Mining/Oil/Gas

Washington – Workers in the offshore oil and gas industry could benefit from a final rule that revises and updates site safety and maintenance requirements for the first time since 1988.

Arlington, VA – An upward trend in serious injuries among coal miners has prompted the Mine Safety and Health Administration to issue a national call to safety.

San Francisco – OSHA has launched a pilot program in its Western region that allows whistleblowers protected by certain statutes to request that the agency stop an investigation and release findings to the Office of Administrative Law Judges.

Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration has issued a drill entanglement safety alert to call attention to safe practices and the importance of equipment maintenance.

Washington – Exposure to low levels of methane and other combustible gases can lead to “catastrophic” consequences for helicopters traveling to and from offshore oil and gas platforms, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement recently cautioned.

Bologna, Italy – Occupational safety and health professionals have underemphasized the significance of exposures to vapors, gases, dusts and fumes that may lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in workers, international scientific academy Collegium Ramazzini claims in a statement released July 19.

Washington – The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has scheduled a public forum to discuss critical offshore equipment failures.

Arlington, VA – The overall permissible level of respirable dust in coal mines has been lowered to 1.5 milligrams per cubic meter of air from 2.0 as part of the third – and final – phase of the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s rule on limiting miner exposure to coal mine dust.

Washington – In an effort to encourage the development of technology to combat work-related hearing loss, OSHA, NIOSH, and the Mine Safety and Health Administration have partnered on a new competition.

Washington – The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has issued a safety alert in response to two offshore incidents involving the use of a hydraulic pulling unit, or hydraulic casing jack.