OSHA and the Airline Ground Safety Panel Renew Alliance

For those who think that worksite safety applies only to construction and other inherently dangerous industries need to think again. Safeguarding the health and physical welfare of workers in their workplaces cuts across all industries—whether they are hazardous by nature or not.

One outwardly safe work community, the ground support at airports, in fact, sought recently to strengthen its work safety partnership with the federal worksite-safety watchdog. The community, through the Airline Ground Safety Panel, renewed its alliance with OSHA to enable it to deal better with the dangers that can arise from the operation of aviation ground-support equipment such as aircraft tugs and tow tractors, and the injuries that might result from these hazards.

The Airline Ground Safety Panel, a labor-and-industry partnership, represents some 350,000 workers from 11 airline companies and three labor unions. The membership total makes up about 85 percent of the whole industry.

Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health David Michaels said the alliance with the Airline Ground Safety Panel will continue to concentrate on preventing mishaps such as slips, falls, and being struck by moving objects that can result in worker injuries. The alliance with OSHA will further the outreach training program for both employers and employees on preventing worksite injuries.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 mandates that employers are responsible for safeguarding the safety and health of their workers at the worksite. For its part, OSHA is tasked with ensuring that these conditions are met by developing and enforcing standards, and by providing education, training, and assistance to all stakeholders.

The alliance between OSHA and the panel is formally under OSHA’s Alliance Program, an initiative where OSHA partners with business and educational organizations, trade and professional groups, community- and faith-based entities to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths. Each alliance, according to OSHA, develops tools to help the organization comply with OSHA safety protocols and resources to orient employers and employees on their responsibilities as well as their rights. OSHA emphasized that Alliance Program participants are neither exempted from OSHA inspections nor entitled to any enforcement considerations.

In particular, the alliance with the Airline Ground Safety Panel aims to produce fact sheets on ways to prevent mishaps associated with the operation of airport ground-safety equipment. In addition, the alliance will carry out studies on how to enhance ground-personnel safety, tackle hazard communications, and address issues related to the United Nations-sponsored Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals.

The renewal of the alliance, which will run for another two years, was welcomed by the three labor unions in the panel, the Transportation Trades Department (AFL-CIO), the Transport Workers Union of America (AFL-CIO), and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Besides the labor unions, Airlines for America, a panel participant representing the airline industry, also praised the alliance, saying that the airlines are enthusiastic about being a part of the voluntary program with OSHA and the labor unions to boost safety awareness among airline employees.

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OSHA Partners with Black & Veatch for Retrofit Work on Columbia Energy Center

One of the ways the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the U.S. Labor Department’s work site - safety watchdog, helps protect the safety of workers across America is by directly partnering with companies themselves. It’s an initiative that not only has increased the workers’ and their employers’ awareness of workplace hazards but also of their responsibilities to ensure a safe working environment at all times.

One such initiative is the OSHA Strategic Partnership Program (OSPP), in which OSHA establishes partnerships with American labor’s most important stakeholders (employees, employers, labor organizations, and professional and trade groups) to put up doable goals, and develop strategies and  performance measures to monitor and safeguard worker safety and health.

The OSPP has several models, all of which focus on enhancing safety and health at work. Among these models are those for big construction projects, major corporations or government agencies, and even entire industries. The OSPP is also available to private-sector industries. Since its introduction in 1998, the OSPP has forged some 690 partnerships in all, through the years involving 27,000 employers and 1.9 million workers. Today, the program has 78 active partnerships involving nearly 2,000 employers and 216,000 workers.

Recently, OSHA established a partnership with Black & Veatch Construction Inc., which is currently engaged in the Columbia Energy Center Air Quality Control Systems Project in Pardeeville, Wisconsin. The partnership, according to OSHA, aims to identify and control hazards to workers in order to lessen the likelihood of injuries and ill effects to health. OSHA also said that the partnership includes the Wisconsin On-Site Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Program, which is funded by the agency but run by the state.

In a media release, OSHA Madison area director Kim Stille explained that the partnership’s goals can be achieved through best-work practices, compliance with OSHA standards and regulations, and occupational safety training. Stille added that although the partnership is voluntary it nevertheless emphasizes employee participation to realize a safe and healthy place of work.

The Kansas-based Black & Veatch Construction has been contracted to engineer and construct the air-quality control-system retrofits of existing coal-fired units at the Columbia Energy Center.

Coal-burning units are a major source of air pollution in the United States, says ecohearth.com, contributing over 30 percent of the carbon dioxide (a major global-warming gas), 40 percent of mercury (a poisonous and cancer-causing substance), 25 percent of nitrogen (one of the major ingredients of smog), and over 65 percent of sulfur dioxide (one of the main ingredients of acid rain) dumped into the air annually. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that nitrogen oxides corrode the lungs and sulfur dioxide instigates asthma and can cause heart disease.

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OSHA Citations: Fatal Fall and Chemical Fire

OSHA Cites Companies for Fatal Fall, Chemical Fire

A fatal fall for a worker has resulted in willful and serious violations of safety standards for The MacMillin Co. Inc, a Keene, N.H.-based construction company. The worker’s death, reported the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), occurred at a Keene Middle School construction site where temporary employees of the Keene-based contractor were erecting scaffolding. A plank of the scaffolding snapped under the victim’s weight.

Although OSHA courses, such as OSHA 10 training and OSHA 30 certification (both online OSHA training), are now pre-employment requirements by many contractors, many preventable worksite accidents still occur because of negligence or ignorance.

A subsequent OSHA inspection discovered the following: the contractor failed to have the scaffold inspected for defects; the contractor failed to adequately train its employees in the erection and inspection of scaffolding; and the contractor failed to determine the feasibility of or to ensure the use of fall protection for employees while the scaffold was being put up. 

OSHA’s New Hampshire area director, Rosemarie Ohar pointed out that "[p]roper planning, inspection procedures, employee training and equipment could have prevented this incident and the worker's death that resulted. I strongly suggest that employers who use scaffolding make the time and effort to review their equipment, work practices and employee training, and take any necessary corrective steps to prevent future falls that can result in injuries and deaths."

OSHA has also levied seven serious safety and health violations on Magnablend Inc., a company specializing in the blending and manufacturing of chemicals for the industrial and consumer markets, for an October 2011 chemical fire that razed the company's blending plant in Waxahachie, Texas to the ground. OSHA proposed penalties totaling $45,000.

OSHA's inspection found that workers were exposed to fire hazards caused by inadequate ventilation, a situation that can easily lead to an accumulation of inflammable or explosive vapors. Among the violations OSHA discovered were: failure to conduct a hazard assessment; failure to install a sufficient ventilation system; failure to train workers in specific hazardous chemical protection procedures; failure to evaluate respiratory-inhalation hazards; failure to ensure that the fire-sprinkler system was adequate; failure to use electrical equipment in accordance with its labeling; and failure to document the classification of hazardous locations for electrical purposes. 

"Magnablend exposed its workers to fire hazards by failing to provide adequate ventilation that would have removed flammable hydrogen and other vapors," explained Jack Rector, OSHA's area director in Fort Worth. "OSHA's standards must be followed to prevent injuries and illnesses. It is fortunate that no one was injured."

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OSHA Compliance Partners – Packers and Miron Construction for Lambeau Field Stadium Project

OSHA Partners with Packers and Miron Construction for Lambeau Field Stadium Improvement Project

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Wisconsin Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Program have partnered with the Green Bay Packers and Miron Construction Co., Inc. to zero in on an ongoing safety issue: to prevent serious injuries at the Lambeau Field Stadium Improvement Project in Green Bay.

Most employers today already require OSHA courses, such as OSHA 30 and 10 hour training (both online OSHA training), as hiring requirements to reduce worksite injuries, and strategic alliances like this go a long in enhancing safe work environments and conditions.

"This voluntary strategic partnership is focused on identifying and controlling safety hazards, improving safety and health programs, promoting a cooperative relationship between labor and management, and encouraging employee participation in achieving a safe and healthful workplace," said Frank Winingham, OSHA's area director in Appleton. He explained that the partnership plans to achieve its goals via more training, better implementation of best work practices, and of course adherence to OSHA standards.

The construction project, slated for completion in June 2013, involves some 1,200 tradespersons. The Wisconsin consultation program is funded by OSHA but operated by the state of Wisconsin. 

Wisconsin-based Miron Construction Co., Inc. will implement a site-specific safety and health program.

OSHACampus.com, an e-learning provider of 360training.com, provides OSHA training online coursework—such as OSHA 10, OSHA 30, and other OSHA classes—that constitutes essential training for keeping workers healthy and safe at the worksite.

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OSHA Going Through Local Emphasis Program Establishment

OSHA Establishes Local Emphasis Program in Wis. and Offers Compliance Assistance

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) may be more popularly associated with safety at construction sites, but actually it affects all sectors because work safety cuts across industries. This March, OSHA put together a local emphasis program to protect workers from the range of dangers on Wisconsin dairy farms, from those involving animal handling to manure storage.

"Far too many workers are injured and killed in preventable incidents at dairy farms in Wisconsin," revealed Mark Hysell, OSHA area director in Eau Claire, Wis. "This program will enable OSHA inspectors to visit dairy farms and ensure that all required measures are taken to protect workers."
Most employers today already require OSHA courses, such as OSHAcampus 30 hour and 10 hour training (both online OSHA training), as hiring requirements to reduce worksite injuries, and local emphasis programs, such as the one established on Wisconsin dairy farms, go a long in enhancing safe work environments and conditions.

Based on Wisconsin Dairy Farm Census of Agriculture data, some 34,000 workers are currently employed in the state's dairy farms. About 40 percent of them are immigrants, who may be not as familiar with safety and health rights and responsibilities as other workers. Since 2006, OSHA reported having investigated five fatality inspections at dairy farms in Wisconsin.

Under the local emphasis program, OSHA hopes to perform thorough safety and health inspections at dairy farms that have 10 non-immediate family member employees and at dairy farms that have run a temporary labor camp in the last 12 months. OSHA said that each inspection will include detailed questions to accumulate information on common dangers associated with the operation of horizontal bunker silos, skid-steer and tractor operations, and hazard communication.

OSHA is also endeavoring to make the work of cleanup crews—who often must brave inclement weather and the dangers of destroyed structures, fallen trees, and downed power lines—as safe as possible after a storm or a tornado.

Although most employers now require OSHA courses, such as OSHA 30 training and OSHA 10 training (both online OSHA training) as hiring requirements, OSHA’s providing compliance assistance still helps mitigate hazards and minimize the risks injuries on the ground.

"The safety and health of these cleanup crews are our chief concern, and we are on the ground in affected areas providing compliance assistance," said Greg Baxter, the OSHA acting regional administrator in Chicago. "Storm recovery efforts expose workers to a wide range of hazards, which can be minimized by knowledge, safe work practices, and personal protective equipment."

According to OSHA, among the dangers usually encountered during cleanup work are downed electrical wires, carbon monoxide and electrical hazards from portable generators, burns, lacerations, being struck by traffic or heavy equipment, and hazards from tree trimming or working at heights.
OSHA enjoins workers and employers in recovery work to call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) if they need onsite assistance in their areas. Vital information on safe work practices and personal protective equipment can be found on OSHA's Tornado Recovery page at http://www.osha.gov/dts/weather/tornado/index.html.

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Burn Hazards Result in OSHA Fines

For failing to provide the simple matter of personal protective equipment, Miniature Precision Components Inc. is looking at a proposed fine by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of $55,000.

The penalty came in the wake of an OSHA investigation at the company’s Richland Center facility which found that employees working mold machines were exposed to very hot temperatures without adequate personal protective equipment.

The importance of OSHA training such as OSHAcampus 30 and 10 hour training, and 40 Hour HAZWOPER training cannot be overemphasized in maintaining a safe work environment. Unfortunately, many employers still fail to implement the safety standards at their worksites and ultimately endanger the health and safety of their employees.

"Failing to protect employees from burns while they are working with materials manufactured at high temperatures shows a disregard for their safety," pointed out Kim Stille, OSHA area director in Madison. Wisconsin. "Employers have a responsibility to be aware of the hazards that exist in their workplace and ensure that work environments are healthful and safe."

Miniature Precision Components' corporate headquarters is located in Walworth. The company's Richland Center facility had been inspected by OSHA five times since 1999, resulting in 11 citations.

OSHACampus.com, a leading provider of online OSHA training, has 10 Hour OSHA Training and 30 Hour OSHA Training, as well as 40 Hour HAZWOPER training for workers, supervisors, and contractors.

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OSHA Citations for Petrol Explosion and Burn hazards

Petrol Explosion and Burn Hazards Result in OSHA Fines

All manner of accidents threaten the American worker, and all are preventable. Sadly, every day across the country these same avoidable accidents cause dire consequences on health, or result in injury, even death. Although most employers now require Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training, such as OSHA 30 certification and OSHA 10 hour training, and 40 Hour HAZWOPER training, lapses (both unintentional and not) still frequently occur and put in great danger the health and safety of workers.

This February, OSHA cited Coomes Oil & Supply Inc. for safety hazards after an employee of Florida Rock & Tank Lines, the company that delivers petroleum to one of its gas stations, was burned in an explosion in August 2011.

OSHA reported that the delivery driver was refilling an above-ground gasoline storage tank that had a malfunctioning gauge. The tank eventually overflowed and caused an explosion. The subsequent OSHA investigation revealed that the gas station and Florida Rock & Tank Lines knew of the broken gauge and yet proceeded with refilling the storage tank.

Florida Rock & Tank Lines was cited for one willful violation for failing to provide a way for the delivery driver to determine if the storage tank was in danger of overflowing. The citation carried a proposed penalty of $70,000. Coomes Oil & Supply, on the other hand, was cited for one serious violation with a proposed penalty of $7,000.

"Unfortunately for the injured employee, the two companies involved in this explosion learned a safety lesson by means of a terrible incident instead of taking the steps they should have to protect their workers in the first place," stated OSHA area director Brian Sturtecky.

One company that may be luckier than either Coomes Oil & Supply Inc. or Florida Rock & Tank Lines is Miniature Precision Components Inc.

For failing to provide the simple matter of personal protective equipment, Miniature Precision Components Inc. is looking at a proposed fine by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of $55,000.

The penalty came after an OSHA investigation at the company’s Richland Center facility which found that employees working mold machines were exposed to very hot temperatures without adequate personal protective equipment

"Failing to protect employees from burns while they are working with materials manufactured at high temperatures shows a disregard for their safety," pointed out Kim Stille, OSHA area director in Madison. Wisconsin. "Employers have a responsibility to be aware of the hazards that exist in their workplace and ensure that work environments are healthful and safe."

Miniature Precision Components' corporate headquarters is located in Walworth. The company's Richland Center facility had been inspected by OSHA five times since 1999, resulting in 11 citations.

OSHACampus.com, a leading provider of online OSHA training, has 10 Hour OSHA Training and 30 Hour OSHA Training, as well as 40 Hour HAZWOPER training for workers, supervisors, and contractors.

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OSHA Citations - $55k Penalty for Lack of PPE

Burn Hazards Result in OSHA Fines

For failing to provide the simple matter of personal protective equipment, Miniature Precision Components Inc. is looking at a proposed fine by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of $55,000.

The penalty came in the wake of an OSHA investigation at the company’s Richland Center facility which found that employees working mold machines were exposed to very hot temperatures without adequate personal protective equipment.

The importance of OSHA training such as OSHAcampus.com 30 hour certification, 10 hour online training, and 40 Hour HAZWOPER training cannot be overemphasized in maintaining a safe work environment. Unfortunately, many employers still fail to implement the safety standards at their worksites and ultimately endanger the health and safety of their employees.

"Failing to protect employees from burns while they are working with materials manufactured at high temperatures shows a disregard for their safety," pointed out Kim Stille, OSHA area director in Madison. Wisconsin. "Employers have a responsibility to be aware of the hazards that exist in their workplace and ensure that work environments are healthful and safe."

Miniature Precision Components' corporate headquarters is located in Walworth. The company's Richland Center facility had been inspected by OSHA five times since 1999, resulting in 11 citations.

OSHACampus.com, a leading provider of online OSHA training, has 10 Hour OSHA Training and 30 Hour OSHA Training, as well as 40 Hour HAZWOPER training for workers, supervisors, and contractors.

Read More»

Petrol Explosion and Burn Hazards Result in OSHA Fines

All manner of accidents threaten the American worker, and all are preventable. Sadly, every day across the country these same avoidable accidents cause dire consequences on health, or result in injury, even death. Although most employers now require Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training, such as OSHA 30  hour course and 10 hour training, and 40 Hour HAZWOPER training, lapses (both unintentional and not) still frequently occur and put in great danger the health and safety of workers.

This February, OSHA cited Coomes Oil & Supply Inc. for safety hazards after an employee of Florida Rock & Tank Lines, the company that delivers petroleum to one of its gas stations, was burned in an explosion in August 2011.

OSHA reported that the delivery driver was refilling an above-ground gasoline storage tank that had a malfunctioning gauge. The tank eventually overflowed and caused an explosion. The subsequent OSHA investigation revealed that the gas station and Florida Rock & Tank Lines knew of the broken gauge and yet proceeded with refilling the storage tank.

Florida Rock & Tank Lines was cited for one willful violation for failing to provide a way for the delivery driver to determine if the storage tank was in danger of overflowing. The citation carried a proposed penalty of $70,000. Coomes Oil & Supply, on the other hand, was cited for one serious violation with a proposed penalty of $7,000.

"Unfortunately for the injured employee, the two companies involved in this explosion learned a safety lesson by means of a terrible incident instead of taking the steps they should have to protect their workers in the first place," stated OSHA area director Brian Sturtecky.

One company that may be luckier than either Coomes Oil & Supply Inc. or Florida Rock & Tank Lines is Miniature Precision Components Inc. Or maybe not.

For failing to provide the simple matter of personal protective equipment, Miniature Precision Components Inc. is looking at a proposed fine by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of $55,000.

The penalty came in the wake of an OSHA investigation at the company’s Richland Center facility which found that employees working mold machines were exposed to very hot temperatures without adequate personal protective equipment

"Failing to protect employees from burns while they are working with materials manufactured at high temperatures shows a disregard for their safety," pointed out Kim Stille, OSHA area director in Madison. Wisconsin. "Employers have a responsibility to be aware of the hazards that exist in their workplace and ensure that work environments are healthful and safe."

Miniature Precision Components' corporate headquarters is located in Walworth. The company's Richland Center facility had been inspected by OSHA five times since 1999, resulting in 11 citations.

OSHACampus.com, a leading provider of online OSHA training, has 10 Hour OSHA Training and 30 Hour OSHA Training, as well as 40 Hour HAZWOPER training for workers, supervisors, and contractors.

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OSHA Penalties and Violations – Polymerics Inc.

For a company’s failure to ensure that a shear was kept in good working condition, one of its workers has lost an arm and the company has been cited for workplace safety violations by OSHA.

Polymerics Inc., a rubber-manufacturing facility in Cuyahoga Falls and Kent, Ohio, was actually found guilty of four safety violations, including a willful violation that caused the accidental amputation.

Knowledge of OSHA safety requirements is required by law and OSHA training is now mandatory in many states. Most employers now require for employment OSHA 30 certification (for supervisors) and OSHA 10 hour training (for workers), and 40 Hour HAZWOPER training (in certain worksites) to improve safety and health conditions at worksites.

Following a complaint alleging a malfunctioning safety pin on a hydraulic shear machine, OSHA conducted an investigation in August 2011 and was able to verify the complaint. OSHA explained that a willful violation constitutes an “intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or plain indifference to employee safety and health.”

OSHA's Cleveland area director, Howard Eberts, said that "Failing to ensure that safety mechanisms on hazardous machines are working properly demonstrates a lack of regard for employees' safety and health."

In addition, OSHA cited Polymerics for one repeat violation for its failure to do the mandatory yearly review of lockout/tagout procedures, and for two serious violations for its failures to orient its employees on hazardous chemicals and to train workers in machine-specific lockout/tagout procedures. OSHA proposed fines totaling $74,900.

OSHACampus.com, a leading provider of online OSHA training, offers OSHAcampus.com 10 training and OSHAcampus.com 30 course for workers, supervisors, and contractors, as well as 40 Hour HAZWOPER training.

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Safety Violations and a New Industry Alliance

For a company’s failure to ensure that a shear was kept in good working condition, one of its workers has lost an arm and the company has been cited for workplace safety violations by OSHA.

Polymerics Inc., a rubber-manufacturing facility in Cuyahoga Falls and Kent, Ohio, was actually found guilty of four safety violations, including a willful violation that caused the accidental amputation.

Knowledge of OSHA safety requirements is required by law and OSHA training is now mandatory in many states. Most employers now require for employment OSHA 30 certification (for supervisors) and OSHA 10 hour training (for workers), and 40 Hour HAZWOPER training (in certain worksites) to improve safety and health conditions at worksites.

Following a complaint alleging a malfunctioning safety pin on a hydraulic shear machine, OSHA conducted an investigation in August 2011 and was able to verify the complaint. OSHA explained that a willful violation constitutes an “intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or plain indifference to employee safety and health.”

OSHA's Cleveland area director, Howard Eberts, said that "Failing to ensure that safety mechanisms on hazardous machines are working properly demonstrates a lack of regard for employees' safety and health."

In addition, OSHA cited Polymerics for one repeat violation for its failure to do the mandatory yearly review of lockout/tagout procedures, and for two serious violations for its failures to orient its employees on hazardous chemicals and to train workers in machine-specific lockout/tagout procedures. OSHA proposed fines totaling $74,900.
OSHA is remedying such lapses in several creative ways, one of which involves creating alliances with players in the industry.

OSHA announced this January 2012 that it has renewed its alliance with the American Pipeline Contractors Association (APCA) to line up with its objectives of protecting workers from work hazards associated with trenching and excavation, hydrostatic testing, and of course, during equipment operation.

"[O]ne of our goals is to ensure that appropriate precautions are taken to protect workers during pipeline construction for the oil and gas industry," said David Michaels, assistant secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

The two-year agreement entails sharing of information on occupational safety and health standards, and worker rights and employer responsibilities via such assemblies as fora and exhibits. The 14,000-strong APCA addresses safety, environmental and security issues within the pipeline industry among pipeline contractors, manufacturers and suppliers of pipeline-related products and services.

OSHA’s Alliance Program provides the federal work-safety watchdog another way to work closely with groups promoting workplace safety and health to prevent injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. OSHA coordinates with these groups to develop compliance-assistance tools and to educate workers and employers about their rights and responsibilities.

OSHACampus.com provides online OSHA training including OSHA campus.com 10 hour Training and 30 Hour OSHAcampus.com Training for workers, supervisors, and contractors, as well as 40 Hour HAZWOPER training.

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