On Safety

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OSHA Roundup for Feb. 2, 2015

February 2, 2015

News

The House and Senate workplace safety subcommittees feature returning Republican leaders and new Democratic leaders.

A coalition of safety advocates have petitioned the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission to change its rules to allow greater employee participation during OSHRC hearings.

Is your injury log posted? It should be.

Notable proposed fines

$187,620 to four companies for a variety of storage tank hazards related to an explosion at a Mississippi food manufacturing facility that killed one temporary worker and critically injured another

$177,500 to an auto parts manufacturer in Alabama for fall, confined space and lockout/tagout violations following a worker’s fall into an acid-filled tank

$151,000 to a Texas corn flour mill for allegedly exposing workers to combustible dust and electric shock hazards

$91,000 to an environmental services facility in Florida for violations regarding fire and explosion protective measures and hazard communication following an explosion that injured two workers

$38,780 to an Idaho steel manufacturer for violations related to a worker’s fatal fall from an unsecured basket raised by a forklift

Happening this week

Feb. 4 – Webcast on enhancing workplace safety and health in the oil and gas industry, featuring OSHA representatives

Review Counter

Below is a count of how many days recent OSHA proposals have been under review, as of Feb. 2:

# of Days OSHA Proposal
151 Occupational Exposure to Beryllium (proposed rule)
80 Confined Spaces in Construction (final rule)

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs – part of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget – reviews proposed regulations. The process is required for most rules before they can move forward, and typically takes 90 days.

The opinions expressed in "On Safety" do not necessarily reflect those of the National Safety Council or affiliated local Chapters.

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