Washington – The Department of Labor has published a final rule increasing civil penalty amounts for violations to adjust for inflation.

Indianapolis – The preliminary list of OSHA’s Top 10 violations for Fiscal Year 2017 remained largely unchanged from FY 2016, except for one new addition: Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503) entered the list at No. 9 with 1,523 violations, just ahead of Electrical – Wiring Methods (1,405 violations).

Olympia, WA — The owner of a Seattle construction company is facing a second-degree manslaughter charge stemming from a 2016 employee death, marking the first time a workplace fatality in Washington state has prompted a felony charge, according to the Washington Department of Labor & Industries.

New Orleans — OSHA can issue citations to general contractors who fail to control hazardous conditions at multi-employer worksites, even if those conditions do not directly affect their own employees, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled Nov. 26.

Indianapolis — An Indiana law scheduled to go into effect July 1 raises the maximum monetary penalty for on-the-job fatalities.

Washington — The Department of Labor is advising OSHA and other enforcement agencies not to publish press releases – “absent extraordinary circumstances” – about fines and penalties levied against employers for worker safety and health violations “before achieving a successful outcome,” according to a DOL guidance memo obtained by The New York Times.

Itasca, IL — Fall Protection – General Requirements is OSHA’s most frequently cited standard for the 10th successive fiscal year, the agency announced Feb. 26 during an exclusive Safety+Health webinar.

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

In California, employers of outdoor workers must provide drinking water “as close as practicable to the areas where employees are working.”

Helsinki — A strong corporate culture is linked to many positive workplace safety attributes, a recent research review concludes.

Washington — OSHA has published final data on the agency’s Top 10 most frequently cited standards for fiscal year 2023.

Should I use ice to treat a burn?

How do I know if a bleeding injury is serious?

Philadelphia — Two physician groups are recommending topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – with or without menthol gel – as a non-opioid “first-line therapy” for treating acute pain from non-low-back musculoskeletal injuries.

Melbourne, Australia — Musculoskeletal disorders cost people around the world nearly 140 million years lost to ill-health, disability or early death, results a recent study out of Australia and Iran indicate.

Itasca, IL — In an effort to help employers and workers mitigate the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and develop techniques to prevent these injuries, the National Safety Council is teaming up with Amazon to establish new research, technology and processes as part of a five-year partnership to combat a leading cause of workplace injuries.

Columbus, OH — The physical benefits that exoskeletons provide to the musculoskeletal system may be negated by the “mental strain” that results when workers wearing the devices perform tasks that require them to think about their actions, results of a recent study conducted by researchers from Ohio State and Texas A&M universities indicate.

Pittsburgh – The percentage of improperly fitted respirators increases with the length of time between worker fit tests, giving support to the annual fit-testing requirements in OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard, according to new research from NIOSH.

Washington — NIOSH has withdrawn a notice of proposed rulemaking that would have established standards for total inward leakage of half-mask air-purifying particulate respirators.

Washington — Seal checks should be conducted every time respiratory protection is used on the job, and employers and workers should ensure the equipment is worn properly so an adequate seal is achieved, NIOSH states in a recently published list of frequently asked questions about user seal checks.

Washington — Manufacturers of certain N95 respirators will be able to submit a single application to NIOSH, rather than to both the Food and Drug Administration and NIOSH, before marketing their product to the health care industry, according to an FDA final order published in the May 17 Federal Register.

Washington — Staffing agencies and host employers share responsibility for protecting temporary workers from respiratory and noise hazards, according to separate bulletins recently released by OSHA as part of its Temporary Worker Initiative.

Washington — OSHA area offices must apply a four-part test before issuing General Duty Clause citations for respiratory hazards that do not have a permissible exposure limit, the agency states in a memorandum sent to regional administrators.

Washington — Reusable respirators could prove a “viable option” for health care facilities’ respiratory protection programs, especially in preparation for a public health emergency, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine concludes.

Washington — NIOSH is looking for inventors, researchers and respirator manufacturers to partner on a project intended to develop new designs for powered air-purifying respirators for health care workers.

Washington — In an effort to preserve the supply of N95 filtering facepiece respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic, OSHA has temporarily suspended its requirement for annual respirator fit testing in the health care industry.

Durham, NC — In an effort to preserve the supply of N95 filtering facepiece respirators used by health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers at Duke Health say they have successfully tested a decontamination process that allows the masks to be reused safely.

West Lafayette, IN — Researchers from Purdue University have developed new designs for N95 facemasks they say will extend the shelf life of the respiratory protection commonly used by health care workers.

Washington — Prompted by an “increased domestic supply” of NIOSH-approved respirators, the Food and Drug Administration is recommending health care facilities transition away from strategies intended to conserve supplies of disposable respirators amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The “Editor’s Choice” and more new products and solutions as described by manufacturers.

Everything online in the industry, from white papers to webinars

Everything online in the industry, from white papers to webinars    

2N, provider of internet-enabled intercoms and access control systems, has published a new white paper entitled, ‘Access Control 3.0: the new standards in residential access.’

Together with WORKTECH Academy, Brivo has created a model that enables a company to plot where it is on its journey to digital transformation and hybrid working.

The System Clean Up Utility feature effectively enables a swift and thorough cleanup of invalid or outdated access control data, resulting in enhanced system management and security.

The expanded version of its 360° virtual tour provides an immersive, interactive experience to illustrate the vital role of door security and access control in education and healthcare settings.

The white paper highlights the world leaders in security, as well as their smaller competitors and the investments they are making.

The company’s new website represents a dynamic shift in approach, using search engine optimization and a strong web presence to reach a wider audience than ever before.

The DragonWear® Elements™ Flak Jacket offers versatility and durability. A 2016 Polartec® Apex award winner, this jacket sports a unique, built-in balaclava and uses HardFace® FR fabrics in high-wear areas. Available in steel gray. CAT 2, NFPA 70E, NFPA 2112 compliant. See the jacket at the 2016 NSC Congress & Expo at Booth #3220.

Click here for more information from DragonWear by True North Gear

What happens when old friends and their former wrestling coach decide to go into business together? If you are NextGen Security, the result is organic growth from $0 to $33 million in just four years; an “out-of-the-box” business model that treats each customer as unique and a culture that feels more like a family than just a place to work.

LVC Companies Inc. (formerly Low Voltage Contractors) began as it would continue — as an entrepreneurial leap of faith brought about by a customer’s need.

As one of six distinct security-related divisions of a global powerhouse, this year’s Systems Integrator of the Year draws on the history of not one, but two long-standing companies, along with a deep commitment to its employees and customers, and a strong understanding of technology to distinguish itself from the competition.

They say a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. So perhaps it was fortuitous that the founding partners of Stone Security — all members of the Edmunds family in Salt Lake City — had no background in security integration when they formed the company in 2006. Steve Edmunds, a retired Air Force captain and Delta Airlines pilot, started the business with his sons and son-in-law after a brief foray into residential security, which they quickly discovered wasn’t for them.

This company's focus on transparency, end-to-end customer solutions including networking and cybersecurity, and proactive approach to customer service has earned them this year’s SDM Systems Integrator of the Year distinction.

With an intense focus on people and relationships, the 2023 SDM Systems Integrator of the Year relies on its core principles of professionalism, grit, right, intelligent thought and trusted advisors to propel its success.

The 2024 SDM Systems Integrator of the Year excels at its three top priorities: employee & community connection; a customer approach with cutting-edge technology; and financial success that feeds directly back into the company and the communities it serves.

In this issue, we present expanded coverage of OSHA’s “Top 10” most cited standards for fiscal year 2023. In addition to the overall Top 10, you’ll find lists for willful and serious violations, OSHA regions and – new for us – a list of which industries have the most citations.

Washington — OSHA has published the 2023 data collected under its revised rules for annual injury and illness data submission.

Tumwater, WA — Required access to preventive cool-down periods and a lower “temperature action level” are among the updates to Washington state’s permanent rules aimed at protecting outdoor workers from excessive heat.

New York — In response to fatal overdoses in the local construction industry, New York City’s health and buildings departments are teaming up to conduct outreach at worksites.