Safety Tips

Widely known as a preservative in morgues, formaldehyde – a colorless, strong-smelling gas – can be found in chemicals, plywood and various household items, including glue and paper product coatings, according to OSHA. It’s also used as an industrial fungicide, germicide and disinfectant.

About 9 p.m. on the day of the incident, a 45-year-old police officer on patrol drove into floodwater that had overtaken the road.

Washington — NIOSH has published a fact sheet intended to help prevent taxi drivers from becoming victims of robbery and violence on the job.

Research Triangle Park, NC — The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Worker Training Program has launched a free online training course designed to help employers and workers recognize occupational risk factors for opioid misuse and addiction, as well as develop solutions for prevention.

Tumwater, WA — Are you a janitorial worker in Washington state? If so, the Department of Labor & Industries is looking for you to take part in a statewide survey on the workload, job tasks and hazards facing custodial services employees.

As more states legalize marijuana for medicinal and/or recreational use, efforts to protect cannabis workers’ safety and health are ramping up.

A pinch point is anywhere a part of a worker’s body can be caught between two objects. According to the Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers’ Compensation, pinch-point injuries can result in amputation or death.

Occupational asthma can develop when a worker breathes in gases, chemical fumes, dust or other work-related substances. According to Mayo Clinic, it also can result from exposure to a substance a worker is sensitive to, triggering an allergic or immunological response.

Working with ammonia requires caution. The flammable, colorless gas has the potential to explode if heated, warns the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety. It’s also extremely toxic.

On the day of the incident, two tower climbers were killed when a 340-foot cellular tower collapsed during upgrading and construction activities.