Commercial drivers will now be prohibited from using hand-held cell phones while driving beginning January 1, 2012. The rule is the FMCSA's latest effort aimed at preventing distracted driving among interstate truck and bus drivers. Violators will face penalties including fines and suspended CDLs. Read more.

So you're sorting through job candidates and you're wondering if it's alright to look them up online and see what you can find. Employers are increasingly interested in conducting a social media check on potential employees, but they worry about possible legal entanglements as a result. You can help prevent issues, such as making employment decisions based on protected-class information, by following these tips.

A recall has been issued for several types of Protecta shock absorbing lanyards. Read the full recall notice from Capital Safety for additional details.

Concussions suffered during sporting activities can cause lifelong problems for young students if they aren't recognized and treated correctly. To help prevent students from playing again before they are medically ready, thirty-two states now have laws addressing suspected concussions in student athletes. The laws require the athlete to leave practice or competition, and allow them to return only after a doctor or medical expert consents. Read more.

Starting a wellness program for your employees doesn't have to be complex. Companies can get started by encouraging employees to walk more or by sponsoring a smoking cessation program. Read more.

Slips, trips and falls are the third largest cause of workplace injuries and the single most common reason for visits to the emergency room, according to this article from EHS Today. Selecting the right slip-resistant footwear for your work environment can help prevent slips and falls. Read more.

OSHA recently published new and updated educational brochures on a number of topics. OSHA's Workers' Rights booklet describes the rights to which workers are legally entitled under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The booklet, Employer Rights and Responsibilities Following an OSHA Inspection reviews what happens after an inspection. The agency also recently published an updated Construction Industry Digest and a new Small Entity Compliance Guide for Respiratory Protection Standard.

OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels sent a clear message in his Oct. 20 blog post that employers must neither require nor condone their workers sending or reading text or e-mail messages while driving. Michaels reminded employers in his blog post, "Companies are in violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act if, by policy or practice, they require texting while driving, or create incentives that encourage or condone it, or they structure work so that texting is a practical necessity for workers to carry out their job. When OSHA receives a credible complaint that an employer requires texting while driving or organizes work so that texting is a practical necessity, we will investigate and where necessary issue citations and penalties to end this practice."

OSHA's seasonal flu webpage includes information about how to reduce the spread of the flu in workplaces. It provides information on the basic precautions, such as frequent hand washings and covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue, that should be used by employers and workers in all workplaces as well as the additional precautions that should be used by employers and workers in healthcare settings, such as strictly following infection control practices and using gloves, gowns, surgical masks and other protective equipment to reduce exposures.

OSHA's revised Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Respiratory Protection Standard is intended to help small businesses protect workers from respiratory hazards. The updated guide, directed at businesses with fewer than 250 workers, explains how to comply with OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard. It provides instruction on how to select and fit test appropriate respirators to protect workers in many different industries. It includes new illustrations to help employers and workers identify different respirators, and describes how and where they should be used. The revised guide also explains how Assigned Protection Factors (APFs) and Maximum Use Concentrations (MUCs), detailed in OSHA's revised standard, can help workers and employers assess the level of protection necessary in a given workplace. To order the respiratory standard compliance guide, please call 1-800-321-OSHA or 202-693-1999.

OSHA's new educational materials on laboratory safety provide information for laboratory managers on protecting their workers from exposure to chemical, biological and physical hazards. The new materials include the Laboratory Safety Guidance* document, which describes how electrical, fire, explosions and falls, among other hazards, can be minimized or eliminated if employers use safety plans, worker training, engineering controls and personal protective equipment. New laboratory safety materials also include fact sheets that each focus on a specific hazard related to laboratory environments. Practices and precautions to protect laboratory personnel include safety guidance for using autoclaves, use of chemical fume hoods, labeling and transferring chemicals, and latex exposure. See the news release for more information. To order the Laboratory Safety Guidance, please call 1-800-321-OSHA or 202-693-1999.

3M has announced a recall of GW-7 and GW-11 series self-retracting lanyards. Some of the units were found to not lock up properly during the user pre-inspection pull test. Read more.

Two workers are killed every month in trench collapses, so OSHA has release three new documents about the hazards of trenching and shoring. The Trenching and Excavation Safety Fact Sheet contains information about the dangers of trenching and safety tips. A Quick Card gives helpful images and fast facts in English and Spanish. The accompanying poster, An Unprotected Trench is an Early Grave, an be posted to remind employees of the importance of safety measures while trenching.

Cooking is the leading cause of residential building fires (44%) according to a recent report from the U.S. Fire Administration. The newest entry in the agency's Topical Fire Report Series, Residential Building Fires 2007 - 2009 explores trends in residential fires, such as loss amounts, when fires are most likely to occur, and whether buildings contained smoke alarms.

Due to apparent confusion about what fall protection methods are acceptable for aerial lifts, OSHA has rescinded a January 2009 letter that suggested a specific type of lanyard would not comply with OSHA's aerial lift standard if used at lower heights. OSHA has also clarified that employers may meet the fall protection requirements for aerial lifts in one of three ways: use of a body belt anchored to the basket (fall restraint system), use of a body harness with a tether (fall restraint system), or use of a body harness with a lanyard (fall arrest system).

On Thursday, October 20th at 10:20am more than 8.1 million Californians will test their earthquake preparedness as part of the 2011 Great California ShakeOut. During the state-wide drill, participants will practice the "drop, cover, and hold on" technique. Californians can register at the ShakeOut website, where they can also find other earthquake preparedness resources.

A Virginia appeals court has reaffirmed a lower court's award of workers' compensation money to a Virginia nurse who crashed her car while checking her cell phone. Read more.

State and federal agencies are cracking down on employers who wrongly classify employees as independent contractors. While some errors are honest mistakes, many violators intentionally misclassify employees to avoid paying taxes and benefits. These companies could face fines and back payments of thousands of dollars. Read more.

Baghouse dust collector maintenance can pose hazards to your employees. Be sure that your employees follow these safety procedures when changing out filter bags, performing inspections, or making repairs.

A new Canadian study suggests that rotating work shifts is not as hazardous as it once was. Past research has suggested that shift work could increase the risk of cancer, however the reasons were not fully understood. The new study indicates that modern rotating shift patterns may be less disruptive to circadian rhythm and melatonin production - two possible culprits for the increased cancer risk found previously. Read more.

NIOSH and OSHA have released a new document about nail gun safety for contractors. Nail Gun Safety: A Guide for Construction Contractors discusses common causes of nail gun injuries and covers six practical steps that contractors can take to prevent them.

Recently, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has received numerous complaints about companies using aggressive marketing tactics to sell supervisor training about FMCSA drug and alcohol testing requirements. Read more.

A new tick-borne disease has been discovered by Yale scientists. The new disease, which is distantly related to Lyme disease, currently has no diagnostic test in this country so it is unknown how many Americans have been affected. Read more.

Experts recommend that all businesses should regularly backup their data to help aid business recovery in the event of a fire or natural disaster. While this can be accomplished with an external hard drive, there are also new and affordable web services available that can give you greater flexibility. Read more.

As July 4th approaches, OSHA is reminding employers of the workplace hazards associated with fireworks manufacturing, storage, transportation, display and retail sales. Resources addressing common hazards and controls for both the retail sales and display of fireworks are available on the OSHA Assistance for the Pyrotechnics Industry Web page. Pyrotechnics include many devices to launch, detonate, or initiate an explosive material. OSHA's Pyrotechnics Industry page includes links to lists--available as posters and pocket-sized cards--of top 10 precautions employers should take in fireworks sales and display to help keep their workers safe on the job and prevent workplace injuries and fatalities. The site also includes OSHA Safety Guidelines for Display Fireworks Sites, to advise display fireworks operators and other affected employers of procedures to help ensure that display fireworks are used safely.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently released the National Toxicology Program's (NTP) 12th Report on Carcinogens (RoC), one of the two cancer lists referenced in OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). As a result, employers that manufacture, distribute, or use any of the eight chemicals with new or updated listings in the 12th RoC need to determine if the changes have any impact on their existing hazard communications programs. The 12th RoC added two substances--formaldehyde and aristolochic acids--to its list of known human carcinogens, and six substances--captafol, cobalt-tungsten carbide (in powder or hard metal form), certain inhalable glass wool fibers, o-nitrotoluene, riddelliine (a botanical, not be confused with the drug Ritalin) and styrene--to its list of chemicals and biological agents that are reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens. For chemicals like styrene and formaldehyde, which are already listed as carcinogens by the NTP or other organizations, the impact of the listings in the 12th RoC is likely to be minimal because many of the HCS requirements have already been triggered by the previous listings.
Employers that use chemicals with new or updated cancer listings in the RoC or products that contain these chemicals should review incoming MSDSs for new information and must train workers about any new chemical or product hazards. Employers must also look at how the chemical or product is used in their workplaces and make sure that the precautions and protective equipment they require are sufficient to protect workers from anticipated exposures. See the news release for more information about the 12th Report on Carcinogens and OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Page on Carcinogens to learn more about employer responsibilities to protect workers from exposure to these hazardous substances.

OSHA recently initiated Local Emphasis Programs (LEPs) in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi focused on reducing fatalities and serious injuries related to powered industrial trucks. Inspections conducted under these LEPs will primarily focus on operator training, maintenance and repair, and the pathways the trucks travel to ensure clear visibility and determine any possible struck-by hazards. The LEPs began May 29 and will continue until Sept. 30, 2012, unless extended.

OSHA is requesting public comments on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking announced in the June 22 Federal Register that updates two aspects of the agency's recordkeeping and reporting requirements for work-related injuries and illnesses. Comments must be submitted by Sept. 20, 2011. See the Federal Register notice for details on how to submit comments. Under the proposal, employers would be required to report to OSHA any work-related fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations within eight hours, and work-related amputations within 24 hours. Under the current regulation, employers are required to report any work-related fatality and only work-related in-patient hospitalizations of three or more workers and are not required to report amputations.

OSHA announced June 9 a three-month enforcement phase-in period to allow residential construction employers to come into compliance with the agency's new directive to provide residential construction workers with fall protection. During the phase-in period June 16-September 15, if an employer is in full compliance with the old directive (STD 03-00-001), OSHA will not issue citations, but will instead issue a hazard alert letter informing the employer of the feasible methods that can be used to comply with OSHA's fall protection standard or implement a written fall protection plan. If the employer's practices do not meet the requirements set in the old directive, OSHA will issue appropriate citations. For more guidance and resources, view OSHA's Residential Fall Protection web page.

OSHA has created a new web page to help workers and employers prepare for a tornado and protect themselves after a tornado occurs. Tornado Preparedness and Response offers guidance on creating shelter-in-place and personnel accountability plans, developing supply kits and monitoring warning signs. Visitors to the page will also find information on precautions to take in the aftermath of a tornado, as well as OSHA QuickCards and Fact Sheets for the hazards most common in tornado-impacted areas.

Those who drive under the influence of even a small amount of alcohol are more likely to be in a crash even though they are under the legal limit for blood alcohol concentration (BAC), according to a new study from the University of California, San Diego. Researchers analyzed the severity of auto accident injuries at various BAC levels and found that accident severity increases significantly even when the driver is merely "buzzed." Compared to sober drivers, buzzed drivers are more likely to speed, be improperly seatbelted, and to drive the vehicle responsible for causing the accident.

NIOSH has launched a web page to help keep first responders safe when during tornado cleanup and response. The information is meant for site supervisors, workers and volunteers, and addresses many topics including immunization and health recommendations, carbon monoxide, disaster site management, fatigue, motor vehicles, and handling of human remains.

Anti-rollover technology has made SUVs safer than cars, according to a report issued by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). While minivans still have the lowest driver fatality rate, SUVs now have a lower death rate than either cars or trucks. IIHS credits the work automakers have done to make SUVs less prone to rollovers. Read more.

OSHA has launched a National Emphasis Program to identify and reduce or eliminate worker exposures in facilities under the Primary Metal Industries, Major Group 33 in the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Manual. This includes foundries, mills and smelting operations. Some of the main hazards OSHA will be looking at include exposure to harmful chemicals, noise, and heat. The program will last three years.

NIOSH has released a new guide for protecting employees in trenches. Preventing Worker Deaths from Trench Cave-ins addresses the hazards of trench work and factors that may contribute to collapse. It also includes case studies to help illustrate the importance of appropriate protection systems and pre-job planning.

Recently, outbreaks of measles in Europe have been prominent in the news. More isolated cases have also been reported in the United States. Measles, which is a highly communicable viral disease, can cause serious illness, pneumonia, deafness, and brain inflammation. It is easily spread through the air and because no treatment is available, preventative measures such as vaccinations are very important. For more information on measles, view the following resources from the CDC.
Travel Notices - 2011 Measles Update
Measles Overview
Measles Vaccination
Disease Database - Measles

The CDC has released a tongue-in-cheek zombie preparedness campaign , which provides information on planning for real emergencies. Tips include preparing an emergency kit with food and water, picking a family/workplace meeting place, and planning an evacuation route.

The world of workers' compensation is getting more complicated as employees increasingly use smart phones and other technology for work purposes while away from the office. To help mitigate injury claims, employers should establish clear rules on employee use of mobile devices. For example, employers should consider banning work-related phone calls while driving or not allowing mobile devices to be used while driving company vehicles. Read more.

As a new fall protection directive governing residential construction workers looms near, OSHA has produced a new PowerPoint presentation to give guidance to employers who are no longer allowed to bypass fall protection requirements. The Public Residential Fall Protection Presentation clarifies who is covered by the new directive and outlines fall protection methods such as guardrail systems, safety net systems, personal fall arrest systems, and other work methods. The directive becomes effective June 16, 2011. View OSHA's residential fall protection resources.

A new online tool is available for employers who have questions about whether employee injuries are recordable. The OSHA Recordkeeping Advisor presents questions and determines the appropriate course of action based on the employer's responses - this can help the employer decide whether an injury is work-related, if it needs to be recorded, and if any exceptions apply to the injury. The service does not store any information and is available online anytime.

Though older workers tend to have similar or lower injury/illness rates when compared to younger workers, they also take longer to return to the workplace after an injury according to a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older workers, defined as those 55 and up, currently make up 19 percent of the workforce and are the fastest-growing group in the workplace. After an injury older workers were away from work a median 11-12 days, compared to only 8 days for all ages. The data comes from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration has announced that it will be inviting up to 19,000 selected employers to complete a survey, which will help the organization develop future regulations and allocate resources to compliance and outreach programs. Results of the voluntary Baseline Survey of Safety and Health Practices will be kept anonymous, meaning they cannot be used against the employer for enforcement actions. Read more.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a report which describes ten advances in public health during the first ten years of the 21st century. The achievements include prevention and control of infectious disease, tobacco control, motor vehicle safety, and occupational safety. Read about the Ten Great Public Health Achievements.

OSHA has announced the forthcoming release of a final rule that streamlines and simplifies standards while reducing employer burdens. The rule is the third in OSHA's Standards Improvement Projects initiative, which helps keep the agency's standards up to date and better enables employers to comply with their regulatory obligations. The rule will update OSHA's standards and identify requirements for revision based on an agency review, comments from the public and recommendations from an Office of Management and Budget report. OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels said, "OSHA estimates that the final rule, without reducing employee protection, will result in annual cost savings to employers exceeding $43 million and significant reductions in paperwork burden hours."

There are two main types of smoke detectors - photoelectric which uses a light beam to detect smoke, and ionization which detects invisible smoke particles in the air. Though they each detect fires in different ways, simply having them in place is more important than worrying about choosing the "correct" type. Read more.

According to the FBI's Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report, the nation experienced a 5.5% decrease in the number of violent crimes and a 2.8% decline in the number of property crimes in 2010 when compared with data from 2009. The report is based on information the FBI gathered from 13,007 law enforcement agencies. Find more summary information in the FBI's press release.

There are some actions you can take in the 24 hours before a hurricane to help prevent property loss and injury. Suggestions from TCPalm.com include charging cell phone batteries, backing up computer data, and cleaning containers to fill with water. Read more.

California led the nation in cargo thefts in 2010 with losses estimated at over $170 million, according to a recent report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Texas was second in the rankings, followed by Florida, Illinois, and Tennessee. The most targeted cargo type was electronics. Read more.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the release of its FY 2011 grant guidance and application kits for 12 of its programs, totally $2.1 billion, to assist states, urban areas, tribal and territorial governments, non-profit agencies, and the private sector in strengthening our nation's ability to prevent, protect, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. For more information, go to FEMA's Preparedness Grants web site or view the DHS consolidated Private Sector Grant Guidance document.

A new smartphone app from the Department of Labor could give employees an advantage in disputes over time and pay. The virtual timesheet app, currently available for iPhone and iPod Touch, allows employees to track the hours they work and then determine the wages they're owed. It's available in English and Spanish, and contains links to wage law information on the Labor Department's website. Read more.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Atlantic hurricane season will be more active than average this year. As many as 18 names storms are predicted, including up to 10 hurricanes. Other organizations are also predicting an above average season. Read more.

OSHA has created a new webpage for employers and workers. The Injury and Illness Prevention Programs site provides regulatory documents, examples of effective injury and illness prevention programs, links to other safety resources, and state-specific information.

The quality of indoor air inside offices, schools and other workplaces is important for both worker comfort and health. Factors that affect indoor air quality (IAQ) include poor ventilation, humidity, temperatures, remodeling and other activities in or near a building. To help employers better manage IAQ issues, OSHA maintains an Indoor Air Quality topic area on its website. OSHA has also released a booklet with information for building owners and employers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a new Facebook page. The page is operated by the agency's Emergency Risk Communication Branch, and will provide emergency information to the public.

Employers that use social media sites, such as Facebook or Twitter, to do background checks on job applicants could be violating employment and privacy laws. While performing an internet search seems innocent enough, the results could provide an employer with information that is illegal to consider when making employment decision. Learning about items such as religious beliefs, ethnicity, or health status could make the employer vulnerable to lawsuits. Read more.

Workplace suicides reached a record high in 2009, with 263 people taking their own life while on the job. In 2007, the number of workplace suicides was 196. Those most at risk include males, self-employed workers, and those ages 25 - 64. Read more.

On April 29 Defibtech LLC announced a voluntary recall of AEDs sold under the brand names Lifeline AED and ReviveR AED. This recall affects DDU-100 Series AEDs shipped with 2.004 software or earlier. In rare instances, the AED may cancel charge in preparation for a shock. Some affected units may also cancel charge in very high humidity conditions. To find out if your AED is affected, enter your AED's serial number at the Defibtech recall page. If your unit is part of the recall, an upgrade kit is available.

Though propane cylinder sales are often overlooked due to their small dollar amounts, it's possible for them to generate multi-million dollar lawsuits which can put a petroleum marketer's business at risk. Claimants and their lawyers may claim that improper or nonexistent recertification procedures led to a propane leak and subsequent fire/explosion and a propane company can spend a lot of money defending that claim. This article contains tips for improving your company's cylinder recertification program.

Though firing an employee is rarely a pleasant experience, there are ways that the firing manager can make a difficult situation better. Tips for improving the outcome of an employee termination include telling the truth and providing "human treatment." Research has shown that employees who perceive their termination process as fair are less likely to make legal claims against their former employer. Read more.

Residential construction employers have just over two months left to implement new fall hazard protections required by OSHA. As of June 16, 2011, companies will have to protect employees working six fee or more above lower levels with fall protection methods, such as guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems. Read more.

In honor of OSHA's celebration of 40 years and in memory of workers who lost their lives on the job, The University of Texas at Arlington OSHA Education Center is offering free classes on preventing workplace injuries and illnesses to workers in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas. UT Arlington began offering classes April 25 on subjects including fall protection, lockout/tagout and machine safeguarding, construction and emergency hazards. Classes on fall protection and recognizing and preventing hazards in construction and excavation are scheduled for May 3-9 in Baton Rouge, La., Little Rock, Ark., and Corpus Christi and Arlington, Texas. See the UT Arlington Web site for a complete list of free OSHA classes.

When the EEOC's final regulations implementing the ADA Amendments Act take effect on May 24, employers can expect to see additional scrutiny of how they have handled employee accommodations. According to law firm Jackson Lewis, "Every adverse employment decisions that is based on an individual's inability to perform due to an injury or illness has the potential to lead to a contested ADA case." The newly expanded definition of disability could mean an increase in litigation and may test programs employers use to minimize injuries, such as prework screening which aims to evaluate the physical abilities of applicants before they start on the job. Read more.

More than 8,000 workers died in work-related auto crashes between 2003 and 2008 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to a recently release report, workers age 54 and older are at the highest risk of a work-related motor vehicle fatality. Read more.

Despite warnings from experts and well-publicized security breaches of customer information, many businesses still do very little to protect access to their systems and information. Passwords are particularly vulnerable, as most people use the same password or group of passwords for multiple accounts, both personal and business-related. With tools such as Firesheep easily available, it's more important than ever for organizations to strengthen their password management strategies. Strategies include password management applications, rules requiring more complex passwords, and HTTPS logins. Read more.

Heat illness can be deadly, but it is also preventable. OSHA has started a nationwide outreach campaign to raise awareness among workers and employers about the hazards of working outdoors in hot weather. A webpage provides educational resources, training tools, and posters for display at worksites. Many of the resources target workers with limited reading or English skills. OSHA has also partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for weather service alerts and NOAA's Heat Watch page.

In the first letters of interpretation published in 2011, OSHA addresses several questions. In a letter dated February 28, 2011 OSHA clarifies the meaning of "first discovered" and outlines how OSHA calculates an employee's working lifetime. In a letter dated February 23, 2011 OSHA addresses whether skirts pose a safety hazard to employees working in restaurant kitchens. Finally, in a February 2, 2011 letter OSHA says it does not currently plan to adopt the latest ANSI standards regarding accident prevention signs and physical hazard markings.

With the summer swimming season just around the corner, the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Pool Safely: Simple Steps Save Lives campaign is releasing its 2011 television and radio public service announcements. The PSAs highlight various water safety steps that can be taken to save a life. In the first few months of 2011, there have already been 37 drownings and 38 near-drowning incidents reported by the media across America. The Pool Safety campaign is the federal government's first-of-its-kind national public education effort to reduce child drownings and near-drownings in swimming pools and spas.

Join WaterISAC and representatives from the United States Environmental Protection Agency for two important training webinars on the Agency’s new Tabletop Exercise Tool for Water Systems: Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Climate Resiliency (TTX Tool). The TTX Tool contains materials that assist in planning and facilitating tabletop exercises that focus on Water Sector-related issues.

The TTX Tool contains fifteen scenarios that address an all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness and response, including natural hazards and man-made incidents, and introduces users to the potential impacts of climate change on the Water Sector.

Session 1: The first webinar will be held on Thursday, May 26 from 3:00-4:00pm Eastern Time, and will provide an overview of the functionality of the TTX Tool.

Session 2: The second webinar will be held on Thursday, June 2, 2011 from 3:00-4:30pm Eastern Time. This session will provide more detailed information on how to use the materials on the TTX Tool to plan, design, facilitate, and evaluate Water Sector-specific exercises.

These two webinars are free and open to all WaterISAC subscribers. Click here to sign up today.

As the obesity epidemic continues to take a toll on our nation's health, smart companies are recognizing that active, fit employees also are happy, productive employees. Employers are increasingly offering fitness opportunities and incentives to encourage employees to make healthier choices. Read more.

A study released by SmartDrive Systems examined distracted driving among commercial drivers, using recorded video events to categorize the most common distractions. The data revealed that the most common distractions are holding objects in the hands, talking on cell phones, and consuming beverages and food while driving. Read more.

Welding hazards can be roughly broken down into seven risk categories, which include electrical hazards, heat-related risks, and light-related risks. This article outlines the seven risk areas and discusses ways to mitigate hazards, including nine steps to welding safety.

The color-coded terror alert system which was implemented after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks will be discontinued on April 26. It will be replaced with a new system with the goal of providing more specific information to the public about credible terrorist threats. This new National Terrorism Advisory System will use intelligence gathered by government agencies to provide alerts to the public via email and social networking sites. Read more.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit rejected a challenge by the National Roofing Contractors Association to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's December 2010 directive on the use of fall protection in residential construction. The directive withdrew an earlier one that allowed certain residential construction employers to bypass some fall protection requirements. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 40 workers are killed on average each year as a result of falls from residential roofs.

"Fall protection saves lives," said OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels. "There are effective means available to protect residential construction workers from falls. We applaud the court's decision upholding this updated, common-sense directive." Construction and roofing companies have until June 16 to comply with the new directive. See the news release for more information.

To help employers comply with the new fall protection directive (see first story) OSHA issued a guidance document on Fall Protection in Residential Construction*. Falls are the leading cause of death for workers involved in residential construction. The document focuses primarily on new construction and shows how employers can prevent fall-related injuries and death by methods that include using bracket scaffolds, anchors, safety net systems and guardrails during activities such as weatherproofing a roof or installing roof sheathing, walls and subfloors. See the news release for more information.

A Chevron refinery in Mississippi is training local fire departments about fighting gas and propane fires, such as tanker fires. Because many of the local firefighters are volunteers, they haven't necessarily received hands-on training for dealing with hydrocarbons, which cannot be put out with water. Chevron's own team of firefighters teaches attendees how to isolate and shut off the fuel source when dealing with these types of fires. Read more.

OSHA will host an event May 2, at Department of Labor headquarters in Washington, D.C., to mark the start of the annual North American Occupational Safety and Health Week. NAOSH Week is an annual event designed to underscore the importance of safety and health in the workplace. This year the American Society of Safety Engineers and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering will celebrate the strides made in safety over the past 100 years and look to a future of worldwide workplace injury and illness prevention. OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels, ASSE President Daryl Hill, and CSSE Secretary Andrew Cooper will speak at the event. Visit the NAOSH Week Web site for more information, or contact Morgan Seuberling at seuberling.morgan@dol.gov.

Each year in April, National Work Zone Awareness Week is held to bring national attention to motorist and worker safety and mobility issues in work zones. Work zone accidents cost the lives of 115 construction workers and 667 motorists in 2009 (last year for which figures are available). You can help by using safe driving habits while in work zones and using educational materials to teach your employees about the hazards of work zones.

While most safety advice suggests people should walk slowly and shuffle to prevent falling on slippery surfaces, new research suggests that may not be the best advice after all. Researchers used guinea fowl, birds that react to slips and falls much like humans do, to study the walking mechanics that contributed to a fall. They found that birds moving quickly in a forward stance across slippery surfaces were less likely to fall than those moving slowly or shuffling. The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, could shed light on better limb-control strategies that could be used by people to prevent falls.

According to information from the Justice Department, incidents of non-fatal workplace violence dropped 75 percent between 1993 and 2009. Similarly, workplace homicides fell 51 percent in the same period. Read more.

OSHA applauds the March 25 ruling by Chief Administrative Law Judge Covette Rooney, of the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, upholding the citation and full penalty issued to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for inadequate crowd management following a November 2008 trampling death of a worker at one of the company's retail locations in New York.

OSHA cited Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for inadequate crowd management after a Nov. 28, 2008, “Blitz Friday” holiday sales event during which a worker was knocked to the ground and crushed by a crowd of about 2,000 shoppers surging into a Wal-Mart store in Valley Stream, N.Y. OSHA inspectors found that the store put workers at risk by failing to implement reasonable and effective crowd management practices and issued a citation, carrying a $7,000 fine, under the agency's general duty clause. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. disputed the citation before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, which decides contests of citations or penalties resulting from OSHA inspections of American workplaces.

OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health developed two guidance documents, one for workers and one for employers, which describe the use of spirometry testing to help reduce and prevent worker exposure to respiratory hazards.

Spirometry is a common pulmonary function test that measures how well a person moves air in and out of the lungs. Workers who inhale some types of dusts, gases or other air contaminants, including food flavorings such as diacetyl, can experience lung damage. The spirometry test may detect breathing problems or significant changes in a worker's lung function at an early stage. The information in these new guidance documents help employers identify and eliminate hazardous workplace exposures and reduce or prevent the chances of workers developing lung disease. See the news release for more information.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has recently published final regulations implementing the 2008 Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act. The new regulations clarify the requirements of the original ADA and broaden the definition of "disability." Read more.

As more employees implement wellness plans to help tame rising medical costs, it's important to understand relevant laws and how they might affect your program. Program components, such as health-risk assessments or participation awards, should be examined to make sure they do not violate regulations like the Americans with Disabilities Act. Careful consideration of these laws at the creation of your program can allow you to spend more time focusing on the health and happiness of your employees.

Most people in the business world know that there are certain questions that are better left unasked in a job interview, however even innocent-sounding questions can land your company in hot water if the interviewee perceives there is discrimination based on their answers. This article from BNET's blog tells you what's at stake in the event of an employment discrimination lawsuit and let's you in on some seemingly harmless interview questions that could lead to trouble.

Extreme heat can affect workers in a variety of ways including increased errors and slower reaction time. This article from OHS Online discusses ways the body deals with excessive heat and how heat affects employees in the workplace. It also covers warning signs of heat stress and the importance of heat stress training.

In a notice of proposed rulemaking, PHMSA is recommending that current hazmat regulations be changed to require the carrier to perform a risk assessment of the loading and unloading operations and then implement safe operating procedures. The proposed rule would also include changes to hazmat training for employees and implementation of a periodic maintenance schedule to ensure equipment functions as intended. The rule would affect cargo tank carriers and facilities that engage in loading or unloading operations with hazardous materials.

Consumers now have a new resource for product safety information. The website, www.SaferProducts.gov, was created by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) as part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The site allows consumers to research products they own or may be considering buying as well as report dangerous products. It's hoped that the site will help CPSC to identify product hazards faster and provide consumers with instant access to safety information.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's U.S. Fire Administration has issued three special reports as part of its Topical Fire Report Series, examining the risk of death or injury from fire by various demographics, such as age, race, and gender. Among the findings:

• Adults ages 50 and older have a greater risk of dying in fires than the general population, with those 85 and over having the highest risk of fire death.
• Men are 1.5 times more likely to die in fires than women.
• Populations at the lowest income levels are at a greater risk of dying in fires than those with higher incomes.

To help Americans prepare for possible spring flooding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has made information available on the Flood Safety Awareness page at www.ready.gov. Users can learn about putting together emergency supply kits, get help creating a family emergency plan, and learn more about flooding and how their geographical area may be affected. They can also watch different flood scenarios and download FEMA's "Are you Ready for Flooding?" widget.

OSHA's new distracted driving brochure explains to employers and supervisors the importance of preventing texting by their workers while driving. Texting while driving dramatically increases the risk of motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of worker fatalities. Distracted driving crashes killed more than 5,400 people and injured nearly 500,000 in 2009. OSHA encourages trade associations to share this brochure with their members. It can be downloaded or ordered from the Publications page of OSHA's Web site.

This resource is part of OSHA's Distracted Driving Initiative, which OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels discussed with stakeholders in a March 3 teleconference. Participants representing workers, employers, trade associations, insurance companies, small businesses, government agencies and advocacy groups participated in a discussion of strategies and plans to work cooperatively to help inform businesses of the importance of preventing texting while driving. See OSHA's Distracted Driving Web page for more information on the agency's efforts to protect workers from this growing hazard.

Your organization's experience modification factor (MOD) can affect everything from the premiums you pay for workers' compensation insurance to the jobs you are allowed to bid for. Learn more about the MOD and how you can change it in this article from EHS Today.

The National Safety Council has released a free online resource that can help employers promote safety outside of the workplace. Employers may want to consider promoting off the job safety because injuries that occur at home create costs associated with absenteeism, health care, productivity, and work interruptions. To try it out, view the new Employer Resource on the National Safety Council's website.

According to a final rule from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, commercial drivers who carry hazardous materials will be prohibited from texting while driving. The rule will go into effect March 30, 2011. The rule is similar to one published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration last September that prohibited texting while driving by commercial motor vehicle drivers operating in interstate commerce. Read more.

The American Trucking Association has released a statement from a sleep researcher which claims the FMCSA misapplied data from his 2007 sleep study to support their proposed hours of service (HOS) changes. Francesco Cappuccio states that his study does not support the conclusions of the FMCSA that small increases in sleep resulting from limits on HOS will decrease mortality risks. The agency has proposed cutting daily allowable work hours from 14 to 13 and is also considering lowering the amount of allowable drive time from 11 hours to 10. Read more.

More companies are using background screening during the hiring process to weed out candidates who may present a danger to coworkers or may be misrepresenting their credentials. Though a background check may help you make a better hiring decision, it's important to make sure any screening is in compliance with laws such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Read more.

OSHA has released a training video for healthcare employers and workers that explains the proper use of respirators and the procedures to follow to assure that respirators protect workers from airborne hazards in healthcare settings. The 33-minute video explains the major components of a respiratory protection program, discusses the difference between respirators and surgical masks, and features a segment on common respiratory hazards found in healthcare settings. Demonstrations also show how respirator use helps protect workers from exposure to airborne chemical hazards such as formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde, which are used commonly in hospital laboratories. View OSHA's Safety and Health Topics: Respiratory Protection page for more respirator safety and health information.

EPA has issued final standards for boilers and certain incinerators that reduce toxic air emissions, but cost about 50% less than proposed rules issued last year. The initial proposal received significant public input prompting EPA to modify the standards and state that review will continue even after the rules are implemented. The final standards will require many types of boilers to follow practical work practice standards to reduce emissions of pollutants such as mercury and soot. These boilers are located at locations ranging from large industrial facilities to universities and hospitals. Read more.

A new directive went into effect Feb. 10 that provides OSHA enforcement personnel with instructions for determining whether employers have complied with the agency's personal protective equipment standards. These PPE standards require employers to provide--at no cost to workers--protective equipment, such as goggles and face shields to prevent eye injuries; earplugs and earmuffs to prevent hearing loss; and respirators to protect workers from exposure to air contaminants. The new Enforcement Guidance for Personal Protective Equipment in General Industry* clarifies what type of PPE employers must provide at no cost to workers and when employers are required to pay for PPE. The directive also provides guidance that allows employers to use PPE that complies with current consensus standards, and updates PPE enforcement policies based on court and review commission decisions. See the news release for more information.

The National Fire Protection Association has created a new educational matching game featuring Sparky the Fire Dog. Sparky's Match Game is designed for children ages three to five and teaches preschools about smoke alarms. It's available on Sparky's website, www.sparky.org.

A new study from Johns Hopkins and National Institute on Aging found that seniors are much more likely to develop dementia if they also suffered hearing loss. The researchers speculate that both hearing loss and dementia may be linked by a common pathology, or perhaps the mental strain of attempting to sort out the sounds around them causes their brains to be overwhelmed, leaving them vulnerable to dementia. Learn more.

A new study on workplace wellness finds that employees are increasingly relying on employer-provided wellness programs to lose weight and manage other health conditions. According to the study, some of the perks most desired by employees are fitness facilities, fitness center discounts, and weight management programs. The study goes on to say that given the cost of health care, wellness programs may be able to save employers money because healthier employees file fewer claims and are more productive.

NIOSH has released an alert for beryllium exposure. The alert contains information for employers and workers who may deal with beryllium-containing materials. Workers who are exposed to beryllium may develop sensitization or chronic beryllium disease, a potentially fatal respiratory disease.

Property owners in California can access maps online to determine whether their home or business is located in an official earthquake hazard zone. The mapping program, run by the California Geological Survey, is ongoing but many completed maps are now available. They can be searched by street address or ZIP code. Access the maps at www.quake.ca.gov.

OSHA's Office of Construction Services continues to reach out to stakeholders with in person and webinar presentations explaining key elements of the Cranes and Derricks in Construction Final Rule* that went into effect Nov. 8, 2010. OSHA personnel have presented information to more than 900 participants from organizations including the Associated General Contractors of America, Crane Certification Association of America, Building Trades Employers Association and Operating Engineers International Union. A recording of the Webinar, a 60-minute PowerPoint presentation, is available on OSHA's Cranes and Derricks Web page, along with a slide show, fact sheets, frequently asked questions and other resources to help ensure that workers operating or working near cranes and derricks remain safe on the job.

Over 40 propane tanks were stolen in separate incidents last week at a hardware store and two gas stations. Police speculate that the tanks are being sold on the street, used by squatters to heat vacant homes, or for commercial purposes. Read more.

EHS Today OSHA has temporarily withdrawn its proposal to return the musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) column to injury and illness logs. Under the proposed rule, employers would record injuries just as they currently do while also placing a check mark in the new column if the injury was deemed to be an MSD. Learn more.

As spray polyurethane foam insulation and roofing grow in popularity among homeowners, builders and contractors, the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) is pleased to announce a new online training program to help educate spray polyurethane foam (SPF) users on good safety practices. The free training, which is available at www.spraypolyurethane.org/, takes about 1.5 - 2 hours to complete. At the end of the training, users successfully passing a test on the training material receive a “Recognition of Completion” form and wallet-sized card, which are valid for two years.

A review provided to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Environmental Health finds that there is no evidence linking exposure to problem drywall and 11 reported deaths. The CDC review confirms the results of previous reviews conducted by CPSC into these deaths, which also found no link to problem drywall.

CPSC is in the final stages of completing its scientific investigation into problem drywall. As part of this process, CPSC has requested that the CDC consider undertaking a comprehensive study of any possible long-term health effects. For additional findings from the Interagency Drywall Task Force's investigation, visit www.DrywallResponse.gov.

The Firefighter Support Foundation maintains a collection of free training materials at http://www.fireengineering.com/index/training.html. The materials include written articles about topics like fire attacks and extrication techniques, webcasts, news, discussion forums and streaming training videos ranging from meth lab response to self defense for first responders.

After an early morning evacuation that forced the evacuation of 500 homes and businesses, a contractor that installed the problem industrial propane tank has been arrested and charged with improper installation, reckless endangerment and working without a license. Read more.

The Better Hearing Institute (BHI) announced that it is joining with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the American Heart Association (AHA) to promote American Heart Month in February. BHI is educating the hearing health community and the people it serves about heart disease, with a focus on the connection between cardiovascular health and hearing health. BHI has made available a free, quick, and confidential online hearing test at www.hearingcheck.org to help people, including those with heart disease, determine if they need a comprehensive hearing check by a hearing professional.

Responding to concerns from manufacturers and other businesses, OSHA has decided to withdraw a proposed noise interpretation that would have required some employers to change how they protect employees from hazardous noise. Business leaders claimed the cost of such changes would have been a burden for employers in an already tough economy. Read more.

The United States Fire Administration recently released 2010 firefighter fatality statistics, which showed a 6 percent decrease in fatalities between 2009 and 2010. According to the statistics, heart attacks and strokes were the leading cause of death (60%). These provisional numbers may change as information is verified. The final number of fatalities will be reported in USFA's annual firefighter fatality report, which is expected to be available by July.

The Journal of the American Medical Association recently published a study that associated the walking speed of older adults with their overall health and survival. The study analyzed data from nine previous studies and found that older adults with faster walking gaits were more likely to live longer than their slower counterparts. The authors suggest that looking at walking speed may provide an overall indicator of an older person's health and help create customized care for geriatric patients.

Information on Green Job Hazards is now available on the OSHA Web site. Green jobs are being defined broadly as jobs that help to improve the environment, such as in the wind and solar energy, recycling and biofuels industries. However, green jobs are not necessarily safe jobs. Workers in the green industries may face hazards that are commonly known in workplaces -- such as falls, confined spaces, electrical, fire, and other similar hazards. Additionally, workers may be exposed to new hazards which may not have been previously identified. For example, workers in the solar energy industry may be exposed to Cadmium Telluride, a known carcinogen, if adequate controls are not implemented. The information now available online is part of OSHA’s commitment to helping workers and employers ensure that green jobs are safe jobs.

Though mold is often considered to be a problem associated with warm weather months, the right conditions can lead to mold growth even in the dead of winter. Learn how ice dams and freeze-and-thaw cycles can lead to indoor mold growth here.

Commercial carriers have a few extra days to address deficiencies in their safety performance data before it is made available to the public. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration had initially planned to release motor carrier scores on Dec. 5 as part of the Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 program, but recently announced the launch would be delayed by about a week. This month, FMCSA will begin sending warning letters to carriers whose scores have placed them on "alert" status. Read more here.

The U.S. Fire Administration, along with the National Fire Protection Association, wants to remind everyone that winter is peak season for residential fires. Visit the U.S. Fire Administration website for valuable tips on preventing fires in your home this winter, including safer cooking methods and holiday decorations.

The CDC estimates that up to one-fifth of Americans will get the flu this year, resulting in lost work days and extra medical bills. To help keep the flu out of your office, follow these tips from entrepreneur.com, which include encouraging employee vaccinations, providing hand sanitizing gel and promoting "social distancing" techniques.

According to a study by UnitedHealth Group, Inc., more than half of Americans will be diabetic or prediabetic by the year 2020. Diabetes, which can result in complications including heart disease, nerve damage, blindness and circulatory problems, is one of the fastest-growing diseases in the US. The projected increase in diabetics will also lead to increases in health care costs. Read the whole story.

The Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health will meet Dec. 9-10 in Washington, D.C., to discuss recent OSHA activities and their impact on construction workers. In conjunction with the full committee meeting, ACCSH work groups, including the newly-established Injury and Illness Prevention Program work group, will meet Dec. 7-8. The agenda for the ACCSH meeting includes remarks from OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels and the Directorate of Construction, updates on Injury and Illness Prevention Program rulemaking and the Severe Violator Enforcement Program, and ACCSH work group reports. The other ACCSH work groups that will meet are Silica and Other Construction Health Hazards, Green Jobs, Diversity -- Women in Construction, Multilingual Issues, Nailguns, Training and Education and Prevention by Design. See the Federal Register notice for more information on the ACCSH meeting.

OSHA cited Aerospace/Defense Coatings of Georgia Inc. and Weatherford International Ltd. with more than 50 health and safety violations and fined the companies $561,900 for hazards that included exposing workers to hexavalent chromium, a toxic chemical used in pigments, spray paints and coatings.

OSHA began its inspection of Aerospace/Defense Coatings' Macon, Ga., plant after receiving a worker complaint about health hazards there. Inspectors found that the company willfully disregarded the health of its workers by overexposing them to hexavalent chromium, failing to provide them with adequate respirator protection and personal protective equipment and failing to perform periodic monitoring of hexavalent chromium exposure. OSHA fined the company $300,400 and cited it with 19 violations.

OSHA began its inspection of Weatherford International's Longview, Texas, facility after receiving a complaint that workers were experiencing headaches and nosebleeds from exposure to hexavalent chromium. Inspectors found that the company willfully jeopardized its workers' health by failing to ensure workers' airborne exposure to hexavalent chromium did not exceed OSHA's Permissible Exposure Limit. OSHA fined the company $261,500 and cited it with 33 violations.

See the separate news releases on Aerospace/Defense Coatings and Weatherford International for more information about the failure of these companies to protect the health and safety of their workers.

OSHA cited Interstate Brands Corporation, a manufacturer of bakery products, with 20 safety violations and fined the company $274,500 after two separate inspections of its Schiller Park, Ill., plant found that workers were being willfully exposed to potentially fatal injuries from unsafe machinery and other hazards. OSHA inspectors responding to worker complaints found hazards such as forklifts that weren't properly maintained and were being operated by workers in unsafe passages and aisles, and machinery that was not properly guarded to prevent workers' clothing or limbs from being caught in moving parts during operation. See the news release for more information on Interstate Brands' safety violations.

OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels participated in a panel discussion Nov. 8 in Denver at the American Public Health Association's annual meeting. Representatives of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Chemical Safety Board also took part in the panel discussion on efforts to reduce occupational health disparities and advance worker rights and protections.

Michaels shared with the audience OSHA's efforts to address the agency's outdated workplace chemicals Permissible Exposure Limits. Most of OSHA's PELs were adopted when the agency was first created and have remained unchanged even though health data indicates many chemicals pose hazards to workers at levels below those permitted by many of OSHA's PELs. OSHA held a Web forum in August to solicit nominations on the top chemicals of concern and received more than 130 nominations for OSHA to focus its initial efforts. Using those nominations, input from the OSHA field, and other preliminary information, OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health will work together on an exercise to categorize the chemicals in a draft list according to their toxic characteristics. Using information learned from this exercise, as well as other research, OSHA's goal is to soon have a final list of chemicals on which to focus the agency's efforts.

Thanksgiving Day is typically marked by fantastic food, family and friends, full stomachs and football - but along with the fun is the reality that cooking fires are three times more likely to occur on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. Among all the preparations that go into the big day, Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the leading independent product safety organization, is reminding families to "Commit a Minute" to making safety a priority on this holiday. Read all the tips here .

Like an uninvited visitor, seasonal influenza comes knocking every fall. The flu season traditionally begins in October and usually peaks in January and February. A new NIOSH web page on seasonal influenza was posted last month at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/flu/ This page is designed to help employers, workers, health professionals, and others to manage the current flu season in the workplace, and to stay current with evolving scientific and medical knowledge.

Because motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of deaths on the job, NIOSH has released a new backgrounder focused on the hazards of distracted driving specifically related to workers. NIOSH also offers a topic page on motor vehicle safety for workers. These resources can help employers create strategies to address distracted driving and other safety issues among employees.

Consumers often have questions about propane, including what to do if they smell gas or how to light a pilot light safely. The Propane Education & Research Council has created 16 modules that cover these issues and more in simple language consumers can understand. The modules are available in both English and Spanish and also include topics such as space heaters, flood preparedness, power outages, and carbon monoxide. View the modules here.

A recent report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has revealed that 41% of drivers have fallen asleep or nodded off at the wheel. While we all realize that drowsy driving might be dangerous, this study provides an examination of crashes nationally which found that 16.5% of fatal crashes likely involve a drowsy driver. Read the article.

As part of its ongoing commitment to encourage transparency and safe performance in the oil and natural gas industry, the American Petroleum Institute has made available to the public over 160 key industry standards, including a broad range of safety standards. Many of the standards, including all safety standards, are now available on API’s website for free for public viewing. To view the available standards, visit this page on API’s website. Click here for more information about API’s standards program.

As the holiday season approaches, OSHA is reminding retailers to remember worker safety when planning for Black Friday and other sale events. In a letter sent to 14 retail companies, OSHA reminds companies of the 2008 death of a Wal-Mart employee who was trampled as shoppers rushed through store doors on Black Friday. They have also released a fact sheet listing precautions retailers can take to keep employees safe.

Two fact sheets have recently been posted to the OSHA Web site to provide assistance complying with Subpart CC of the cranes and derricks in construction final rule. The Qualified Rigger* fact sheet is a guide for determining if a worker is qualified to properly rig the load for a particular job. The Signal Person* fact sheet explains the proper qualifications for a worker whose job is to direct a crane operator under conditions such as when the crane's point of operation is not in full view of the operator or the operator's view is obstructed in the direction the equipment is traveling. OSHA's Cranes and Derricks in Construction Final Rule page contains the complete text of the rule, additional fact sheets, a PowerPoint presentation, an archived Web chat and answers to frequently asked questions.

Results from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses released Oct. 21 show there were about 400,000 fewer nonfatal occupational illnesses and injuries reported by private industry employers in 2009 than in the previous year. Of the 3.3 million illnesses and injuries reported in all industries, the manufacturing industry showed the largest decline in cases since 2003. The number fell by 23 percent (161,000 cases) while the rate of reportable injuries and illnesses for every 100 workers dropped by 14 percent. The construction industry reported a 22 percent decline (71,700 fewer cases) with a corresponding drop of more than six percent in the workplace injuries and illnesses rate.

The U.S. Department of Labor filed suit against Promesa Systems Inc., a New York City nonprofit organization providing care to individuals with developmental disabilities, for allegedly firing a worker who voiced workplace safety and health concerns and filed a complaint with OSHA.

OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of 19 laws protecting employees who report violations of various securities, trucking, airline, nuclear, pipeline, environmental, railroad, public transportation, workplace safety and health, consumer product safety, health care reform and financial reform laws. Detailed information on worker whistleblower rights, including fact sheets, is available online at www.whistleblowers.gov.

Recent research reveals that obesity among full-time employees costs employers and estimated $73.1 billion per year. This figure takes into account both increased medical costs as well as lost productivity. Read more.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has designated October 17 - 24 as National Teen Driver Safety Week. As part of the week, the NHTSA is urging teens to avoid dangerous habits, such as texting while driving, and encouraging parents and educators to get involved in teaching safe behaviors to teen drivers. At the NHTSA website, you can download resources that can be tailored and distributed in a way that best fits your organization's needs.

According to a recently released report from the U.S. Fire Administration, firefighter fatalities in 2009 were at their lowest level for the past 33 years. Read the whole report.

October marks the beginning of the 2010-2011 influenza season. NIOSH has released a new topic page on influenza, which will be updated and expanded to include a variety of resources for employers, workers, occupational health professionals, and other partners. Watch for additions soon.

OSHA recently released the preliminary numbers for their annual top ten violations list. The list is very similar to past years, with many violations focusing on falls, contact with equipment and exposure to harmful substances. See the whole list.

A victim can be completely engulfed by grain in under a minute. Specific training on grain bin rescues for rescuers can mean the difference between safe extrication and a workplace fatality. Learn more.

The October issue of the Harvard Health Letter discusses new studies analyzing the use of "hands only" CPR, when traditional CPR should be used, and the difference between cardiac arrest and heart attack. Read the article here.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a final rule that bans drivers of commercial motor vehicles from texting while driving. The final rule makes permanent the temporary ban on texting while driving that was issued earlier this year. Violators face a fine of up to $2,750 and employers that allow or require drivers to text while driving are subject to penalties up to $11,000.

Because motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of worker fatalities, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced a partnership between the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation to combat distracted driving. The multi-pronged initiative will include an education campaign for employers, organizational outreach, and citations and penalties when necessary. Learn more here.

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has released a new guide that helps employers, employees, insurers and others identify the best available physicians to provide care for people who have suffered work-related injuries and illnesses. Download the guide for free at the ACOEM website.

OSHA has revised its Outreach Training Program Guidelines to require authorized trainers to limit courses to a maximum of 7½ hours per day. This means that all 10-hour courses must be taught over a minimum of two days and 30-hour courses over a minimum of four days. Reducing the length of classroom instruction helps ensure that workers retain important information that may prevent injuries, illnesses and death.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued its first Guidelines for Smart Grid Cyber Security, which includes high-level security requirements, a framework for assessing risks, an evaluation of privacy issues at personal residences, and additional information for businesses and organizations to use as they craft strategies to protect the modernizing power grid from attacks, malicious code, cascading errors and other threats. Learn more at the NIST website.

Mass shootings receive a great deal of coverage in the media, as we saw with the Orlando, Fla., office shootings in November 2009 and in the shootings at the manufacturing plant in Albuquerque, N.M., in July 2010. Out of 421 workplace shootings recorded in 2008 (eight percent of total fatal injuries), 99 (24 percent) occurred in retail trade. Workplace shootings in manufacturing were less common, with 17 shootings reported in 2008. Workplace shooting events account for only a small portion of nonfatal workplace injuries. Read More.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) introduced a new training video that will help make the highways safer for cargo tank drivers and motorists alike. The video provides cargo tank drivers with best practices and safety tips on how to avoid rollover crashes while transporting hazardous materials. Developed in partnership with the Department's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the National Tank Truck Carriers, the "Cargo Tank Driver Rollover Prevention Video" uses driver interviews and on-road scenarios to highlight the factors that contribute to rollovers. A variety of camera angles, detailed graphics and driver interviews focus on the four areas that affect the potential for a rollover: vehicle design, cargo load, highway factors and driver safety.

The video is available for viewing or download at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/about/outreach/cargo-tank-video.aspx, and from the PHMSA website at http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat.

The number of traffic fatalities across the country decreased by 9.7% last year compared with 2008, even though the number of miles Americans drove increased slightly during the same period, reaching their lowest level since 1950. There were 1.13 traffic deaths in 2009 for every 100 million miles traveled, compared with 1.26 in 2008. Motorcycle and drunken-driving fatalities also declined last year. More...

A pandemic flu could dramatically reduce the number of available workers, which could threaten essential services and operations. Water and wastewater facilities need to plan and prepare for operating their facilities in the midst of severe staff shortages. Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection offers this preparedness fact sheet.

Workers using antibacterial hand gel can help reduce illnesses in the workplace, finds a new study by the Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine in Germany. For example, sick days for colds were reduced 65%. Experts say it's still best to wash off visible signs of dirt with soap and water first in order for the gel to be most effective.

Nearly 21,500 discrimination claims were filed against employers last year under the Americans With Disabilities Act, the most since it was signed into law 20 years ago. Experts say the reasons for the increase include the poor economy -- disabled workers may be at higher risk of layoffs -- and a new ADA amendment broadening the definition of a disability.

More tremors occurred along California's San Andreas fault during the past 700 years than previously thought, suggesting that Southern California may be primed for a major earthquake, researchers found. Major quakes occurred in the region every 45 to 144 years, researchers found, with the last major event occurring 153 years ago. The research "puts the exclamation point" on calls for earthquake readiness, said a seismologist with the University of California, Irvine.

The number of slip-and-fall cases climbed by 57% during the past 30 months, prompting insurers to step up their investigation of fraudulent cases, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. "Based on what companies have told us, we think that adds up to millions of dollars in unwarranted payouts. ... We're reaching out to these companies and urging them to join us in fighting commercial fraud," said NICB President Joe Wehrle.

A recent shooting in Connecticut serves as a reminder of the possibility of workplace violence after an employee is let go. Experts say employers need to have employee dismissal plans in place to deal with the potential for retaliation by a worker. For example, security officers may be needed, and managers should be better trained to handle potential conflict. "Your actions and words need to be crafted such that they don't further inflame the situation," says Jim Francis, a security consultant.

NIOSH wants to help you stay safe while working in extreme heat conditions-preventing, recognizing, and responding promptly to warning signs (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress or http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat). Also, NIOSH’s Fast Facts on the topic are available for download at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2010-114/pdfs/2010-114.pdf.

OSHA has redesigned its On-site Consultation Web page to enhance its usefulness to small and medium-sized businesses across the country seeking free and confidential advice on increasing workplace safety. The redesigned homepage answers frequently asked questions about the benefits of the On-site Consultation Program, which gives priority to high-hazard worksites, and explains the process for initiating a consultation visit and the consultant's role in the process. An improved On-site Consultation directory gives users the ability to quickly find offices in their states to contact for further information about the program, or to request a visit. The page also provides answers to questions about the On-site Consultation Program's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program and offers Success Stories from small businesses that achieved safety and health excellence through the On-site Consultation Program and SHARP. A Quick Links box and Small Business Resources section present users with relevant information and OSHA resources for the small business community.

The National Transportation Safety Board has begun hearings into the safety of propane tankers as part of an inquiry launched after a truck rolled over and exploded in Indianapolis in October. Liquid tankers are vulnerable to rollovers caused by abrupt shifts in weight distribution. Now, officials are considering requiring trucks to fit electronic-stability systems that automatically apply brakes to individual wheels to prevent a loss of balance.

Anhydrous ammonia is one of the most cost-effective agricultural fertilizers, but it's also one of the most dangerous substances used in modern farming. The chemical is attracted to moisture -- like that found in the human body -- and can cause chemical burns. Experts recommend always using protective gloves and goggles, and keeping a supply of water nearby to flush burns as soon as they occur. Find more safety tips here.

Motorists are more likely to drive on rural roads while they drunk or distracted because they consider driving in the countryside to be safer, according to a survey from a Federal Highway Administration-funded center. But more than half of highway fatalities take place on rural roads, researchers noted. "The transportation community has tended to underemphasize rural road safety," said an industry executive.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that property owners are responsible for snow-related injuries, overturning a lower court's decision that held a department store not liable for an elderly man's injury when he slipped on ice that had accumulated "naturally" within the store's property. "We now abolish the distinction between natural and unnatural accumulations of snow and ice, and apply to all hazards arising from snow and ice the same obligation of reasonable care that a property owner owes to lawful visitors regarding all other hazards," the high court ruled. Learn more.

It’s been in the works for years and has finally come to life: On July 28, OSHA announced it is issuing a new final rule for cranes and derricks in construction. The agency estimates the new rule will prevent 22 fatalities and 175 injuries each year.

Direct links to Spanish translations of two documents on respirator use are now on OSHA's Respiratory Protection Safety and Health Topics page. The "Medical Evaluation Questionnaire" and "Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under Standard" are included in Appendices C and D of OSHA's respiratory protection standard. The new links make it easier to find the Spanish-language versions of these documents, "Cuestionario de Evaluacion Medico obligado por la OSHA" and "Informacion Para los Empleados Que Usan los Respiradores Cuando No lo Exige el Reglamento o Norma," enhancing their usefulness in protecting the health of workers.

Whitco Company LP stadium light poles have been recalled for repair. The poles can fracture or crack and fall over, posing a risk of serious injury or death to patrons and bystanders from being hit or crushed. To learn more, visit the press release from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Even after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the matter, whether companies have to pay employees for the time spent donning and doffing safety gear was still confusing. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is trying to clear that up with a recent interpretation letter.

Although insurance is needed to cover a product recall, companies must still establish good recall procedures to promptly replace the product and secure their reputation and brand, said Marsh Senior Vice President Alan Schoem. Insurance should be only part of the company's quality-control program designed to prevent any product recall, Schoem explained. Insurers would be unlikely to renew recall insurance policies for manufacturers that are unprepared, he added.

OSHA has posted 26 years of data on a Web page detailing workplace exposures to toxic chemicals such as asbestos, benzene, beryllium, cadmium, lead, nickel, and silica. This Web page has since been enhanced by the addition of a search engine to make the data more accessible and expand its usefulness as a research tool. The page's online form now allows users to search and sort records of OSHA samplings for toxic chemical exposure by categories such as establishment, industry, state, year range, substance and OSHA inspection number. Users can also download sampling data from 1984 to 2009, either in one full set or by individual year.

The devastating tornadoes and severe weather experienced over much of Midwest this past weekend serve as a harsh reminder of the damage that is possible as the U.S. moves through tornado season. The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) encourages homeowners, renters and business owners to prepare in advance for tornadoes, review their insurance policies and contact their insurance agent or company to discuss coverage options. More tips.

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) today released a 14-minute safety video warning of the hazards of welding and other hot work activities in and around storage tanks containing flammable materials. Entitled “Dangers of Hot Work,” the video presents key lessons from the CSB’s hot work safety bulletin, released on March 4, 2010, in Wausau, Wisconsin, near the Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) facility where three workers were killed in July 2008 during a hot work-related explosion. The video uses 3-D computer animations to depict three hot work accidents and also features and interview with an accident victim who suffered burns over ninety percent of his body.

Auto thefts in the U.S. dropped for the sixth straight year in 2009, with rates dropping by 18.7% in the first half of last year from year-ago levels, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Laredo, Texas, and four cities in California are the urban areas with the highest auto-theft rates in the country, said the NICB. Read more.

OSHA is launching a pilot program seeking to partner with building inspectors in 11 U.S. cities to reduce injuries and fatalities at construction sites. Under the program, building inspectors would notify OSHA when they observe unsafe working conditions.

Methylene chloride is a volatile, cancer-causing liquid used in different industries including metal cleaning and degreasing and in the manufacture of products including pharmaceuticals and paint remover. OSHA recently reviewed its Methylene Chloride standard, as required within 10 years of enactment, to determine how well it was fulfilling its purpose of safeguarding the health of America's workers. The review clearly showed that the standard has been effective in saving lives. The study estimates that each year the standard protects as many as 30,000 to 54,000 workers from damage to their respiratory and nervous systems and prevents approximately 34 deaths from cancer and other illnesses caused by methylene chloride exposure. This standard's success reflects the overall importance of OSHA standards in protecting workers' safety and health. See the Federal Register notice for more information on this review and OSHA's Safety and Health Topics page on methylene chloride to learn more about reducing the risk of worker exposure to this hazardous chemical.

OSHA is also requesting public comments during a review of its Bloodborne Pathogens standard intended to protect workers such as healthcare and emergency personnel who are regularly at risk of contracting diseases from exposures to bloodborne pathogens including hepatitis B and C and human immunodeficiency viruses. The review will determine the standard's effectiveness in minimizing or eliminating these workers' exposure to bloodborne infections and diseases and whether advancements in technology or other factors have eliminated the need for continuing the rule. Comments may be submitted online. For further information, including how to submit comments by mail or fax by the Aug. 12 deadline, see the Federal Register notice.

Storing pesticides and other chemicals up high in a locked cabinet--out of reach of small children--is an effective way to ensure that kids do not mix with dangerous chemicals. Properly disposing of pesticides presents its own challenges. EPA offers these tips.

As the summer brings more road-construction projects and increased travel, companies should make sure they provide safety training for their workers who will be driving, safety officials say. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health estimates the average cost to an employer for a vehicle accident is $16,500, and transportation accidents are the leading cause of work-related deaths.

Snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, which can sharply increase truckers' risk of nodding off at the wheel, according to officials from the National Transportation Safety Board. Truckers are almost five times more likely than the general population to suffer from sleep apnea, officials note, and fatigue is implicated in more than a quarter of single-vehicle accidents. "The good news is that those suffering from sleep apnea can be treated and then return to work," said Christopher Hart, NTSB's vice chairman. Read more.

A new federal database lets freight companies screen prospective employees, giving access to an applicant's five-year crash record and three-year inspection record. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the tool "sends a strong message to commercial carriers and drivers that we are serious about having the safest drivers behind the wheel of large trucks and buses." Learn more about the program here.

Scientists have removed estimates for storm surges and inland flooding to update the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale in time for the 2010 storm season. The change was made to avoid confusion arising from discrepancies between the estimates and what actually occurs when a storm makes landfall, said an official with the National Hurricane Center. Review the updated scale here.

OSHA issued an enforcement memorandum directed at protecting Latino and other non-English speaking workers from workplace hazards. It directs compliance officers to ensure they check and verify that workers are receiving OSHA required training in a language they understand. "This directive conforms with Secretary Solis' clear and urgent goal of reducing injuries and illnesses among Latino and other vulnerable workers," said Assistant Secretary Michaels.

As federal, state, and local governments mobilize efforts to assist in the containment and cleanup of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, NIOSH posts a web page with resources for protecting response workers from potential safety and health risks. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse/.

NIOSH is seeking assistance from pesticide handlers in the agriculture sector to learn about potential barriers to the proper selection and use of PPE by agricultural pesticide handlers and their employers. Additional information is available under "Spotlights" at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/ or email KFaulkner@cdc.gov.

A study by a scientist at the University of Akron in Ohio identified four regions in the country that are highly prone to tornado activity. The findings indicate that the area long-considered to be "tornado alley fails to represent the areas of highest activity in the United States," said the researcher. Learn more here.

Scientists in California have discovered more than 50 new faults during the past 20 years based on a map released by the California Geological Survey. The map includes all of the faults in the state to promote awareness among residents of earthquake-prone areas and information about the fault lines..

In the latest study linking health or wellness complications to shift work, researchers reveal that working the night shift interferes with sleep, particularly for workers in their 30s and 40s. Read a summary of the study for more details. .

Every day, about 14 Americans fail to come home from work to their families. Tens of thousands die from workplace disease and more than 4.6 million workers are seriously injured on the job annually. In an effort to address these workplace safety and health concerns, OSHA is implementing a new Severe Violator Enforcement Program and increasing civil penalty amounts. Learn more.

On April 28, OSHA announced it is releasing 15 years of data providing details of workplace exposure to toxic chemicals. This data will offer insight into the levels of toxic chemicals commonly found in workplaces, as well as how chemical exposure levels to specific chemicals are distributed across industries, geographical areas and time. Learn more.

Companies can fire employees for using medical marijuana even if the employee has a prescription, according to a decision by the Oregon Supreme Court. Companies can maintain an anti-marijuana policy because the state law decriminalizing possession, growth and distribution of the drug does not override federal law, the court ruled.

More than 100 propane tanks designed for use with gas grills have been stolen during the past month in Alabama. Theft in the past has been linked to scrap sales or methamphetamine manufacturing, but the large number of tanks this time has the police concerned "that somebody has a greater plan of some type of sabotage or possibly a terroristic idea, [whether] that be domestic terrorism or something of another nature," said Guntersville Police Chief Jim Peterson. View the entire article at the WAFF website.

Productivity at Helwig Carbon Products shot up 17% from 2005 to 2009, and the company credits its successful wellness program for at least part of the gain. Learn about the wellness success of this and other companies in Milwaukee here.

With the arrival of spring, many homeowners are gearing up for outdoor home improvement projects. To help protect these homeowners from possible hazards they may face while installing new decks or gardens, the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) is coordinating National Safety Digging Month, an awareness event designed to increase the practice of safe digging across the nation.

OSHA's new Filling, Moving and Placing Sandbags fact sheet explains how to protect flood response workers as they perform the physically demanding job of protecting communities from damaging and potentially deadly floodwaters. The fact sheet explains how workers should be trained to prevent back strains and other injuries caused by repeatedly lifting and carrying heavy loads, and frequently working in awkward positions filling and stacking sandbags. The fact sheet also encourages employers to provide equipment such as safety glasses and waterproof work boots, gloves, and other gear that protects workers from such hazards as exposure to chemically treated sandbags and polluted floodwater. For more fact sheets on other safety and health topics, visit OSHA's publications Web page.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will delay the launch of CSA 2010, its new set of safety standards for the trucking industry, to incorporate feedback from carriers and regional testing. The system, originally to have been launched this summer, will be rolled out incrementally, with a major data-collection system expected to be in place by December.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration unveiled a regulation that will require the installation of electronic recorders in the fleets of trucking companies that repeatedly violate the driver-time-limit rule. The recorders are designed to record the time spent by drivers behind the wheel but will be imposed only on firms that do not meet the requirements during on-site compliance reviews. Find the details here.

A heat wave hit the Northeast this week, causing temperatures in Providence, R.I., and other areas to rise to record levels. The National Weather Service raised a red flag warning for Southern New England, where a possible outbreak of brush fires could occur. Learn more.

The 11th annual National Work Zone Awareness Week will be observed April 19-23, with a national kickoff scheduled for April 19, 10:30 a.m., in New York City at Battery Park. This year’s theme is “Work Zones Need Your Undivided Attention.” See the following Web sites for ideas and resources for promoting work zone awareness: NIOSH work zone safety research (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/highwayworkzones), American Traffic Safety Services Association (http://www.atssa.com/cs/root/news_pr/nwzaw), and a national resource for work zone safety (http://wzsafety.tamu.edu).

Rosin-core solder is commonly used by workers in many industries to make electrical connections. When rosin-core solder wire is heated by a soldering iron, fumes are produced that contain a wide variety of chemicals, including aldehydes, terpenes, and resin acids. Inhalation of these fumes can aggravate existing asthma or lead to new onset asthma, and can cause irritation of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes, and dermatitis can result from skin contact.

The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services’ (NJDHSS) Work-Related Asthma Surveillance and Intervention Project has identified 13 workers since 1990 who have experienced the development or aggravation of asthma as a result of exposure to solder flux fumes. On-site industrial hygiene investigations revealed that local exhaust ventilation systems are often lacking or improperly used.

NJDHSS developed a concise brochure intended to alert solderers of the fume hazard and methods for preventing exposure: http://www.nj.gov/health/surv/documents/wrarosin.pdf.

The United Kingdom’s Health and Safety Executive has published more detailed safety and health information on solder flux fumes: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg249.pdf.

The Sioux City, Iowa community school district and the Desert Sands Unified School District in La Quinta, Calif., have become the first two school districts in the nation to develop policies that address the problem of teachers bullying other teachers. According to Gary Namie, the cofounder of the Workplace Bullying Institute in Bellingham, Wash., the policies are necessary because schools cannot persuade students not to bully their peers if they see a principal bullying a teacher. The schools also say that eliminating the absenteeism and lost productivity caused by bullying will provide a financial benefit that can be used to educate children. Read the full article.

Retaliation is defined as any adverse action by an employer against an employee because of a complaint the employee made about discrimination or harassment. Retaliation may also occur against an employee who exercised their rights within laws such as workers' comp and Family and Medical Leave Act. Giving a bad reference for a former employee based on their engagement in such activity may also count as retaliation. Last year, more than 93,000 discrimination claims were filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 25 percent of which were retaliation claims. Businesses should have defined anti-discrimination and sexual harassment policies, and all management teams should know and understand them. Supervisors and managers should also understand what legally constitutes retaliation, as employers have been accused of retaliation when they took action with good intentions, such as transferring a complainant to another department. Companies should investigate and resolve any complaints that are brought, maintaining confidentiality and documenting the process as much as possible. Learn more here.

A new emergency response quick reference guide is available on EMC's website. The one page guide summarizes response actions for schools to take in case of emergencies - actions include evacuation, shelter-in-place, clearing the halls, and lockdown. To download the pdf, visit our forms section under Safety Tools & Resources. Click on School Emergency Response Quick Reference Guide.

Helping your employees understand why exercise is important, how much they need, and how they can stay motivated just got a little easier with WELCOA's new Tool-Kit on Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight. Specifically, this WELCOA Tool-Kit consists of a high-quality presentation on physical activity, handout masters for distribution, and an in-depth fact sheet to help you prepare. It can be used in a variety of ways within your organization—from lunch and learns to presentations to general assemblies. With all the materials at your fingertips, this WELCOA resource should significantly jump start your physical activity initiative.

To access the presentation, handouts and fact sheet simply visit this link.

Flooding can damage a propane system, and so installation experts offer homeowners important tips to protect their propane system and home. Among them: turn off the pilot light and gas valves before evacuating; if you smell gas upon returning, extinguish smoking materials and open flames; and finally, have an inspector check valves and regulators for damage. Read the entire article here.

With discrimination claims to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission resulting in the recovery of a record $294 million in back wages in 2009, attorneys are advising companies to take action to avoid becoming a claims statistic. Legal experts recommend educating employees and managers about discrimination laws, reviewing all firing decisions to ensure workers are treated equally, and carefully recording the events leading to letting an employee go. Learn more.

The National Equipment Register, a division of ISO Crime Analytics, has unveiled a Web site designed to assist heavy-equipment owners and insurers in fighting theft. The site has an interactive map feature that enables visitors to study theft patterns across the country as well as receive alerts and other data on heavy-equipment theft. Learn more here.

As the U.S. moves into tornado season, PCI encourages homeowners, renters and business owners to review their insurance policies and contact their insurance agent or company to discuss coverage options. Learn more here.

The National Equipment Register, a division of ISO Crime Analytics, has unveiled a Web site designed to assist heavy-equipment owners and insurers in fighting theft. The site has an interactive map feature that enables visitors to study theft patterns across the country as well as receive alerts and other data on heavy-equipment theft. Learn more here.

OSHA added another trainer to its "Outreach Trainer Watch List" after an investigation showed the trainer failed to comply with program guidelines. The list comprises individuals whose training authorization status has been revoked or suspended because of fraudulent activity. OSHA's investigation of Tyrone Nichols revealed he failed to collect and retain course records and falsified information on OSHA-issued student course completion cards for an OSHA 10-hour construction safety course. Nichols' training authorization was revoked. OSHA's voluntary Outreach Training Program features a national network of more than 16,000 independent trainers. The agency continues to strengthen the program's integrity by stopping frau dulent trainers from conducting courses.

Despite the slow start of the tornado season this year, the U.S. could still experience more twisters this spring following a fierce winter season, warned the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. "As the southern and plains states heat up this spring, so will the chances for severe thunderstorms, including tornadoes," said IBHS President Julie Rochman. Read more here.

More than a third of the U.S. could experience above-average flooding this spring as heavy snow pack brought by recent winter storms begins to melt, with the Dakotas, Minnesota and Iowa facing the highest risk, according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. "We are looking at potentially historic flooding in some parts of the country this spring," said NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco. Read more here.

Criminals have devised a new way to skim payment card details from people buying gas, by concealing skimming devices within the gas pump. Devices nesting within the pumps were found at about 180 Utah gas stations, and this development reflects the increasing sophistication of card skimmers. Police say more than $11,000 was stolen from California ATMs using data skimmed from a 7-Eleven store in Sandy, Utah. A cell phone-sized Bluetooth skimming device was hidden in the pump and attached to the card reader, according to reports. Police officials say that Bluetooth-enabled sniffers and wireless technology enable criminals to capture data remotely rather than having to physically retrieve the devices. Analyst Bruce Schneier says that criminals in Europe also are hiding skimming devices in gas pumps in an effort to evade detection, and it is unclear whether such fraud is an inside job. "The moral is they are getting better and better at this," he says. Schneier also notes that some of the attacks may be the work of organized criminal gangs. Read the entire article here.

Since 1980, more than 130 workers have been killed and more than 780 injured in combustible dust explosions. OSHA is reminding workers and employers about the hazards of combustible dust and ways to avoid those hazards. OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Web page on combustible dust discusses what current standards apply to help eliminate worker exposure and identifies other agency resources, such as Hazard Communication Guidance for Combustible Dusts* and Hazard Alert: Combustible Dust Explosions fact sheet*, on identifying and controlling the potential for explosions. OSHA is considering rulemaking to develop a combustible dust standard. On Feb. 17, stakeholders participated in an informal meeting meant to seek information for the development of a protective and suitable standard. Comments from a similar meeting held in December 2009 are available on OSHA's Web site.

OSHA has notified approximately 15,000 employers that injury and illness rates at their worksites are considerably higher than the national average. In a letter sent to those employers, Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels explained that the notification is an active step to encourage employers to act now to improve safety and health conditions in their workplaces. To view letter and list of worksites, visit OSHA's Freedom of Information Act Web page.

OSHA updated the Screening and Surveillance: A Guide to OSHA Standards* pocket guide that provides occupational health professionals with an overview of OSHA requirements on medical screening and surveillance. It describes what physical examinations and tests, such as chest x-rays, lung function tests and blood tests, are required to measure worker exposure to chemicals such as hexavalent chromium and benzene, and other workplace hazards such as noise and bloodborne pathogens. This quick-reference tool also points to the appropriate standards for more specifics. Copies can be ordered online from OSHA's publications Web page.

The All-Hazard Consequence Management Planning for the Water Sector (All-Hazard CMP) helps drinking water and wastewater utilities incorporate all-hazard consequence management planning into their emergency preparedness, response, and recovery plans and programs. The All-Hazard CMP was produced by a workgroup made up of drinking water and wastewater utilities, water sector associations, and representatives of state and Federal water programs. It includes:

• Customizable lists of preparedness, response, and recovery actions that will improve resiliency across all hazards.
• Consequence-specific lists of actions for potential hazards that are most relevant to drinking water and wastewater utilities.
• Example incident-specific flow charts and checklists developed by a utility with links to the downloadable and customizable versions online.
• Information on how the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS) are used in preparedness and during response and recovery.

As temperatures begin to rise, so does the risk of possible flooding in many sections of the country. The National Weather Service provides flood potential outlooks that you can review for specific areas of the country. Flood outlooks are issued biweekly during the winter and spring with the next winter/spring flood outlook due out Friday March 5th. To see flood and other weather hazards across the country, check out the National Warnings page from the National Weather Service.

Help prepare for potential flooding with EMC's disaster planning links, Loss Prevention Information Manual section, and Water Damage Tech Sheet. If a flood should occur, use HSB's Flood Recovery Alert Document to help you clean and restart equipment safely.

Rutgers University (RU) computer scientists have demonstrated how rootkits could surreptitiously instruct a smartphone to eavesdrop on a meeting, track its owner's location, or rapidly drain the battery. Smartphones "run the same class of operating systems as desktop and laptop computers, so they are just as vulnerable to attack by malicious software, or malware," says RU professor Vinod Ganapathy. Rootkits attack the operating system of a computer's software and can only be detected using a virtual machine monitor from outside a corrupted system. Rootkit attacks on smartphones could be especially effective because smartphone users tend to carry their phones with them all the time, which creates opportunities for attackers to eavesdrop, extract personal information, or pinpoint the users location using the phone's global positioning system. Smart phones also have new ways for malware to get into the system, such as through a Bluetooth radio channel or via text messages.

Beginning April 2010, federal requirements will change for contractors performing renovation, repair, or painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 that are visited regularly by a child under the age of six. These contractors must now be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. Learn more at www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovaterightbrochure.pdf.

The use of disinfectants has increased because of the concern about exposure to infectious agents, such as the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. A patient seen recently at the Michigan State University Clinic, one of the clinics in the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics, complained of respiratory symptoms that had developed at work after exposure to a spray disinfectant. Aerosol cans of disinfectant had been distributed by supervisors and, when people coughed at work, disinfectant was inappropriately sprayed in the air instead of surfaces, according to the clinic. A summary of the allergenic/irritant effects of disinfectants can be found at www.oem.msu.edu/userfiles/file/News/v20n2.pdf.

Approximately 80 workers die from electric shock and other related hazards each year while working in jobs related to transmission and distribution of electric power. To address that issue, OSHA recently published an eTool to help workers and employers be in compliance with 29 CFR Part 1910.269, the Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution Standard.

Research has shown that burglary rates for businesses can be ten times those of households. To make matters worse, businesses and institutions that are burglarized are often victimized more than once. A new report from ASIS International can help you gain insight into how to assess, manage, and respond to burglaries that occur at commercial and industrial sites. Download the report here - Preventing Burglary in Commercial and Institutional Settings: A Place Management and Parternships Approach.

OSHA recently updated its guidance document Recommendations for Workplace Violence Prevention Programs in Late-Night Retail Establishments that addresses issues causing late-night retail workers to be killed on the job. These workplace violence guidelines include policy recommendations and practical corrective methods to help prevent and mitigate the effects of workplace violence in late-night retail establishments.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics' data, 167 retail trade workers were killed in 2007. Nearly half of these were employed in late-night establishments such as gasoline stations, liquor and convenience stores.

Effective immediately, drivers of commercial vehicles are expressly prohibited from texting while driving. This move is the latest in a series of actions taken by the DOT to combat distracted driving. Truck and bus drivers who text while driving commercial vehicles may be subject to civil or criminal penalties and fined up to $2,750. View the DOT press release for more information on the ban.

Hexavalent chromium is a toxic chemical that can cause cancer and damage to the nose, throat and lungs of workers. The new Hexavalent Chromium booklet explains OSHA's hexavalent chromium standards so that workers and employers know the best ways to prevent illness and death caused by exposure in the workplace. Visit OSHA's publications Web page for more resources on hexavalent chromium and other information on staying safe and healthy on the job.

OSHA has produced two new videos that feature training and guidance on respirator safety. The "Respirator Safety" video shows healthcare workers how to correctly put on and take off respirators, such as N95s. The "Difference between Respirators and Surgical Masks" video explains the particular uses for each one and how they prevent worker exposure to infectious diseases. Viewers can watch both English and Spanish versions by visiting the Department of Labor's YouTube site. Videos have proven to be useful and have been viewed 2,153 times in only two days.

The calendar says it is almost winter, so OSHA is reminding employers and workers, whose work is concentrated outside, to take the necessary precautions to prevent cold-related injuries and illnesses. OSHA's "Cold Stress Pocket Card" (English/Spanish) provides recommendations on protecting workers in cold environments. Electronic copies can be downloaded from OSHA's publications page.

High-visibility warning garments are required safety attire for highway and road construction workers according to a new letter of interpretation recently released by the OSHA, available here.

In 2004, OSHA issued a letter of interpretation about the use of high-visibility apparel in highway construction. The letter emphasized that section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act requires workers in highway work zones to wear high-visibility apparel. However, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission ruled that OSHA's letter indicated a more limited position: high-visibility garments are only required where the Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) mandates their use.

Therefore, OSHA is issuing a new letter stating that all highway and road construction workers must wear high-visibility apparel regardless of whether the MUTCD requires them. OSHA considers road and construction traffic a well-recognized hazard to highway/road construction workers. Bureau of Labor Statistics reinforced the need for using safety apparel when data from 2003 to 2007 showed there were 425 road construction work zone fatalities.

OSHA published a proposed rule Sept. 30 to align the Hazard Communication Standard with provisions of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. See the fact sheet and Sept. 30 Federal Register notice for details.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the federal research agency for workplace safety and health, recently published guidance for reducing exposure to crystalline silica dust during construction activities. The guidance suggests using a water-spray attachment to suppress dust when operating construction equipment such as a jackhammer. Silica is known to cause the lung disease silicosis. Visit NIOSH's Web site for more information.

http://ohsonline.com/articles/2009/10/07/alliance-creates-respirator-fit-testing-card.aspx

The Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare's alliance with OSHA brainstormed the idea during a conference call that included NIOSH's National Personal Protective Technology Lab.

The Department of Homeland Security has released new guidelines to help small businesses prepare for 2009 H1N1 influenza. The document covers how to write a preparedness plan and ten tips to help protect the health of your employees.

Planning for 2009 H1N1 Influenza: A Preparedness Guide for Small Businesses:
http://www.flu.gov/professional/business/smallbiz.pdf

Six years ago, the Department of Homeland Security selected September to be National Preparedness Month in honor of the victims who were lost during the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York. Emphasis will be given to teach the public how to communicate important preparedness messages to their family, their business and their community with a new series of customizable materials. Visit http://www.ready.gov for more information.

To help people determine what natural disasters their home or business faces and how to protect against those hazards, the IBHS Web site www.disastersafety.org offers a ZIP code tool that will generate a list of risks at that location. Property protection projects are provided to help minimize the impact of natural events such as windstorms, flooding, earthquakes, wildfires, severe winter weather and hailstorms.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has released new guidance recommending actions that non-healthcare employers should take now to decrease the spread of seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu in the workplace and to help maintain business continuity during the 2009-2010 flu season.

These toolkits include strategies organizations can use to implement the CDC's flu-related recommendations. They also contain recommendations regarding when a worker who is ill with influenza may return to work.

• Preparing for the Flu: A Communication Toolkit for Businesses and Employers
  http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/business/toolkit/pdf/Business_Toolkit.pdf
• Preparing for the Flu: A Communication Toolkit for Schools (Grades K-12)
  http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/schools/toolkit/

OSHA released a new guidance document, Hazard Communication Guidance for Combustible Dusts, which is intended to assist chemical manufacturers and importers in recognizing the potential for dust explosions, identifying appropriate protective measures, and disseminating this information on material safety data sheets and labels.

The document addresses the combustible dust hazards in relation to the Hazard Communication Standard, which is designed to ensure that chemical hazards are evaluated and the information concerning them is transmitted to employers and workers.

It addresses five key areas:

• OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard
• Identifying and Controlling the Potential for Dust Explosions
• MSDS Preparation
• Product Labels
• Training and Information

For more information, visit www.jjkeller.com/referencematerials/073109dust.pdf

The Department of Labor announced Wednesday that it will pursue a "comprehensive rulemaking" on combustible dust.

OSHA intends to issue an advance notice of proposed rulemaking, and stakeholder meetings will be scheduled to evaluate possible regulatory methods.

Depending on where you live and work, the hot, hazy days of summer are either already here in all their sweltering glory, or they're fast approaching. OSHA wants to remind everyone that the heat can be especially harmful for those who work outdoors in direct sunlight or in hot environments, making them susceptible to heat-induced illnesses such as heat stress, heat exhaustion, or the more serious heat stroke.

Through fact sheets such as Protecting Workers from the Effects of Heat and Working Outdoors in Warm Climates, the agency explains heat stress phenomena and provides recommendations to protect workers from exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Employers and workers will find more practical tips for guarding against UV radiation in Protecting Yourself in the Sun, a pocket-sized card addressing various forms of skin cancer. These publications are free and can be downloaded from OSHA's Publications page.

The federal minimum wage for covered nonexempt employees increases to $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. By law, you are required to post this new information.

Make sure your labor law postings are current

Numerous states are holding corporate and institutional violators of fluorescent lamp handling requirements accountable for their actions.

The Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) commends the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state governments for taking these violations seriously. While EPA and other agencies recommend that all mercury-containing lamps be recycled, requirements vary state to state, and some residents may not be aware of bans on the disposal of such products that have been enacted in California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont, with an incinerator ban in Florida.

To find a lamp recycler near you, click here. For information on the applicable regulations in your state, see: http://www.almr.org/statebystate.html. (Note that some local jurisdictions have their own requirements as well.) Consumers can find drop-off sites for used lamps at www.earth911.org.

"Controlling Silica Exposures in Construction," "OSHA's Small Business Guide for Ethylene Oxide" and "Pneumatic Nail Gun Safety Tips" QuickCard™ are three new information resources available on OSHA's Web site.

Ticks can be more than just a nuisance to those who work outside - they can cause serious illnesses, including Lyme Disease. Workers in the construction, landscaping, forestry, farming, railroad, oil field, park and wildlife management, and utility industries - to name a few - are at increased risk of tick-related and other outdoor hazards. OSHA has resource information on these potential hazards and how to prevent them in the "Working Outdoors in Warm Climates" fact sheet. More information is available in the Safety and Health Information Bulletin: "Potential for Occupational Exposure to Lyme Disease."

OSHA issued worker safety and health guidance for H1N1 flu, including fact sheets on "What Employers Can Do to Protect Workers from Pandemic Influenza" (English/Spanish), "Respiratory Infection Control: Respirators Versus Surgical Masks" (English/Spanish), and "Healthcare Workplaces Classified as Very High or High Exposure Risk for Pandemic Influenza" (English/Spanish). QuickCards™ were also released on "Pandemic Flu Respiratory Protection" (English/Spanish) and "How to Protect Yourself in the Workplace during a Pandemic" (English/Spanish).

http://ohsonline.com/articles/2009/05/16/5000-pool-chemical-injuries-treated-annually.aspx

A study in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report is timed to 2009 National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week (May 18-24) with the aim of educating parents, instructors, pool maintenance workers, and others.

For a complete set of prevention recommendations, visit this site. CDC's Health Swimming Web site is www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming.

The United States Fire Administration offers tips to reduce the chances that you may become a victim of arson. More...

Consumer safety advocates say a new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulation regarding automotive roof strength doesn't do enough to keep occupants from being crushed when a vehicle rolls over. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers says that it "supports NHTSA's goal of enhancing rollover safety, but enhanced roof strength is only one part of that plan," along with safer driving to prevent rollovers in the first place.

WASHINGTON - Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said Tuesday that the government would soon propose new safety rules to protect workers from industrial dust that can cause explosions and a popcorn flavoring chemical linked to lung disease. The announcement is part of her efforts to boost safety enforcement at the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

One proposal would seek to limit worker exposure to diacetyl, a flavoring agent in microwave popcorn that is blamed for sickening hundreds of popcorn plant workers. Solis said she will convene a special panel next month that would allow small businesses to suggest how any new rules could minimize the economic burden on their operations. Solis also said OSHA plans to propose new standards on combustible dust particles that can cause explosions at some work sites. Investigators blamed sugar dust at a Georgia refinery for a massive explosion last year that killed 14 people. Labor Department officials declined to provide further details on the new rules, which are expected to be proposed later this year.

Drywall manufactured in, and imported from, China for use in construction projects in the United States recently has become a topic of active scrutiny in the media and among some public policymakers. Because drywall is a widely used building material in U.S. homes and commercial structures, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) has developed a brief fact sheet outlining concerns about the strength of Chinese drywall relative to similar products, as well as any potential negative impact on other building systems. Please click here to read the fact sheet.

Every building is susceptible to water damage. Whether caused by natural elements or a burst or leaky pipe, knowing how to properly respond to the situation can mean the difference between a quick recovery and potentially losing your business. IBHS offers tips on how to prepare your business so you can respond quickly and effectively in the event of water damage to prevent a minor inconvenience from turning into a major disaster. Please click here for information about how to prepare for, respond to and recover from commercial water damage.

According to a report issued by the Jewelers’ Security Alliance this week, crimes against U.S. jewelers increased by more than 16 percent in 2008, resulting in $103.5 million in total losses. The alliance also reported a sharp increase in “grab and run’ type robberies, which were reportedly up by 49 percent in 2008. On a positive note, however, the number of jewelers killed during robberies has dramatically dropped over the last 10 years, with only two being killed last year.

http://www.securityinfowatch.com/Retail/1310700

On Feb. 1, employers were to begin posting a summary of the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred last year. Employers are only required to post the Summary (OSHA Form 300A) -- not the OSHA 300 Log -- from Feb. 1 to April 30, 2009. Copies of OSHA Forms 300, 300A and 301 are available on the OSHA Recordkeeping Web page.

The danger of a flood does not end when the rains cease. Cleanup crews must work together and look out for one another to ensure safety. For more information call 888-246-2675 or see NIOSH’s Storm and Flood Cleanup site at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/emres/flood.html.

Health and Safety Recommendations for Workers Who Handle Human Remains

Employers and workers face a variety of health hazards when handling, or working near, human remains. Workers directly involved in recovery or other efforts that require the handling of human remains are susceptible to bloodborne viruses such as hepatitis and HIV, and bacteria that cause diarrheal diseases, such as shigella and salmonella. For more information on this, and other health-related issues affecting workers, visit OSHA’s Web site at www.osha.gov. More detailed guidance addressing this topic can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Website at http://www.cdc.gov.

TAMPA - Tornadoes are a grim reminder of nature's power and unpredictability. While such destructive storms were once unexpected in winter, some of the fiercest outbreaks in recent years occurred during January, February and March, as evidenced by yesterday's deadly storms in Oklahoma. More information about disaster-resistant construction and increased protection from all hazards is available on the IBHS Web site http://www.disastersafety.org/.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today published in the Federal Register final changes to its Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) that, among other enhancements, allow participation by companies with mobile workforces.

The VPP, the agency's recognition initiative for workplace safety and health excellence, will provide new options for construction contractors and other employers who may have employees at various locations. Other VPP changes for eligible organizations include a streamlined application process, outreach and mentoring, and onsite workplace evaluations.

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=17270

An interactive blog that can serve as a tool for fire personnel has been launched by the United States Fire Administration. The agency encourages users to post comments and success stories. The purpose of this blog is to facilitate an ongoing dialogue with the Fire Service that contributes to fostering a solid foundation in prevention, preparedness, and response with respect to fire and related emergencies.

New Product Safety Requirements

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is reminding the public that in February 2009, new requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act take effect. Manufacturers, importers, and retailers are expected to comply with the new Congressionally-mandated laws.

When CPSIA was signed into law on Aug. 14, 2008, it became unlawful to sell recalled products. All resellers should check the CPSC Web site for information on recalled products before taking into inventory or selling a product. The selling of recalled products also could carry civil and/or criminal penalties. The agency has underway a number of rulemaking proposals intended to provide guidance on the new lead limit requirements.