To find out what’s in OSHA’s revised Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), you can read this 280-word story or the 858 pages that appeared in the Federal Register. We’ll also give you a link to the FR notice just in case.

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Tags: Globally Harmonized System, hazard communication, hazcom, material safety data sheets

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office has filed criminal charges against a college professor who supervised a UCLA lab where a staff research assistant was killed in a fire three years ago. The University of California also faces millions of dollars in criminal fines in the case.

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Tags: criminal charges, research assistant killed in fire, UCLA fatal fire

While some lawmakers in Washington are harping on OSHA for creating too many regulations, a recent report says during the last ten years, there have been fewer new regulations produced by the agency than in any other period in its history.

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Tags: diacetyl, OSHA Inaction, Public Citizen, silica, small business, too many new regulations

A worker with chemical sensitivity who is also called “a fairly heavy smoker” by a doctor says exposure to substances at work caused her to be permanently and totally disabled. Can she prove that, and can she get workers’ comp?

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Tags: anhydrous ammonia, bleach, chemical sensitivity, methyl bromide, pesticides, Russell Stover, smoker, Workers' comp

Bostik, Inc., a manufacturer of adhesives, faces $917,000 in OSHA fines for 50 citations following the agency’s investigation into a March 13, 2011, explosion that injured four workers at the company’s Middleton, MA, plant.

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Tags: acetone, Bostik Inc., explosion, OSHA fine, process safety management

A gas leak sent 43 workers from a California tomato processing plant to local hospitals with breathing problems. The gas is used in a sanitation process that makes tomatoes safe for consumption.

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Tags: chlorine dioxide, evacuation, gas leak, Pacific Coast Producers, tomatoes

If we asked you to name a well known corporation with an excellent safety reputation, DuPont is one name that might come to mind. But a new report on three gas leaks and a fatality at a DuPont plant calls the company’s safety culture into question.

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Tags: Chemical Safety Board, DuPont, phosgene, preventive maintenance, safety reputation

A company and its owner have agreed not to employ people to work with explosives to settle a $1.2 million OSHA fine in connection with an explosion that killed two workers.

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Tags: Black mag, egregious violation, explosion, killed two workers, surrendered license

Establishing an open-door policy for employees to bring safety problems to management’s attention can be a real cost-saver: In this case, it might have saved thousands of dollars in OSHA fines.

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Tags: bloodborne pathogens, confined spaces, respiratory program, training, worker complaint

A Baltimore man has won an $814,500 judgment after he developed popcorn lung from workplace exposure.

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Tags: bronchiolitis obliterans, diacetyl, Kenneth McClain, popcorn lung

A new study shows when employees need safety training and information about their jobs, they’re most likely to consult …

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Tags: safety info, Safety training, workers' perceptions

An administrative law judge with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has upheld fines against an Ohio company. An inspection revealed several employees had symptoms of a potentially fatal respiratory disease after sweeping up pigeon droppings.

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Tags: fatal respiratory disease, histoplasmosis, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, pigeon droppings, worker struck in head

Two state laws seem to conflict about employees’ right to sue their employer over exposure to toxic chemicals.

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Tags: General Dynamics, occupational exposure to hazardous substances, toxic chemicals, Workers' comp, wrongful death

Federal law requires companies to allow a union representative to accompany an OSHA compliance officer on a facility inspection. But in a recent case involving Honeywell, there’s an added factor:

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Tags: acid leak, Honeywell, OSHA inspection, union rep, warrant

A lot of debate will occur between this week’s announcement of President Obama’s proposed budget, including funding for OSHA, and the start of the new federal fiscal year on Oct. 1. Forget about that debate for now. Instead, take a look at what OSHA plans to do with its funding, especially if you own a small business.

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Tags: enforcement, inspections, OSHA budget, severe violators, small business

Sixteen residents have filed a lawsuit to stop Bayer CropScience from using a toxic chemical at a West Virginia plant where an explosion killed two workers in August 2008.

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Tags: Bayer CropScience, methyl isocyanate, production pressure, resident lawsuit, toxic chemical

A new report recommends OSHA look to the European Union (EU) for a system to manage workers’ exposure to hazardous chemicals.

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Tags: European Union, hazardous chemicals, PELs, REACH

Pressure to resume production was a key factor in an explosion at the Bayer CropScience pesticide manufacturing plant that killed two workers, according to a government report.

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Tags: Bayer CropScience, Chemical Safety Board, explosion, maintenance, production pressure

Occupational safety professionals have weighed in on their top issues for the coming year. See if you agree.

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Tags: AIHA, injury and illness prevention program, material safety data sheets, permissible exposure limits, top safety priorities 2011

Earlier this week, BP released its report on the causes of the April 20 explosion at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that killed 11 workers and spilled an estimated 206 million gallons of oil into the ocean. In some quarters, the reaction to BP’s report has been anything but positive.

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Tags: BP report, Deepwater Horizon, Halliburton, rig explosion, Transocean

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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Tags: OSHA citation, retaliation complaint, whistleblower

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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Tags: BP, BP Texas City explosion, Chemical Safety Board

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