A jury in Chicago has awarded the largest individual verdict in a popcorn lung disease case.
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Tags: BASF Corp., bronchiolitis obliterans, diacetyl, jury award, popcorn lung
Ingredients for disaster: flammable materials, confined space, no emergency responders on site.
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Tags: Cabin Creek explosion, Chemical Safety Board, five workers killed, Xcel Energy
A federal agency says it’s overburdened and understaffed, and as a result, other investigations will suffer because of its work on the BP oil rig explosion.
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Tags: BP disaster, Chemical Safety Board, ConAgra Slim Jim explosion, Kleen Energy explosion
OSHA administrator David Michaels has called for a new emphasis on the health regulation side of the agency. Recent fines received by one company show the potential impact of this new emphasis.
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Tags: health fines, hexavalent chromium, lead, permissible exposure limit
It should come as no surprise to a company that it will face a retaliation complaint if it fires a whistleblower who complained to OSHA about workplace safety.
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It must be a case of deja vu for the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB). Five years ago it was investigating an explosion in Texas that killed 15 BP workers. Now it will investigate the Gulf explosion and spill that killed 11 BP workers.
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OSHA has placed 20 to 25 of its inspectors at the staging areas for cleanup of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. While early concerns centered around exposure to oil and fumes, OSHA officials are finding another problem:
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Tags: BP, Gulf of Mexico, heat stroke, OSHA
Indictments have been returned against United Oil Recovery Services and three of its managers in connection with a worker’s death in 2008.
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Tags: hydrogen sulfide, indictments, managers charged in death
As part of its recent “get tough” stance, OSHA has promised to go after companies with previous violations and to re-emphasize health inspections. This case covers both bases.
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Tags: health hazards, lead, repeat offenders
A 28-year-old worker was killed while welding barrels outside of a car repair shop.
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Tags: explosion, residual chemical vapors, welding
Do antibacterial soaps do more harm than good? A government agency is looking into that.
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Tags: antibacterial soap, FDA, triclosan
OK, we admit it: We’ve written plenty of articles on this Web site pointing out the dangers when drivers and workers are distracted by cell phones. But soon, those devices may play an important part in keeping people safe.
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Tags: cell phones, Cell-All, Department of Homeland Security, detect chemicals, NASA
A New Jersey state appeals court has upheld a record $30.3 million jury award in an asbestos-related mesothelioma lawsuit. The case is also noteworthy because of the test recognized by the court for a mesothelioma case.
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Tags: asbestos, mesothelioma, record jury award
On March 23, 2005, a series of explosions at BP’s Texas City, TX, refinery resulted in 15 fatalities and 170 injuries.
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Tags: BP refinery explosion, change, prevention, settle lawsuits, U.S. Chemical Safety Board
An employee faces a slow, painful recovery after being burned over 40% of his body following a workplace explosion.
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Tags: burned, Chemical Safety Board, hot work
A company that processes radioactive waste in Memphis, TN, has agreed to pay 23 former African American employees to settle claims that they were discriminated against, including being exposed to higher levels of radiation than white employees.
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Tags: discrimination, EEOC, radiation exposure
Some call it “pack journalism.” But no matter what it’s called, it’s becoming apparent that the general news media are hitching onto the “OSHA’s not doing its job” bandwagon.
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Tags: CAL-OSHA, DuPont, Las Vegas, media criticism, OSHA
BP must pay more than $100 million in damages for exposing contract workers to toxic chemicals, even though none of the 10 employees in the case suffered major long-term health effects.
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Tags: BP, chemical leak, jury verdict, permissible limits, toxic chemicals
A U.S. company tried — but failed — to block release of a video showing release of a hazardous chemical and a resulting fire, arguing it would “raise substantial issues of national security.”
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Workers sue to be compensated for the time spent changing clothes and showering at the end of each work shift. Do they win? You be the judge.
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Tags: chemical exposure, hazardous chemicals, pay for changing clothes
A recent fatality serves as a reminder of the dangers present at facilities that use, store or transfer anhydrous ammonia.
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Tags: ammonia leak, CF Industries, Fatality, store or transfer ammonia, use
A measure, just signed into law by President Obama, would prohibit chemical companies from classifying safety information as “sensitive” in an effort to keep it from becoming public. The new law is in response to a workplace explosion that caused two fatalities.
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Tags: Bayer CropScience, chemical companies, sensitive information
The construction industry knows it’s a frequent OSHA target. Now we know that darkness won’t keep OSHA inspectors from their rounds.
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Tags: construction, night construction, silica
A government investigation says a chemical company failed to recognize a hazard associated with its manufacturing process even after a number of near-misses.
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Tags: near misses, T2 Laboratories explosion and fire, U.S. Chemical Safety Board
Process safety management fines are commonly tied to chemical manufacturers or refineries. But this case shows any company with refrigeration units can be hit with process safety penalties.
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Tags: anhydrous ammonia, process safety management, refrigeration
OSHA will issue willful violations when it believes a company has ignored well established regulations.
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Tags: ammonia storage, Sinton Dairy Foods, willful violation
OSHA isn’t going to wait around for the next big chemical release or explosion. Companies covered by the agency’s process safety management (PSM) standard shouldn’t be surprised to see inspectors on their doorsteps in the near future.
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Does OSHA work for working people? No way, says David Michaels — the man President Obama will nominate to run the agency.
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Tags: agenda, David Michaels, OSHA
A story that vividly illustrates at least three points:
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Tags: exclusive remedy, eye injury, jury, worker, Workers' comp
UCLA has dropped its appeal of safety citations in connection with a lab fire that claimed the life of an employee. But that may not be the end of trouble for the university in this case as another investigation has started.
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Tags: Cal/OSHA, Sheri Sangji, UCLA lab fire
Tyson Foods will pay a $500,000 fine for willfully violating safety regulations that led a worker to be overcome by hydrogen sulfide fumes and later die.
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Tags: criminal fine, hydrogen sulfide, Tyson Foods
UCLA has paid $31,875 in fines and taken corrective steps after a lab fire that claimed the life of an employee. But now, the university wants to appeal the citation for a technical reason.
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Tags: Cal-OSHA fine, Sheri Sangji, UCLA fatal fire
AHMP SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDS ITS ONLINE COURSE LIBRARY More than 200 new, much-needed EHS&S offerings now available
BETHESDA, MD, May 20, 2009-The Alliance of Hazardous Materials ProfessionalsTM (AHMP), formerly the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers, has expanded its Online Course Library by more than 200 courses, announces A. Cedric Calhoun, CAE, the association’s executive director.
“AHMP is constantly seeking quality programming that meets the emerging informational, educational and training needs of its members,” says Calhoun. “These new online training courses respond to the demands that are challenging AHMP members and all environmental, health, safety and security (EHS&S) professionals today. AHMP is excited to launch these courses that also meet the professional development and budgetary needs of our members and other hazardous materials professionals.”
AHMP is partnering with OverNite Software, inc., an Angleton, Texas-based cutting-edge designer of learning management and delivery solutions, to deliver educational programming to a wide range of EHS&S professionals and to leverage the company’s off-the-shelf courseware that has been customized for AHMP’s Web site.
OverNite Software is the creator of ExxTend LearningTM, an online learning- management system, and is a “Green”, or top level-sponsor, of AHMP through the association’s Corporate & Community Relations Partnership Program.
Each new course offering is affordable and is accessible 24/7 on the AHMP Web site from an Internet-ready computer. The registration fee for these new courses ranges from $25 to $70 for AHMP members and $40 to $90 for nonmembers.
“In these tough economic times AHMP is delivering on its commitment to the hazardous materials management and EHS&S profession to make its online courses affordable, accessible and relevant,” says Calhoun.
AHMP’s new courses offerings deliver instruction in:
AHMP members and other EHS&S professionals can visit the AHMP Online Course Library for the description, learning objectives, estimated completion time and number of certification maintenance points (CMP) awarded for each course.
To learn more about the AHMP Online Course Library, the current EHS&S course offerings or to register for a course today visit http://www.achmm.org/jump/online_ehs_training.htm. AHMP members and other EHS&S professionals also may contact AHMP at (800) 437-0137 or at info@ahmpnet.org.
About AHMP
AHMP is an international membership organization that fosters the professional development of its members through educational programs, peer group interaction and recognition of the Certified Hazardous Materials Managers® (CHMM®) credential and other credentials as standards of excellence in the environmental, health, safety and security (EHS&S) industry. AHMP is comprised of more than 56 chapters in 37 states and more than 4,000 hazardous materials professionals throughout the world.
Tags: hazardous materials
You know OSHA will send inspectors to a facility when there is a fatality or multiple serious injuries. But chemicals leaks will also bring inspectors calling.
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Tags: chlorine leak, Metalor Technologies, process safety management
Companies face two new workplace health and safety rules: one on food flavorings, another on combustible dust.
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Tags: bronchiolitis obliterans, combustible dust explosions, diacetyl
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