Hazards

Washington – A corroded pipe that had not been inspected for years was the source of the hydrogen release and subsequent explosion at the Silver Eagle Refinery in 2009, according to a new analysis from the Chemical Safety Board.

Washington – The Office of Management and Budget has begun its review of an OSHA proposal to address outdated permissible exposure limits.

OSHA requires employers to have a hearing conservation program for construction workers whose noise exposure exceeds 90 dBA – but does not provide specifics. Taking into account challenges such as a transient workforce and outdoor environments, what are the most important elements of a hearing conservation program for construction workers?

Fresno, CA – To help educate employers and workers about heat exposure at outdoor worksites, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health has launched its annual Heat Illness Prevention Program.

Washington – OSHA’s nearly three-week-long series of hearings on its proposed rule on crystalline silica continued this week, with both opponents and supporters voicing their opinions.

Washington – A new study of a poultry facility in South Carolina has concluded that although musculoskeletal disorder symptoms remained relatively stable after processing line speeds increased, MSD injuries and symptoms at the plant still were higher than the industry average and recommended levels.

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.

Philadelphia – Chronic sleep deprivation may cause lasting damage in the brains of shift workers, suggests a new study from the University of Pennsylvania.

San Francisco – First responders who were exposed to particulate matter at Ground Zero during and after 9/11 may be at higher risk for sleep apnea and post-traumatic stress disorder, suggest two new studies presented March 20 at the American Heart Association's EPI/NPAM 2014 Scientific Sessions.

In 2011, nearly 135,000 nonfatal fall-on-same-level incidents occurred in private industry, in addition to 111 all-industry fatalities, according to the 2014 edition of the National Safety Council’s “Injury Facts.”