In this week’s summary: OSHA press release patterns; how getting your photo in the local paper can get you in trouble with OSHA; a new book on the wide-ranging effects of sleep; and hotel workers fight safety bingo.
MSDSonline’s blog notes two trends in OSHA news releases this summer: more emphasis on whistleblower cases and a continuing emphasis on proactive hazard identification.
We’ve told you about some of these stories before, and now here’s another one: A newspaper photo led OSHA to issue fines regarding a work site.
Another topic we’ve emphasized over the years: the connection between lack of sleep and workplace injuries and fatalities. Now a new book takes a look at the importance of sleep in our lives. The Barnes and Noble blog has an interview with David Randall, author of “Sleep is so easy to put off.” An excerpt from the interview:
“You’re starting to see a new respect for sleep in places that you might not expect. The U.S. military, for instance, is now acutely aware of how sleep deprivation is a leading cause of friendly fire, and is taking steps to help fatigued soldiers make better decisions.”
And speaking of another hot topic: Which safety incentive programs discourage workers from reporting injuries? Seven workers at the Embassy Suites hotel in Irvine, CA, have filed a complaint with Cal/OSHA against the parent company, HEI Hotels and Resorts, about the hotel’s safety program. The workers say the program discourages workers from reporting injuries on the job to reach the goal of an “accident-free workplace.”
Have you read something on the web regarding safety you’d like to share? Let us know about it and we’ll include it in an upcoming Safety News Summary.