Mining/Oil/Gas

Washington – Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez went before lawmakers March 26 and defended recent regulatory actions taken by OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Arlington, VA – A new guide from the Mine Safety and Health Administration aims to help metal and nonmetal mine operators comply with the agency’s ladder safety standards.

Washington – The Chemical Safety Board on March 12 released a safety video featuring a family member of one of the workers killed in the 2010 explosion at the Tesoro refinery in Anacortes, WA.

Arlington, VA – Mine safety has been on an upward trend since 2010 thanks to a number of initiatives from the Mine Safety and Health Administration, agency head Joseph A. Main said Jan. 30.

Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration has addressed all of the 100 corrective actions recommended in its 2012 internal review following the Upper Big Branch mine explosion in April 2010, the agency announced Jan. 13.

Arlington, VA – A total of 42 miners died on the job in 2013 – six more than in 2012, according to preliminary data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Employment is booming in the oil and gas industry – but fatalities hit an all-time high in 2012. Through efforts such as a nationwide safety stand-down in November, OSHA, NIOSH, and the oil and gas industry are collaborating to address the dangers these workers face.

Atlanta – Lead exposure remains an issue for workers, with elevated levels most common in manufacturing, construction, services and mining, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington – OSHA recently issued a fact sheet about protecting workers from abrasive blasting materials.

Shandong, China – Recreational workouts may help reduce the risk of hypertension, but job-related physical activity does not appear to have the same effect, according to a new study from Shandong University.