While the preliminary total of 4,679 fatal work injuries was an increase of 2% over the revised count of 4,585 in 2013, there was also an increase in hours worked in 2014. US Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement:
“Far too many people are still killed on the job—13 workers every day taken from their families tragically and unnecessarily. These numbers underscore the urgent need for employers to provide a safe workplace for their employees as the law requires.
"Preliminary results tell us 789 Hispanic workers died on the job in 2014, compared with 817 in 2013. While we were gratified by that drop, the number is still unacceptably high, and it is clear that there is still much more hard work to do."
“BLS data shows fatalities rising in the construction sector (along with an overall increase in construction employment). Dangerous workplaces also are taking the lives of a growing number of people in oil and gas extraction. That is why OSHA continues extensive outreach and strong enforcement campaigns in these industries. The US Department of Labor will continue to work with employers, workers, community organizations, unions, and others to make sure that all workers can return home safely at the end of every day.”
How to Implement OSHA’s Globally Harmonized Hazard Communication Standard (GHS)
OSHA has issued a final rule revising its Hazard Communication Standard, aligning it with the United Nations’ globally harmonized system (GHS) for the classification and labeling of hazardous chemicals. This means that virtually every product label, safety data sheet (formerly called “material safety data sheet” or MSDS), and written hazard communication plan must be revised to meet the new standard. Worker training must be updated so that workers can recognize and understand the symbols and pictograms on the new labels as well as the new hazard statements and precautions on safety data sheets.
New Exclusions for Solvent Recycling and Hazardous Secondary Materials
EPA’s new final rule on the definition of solid waste creates new opportunities for waste recycling outside the scope of the full hazardous waste regulations. This rule, which went into effect on July 13, 2015, streamlines the regulatory burden for wastes that are legitimately recycled.
The first of the two exclusions is an exclusion from the definition of solid waste for high-value solvents transferred from one manufacturer to another for the purpose of extending the useful life of the original solvent by keeping the materials in commerce to reproduce a commercial grade of the original solvent product.
The second, and more wide reaching of the two exclusions, is a revision of the existing hazardous secondary material recycling exclusion. This exclusion allows you to recycle, or send off-site for recycling, virtually any hazardous secondary material. Provided you meet the terms of the exclusion, the material will no longer be hazardous waste.
Learn how to take advantage of these exclusions at Environmental Resource Center’s live webcast where you will learn:
- Which of your materials qualify under the new exclusions
- What qualifies as a hazardous secondary material
- Which solvents can be remanufactured, and which cannot
- What is a tolling agreement
- What is legitimate recycling
- Generator storage requirements
- What documentation you must maintain
- Requirements for off-site shipments
- Training and emergency planning requirements
- If it is acceptable for the recycler to be outside the US
San Antonio RCRA and DOT Training
Chicago RCRA and DOT Training
Los Angeles RCRA and DOT Training
Link Between Air Pollution, Increased Deaths & Deaths from Heart Disease Affirmed
In what is believed to be the largest, most detailed study of its kind in the United States, scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center and elsewhere have confirmed that tiny chemical particles in the air we breathe are linked to an overall increase in risk of death.
The researchers say this kind of air pollution involves particles so small they are invisible to the human eye (at less than one ten-thousandth of an inch in diameter, or no more than 2.5 micrometers across).
In a report on the findings, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives online September 15, the scientists conclude that even minuscule increases in the amount of these particles (by 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air, for example) lead to an overall increased risk of death from all causes by 3%—and roughly a 10% increase in risk of death due to heart disease. For nonsmokers, the risk increase rises to 27% in cases of death due to respiratory disease.
“Our study is particularly notable because all the data used in our analysis comes from government- and independently held sources.”
According to Thurston, fine particles can contribute to the development of potentially fatal heart and lung diseases because they slip past the body’s defenses and can be absorbed deep into the lungs and bloodstream. They are not sneezed or coughed out the way larger natural particles, like airborne soil and sand, are removed from the body’s airways.
Moreover, Thurston says, fine particles are usually made of harmful chemicals such as arsenic, selenium, and mercury, and can also transport gaseous pollutants, including sulfur and nitrogen oxides, with them into the lungs.
For their research, Thurston and his colleagues evaluated data from a detailed health and diet survey conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). The NIH-AARP study involved 566,000 male and female volunteers, ages 50 to 71, from California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and the metropolitan areas of Atlanta and Detroit.
Analyzing information gathered about the participants between 2000 and 2009, the researchers calculated the death risk from exposure to particulate matter for people in each national census district by cross-referencing information about the amount and type of particulate matter from the EPA’s Air Quality System and other databases. The investigators then statistically ruled out other variables impacting health and longevity including age, race or ethnicity, level of education, marital status, body size, alcohol consumption, how much participants smoked or not, and socio-economic factors such as median neighborhood income and how many people in the neighborhood did not graduate from high school.
Indeed, the team did not find any significant difference in the effect of particulate matter exposure between different sexes or age groups or by level of education.
The researchers also noted that limiting the analysis to only the state of California, which has the most rigorous controls on air pollution, did not produce a different overall level of risk; instead, they found the same association between particulate matter exposure and increase in risk of death from all nonaccidental causes and from cardiovascular disease.
“We need to better inform policymakers about the types and sources of particulate pollution so they know where to focus regulations,” says Hayes, a professor of population health and environmental medicine at NYU Langone. “It is especially important to continue monitoring health risks as national standards for air pollution are strengthened.”
Funding support for the study was provided by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, a member of the National Institutes of Health. Corresponding grant numbers are R01 ES019584, R21 ES021194, and P30 ES00260. Additional study funding support was provided by NYU.
Thurston has provided expert witness testimony about the human health effects of air pollution before the US Congress, in EPA public hearings, and has been paid by environmental and conservation groups in legal cases. The terms of these arrangements are being managed by NYU in accordance with its conflict of interest policies.
In addition to Thurston and Hayes, other NYU Langone investigators involved in the study were Jiyoung Ahn, PhD; Kevin Cromar, PhD; Yongzhao Shao, PhD; Harmony Reynolds, MD; Chris Lim, MS; and Ryan Shanley, PhD. Other collaborators included Michael Jerrett, PhD, at the University of California Berkeley; and Yikyung Park, ScD, at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Publication to Protect the Safety of Firefighters Revised
Firefighting is urgent and stressful work, and decisions are often made without vital information on the hazards that exist.
The revised manual explains how fire personnel can resolve an incident sooner and in a safer manner if a building design is tailored to meet their needs during an emergency. The manual includes: new chapters on water supply and integrating design elements to protect fire personnel during a building’s construction, occupancy, and demolition phases; new sections on energy conservation, emergency power, and room and floor numbering; and additional photos to help explain concepts. The manual is aimed at helping emergency responders during fires and other emergencies such as hazardous material releases, emergency medical care, non-fire rescues, and terrorist attacks.
Recently, a Denver firefighter died after falling 25 feet through a skylight. OSHA’s manual addresses this and many other types of building-related hazards for emergency responders.
“Structural fires present hazards that can result in serious injury or death for emergency personnel who respond to them,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. “This revised manual offers practical and relevant information to help emergency responders stay safe while doing their jobs.”
Preliminary Data on Workplace Fatalities in California Reflect Downward Trend
Deaths for Hispanic or Latino workers also decreased 35% from 194 in 2013 to 127 in 2014.
“The downward trend in workplace fatalities for Latinos and all workers in California is encouraging,” said DIR Director Christine Baker. “It is our hope that this trend continues, and that employers continue to provide their workers the training, equipment and safety measures to protect all workers in our state.”
Key findings of the preliminary 2014 CFOI in California:
- The total number of workplace fatalities are the lowest reported since 2010, and remain below the pre-2008 recession average.
- Over one third (35%) of all California workplace deaths identified in 2014 occurred in transportation incidents. Traffic accidents that occur on public roads are under the jurisdiction of the California Highway Patrol.
- One in five (22%) of all California workplace deaths identified in 2014 were attributed to violent acts and 21% due to trips, slips, and falls.
- Fatal workplace injuries among Latino workers represent 38% of all cases identified in 2014, compared to 49% counted in final data the year before.
The report made recommendations for specialized, language-appropriate training for workers prior to performing hazardous work.
“These preliminary statistics on California workplace fatalities provide us with valuable information to protect workers. With evidence and data, we continually refine and strengthen workplace safety and health regulations, training materials, and outreach and education efforts for employers and workers,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum. Cal/OSHA is a division in DIR.
Preliminary numbers for 2014 reflect available statistics at time of this publication. Changes and additions to the preliminary 2014 California CFOI counts are expected and could result from the identification of new cases and the revision of existing cases based on source documents received after the release of preliminary results. Final 2014 CFOI data will be released in the late spring of 2016.
The Census is conducted annually by DIR in conjunction with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. CFOI produces comprehensive, accurate and timely counts of fatal work injuries. This Federal-State cooperative program was implemented in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 1992.
Oregon Workers’ Compensation Costs to Drop for Third-Straight Year
In 2016, Oregon workers’ compensation costs will decrease an average 5.3%, the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) announced recently. This marks the third year in a row—and eighth year in the past decade—that Oregon businesses are seeing an average decrease.
The department approved the average decrease in “pure premium,” which is the portion of the premium employers pay insurers to cover anticipated claims costs for job-related injuries and deaths.
Workers’ compensation pays injured workers for lost wages and medical care for job-related injuries. A four-year decline in average medical care costs and stable wage replacement costs are the key factors continuing to drive down the pure premium.
“Keeping workers’ compensation costs low contributes to a healthy business climate for Oregon employers,” said Patrick Allen, DCBS director. “Oregon is unique in achieving these low costs while also maintaining strong benefits and programs for injured workers.”
The decrease is based on a recommendation from the Florida-based National Council on Compensation Insurance Inc. (NCCI), which analyzes industry trends and prepares rate recommendations for the majority of states. Pure premium reflects only a portion of workers’ compensation costs but is the key factor behind annual cost changes. The decrease is an average, so an individual employer may see a larger decrease, no change, or even an increase depending on the employer’s own industry, claims experience, and payroll. Also, pure premium doesn’t take into account the varying expenses and profit of insurance companies.
The rate decrease is effective January 1, 2016, but employers will see the changes when they renew their policies in 2016.
Oregon’s workers’ compensation premium rates have ranked low nationally for many years. Only seven states and the District of Columbia had average rates lower than Oregon in 2014, according to a biennial study conducted by DCBS. In contrast to changes made in some other states, Oregon has seen no meaningful reduction in worker benefits since at least the early 1990s.
In addition to any change in pure premium, other workers’ compensation costs reviewed annually by the department include:
- An assessment on workers’ compensation premiums to fund the state costs of running workers’ compensation and safety and health programs
- An assessment on hours worked to fund Oregon’s highly successful return-to-work programs that help injured workers return to work quickly and earn close to their pre-injury wages. This assessment also provides increased benefits over time for workers who are permanently and totally disabled, and gives benefits to families of workers who die from workplace injuries or diseases.
Judge Upholds OSHA Citations and Penalties in Rochester Amputation Case
An employee of American Recycling & Manufacturing Co., Inc., located in Rochester, New York, lost his left hand in December 2012 when a co-worker stepped on the unprotected foot pedal that activated an unguarded pop-up table saw. An inspection by OSHA found that both the saw and the pedal were not shielded to prevent accidental contact or activation. OSHA also identified numerous other hazards and cited the company in May 2013 for willful and serious violations.
The judge found that the employer had received numerous complaints from employees about the hazards of the saw and the foot pedal, but failed to take corrective action. Further, caution signs posted on the saw were in English but several employees, including the injured worker, were not fluent in English and could not understand the warnings.
“This decision upholds our findings that conditions at this workplace endangered employees and that two of those violations—those involving the saw and the foot pedal—contributed to the preventable loss of an employee’s hand. It’s up to this employer to take and maintain effective corrective action so that these hazards are eliminated and future injuries are prevented,” said Robert Kulick, OSHA’s regional administrator in New York.
“OSHA cited this employer for conditions that directly affected the safety and health of its employees and this decision affirms OSHA’s findings. It also serves as a reminder to employers that we will take the necessary and appropriate legal steps to uphold citations and ensure that employers comply with the law,” said Jeffrey Rogoff, regional solicitor of labor in New York.
The inspection was conducted by OSHA’s Buffalo Area office; the case was litigated by Attorney Susan Jacobs of the department’s Regional Office of the Solicitor in New York.
El Paso Stamping Fined $119,000 for Exposing Workers to Amputations, other Hazards
During the OSHA inspection, a machine sheared off the tip of another worker’s thumb.
Proposed penalties total $119,000.
“For somebody working with a die stamp, a proper machine guard can mean the difference between keeping your fingers or losing them. The violations at this facility led to two workers being permanently injured. OSHA’s standards addressing these hazards have existed for decades, and the failure to follow these most basic safety requirements is unacceptable,” said Diego Alvarado Jr., OSHA’s area director in El Paso.
US Postal Service in Greenville, South Carolina, Fined $79,900 for Falls and other Hazards
Proposed penalties total $79,900.
“Exposing employees to being hit by vehicular traffic while working in warehouses and distribution centers is never acceptable,” said Darlene Fossum, director of OSHA’s Columbia Area Office. “Management must ensure safety is the top priority when expanding, modifying and consolidating working environments.”
OSHA Safety Citations Upheld for ‘Midnight Rider’ Production Company
Sarah Jones, a 27-year-old camera assistant, was killed while trying to escape an oncoming freight train during the filming of a scene on February 20, 2014, for the movie “Midnight Rider,” a biopic based on the life of musician Gregg Allman. Eight other workers were injured.
OSHA cited Film Allman, LLC, in August 2014 for one willful and one serious safety violation for exposing employees to struck-by and fall hazards.
Judge Sharon D. Calhoun of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission upheld those citations on September 15.
Kurt Petermeyer, OSHA’s regional administrator for the Southeast, issued the following statement about the case:
“Bad management decisions have real and lasting consequences, and when those decisions involve safety, the consequences can be tragic. The death of Sarah Jones is particularly disheartening because it was entirely preventable.
“Film Allman’s management blatantly disregarded their obligation to ensure the safety of their crew and cast. They were fully aware that the railroad tracks were live, and that they did not have permission to film there. While yesterday’s decision cannot correct or reverse the terrible events of February 2014, we hope that it will serve as a reminder to the film industry that safety has an important, necessary role on every set and in every workplace.”
Country Vision Cooperative Fined $70,000 for Exposing Workers to Grain Bin Hazards
OSHA’s Appleton, Wisconsin, Area Office cited Country Vision Cooperative for one willful and three serious safety violations. OSHA opened an investigation of the facility, which stores wheat, corn, and soybeans, in June 2015 after receiving a complaint alleging workers unsafe working conditions.
The serious violations involved augers that lacked protective guarding, and electrical equipment that was obstructed or improperly labeled.
“A grain bin with a moving auger is a dangerous place. A worker can become engulfed in moving grain and suffocate in mere seconds, and there’s a risk of amputation as well,” said Robert Bonack, OSHA’s area director in Appleton. “Country Vision Cooperative needs to make immediate improvements to its safety procedures to protect workers on the job.”
Proposed penalties total $70,000.
Atlanta Businesses Fined $66,000 for Exposing Workers to Amputation Hazards
Proposed penalties for the three companies total $66,000.
“This employer was taking a wait-and-see approach to safety. Employers must proactively identify and remove workplace hazards—not wait for OSHA to open an inspection or even worse, for a worker to be injured or killed,” said Bill Fulcher, director of OSHA’s Atlanta-East Area Office.
Total Wall, Inc., Exposes Workers to Respiratory, Chemical, and Fall Hazards
The inhalation of silica and dust particles can lead to the development of disabling and sometimes fatal lung diseases, including silicosis and lung cancer.
The serious violations include:
- Exposing workers to excessive silica and airborne dust in the manufacturing of dry wall compound
- Unsafe walking and working surfaces
“Exposure to silica can be deadly, and limiting that exposure is essential. Every year, many exposed workers lose their ability not only to work, but also to breathe,” said Ann Grevenkamp, OSHA’s area director in Madison. “Employers such as Total Wall have a responsibility to protect workers from exposure to this deadly particle which causes hundreds of deaths each year from silicosis—an incurable and progressive disease—as well as lung cancer, other respiratory diseases, and kidney disease.”
Proposed penalties total $60,200.
Ross Logging Fined for Amputations
OSHA determined that employees were operating chainsaws without cut-resistant boots or socks and were drop starting the chainsaws while felling trees, exposing them to severe lacerations and amputations hazards. Inspectors also found that employees were not working within visual or audible contact of each other, and that the employer failed to provide first-aid kits at the worksite.
Proposed penalties total $42,000.
“Logging has been recognized as one of the most hazardous industries, and has been the source of seven fatalities in West Virginia since January 1, 2013,” said Prentice Cline, OSHA’s area director in Charleston. “A serious incident can happen in an instant. This is why it’s vital that employers take all of the necessary steps to protect their workers.”
Extreme Heat Claims Day Laborer’s Life at Metal Recycler
OSHA initiated the June 2015 inspection after receiving information pertaining to the death of a 59-year-old Hispanic man who was hired for the day to sort aluminum cans outdoors. New workers are particularly susceptible to heat hazards before they have time to acclimatize.
Proposed penalties total $13,800.
“Al Star Recycling failed to educate its workers about heat illness and take the necessary precautions to protect them, and a worker died because of it. This was a preventable loss of life. The employee was new to this workplace, and new employees are particularly vulnerable to heat illness,” said Joann Figueroa, OSHA’s area director in the Houston North office.
Heat-Related Exposure Claims Life of a Contract Worker at a Petroleum Refinery
JV Industrial Cos. Ltd., headquartered in Pasadena, Texas, was contracted by Valero St. Charles Refinery in Norco, Louisiana, to demolish piping in its sulfuric acid alkylation unit.
OSHA initiated the March 2015 inspection after receiving notification that a 45-year-old pipefitter, who was cutting pipe outdoors in four layers of clothing, including a chemical suit, died on the job.
Proposed penalties total $7,000, the maximum penalty for a serious violation.
“While the temperature outdoors was 83 degrees, JV Industrial failed to take into consideration the increased heat stress caused by the specialized clothing being worn by the workers as they cut and removed the piping,” said Dorinda Folse, OSHA’s area director in Baton Rouge. “A life was needlessly lost because the employer failed to implement a heat management program to protect workers.”
High Structural Erectors, LLC, Employee Suffers Heat-Related Illness During Bridge Reconstruction Project
OSHA determined that on July 20, 2015, an ironworker was hospitalized after being exposed to excessive heat while performing bridge work in direct sunlight for approximately eight hours. That day, there was a peak heat index of 91 degrees Fahrenheit.
Proposed penalties total $4,900.
“In summer temperatures, construction workers face an increased risk of heat-related illness and death. Heat stress can be reduced significantly by establishing a heat illness prevention program for outdoor workers,” said Mark Stelmack, OSHA’s area director in Wilkes-Barre.
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