Mining/Oil/Gas

Washington — Chemical facility owners and operators should assess their preventive maintenance programs routinely and seek out assistance from industry groups, the Chemical Safety Board and the Chlorine Institute advise in a joint statement released Feb. 20.

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration has published a final rule on pre-shift examinations of metal and non-metal mines.

Cincinnati — Workers exposed to loud noise on the job are at increased risk for hypertension and high cholesterol – key risk factors for heart disease – according to a recent study from NIOSH.

Washington — While President Donald Trump seeks another sizable cut to the Department of Labor’s budget, Secretary of Labor R. Alexander Acosta is attempting to boost enforcement funding in certain agencies, including OSHA.

Washington — For oil and gas workers, fatigue caused by a combination of long work hours and lengthy commutes can contribute to motor vehicle crashes – the leading cause of death in the industry, a new fact sheet from NIOSH states.

Chicago — Nearly two-thirds of the injuries and illnesses that occurred among Illinois miners from 2001 to 2013 were not reported to the Mine Safety and Health Administration, a recent study shows.

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration has reopened the comment period on a Request for Information on ways to monitor and regulate miner exposure to diesel exhaust in underground mines.

New Orleans — A new approach that allows Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement inspectors to access electronic records onshore will increase their physical inspection time at more than 2,200 offshore oil and gas facilities in the Gulf of Mexico, the agency recently announced.

Boston — Workers frequently exposed to diesel exhaust may face a higher risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and the risk may increase with length of exposure, a preliminary study from Harvard University suggests.

New Orleans — The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has introduced a risk-based inspection program intended to improve safety for offshore oil and gas workers.