S+H Staff

Washington – The multi-year transportation funding bill signed into law on July 6 by President Barack Obama will establish minimum federal safety standards on rail and bus transit systems for the first time.

Grain Valley, MO – The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association filed a complaint on July 13 with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, claiming the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s safety record violation appeal process is ineffective and has hurt drivers’ ability to be hired and remain employed.

Washington – OSHA will be enacting a new temporary enforcement policy regarding the use of proximity alarms and insulating links while using cranes and derricks near power lines.

Emmitsburg, MD – Residential smoking-related fires caused an average of 925 civilian injuries and 365 fatalities between 2008 and 2010, accounting for 14 percent of all residential fire deaths, according to a report from the U.S. Fire Administration.

Arlington, VA – Some crash avoidance technologies, such as automatic braking systems and adaptive headlights, have helped reduce the number of insurance crash claims, according to a report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Highway Loss Data Institute.

Concord, NC – A series of self-retracting lanyards sold by 3M has been recalled by the company out of concerns that the devices could fail to properly arrest a fall.

Washington – The St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. published a final rule approving a new system for waterway vessels that is designed to detect water obstructions more quickly.

Washington – OSHA on July 12 announced BP Products North America Inc. has agreed to pay $13 million as part of a settlement agreement to resolve most of the citations issued at the company's Texas City refinery in 2009.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration defended the safety benefits for small businesses of its Compliance, Safety, Accountability program at a July 11 hearing before the House Small Business Committee.

Washington – A new video from the Chemical Safety Board examines the concept of inherently safer design.