Falls Church, VA – Oil and gas workers are exposed to respirable crystalline silica during directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing operations, a new NIOSH study concludes.

Washington – OSHA recently published four letters of interpretation regarding its revised Hazard Communication Standard.

Charleston, WV – A number of combustible dust-related incidents, injuries and deaths over the past decade might have been prevented had OSHA promulgated a standard covering the hazard, according to a Chemical Safety Board report released July 16.

Washington – A deadly metal dust explosion in China offers a fresh reminder of combustible dust hazards, which the United States should address through an OSHA standard, Chemical Safety Board Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso said in a statement released Aug. 5.

The Chemical Safety Board has reiterated its call for OSHA to promulgate a comprehensive combustible dust standard.

Washington – Two new fact sheets from OSHA provide information intended to protect workers from combustible dust explosion hazards and agricultural emergencies.

Washington — The Chemical Safety Board is reiterating its call for OSHA to enact a comprehensive general industry standard for combustible dust – a potential hazard the board calls a “critical issue in industrial safety.”

Washington — The Chemical Safety Board is seeking to better understand why efforts to manage and control combustible dust hazards “have often failed” to prevent explosions.

Washington — The Chemical Safety Board has extended to Dec. 31 its deadline for comment on a recent initiative that seeks to better understand why efforts to manage and control combustible dust hazards “have often failed” to prevent explosions.

West Lafayette, IN — Using newly developed algorithms, researchers from Purdue University have designed an image- and video-based application to detect combustible dust concentrations suspended in the air.

Washington — Managing and controlling combustible dust should be considered a unique hazard – not simply “tidying up the place,” the Chemical Safety Board says in a recently released learning review document that includes input from workers and industry stakeholders.

“Some people are not aware that they are dealing with a combustible dust because it might not have caused them any trouble in the past and is a seemingly innocuous material,” one expert says.

Greenbelt, MD — Commercial motor vehicle inspectors across North America conducted 35,764 brake system inspections and identified 4,295 vehicles – or 12% – with out-of-service conditions during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week, the organization announced recently.

Washington — The Department of Labor Office of Inspector General will conduct an audit of the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s ability to complete required safety and health inspections amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Boise, ID — As a result of “continuing incidences of fatalities and injuries” at grain handling facilities within the jurisdiction of its Boise area office, OSHA on Dec. 31 renewed a Local Emphasis Program focused on inspections at these facilities.

Greenbelt, MD — Inspectors across North America will examine braking systems, lights, tires and other commercial motor vehicle components May 17-19 during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual International Roadcheck.

Washington — OSHA recently announced the start of a three-month increase of inspections at hospitals and nursing care facilities that treat COVID-19 patients.

Washington — OSHA will begin identifying and citing workplaces that haven’t complied with the agency’s requirement to submit Form 300A – an annual summary of worker injury and illness data, under a newly adopted enforcement program.

Greenbelt, MD — Law enforcement officials will keep an extra-close eye out for commercial and passenger vehicle drivers who are distracted behind the wheel during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Operation Safe Driver Week, scheduled for July 10-16.

Washington — Understaffed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, OSHA “lost a valuable opportunity” to better protect workers by “not identifying federal partners in a position to assist during a large-scale safety and health crisis,” concludes a Department of Labor Office of Inspector General audit report released March 31.

Washington — “It is past time for regulators to fully recognize the hazards presented by reactive chemicals,” Katherine Lemos, chair and CEO of the Chemical Safety Board, says in a new video in which the agency calls on OSHA and the Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen their standards on these substances.

Cincinnati — The 6th U.S. Court of Appeals on May 11 ruled unanimously to uphold a citation against a Muhlenberg County, KY, coal mine for violating the Mine Safety and Health Act by providing underground mine workers with advance notice of a Mine Safety and Health Administration inspection.

Arlington, VA — As the Mine Safety and Health Administration works to develop a standard on worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica, the agency has launched an enforcement initiative aimed at boosting protections against the hazardous material.

Greenbelt, MD — Commercial motor vehicle inspectors throughout North America will conduct announced and unannounced brake system inspections Aug. 21-27 during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week.

Greenbelt, MD — A recent, unannounced inspection blitz of trucks and buses resulted in 14.1% of those checked being placed out of service for brake-related violations, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance announced June 22.

Denver — Deaths and serious injuries resulting from falls in the construction industry in recent years have prompted OSHA to launch an initiative to inspect worksites across Colorado’s Front Range, Montana and South Dakota on weekends, “when many employers typically do not monitor their jobsites well.”

Washington — The Chemical Safety Board says it will resume providing updates on incident investigations to “provide important initial information” on agency developments.

Greenbelt, MD — From May 17 to 19, inspectors across North America checked braking systems, lights, tires and other commercial motor vehicle equipment during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 35th annual International Roadcheck.

Greenbelt, MD — Commercial motor vehicle inspectors across North America conducted 38,117 brake system inspections and identified 5,059 vehicles – or 13.3% – with out-of-service conditions during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week, the organization announced recently.

Greenbelt, MD — Law enforcement officials issued more than 26,000 citations and warnings to passenger-vehicle, truck and bus drivers during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Operation Safe Driver Week.

Read this free white paper from J. J. Keller to learn what to expect and how to handle an inspection with confidence. It covers everything from examining records and interviewing employees to a complete facility walkthrough, the citation process and more.

Washington — OSHA should develop guidance on the process hazard analysis element of its standard on process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals (1910.119), the Chemical Safety Board recommends in a final report on an April 2018 explosion and fire at a Wisconsin refinery.

Greenbelt, MD — Inspectors across North America will examine braking systems, lights, tires, and other commercial truck and bus components May 16-18 during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 36th annual International Roadcheck.

New York — In response to the recent deaths of four New York City construction employees in separate workplace incidents, the NYC Department of Buildings has launched a winter construction safety campaign.

Washington — Safety scofflaws may face increased citations and penalties under an OSHA policy set to go into effect in March.

Washington — OSHA will soon be able to issue certifications in support of T and U nonimmigrant status visas, a move the agency contends will aid in some workplace safety investigations.

Atlanta — Hazards in the auto parts supplier industry “continue to be the source of serious injuries, including amputations, and deaths to employees,” OSHA says.

Washington — A look at four incidents – some deadly – involving emergency discharges from pressure release valves has prompted the Chemical Safety Board to issue a safety alert.

Washington — OSHA’s Field Operations Manual needs an update so the agency can “better address complaints and referrals,” the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General says.

Washington — The Mine Safety and Health Administration uncovered hundreds of violations at mines with concerning compliance histories during recent impact inspections.

Washington — OSHA has launched a National Emphasis Program aimed at reducing and preventing falls in all industries.

Conducting regular safety walkarounds can bring big benefits. We’ve got five tips for making yours effective.

Greenbelt, MD — Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance inspectors placed 11.3% of the trucks and buses they examined out of service for brake-related violations during a recent, unannounced inspection initiative.

In Episode 40, the S+H team examines the June issue’s feature story on eye and face protection. Also, Tarah Kile, director of Michigan OSHA’s Consultation, Education and Training Division, discusses safety walkarounds in the “5 Questions With …” segment.

Greenbelt, MD — Law enforcement officials will target speeding and other unsafe driving behaviors July 9-15 during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Operation Safe Driver Week.

Washington — OSHA is seeking to revive an Obama administration policy that would allow workers to designate someone who doesn’t work for their employer – including someone from a union or other organization – to represent them during an OSHA “walkaround” inspection.

Greenbelt, MD — Commercial motor vehicle inspectors throughout North America will conduct announced and unannounced brake system inspections Aug. 20-26 during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week.

Washington — Internal Revenue Service personnel will no longer make unannounced visits to businesses or households, except in certain circumstances.

Washington — OSHA is accepting comment on a proposed rule that would let workers designate someone who doesn’t work for their employer to represent them during an OSHA “walkaround” inspection.

Greenbelt, MD — The results of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 36th annual International Roadcheck are in.