will help us better make science-based decisions about how we continue to grow domestic energy production for America," said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. "Alaska’s energy resources hold great promise and economic opportunity for the American people, and we will continue to expand our scientific understanding of existing resources."

Protect workers from inherent hazards in oil and gas well drilling by ensuring the use of safety products, including fall protection, hard hats and safety glasses. 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will provide $16.9 million to 12 cities and states to relocate, replace, and improve railroad tracks as a part of the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA's) Rail Line Relocation and Improvement grant program.

The FRA received more than $67 million in requests for the funds, which are expected to be used to increase safety, livability, and economic development in communities across the country.

"The overwhelming number of applications we received for this program shows that state and local officials recognize the economic boost that comes with improving transportation infrastructure," said Secretary LaHood. “These investments will help advance President Obama’s vision of an ‘America Built to Last’ by putting people back to work on transportation projects while creating livable communities and stimulating economic growth."

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that construction activities, which include alteration and repair of bridge erection and other transportation projects, expose workers to serious hazards, such as machinery, heavy construction equipment, and harmful dusts and vapors. Protect employees against these hazards by providing appropriate safety products, such as hard hats, work gloves, respirators, and safety glasses. 

The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) has published a new industry standard to provide workers in cold temperatures with appropriate insulated apparel.

The American National Standard for Classification of Insulating Apparel Used in Cold Work Environments (ANSI/ISEA 201-2012) provides classification for warm apparel based on its ability to keep workers warm in low temperatures and its ability to retain that protection throughout the life of the garment.

Garments tested under the new standard will be assessed after a specified number of washing or dry cleaning cycles. Once tested, thermal performance will be displayed on the garment label, as well as its durability classification which shows how many laundering cycles it went through before the tests.

"When you’re operating in extreme cold conditions, it’s a challenge to find apparel that will keep workers comfortable and still allow them to do their jobs," said ISEA Director of Member and Technical Services Cristine Fargo. "This standard provides an objective way to measure and show insulating performance, and gives users an important tool for selecting the right garment."

Cold work environments can effect construction workers, linemen, emergency responders, transport workers, refrigerated warehouse, meat packaging and storage workers, and others. Prevent injuries in cold temperatures by providing workers with insulated or thermal work gloves, footwear, face masks, and clothing designed specifically for cold environments.

After finishing an exceptionally dry winter, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says that no area of the country faces a high risk of major to record setting floods this spring, the first time such a forecast has been issued in four years.

The agency's annual Spring Outlook 2012 provides a forecast for flooding around the country from April to June.

"We’re not forecasting a repeat of recent historic and prolonged flooding in the central and northern U.S., and that is a relief," said Laura Furgione, deputy director, NOAA’s National Weather Service. "The severity of any flooding this year will be driven by rainfall more so than the melting of the current snowpack."

The only areas of the country with above-average risk of flooding include the Ohio River basin states of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky, as well as some parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. NOAA added that this area is also expected to see above average April rainfall.

To protect your workplace in the event of a flood, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides flood preparedness and cleanup guidelines. Ensure workers adhere to OSHA standards, which include the use of protective clothing, hard hats, rubber boots and work gloves. 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is in the process of developing a voluntary and secure electronic occupational safety and health monitoring system that will keep tabs on workplace data.

The original version of the Occupational Health Safety Network (OHSN) was intended for the healthcare sector, but the new version will expand the program to other sectors. OHSN will aid in surveillance for U.S. workplaces, and will be used to analyze and report workplace data to document occupational injury and illness events.

According to NIOSH, participants will benefit from the program by gaining the ability to gauge a workplace's internal injury and illness rates and trends to prevent later, similar events.

With the new surveillance measures in place, employers will have an effective method of analyzing risk factors and the circumstances that cause injuries. The OHSN will help to assess the effectiveness of prevention efforts including the use of safety products such as hard hats, safety glasses, fall protection, and work gloves.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) have renewed their alliance to promote best practices for keeping worker exposure to health and physical hazards to a minimum.

The renewed alliance will address motor vehicle safety and awareness of occupational health and safety for employees in the public sector.

"Our most recent Alliance with the American Society of Safety Engineers has focused on preventing falls, sprains and strains in construction, distracted driving, and hazards in shipyard employment," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health David Michaels. "Our continued Alliance with ASSE will help ensure that workers are aware of on-the-job hazards and help reduce occupational illnesses and injuries."

OSHA's Alliance Program works with unions, consulates, trade or professional organizations, among others to increase workplace safety. The renewed ASSE Alliance will focus on protecting workers from on the job hazards and injuries. Equip employees with the appropriate safety products, including fall protection, hard hats, and work gloves to help reduce the chance of fatalities, injuries, and illnesses.

On March 22, 2012, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson testified before the U.S. Senate and Committee on Environment and Public Works, where she discussed the EPA's $8.344 billion budget request and the agency's commitment to protecting the environment and the safety of its workers.

Jackson stated that the budget request was a testament to the EPA's commitment to supporting clean air, clean water, and innovative safeguards that are crucial for America.

"This budget recognizes the importance of our partners at the state, local and tribal level. As you know, they are at the front lines of implementing our environmental laws like the Clean Water Act, and the Clean Air Act," she stated. "In fact, the largest portion - 40 percent of EPA's funding request - is directed to the state and tribal assistance grants appropriation to support their efforts."

The EPA's budget also reflects how important it is to clean up contaminated sites by including a request for $755 million to continue support of the Superfund cleanup programs and to maintain emergency preparedness and response capabilities. Ensure workers are protected from hazardous waste dangers by using appropriate safety products such as respiratory protection, safety glasses, and other protective clothing. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has revised its Hazard Communication Standard in order to better protect workers from hazardous chemicals, aligning the standards with the United Nations' global chemical labeling system.

Once the new standard is implemented, it is expected to prevent an estimated 43 deaths and result in up to $475.2 million in increased U.S. business productivity every year.

"Exposure to hazardous chemicals is one of the most serious dangers facing American workers today," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Revising OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard will improve the quality, consistency, and clarity of hazard information that workers receive, making it safer for workers to do their jobs and easier for employers to stay competitive in the global marketplace."

The standard will be fully implemented in 2016, and will benefit workers by clarifying what chemical hazards exist in the workplace, promoting safety training, and improving understanding of hazards.

According to OSHA, hazardous chemicals in the workplace can include dusts, mixtures, and common items such as paints, fuels, and solvents. Protect workers from these hazards with appropriate safety products, including chemical and hazardous material signs, respiratory protection, and protective clothing.

The revised version of the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), which was announced in mid-March by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), will use nine new pictograms that show what health, physical and environmental hazards are present.

Each pictogram is determined by the chemical hazard classification. The Health Hazard pictogram will be placed on items that may be a carcinogen, a respiratory sensitizer, or pose an aspiration toxicity threat. The Exclamation Mark pictogram will be used to warn workers of skin and eye irritants and respiratory tract irritants, among other toxic effects. Flame pictograms will warn workers of any flammable or self-heating products, as well as those that emit flammable gas.

The final HCS labels eight of the nine pictograms as mandatory, with the exception of the non-mandatory environmental pictogram, as environmental hazards are not inside OSHA's jurisdiction.

Ensure workers understand the hazards depicted by each pictogram, and provide appropriate training and safety products to protect them from chemical hazards. Safety glasses, respiratory protection, work gloves and protective clothing can be used to protect workers from chemical hazards. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of FluMist Quadrivalent, a vaccine to prevent seasonal influenza in people between the ages of 2 and 49, making it the first approved flu vaccine to contain four strains of the virus - two influenza A strains and two influenza B strains.

This vaccine, like the previously approved FluMist Trivalent, contains weakened virus strains and is administered as a nasal spray. The vaccine protects against the two forms of the flu virus, and while the earlier-approved FluMist (trivalent) also contained strains from both forms, the inclusion of a second B strain increases the likelihood of strong protection from circulating influenza B strains.

"Illness caused by Influenza B virus affects children, particularly young and school-aged, more than any other population," said Karen Midthun, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. "A vaccine containing the four virus strains most likely to spread and cause illness during the influenza season offers an additional option to aid in influenza prevention efforts."

Encourage workers to protect themselves and co-workers from the flu virus by providing hand sanitizers in the workplace, and ensuring disinfectant and towelettes are on hand. Coughs and sneezes should always be covered with a tissue or directed into the upper sleeve to keep the spread of the flu virus to a minimum. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has created a new local emphasis program to protect workers from hazards found on dairy farms throughout Wisconsin, including risks related to manure storage, lack of vehicle roll-over protection, machine-guarding, and animal handling.

"Far too many workers are injured and killed in preventable incidents at dairy farms in Wisconsin," said Mark Hysell, OSHA's area director in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. "This program will enable OSHA inspectors to visit dairy farms and ensure that all required measures are taken to protect workers."

OSHA's local emphasis programs can be found throughout the country, and seek to address hazards that pose a particular risk to workers in a certain area. The measures developed for the Wisconsin outreach program can also be applied to farming and agricultural operations nationwide, as the agricultural industry ranks among the most dangerous in the U.S., according to OSHA.

Every day, roughly 243 agricultural workers suffer a serious lost-worktime injury. Prevent such accidents by wearing appropriate safety products, such as fall protection in grain storage bins, or ear plugs and work gloves when working near farm equipment and machinery.

As the largest sporting event in America draws closer, it's a good time to bring the hard-hitting facts about head injuries to light - on the field and at a worksite. 

Former Dallas Cowboys tailback Tony Dorsett recently announced his decade-long career in the NFL has created significant health problems in retirement, most notably due to head injuries.

Dorsett described to the The Associated Press the hardest hit he ever took in his career, which left him unconscious on the field.

"That ain't the first time I was knocked out or been dazed over the course of my career, and now I'm suffering for it," Dorsett stated.

The importance of head protection is also being discussed in youth football, as some 3.5 million kids between the ages of 6 and 13 play the sport, according to an independent report conducted by former NBC news anchor Stone Phillips.

"When you think about the number of people playing the game, and where we need to be focused in terms of safety and exposure to risk, certainly more work needs to be done here," he told TV Newser following the release of his investigative report.

When workers are looking to support their team and protect their head in hazardous conditions, NFL team hard hats are available. These rugged hard hats feature superior impact resistance while sporting the colors and logo of their favorite team. 

On December 14, 2011, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will hold an executive session to take up nominations and S. 1855, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization of 2011.

The bill is a reauthorization that built on the 2006 law that sought to increase public health preparedness in the event of a pandemic or similar health emergencies.

Senator Richard Burr first sponsored the bill on November 10, 2011.

"The American people expect us to do all that we can to prevent an attack and, if one should occur, be fully prepared to respond, including having safe and effective medical countermeasures readily available," Burr said on the bill's introduction. "This legislation redoubles our efforts to protect the American people by strengthening our existing programs and making targeted improvements in areas in which we know we must do better."

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has drafted guidance on preparing workplaces for an influenza pandemic, which recommends that employers encourage their workers to engage in proper hygiene such as, proper hand washing and cough etiquette.

Hand Sanitizers, tissues, and proper work practices may help prevent an outbreak, but once the disease has been identified, gloves, face masks and other safety products can be effective in controlling the spread of certain viruses.  

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) held its Tornado and Severe Weather Workshop and Symposium December 13-15, 2011, in Norman, Oklahoma, titled "Weather Ready Nation Reducing Impacts from Nature's Most Violent Storms."

The event sought to initiate a discussion among the user, service, and science communities to develop actions to improve America's preparedness and resilience in the event of severe weather and to protect lives and property.

At the workshop, participants worked to improve user-driven, impact-based forecasts by discussing how to integrate best practices from warning and risk communication. The event led the group to identify advancements in longer-term outlooks and how they relate to preparedness, and also outlined pilot projects within communities that involve NOAA and other government agencies.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) Tornado Response/Recovery guidelines state several hazards are associated with severe weather cleanup. Slips and falls, falling debris, electrical hazards, and burns are all hazards faced by recovery workers, however use of safety products, including hard hats, work gloves and boots, can help reduce the risk of injuries.

On December 5, researchers from NASA and Ohio State University briefed the American Geophysical Union on why the devastating March 11, 2011 tsunami in Japan was so powerful.

According to the experts, the natural disaster was a "long-hypothesized 'merging tsunami'" that formed as two wave fronts came together. The findings were based on satellite images that recorded two separate waves on the day of the disaster - an event research scientist Y. Tony Song of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory says was "one in 10 million."

"Researchers have suspected for decades that such 'merging tsunamis' might have been responsible for the 1960 Chilean tsunami that killed about 200 people in Japan and Hawaii, but nobody had definitively observed a merging tsunami until now. It was like looking for a ghost," he stated.

In addition to devastating losses, the tsunami has left Japan with a lengthy and dangerous cleanup effort that is still ongoing, with workers facing hazards from debris piles and an affected nuclear power plant.

In the event a tsunami comes to the United States, many government agencies including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have developed emergency preparedness and response guidelines to prepare for such a disaster and the related cleanup. These guidelines include requirements for cleanup workers to wear proper safety products, including work gloves, protective clothing, and respiratory protection.  

On November 20, 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed three new cases of a novel strain of influenza in Iowa, bringing the total number of cases of the strain to 10 since July.

The virus, known as swine-origin triple reassortant influenza A (H3N2), has shown to be resistant to some forms of vaccines, and has appeared in Pennsylvania, Maine, Indiana, and now Iowa.

No data has been found to show that the transmission of this strain will occur differently than a seasonal influenza virus. The CDC has advised that control principles and actions taken for seasonal influenza infections are also fitting for the control of A(H3N2)v.

Current CDC research indicates that seasonal vaccines may provide limited protection against infection with A(H3N2)v viruses among adults, but they provide no protection for children. The CDC does recommend the use of vaccines and states, "They remain the best tool for the prevention of seasonal influenza transmission in health care settings, which is currently the greatest risk from influenza during this influenza season."

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), workers can protect themselves from the seasonal flu by utilizing hand sanitizers in the workplace, as well as disinfectant and towelettes. Coughs and sneezes should always be covered with a tissue or directed into the upper sleeve. 

On November 7, 2011, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that $2 million in emergency funds will be immediately available for the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to further repair bridges and roads affected by Tropical Storm Lee flooding.

"The Obama Administration stands ready to provide emergency relief to New York as it recovers from the damages caused by Tropical Storm Lee," LaHood said. "We are making funds available right away to restore roads and bridges."

The storm, which ravaged several areas already inundated by waters from Hurricane Irene just two weeks earlier, also severely damaged transportation infrastructure across northeastern and upstate New York. NYSDOT says the funds will be used to quickly reopen critical traffic arteries by repairing washed out bridges and roadways and clearing lingering debris from roadways.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) guidelines for keeping workers safe during cleanup and recovery after major storms provide information on several topics, including electrical safety, decontamination, safety equipment, personal safety products, and portable ladder safety.

From November 30 to December 2, 2011, federal and Arlington, Virginia-area officials will meet to discuss how the terrorist attacks of 9/11 have changed the way the country looks at disaster risk and preparedness, and how it has affected the security and safety equipment markets.

The "9/11 +10" forum will be a part of the International Safety Equipment Association's (ISEA's) Fall Meeting, which is the organization's largest national gathering. The meeting is held annually for product groups and committees to develop standards, formulate legislative positions, and examine the current market trends to better understand which safety equipment is needed in the appropriate locations and workplaces.

On the first day of the event, the group will cover multiple topics, including eye, face, hand, and fall protection, and will see the committee plan standards and policies. On the second day, high-visibility products, instruments, and hearing protection will be discussed, while on the event's final day, head protection and protective apparel will be addressed.

Speakers include Jack Brown, Arlington County’s director of emergency management, Dr. Dan Hanfling, special advisor to emergency preparedness and response with Inova Health System, and luncheon speaker Jonathon Karl, ABC News' senior congressional correspondent. 

With the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) Emergency Alert System (EAS) Nationwide Test approaching, awareness of the test is growing across the nation.

The test, which will be the first time the EAS is tested nationwide, will take place at 2 p.m. EST on November 9, 2011. Officials expect it to assess how reliable and effective the system is at alerting the public of a national emergency.

Currently, EAS participants only conduct monthly statewide tests and weekly local tests, but no review of how well the system could work on a national level has been conducted. The results of the upcoming test will allow the FCC and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make necessary changes to the system.

Several media outlets across the country have heightened their efforts to inform the public that the test will take place next month. On October 24, for instance, The Hillsboro Reporter in Texas detailed the alert and relayed the information offered by the FCC in order to keep local residents informed about the situation.

In the event of a nationwide emergency, disaster preparedness is essential. This includes a readily available first aid kit, fire safety equipment, and other safety products.  

On September 27, 2011, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced it had released the NFPA 56(PS), Standard for Fire and Explosion Prevention During Cleaning and Purging of Flammable Gas Piping Systems, 2012 Edition.

The new standards prohibit the use of flammable gas as a means for cleaning the interior of piping systems.

"This is an example of the critical role NFPA plays in providing codes and standards," said NFPA President James M. Shannon. "Our ability to bring together the right people at the right time and to facilitate a consensus process in very short order resulted in a standard that will save lives."

In addition to the discontinuation of flammable gas used as a cleaning agent and examples of procedures for purging gas pipes based on the new requirements, the standard also includes details on cleaning new or repaired pipes, putting new pipes into service, and removing existing piping.

The new standard also requires that written safety procedures be developed, which must be validated by safety experts before they can be put into use.

In the event of a fire or explosion, companies should have proper safety equipment on hand, including fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and escape ladders. Always be prepared by educating all employees about fire escape procedures and evacuation routes

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released two reports that detail outbreaks of waterborne diseases associated with recreational swimming and drinking water.

The reports, titled "Surveillance for Waterborne Disease Outbreaks and Other Health Events Associated with Recreational Water—United States, 2007-2008” and "Surveillance for Waterborne Disease Outbreaks Associated with Drinking Water—United States, 2007-2008," give facts and information on preventing and treating these illnesses.

The data states that from January 2007 to December 2008, the most recent period for which data on the subject has been collected, 134 outbreaks were associated with recreational water, while 36 were linked to drinking water.

Many strategies are highlighted to keep waterborne diseases to a minimum, including good swimmer hygiene. The report states that swimmers should thoroughly wash with soap before entering swimming pools, and there should be an appropriate number of clean, functioning, and well-stocked bathroom facilities near swimming pools, interactive fountains, spas, or wading pools.

The 2007-2008 outbreaks associated with drinking water led to 4,128 illnesses and three deaths, with more than 50 percent of the reports associated with untreated or inadequately treated ground water.

In the event of an outbreak, cleaning up contaminated areas while using the proper safety products, including footwear, clothing, safety glasses, respirators, and work gloves may help to contain the spread of the disease. 

A new report issued by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) stated that public fire departments around the country responded to 1,331,500 fires in 2010, marking a slight decrease from the year before and the lowest number in decades.

The report, titled "Fire Loss in the United States During 2010," found that fires were the cause of an estimated 3,120 civilian deaths, 17,720 injuries related to fires, and more than $11.5 billion in property damage.

About 482,000 structural fires were reported in 2010, compared to the peak number of 1,098,000 in 1977, the year NFPA began the annual report.

"We have made tremendous progress in reducing the fire problem in the United States since we began looking at these numbers in the late 70s," said Lorraine Carli, vice president of communications for NFPA. "But this report shows us that more must be done to bring the numbers down even further."

The annual survey is conducted to estimate the overall severity of the fire problem in the U.S. It is broken down by general occupancy, region, and size of community.

As firefighters battle blazes in the U.S., safety equipment such as fire extinguishers and smoke detectors can help protect them from injuries.  

At the recent National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) news conference, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden joined the discussion, which called for all Americans to get vaccinated against the flu before the upcoming season.

Two years ago, the H1N1 flu pandemic blew through the country, leading to thousands of deaths and even more hospitalizations. On September 21, 2011, some of the country's top health and medical experts convened in Washington, D.C., to determine whether or not the country is prepared for the upcoming season.

Several medical experts, including Dr. Frieden, met at the conference and conferred with many representatives from academia, government, and health professional societies.

Topics discussed included the amount and availability of this year's vaccine, as well as the various options for receiving the vaccine. This year, it can be administered with a much smaller needle, or even in the form of a nasal spray.

"There are too many illnesses and deaths from influenza each year," Frieden said. "Everyone over 6 months should get a flu shot this year and every year."

Every year the flu causes an estimated 200,000 hospitalizations and an average of 26,000 deaths. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has also released guidelines for employers to follow in the event of an influenza pandemic, including encouraging workers to wash their hands frequently, and to avoid touching their noses, mouths, and eyes. OSHA urges employees to wear certain safety supplies, such as surgical masks, goggles, faceshields, or respirators, to help prevent the spread of infection. 

With harvest season approaching, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) will offer health and safety tips for farmers and farm workers during National Farm Safety and Health Week, taking place September 18-25, 2011.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics show that roughly 1,783,000 farm workers were employed full-time in the U.S. in 2009. That same year, 440 farmers and workers died from work-related injuries. Each day, an average of 243 agricultural industry workers suffered injuries that led to lost time.

ASSE said that one of the most important things for farmers to remember is to be fully educated about on-site equipment. With tractor overturns accounting for more than 90 deaths on average every year, learning about equipment and attending farm safety workshops can help to reduce this risk.

Conducting regular inspections and installing Rollover Protection Structures (ROPS) are also important. The use of safety products, including work gloves and safety glasses, can also greatly reduce the risk for farming and harvesting injuries. 

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) partnered in a campaign to recognize National Young Worker Safety Day (NYWSD) on June 21, 2011.

The agency joined with the CareerSafe Online program to educate youths at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City. Participants in the event - an estimated 5,600 high school and college students - had the opportunity to join the NYWSD campaign, sign safety awareness pledges, and take part in educational activities.

Every five days, one U.S. teen is killed on the job, according to OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels. He added that more than 200,000 young workers are injured annually, which is a significantly higher number than other age categories.

"OSHA is partnering in this campaign to make a significant and critical impact to decrease the number of youth worker injuries and fatalities in our country," Michaels said.

Employers who hire teen workers may want to make sure they have the proper safety equipment and a first aid kit on company property and at work sites. Items such as work gloves and hard hats can help keep inexperienced laborers from sustaining serious injuries. 

On September 28, 2011, U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Ray LaHood announced he has released $5 million in emergency funds for New York roads and bridges. These funds are to be immediately available to the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to help repair roads and bridges that were damaged after Hurricane Irene.

"Hurricane Irene left New York residents with an enormous cleanup job and limited mobility because of damaged roads and bridges," said Secretary LaHood. "This emergency relief funding will help the state cover the costs to make repairs and restore the routes critical to communities hurt by the storm."

The flooding in New York began on August 26, and caused substantial damage to roads and bridges. NYSDOT has agreed to use the quick release funds to continue emergency repair projects in 31 counties across the state.

The estimated overall damage to highways under federal jurisdiction will likely exceed $100 million.

Before repairs start on bridges and roadways, contractors are encouraged to use safety resources and information available from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which provides guidelines for cleanup after torrential rains, flooding, and storm surges.

While working on roads and bridges, it is important to use safety products required for the worksite such as hard hats, fall protection, and hi-vis protective clothing to ensure workers' safety. 

A new report written by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) states that research conducted by the federally funded agency has helped to reduce commercial fishing industry fatalities by 42 percent.

NIOSH first started working to improve conditions in Alaska in 1990, as commercial fishing had long held the title of the deadliest occupation. Workers are continually threatened by environmental conditions, slip and trip hazards, injuries due to contact from gear entanglement, and falls overboard.

The research shows from 2000 to 2010 the fatality rate for fishers was 124 per 100,000, compared to 4 per 100,000 for all other occupations. The two leading causes of death are vessel disasters and falling overboard. To improve safety, NIOSH began by focusing on industry-specific hazards and expanded its research to specific regional hazards for the rest of the country to be included in a new Commercial Fishing Incident Database.

This research was later used by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) during the Fishing Vessel Safety Forum, which cited the research during the event, to improve safety in the commercial fishing industry. Ensure your crew wears safety equipment required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), such as personal flotation devices (PFDs) to help protect them from commercial fishing hazards. 

Fatal work injuries involving falls dropped 2 percent to 635 in 2010, compared to 645 in 2009, and have dropped 25 percent from a high of 847 fatal falls in 2007, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Since 2007, fatal falls within the private construction industry have dropped by 42 percent and fatal injuries caused by a collision between a worker and object or heavy equipment went down 4 percent in 2010 to 402. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says the first step to lowering the risk of falls is to identify all hazards and develop a plan to proect workers.

According to OSHA, falls are one of the leading causes of traumatic occupational death, and make up 8 percent of all occupational fatalities that occur from trauma. The agency states that whenever construction workers are operating at a height of six feet, general industry workers are at four feet, or maritime workers are at five feet or higher, they are at risk and need to be protected. Ensure employee safety by providing fall protection and other safety products appropriate for the specific worksite. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking comments on the best ways to prevent injuries and fatalities during concrete reinforcement activities within the construction industry.

The agency is also requesting comments concerning how to keep vehicles from backing into workers in construction, agriculture, maritime, and general industries. OSHA says it will use the comments it receives to learn more about the ways in which workers are injured in these settings.

In the concrete industry, workers must use reinforcing methods to keep the integrity of the concrete in tact. These workers are confronted by several life-threatening hazards during these activities, including impalement, collapsed walls, and slips, trips, and falls. In the period from 2000 to 2009, OSHA statistics show more than 30 people were killed during concrete reinforcement.

Employers have also noted workers face fatal injuries when struck by vehicles backing up, and have also been crushed after being pinned between objects and machinery. Between 2005 and 2010, about 360 workers were killed in backover incidents.

Protect workers from these hazards by providing thorough job training and the appropriate high-visibility garments and safety products, including hard hats, fall protection, work gloves, and rebar protective caps.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced on March 16, 2012 that a new report indicates a large gap between the amount of spending being done on transportation infrastructure and the estimated levels of expenditures needed to keep the nation's highway and transit systems maintained.

"President Obama is committed to building the transportation infrastructure we need for tomorrow by putting people to work today," said Secretary LaHood. "This report shows how important it is important to get started now rebuilding America’s roads, bridges, and transit systems."

The report, titled "2010 Status of the Nation’s Highways, Bridges and Transit: Conditions and Performance," projects that $101 billion, not accounting for inflation, will be needed every year for the next 20 years to keep highway infrastructure at its current state. The report notes that in 2008, all levels of government spent a total of $91 billion on highway improvements, a 48.4 percent jump compared to 2000.

The need to upgrade and maintain the nation's highways and bridges means more highway work zone projects across the country. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 103 work zone fatalities in 2010, while transportation incidents accounted for 72 percent of roadway work zone occupational injuries that year. Lower workers' risk of injuries or death by providing appropriate safety products, such as high-visibility vests and hard hats.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on March 27, 2012, that it had proposed the first Clean Air Act standard for Carbon Pollution from new power plants.

The proposed standard indicates the trend toward building cleaner power generation facilities that use American-made technologies, such as clean-burning natural gas generation. The new standard would also encourage new technologies to be deployed at facilities yet to be built that would burn coal while emitting less carbon pollution.

"Today we’re taking a common-sense step to reduce pollution in our air, protect the planet for our children, and move us into a new era of American energy," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "Right now there are no limits to the amount of carbon pollution that future power plants will be able to put into our skies...We’re putting in place a standard that relies on the use of clean, American made technology to tackle a challenge that we can’t leave to our kids and grandkids."

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), green jobs pose many of the same hazards that are commonly known in workplaces, including falls from heights and falling objects. Protect workers on green projects by using approved safety products, such as fall protection and hard hats. 

At Safety 2012, which will be held June 3-5 in Denver, Colorado, participants including safety, health, and environmental professionals working across all industries will learn about the latest advancements in personal protective equipment and the challenges posed by supplying safety products on a global scale.

The conference will include how safety products are used for activities involving high heat, molten metal, and hot liquid in chemical and petrochemical environments. Also, participants will learn about the challenges associated with supplying safety products internationally. Often, these hardships are identified in hindsight through trial and error - a method that can come with fines, worker injuries, and fatalities.

Presentations will be given by some of the leading minds in the safety, health, and environmental industries, and will come in the form of lectures, case studies, and small group discussions. These presentations will help employers develop solutions to challenges faced in a wide variety of workplaces.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires the use of safety products to reduce employee exposure to dangerous hazards. Employers are responsible for providing the appropriate safety products to protect their workers. Ensure worker safety by supplying these products, including hard hats, work gloves, safety glasses, and fall protection. 

The Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released a new version of a compilation of safety videos entitled "Safety Videos Volume 2," which details various accidents in chemical research plants, including dust fires and explosions, that have occurred around the country.

In total, the CSB has released 28 safety videos that are all based on actual findings from CSB investigations, determinations of root causes, and safety recommendations. The CSB produces the videos in order to present CSB investigation findings in a simple and compelling format that encourages viewers to take action in their own workplace.

"The CSB’s safety video program has served as a highly successful way to communicate the root causes and findings resulting from the CSB’s accident investigations; across industries and continents, demand for CSB safety videos is global," said CSB chairman Rafarl Moure-Eraso.

The videos have won several awards, including three Peer Awards given by the Television, Internet, and Video Association of Washington, DC. The video program was cited when the CSB was named recipient of the American Chemical Society's Howard Fawcett Award. This award honors outstanding contributions to members in the chemical health and safety field. It was the first time the award had been presented to a whole organization.

Protect workers from chemical reactivity hazards, such as toxic fumes, fires, and explosions, by providing safety products designed to mitigate these risks, including respiratory equipment, safety glasses, and work gloves.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) Directorate of Training and Education (DTE) was recently reaccredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) to keep providing Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for occupational injury and illness prevention training.

DTE includes the OSHA Training Institute, and offers a broad range of courses and programs designed to help workers and employers expand their knowledge of how to recognize, avoid, and prevent workplace safety and health hazards. In addition, OSHA offers educational resources to help companies train their workers and comply with U.S. regulations.

"OSHA education programs train over 850,000 federal and state compliance officers, state consultants, federal employees, employers, and workers each year," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health David Michaels. "Our training, in critical job-related skills, ensures that our compliance officers, workers, and employers stay on the cutting edge to prevent worker injuries, illnesses and deaths. Our IACET reaccreditation demonstrates OSHA's commitment to lifelong learning and high standards for all of our education and training programs."

Ensure worksites are OSHA-compliant by providing appropriate safety products, such as work gloves, hard hats, and safety glasses, in addition to required training.

In late March, 2012, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced a major milestone had been achieved for the global green building market when the number of LEED-certified commercial building projects hit the 12,000 mark.

Since being launched in 2000, the LEED green building program has revolutionized the way built or man-made environments are designed, developed, operated, and maintained.

"Twelve years after the first 12 projects earned LEED certification, the green building community has reached a significant milestone," said Rick Fedrizzi, president and CEO of USGBC. "The momentum for green buildings is rippling around the globe, enhancing the built environment for generations to come."

Fedrizzi added that the accomplishment was even more relevant as the project is beginning while the final comments are being collected for LEED 2012.

"With these next changes, LEED will continue in its role as a catalyst for transformation of the built environment to ever higher standards of sustainable practice," he said.

Green jobs provide many new opportunities for U.S. workers, but they also come with risks and hazards. Protect workers from electric shock, falls from heights, and machinery by providing appropriate work gloves, hard hats, fall protection, and safety glasses. 

The Obama Administration and governors of the Great Lakes States announced they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance the coordination and speed of review for potential offshore wind projects.

On March 30, 2012, President Barack Obama and the governors of Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Pennsylvania signed the agreement to streamline development of wind turbines in the Great Lakes.

"President Obama is focused on leveraging American energy sources," said Nancy Sutley, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. "This agreement among Federal agencies and Great Lakes states is a smart, practical way to encourage the development of homegrown energy that will create jobs, power homes, and help increase our nation’s energy security."

The MOU will increase collaboration between federal and state agencies to create an action plan to set priorities and identify steps for achieving efficient and responsible evaluation of potential wind power projects in the region.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has identified several hazards found in the wind energy industry and controls to keep workers safe. These include falls, confined spaces, lockout/tagout, medical and first aid, and machine guarding. Keep workers safe by implementing workplace hazard controls and providing the appropriate OSHA-mandated safety products. 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced on April 9, 2012, that a final locomotive safety rule had been cleared that eliminates unnecessary regulatory burdens, increases the use of new technologies and merges current industry and engineering best practices.

"Safety is our top priority," said LaHood. "This rule will help improve safety and working conditions while also providing significant regulatory relief to the railroad industry."

The final rule will bring the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA's) safety regulatory program for locomotive operations up to date by merging a number of regulations and addressing technological advancements. Certain aspects of the current rule had not been updated in the last 30 years - a period in which technology, industry, and best practices continued to progress.

The new rule addresses the design, operation, inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, and record-keeping for locomotive mechanical and electrical components, and also touches on safety appliances and control systems.

Workers in train yards are exposed to a number of hazards, including proximity to large, moving parts and heavy machinery. Protect railroad workers from these hazards by providing quality safety products, such as work gloves and high-visibility safety vests. 

One of the most recognizable monuments in all of Washington, D.C., is currently the subject of an in-depth survey to determine if there have been any leveling issues within the National Mall caused by the August 2011 earthquake that hit the eastern seaboard.

A group of experts from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) National Geodetic Survey (NGS) are currently performing a leveling survey on the Washington Monument to learn what kind of seismic shift, if any, occurred to the ground beneath the monument. Early analyses show there was no significant vertical motion, but even slight variances in topography could affect repair plans.

Later this year, NOAA surveyors will use GPS to take measurements from the top of the monument to determine if the structure has tilted at all due to the rare 5.8-magnitude earthquake.

Engineering firms that the National Park Service (NPS) has under contract will repair the stone structure. These firms will use the findings of the leveling survey to help complete the planned $15 million restoration.

The engineering and repair crews working to finish the restoration of the monument will need to follow the standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), including the use of appropriate safety products, such as hard hats, safety glasses, and work gloves. 

The National Fire Protection Association's Firewise Communities Program is offering a new online quiz entitled "Preparing Your Home for Wildfire Season," which was designed to help property owners and residents prepare their assets for wildfire season.

The quiz, which consists of 10 questions, was based on Firewise principles and tips the organization has gathered through the years.

"With many states now in wildfire season, the Firewise program focuses on simple ways individuals can take responsibility for preparing their own homes now before a wildfire threatens their community," said Firewise Program Manager Michele Steinberg. "Our quiz offers residents information to share with their neighbors and provides answers to commonly asked questions to help them get started."

Questions on the quiz hit topics on the areas of the home ignition zone, the Firewise Communities/USA Recognition Program, landscape maintenance, and others.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established a number of regulations governing fire prevention, safety, and recovery. Make sure your home, business, and workers are protected from unexpected fires by using fire safety equipment including fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and fire escape systems.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has proposed a set of new procedures it hopes will improve excavation damage prevention programs and raise the penalties for violators.

Excavation damage has long been a leading cause of all pipeline failures, and is also recognized as the most severe threat to worker safety, reliability, and integrity of the natural gas distribution network. Between 2002 and 2011, excavation procedures led to more than 25 percent of fatalities involving pipeline failures.

"Safety is our top priority," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "It is important for states to have strong and effective enforcement programs as we work together to crack down on violators of these important laws."

The new rules will bolster states' excavation damage prevention enforcement programs, provide better protection for pipelines, and allow federal enforcement agencies to step in when state agencies may not.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), hazards within the trenching and excavation industry include working near heavy machinery, electrical hazards, manual handling of materials, and working in close proximity to traffic. Protect workers from these hazards by providing appropriate safety products, such as work gloves, hard hats, and high-visibility safety vests. 

A recent study published in Public Health Reports found that 88 workers under the age of 20 died from work-related injuries in 2010, while another 20,000 suffered an occupational injury or illness that led to time away from work.

The study found that much of the time, the injuries and deaths were due to poorly regulated work environments. The report was released by the Colorado School of Public Health.

"We don’t tend to think of child labor as a major issue in the U.S., but we should," said lead study author Dr. Carol Runyan. "Laws governing the employment of youth ages 14 to 17 in this country are often very lenient and in the case of family farms virtually non-existent."

Runyan says the results show stricter oversight of working conditions is needed for young employees, including those in the agriculture sector.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), young workers may be at a higher risk for injury because of their inexperience at work and their physical, cognitive, emotional, and developmental characteristics. Provide employees, regardless of age, with OSHA-mandated safety products, including hard hats, safety glasses, and work gloves. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced on April 12, 2012, that it will begin accepting applications from nonprofit organizations to be cleared to give standard classroom instruction on occupational safety and health as an OSHA Training Institute Education Center.

The initiative is a part of OSHA's Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers Program, which serves private sector workers, supervisors, and employers within OSHA's jurisdiction.

"The number of requests for occupational safety and health training from private sector and federal agency personnel continues to grow," said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. "In 2012, OSHA hopes to increase the number of OTI Education Centers capable of offering quality occupational safety and health training."

OSHA started the program in 1992 in response to the growing demand for workplace safety training that was focused on OSHA compliance. Since then, the centers have trained more than 250,000 students.

OSHA's training centers provide training that promotes work safety and helps businesses stay in compliance with current standards, including appropriate use of personal protective equipment. Ensure workers are safe from hazards by supplying hard hats, work gloves, hearing protection, and other safety products.

Contractors for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Safety and Ecology Corporation (SEC) recently demolished four structures in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as part of the Building 3026 C/D Hot Cells Project.

The demolished building at one time processed radioisotopes, making it a safety concern for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) since the outer structure of the facility was removed in 2010. The demolition completely removed the building's 3026 C side.

Workers are preparing two more structures for demolition, which when completed, will bring an end to the project that has been funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The bulk of the waste that has been taken from the site has been shipped away, and workers are now cleaning the foundation for final radiological surveys.

"We are pleased with the most recent progress on this project, considering it was one of the most pressing risks to the workforce and ongoing research at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory," said Sue Cange, acting assistant manager for Environmental Management.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), demolition work involves serious hazards, many of which are similar to the construction industry. Protect demolition workers by providing hard hats, work gloves, respiratory protection, and other safety products.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is highlighting its Total Worker Health™ (TWH™) initiative to effectively address health promotion and protection in the workplace.

The program was developed as a strategy to integrate occupational safety and health protection into health promotion to ultimately prevent worker injury and illness. It was created in response to the rapidly aging American workforce, which is being hit by epidemic levels of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, arthritis, and other conditions.

"NIOSH believes that the safest and healthiest worker only evolves in an atmosphere where management is fully engaged in the wellbeing of its staff, where the environment is hazard-free and supportive, and where workplace policies and interventions encourage healthier choices," the Institute noted.

Some of the issues relevant to TWH™ include, persistent and emerging hazards, health, productivity, and disability management, and promoting a health and wellness culture. NIOSH is finding a strong connection between the work environment and the overall health and safety of workers. The TWH™ program intends to identify and support approaches to reduce workplace hazards. 

To ensure an all-around healthy work environment, tailor programs to the specific workplace and provide employees with safety products, which include safety glasses, fall protection, and work gloves.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is soliciting applications under the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program to fund training for workers and employers on how to recognize workplace hazards and control measures.

The training will also help employers and workers understand their rights and obligations. A total of $1.2 million will be available to nonprofit, community and faith-based organizations, colleges and universities, and other employer and worker groups.

"The Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that workers and employers are fully aware of health and safety hazards, and how they can be prevented," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The programs funded by these grants will supply hard-to-reach workers, small businesses, and those in high-hazard industries with the knowledge and tools they need to support safe and healthful workplaces."

Targeted topic training grants, and training and educational materials development grants will be offered through the program. Both types of grants have a one year duration, and support training material and program development to address workplace hazards and prevention strategies for workers and employers.

By providing additional training, OSHA will help workers understand the importance of supplying appropriate safety equipment for workers. Ensure employees are working in the safest environment by providing proper safety products, which include respiratory protection, work gloves, safety glasses, and hard hats. 

A new directive from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) gives OSHA representatives a guideline for how to discuss investigation procedures with family members after a workplace fatality has occurred.

The guidance was established to ensure OSHA representatives speak with a victim's family soon after an incident, establish a point of contact, and keep up a working relationship with the family.

"OSHA is committed to working with families to explain the circumstances surrounding the deaths of their loved ones," said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. "This directive ensures that OSHA receives the necessary information from the family to assist in the investigation, and keeps the family informed throughout the investigation and settlement processes."

The new directive states OSHA representatives will contact the victim's family to outline the investigation process and timeline, and provide them with updates throughout the investigation process. When the investigation is completed, OSHA will explain the findings and answer any questions the family may have.

The measure is just one way OSHA is working to improve workplace conditions around the country. To help keep your employees safe and prevent occupational injuries and fatalities, provide workers with appropriate safety products such as hard hats and work gloves, and ensure all required safety equipment is in place.

Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, hosted a press teleconference on May 7, 2012, where he announced the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) 2012 Heat Illness Prevention Campaign.

The prevention program is a nationwide initiative held to increase awareness and education among workers and their employers about the dangers of working outdoors in hot weather. The program also outlines the steps that must be taken to prevent heat-related illnesses, as every year, heat illness affects thousands of workers, and dozens die from heat stroke.

"Agriculture workers; building, road and other construction workers; utility workers; baggage handlers; roofers; landscapers; and others who work outside are all at risk. Drinking plenty of water and taking frequent breaks in cool, shaded areas are incredibly important in the hot summer months," said Dr. Michaels

"For outdoor workers, 'water, rest and shade' are three words that can make the difference between life and death," Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said. "If employers take reasonable precautions, and look out for their workers, we can beat the heat."

To prepare workers and employers for the summer season, OSHA has prepared educational materials in both English and Spanish on heat illness safety and prevention, and what to do in the event of an emergency. Additionally, OSHA created and released a free mobile device app for Android-based platforms and the iPhone that allows workers and employers to calculate the heat index at worksites, displays a risk level, and gives reminders about safety measures that should be taken at that risk level.

According to OSHA, thousands of workers across the country suffer from serious heat-related illnesses, with labor-intensive activities in hot weather raising body temperatures above the level that can be cooled by sweating. Provide workers with heat stress relief products and lightweight safety products to keep workers safe from the risk of heat-related illness and occupational hazards.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on April 11, 2012, it had released its annual list of the metropolitan areas of the country that have built the most Energy Star certified buildings based on 2011 data.

The list of 25 cities is topped by Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco, New York, Houston, Dallas, Riverside, CA, and Boston. By the end of 2011, the nearly 16,500 Energy Star certified buildings throughout the country had helped save almost $2.3 billion annually on utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions in an amount equal to the emissions of more than 1.5 million homes.

"More and more organizations are discovering the value of Energy Star as they work to cut costs and reduce their energy use," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "This year marked the twentieth anniversary of the Energy Star program, and today Energy Star certified buildings in cities across America are helping to strengthen local economies and protect the planet for decades to come."

Employees building green homes and businesses around the country face many of the same hazards present in the traditional construction industry. Protect construction workers by providing safety products required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), including safety glasses, work gloves, and hard hats. 

The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) has posted two interactive maps to highlight the danger of falls among workers in the construction industry in an attempt to lower the annual rate of fatal accidents.

One map shows U.S. construction fatalities across the U.S., while the other shows how many of these deaths within the industry were due to falls. The maps were published to call attention to the ways that can bring down the number of fatal falls that occur every year, which include planning, training, and safety products such as fall protection.

“The busy summer months in the construction industry are upon us, and now is the time to ensure that workers and employers understand what is required to prevent falls,” said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. “When working at heights, everyone needs to plan ahead to get the job done safely, provide the right equipment, and train workers to use the equipment safely."

In support of their nationwide initiative to prevent falls at small residential construction sites, OSHA has created a new fall prevention web page with detailed information in English and Spanish on fall protection standards. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) have also created a new stop falls page on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website, as well as a joint website on fall prevention, which will be maintained by the CPRW