Workplace Safety News Roundup
Manufacturers showing ‘good faith’ on GHS may avoid citations, OSHA says
Some manufacturers of chemical mixtures will not be cited for failing to immediately comply with new Safety Data Sheet and chemical labelingrequirements if they exercise “good faith,” a Feb. 9 OSHA enforcement memorandum states. Manufacturers and importers face a June 1 deadline for using SDSs and labels that are compliant with OSHA’s updated Hazard Communication Standard. But because the classification of chemical mixtures depends on SDSs and labels from raw-material providers, some manufacturers or importers may not have the most up-to-date or accurate information.
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2015 Green Cross for Safety® medal is being presented to CB&I.
The 2015 Green Cross for Safety® medal is being presented to CB&I. Since 2000, the National Safety Council has awarded the Green Cross for Safety® medal to an organization and its CEO that “have distinguished themselves through outstanding safety leadership and have showcased their commitment to safety by building successful partnerships to save lives and prevent injuries. Safety+Health recently sat down with CB&I President and CEO Philip Asherman for a Q&A on the importance of safety in his company.
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OSHA Whistleblower Investigator Blows Whistle on Own Agency
The federal government established the Whistleblower Protection Programin the 1970s to shield employees from retaliation when they report wrongdoing or safety hazards in their industry. But insiders say the program is failing the very people it is supposed to protect, and jeopardizing public health and safety in the process.
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OSHA Violations:
Company fined more than $272,000 for willfully ignoring safety hazards following worker death
A 58-year-old maintenance worker was killed after he was pinned between a motorized scrap metal table and a railing at the company’s Bridgeton, Mo., facility. An OSHA investigation found that the company failed to prevent the table from starting unintentionally.
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OSHA cites kitchenware plant for hazards
After receiving complaints from plant employees, inspectors from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration office in Syracuse visited the plant in September. The investigation found that employees faced dangers from fire, laceration, amputation, crushing, electric shock, falling and hearing loss because of absent or deficient safeguards.
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OSHA cites W.Va. company, proposes $109,450 fine
A Martinsburg contractor faces a $109,450 fine for alleged workplace violations at a Morgantown construction site. OSHA said it found three alleged willful violations and one serious violation. The willful violations involved safety precautions for workers exposed to falls of 25 feet or more. OSHA inspectors said workers also were using a pneumatic nail gun while not wearing eye protection.