Washington — OSHA is set to host a two-part webinar series on recordkeeping and the electronic submission of workplace injury and illness data.

Washington — Reminder to employers: If you’re required to submit to OSHA a yearly summary of injury and illnesses data, you must send your 2023 data by March 2.

Washington — A recent letter of interpretation from OSHA clarifies whether a fatal motor vehicle incident involving an employee would be considered work-related.

Quincy, MA — Eighty-nine firefighters died while on duty or within 24 hours of duty last year, according to the National Fire Protection Association’s annual report.

When a building burns down, a lawsuit arises around a contract waiver between an alarm company, a building owner, and the insurance company.

An insurer sues an alarm company for failing to respond when a subscriber’s pipes burst, but a lack of a contract negates the claim.

A woman alleged a defective smoke alarm led to severe burns on her hand while frying chicken. An appellate court decided otherwise.

A man trapped for five days after a fire tore through an apartment building filed a suit seeking compensation to punish the defendant.

A worker claiming unsafe working conditions sought unemployment benefits after quitting is role as a technician with a fire services company.   

A decision recently rendered in Illinois involved a requirement that a property be retrofitted with an automatic sprinkler system. The municipality had previously mandated that commercial buildings be retrofitted with the fire/life safety solutions. The ordinance excluded multiple residence dwellings from the retrofit sprinkler requirement.

In Michigan, an arsonist set the plaintiff’s liquor store on fire.

A California rule is used in deciding cases of workplace safety.

A U.S. District Court decision clarifies why the defendants’ conduct was not the legal cause of a plaintiff’s death. 

Under a new proposed rule, the FTC would ban employers from saddling workers with non-compete agreements that prohibit them from working at competitors. 

A state trooper dispatched to a burglar alarm activation at a warehouse leads to litigation over whether or not the defendant was legally apprehended.

An Illinois state law ensures that individuals are in control of their own biometric data and prohibits private companies from collecting it unless they meet certain consent criteria.

A plaintiff entered into a negotiated plea agreement under which he agreed to reimburse his victim for a video surveillance camera and other security equipment.

A plaintiff argued that the terms of an original alarm services agreement were immaterial because it wasn’t suing on the contract, but on tort and implied warranty theories.

State legislatures are enacting consumer data privacy laws, which provide consumers with more choice over how companies acquire and utilize their personal data.

An alarm company allegedly failed to obtain the required approvals before disarming a customer’s video surveillance system.

Guest columnist James D. Berkeley details why a U.S. federal court dismissed an inventor’s attempt to copyright artwork produced by an image generator he designed.

At issue is a contractual provision whereby an insured waives the right of their insurance carrier to seek redress or seek compensation for losses from a negligent third party.

Following the unfortunate death of a woman who had activated a PERS alarm, a jury will decide the damages. 

A party that signs a document is conclusively bound by its terms absent a valid excuse for having failed to read it.

Before entering the house from the garage, the defendant announced his and the K-9’s presence and ordered anyone in the house to surrender or they would be bitten by the dog.

A court has to decide whether or not a malfunctioning smoke alarm was the fault of the manufacturer or intentional disablement.

A home invasion case recently decided by the Court of Appeals in the State of Michigan involved the use of video from a security camera entered into evidence.

A court has to decide if a police officer’s actions rise to the level of reckless disregard for the safety of others.

A class action lawsuit against a law firm for alleged negligence in safeguarding personal data highlights the growing importance of confidentiality in security practices amid rising cyber threats.

A court affirmed an insurer’s decision to deny a fire damage claim due to the absence of an automatic extinguishing system.

A court ruled that a security contractor was not liable for a carjacking incident, citing the absence of a special relationship and the unforeseeable nature of the crime.

A female defendant, convicted for using aluminum foil to bypass retail anti-theft sensors, challenged the conviction by arguing the foil’s common household use.

A court ruled that an employer’s reasonable and good faith belief in compliance with wage statement laws precludes penalties for failing to report unpaid meal break premiums as wages.

“Women seem to have to work harder to prove their knowledge of the subject matter even when they might have more knowledge and experience than a male,” one expert says.

Amherst, MA — The long-standing approach that “the customer is always right” can take a toll on workers’ mental health and limit their capacity to serve customers, according to a recent study.

Saratoga, CA — It’s still an issue: A recent survey of women in the construction industry found that gender-appropriate personal protective equipment and maternity-friendly safety equipment is lacking on jobsites.

Quincy, MA — Fire departments nationwide are being asked to pause all nonemergency activities during the 2024 Firefighter Safety Stand Down to focus on safety and health education.

Washington — The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has published a final rule to implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, including guidance to provide workers with more clarity on the law – and employers with a better understanding of their responsibilities.

Salem, OR — Students from Silverton and Hermiston high schools took first-place prizes in this year’s Oregon OSHA media contest to promote young worker safety and health awareness.

Rosemont, IL — Over a span of months before their May 15 keynote presentation – “The Battle Between Safety I and Safety II: Who’s Right and Who’s Wrong?” – at the 2024 NSC Spring Safety Conference and Expo, SafeStart senior safety consultant Tim Page-Bottorff and Corrie Pitzer, founder and CEO of Safemap International, used debate to find common ground.

Washington — A series of new resources on worker rights and employer and union responsibilities under the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 are now available in 17 languages.

“In incorporating many different points of view, you might be able to apply a certain tool toward risks or hazards in the workplace,” a veteran safety pro says. “You can’t just keep doing the same things in the same way and expect better outcomes or improvements.”

Orlando, FL — Safety I and Safety II have divergent viewpoints, but they can be united and aligned into “Safety Seriously.”

Orlando, FL — Ensuring psychological safety and diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace demands safety professionals’ expertise, skills and practice, according to one expert.

Here’s what you need to know to build an effective workplace emergency readiness plan.

Many workplaces may have up to four generations of workers – each with generally preferred communication methods and learning styles.

Aurora, CO — A new, free online tool is intended to help safety professionals make a stronger business case for employer investment in safety, health and wellness programs.

Combustible dusts – finely ground organic or metal particles – can be found in a number of industries, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries states. These industries include food, tobacco, plastics, paper, rubber, textiles, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and fossil fuel power generation.

Dust may look innocuous, but given the right circumstances, it can be deadly.

Between 2006 and 2017, 111 combustible dust incidents resulted in 66 worker deaths and 337 injuries in the United States, according to data from the Chemical Safety Board.