Category: Fire Safety

CSB Issues Update on September Fire, Toxic Plume in Georgia

On November 22, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released an update on its investigation into a September 29 chemical reaction and toxic gas release at the Bio-Lab, Inc., facility in Conyers, Georgia. The incident led to a massive fire and plume of toxic smoke that threatened the surrounding community and the […]

Syracuse Foundry Facing Nearly $1 Million in OSHA Penalties

A Syracuse, New York, iron foundry faces accumulated penalties of nearly $1 million after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) again cited the employer for workplace health and safety violations, the agency announced November 15. Frazer & Jones LLC operates one of the nation’s largest ductile and malleable iron foundries, which has been operating […]

Wildfire Smoke Alert Issued for California’s Ventura County

On November 7, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) reminded employers to protect workers from wildfire smoke produced by the Mountain Fire, which is impacting air quality in areas around Ventura County. The agency referred employers to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) for the latest information on […]

NIOSH Unveils Winners of Respirator Fit Challenge

On October 23, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced the winners of the third and final phase of its Respirator Fit Evaluation Challenge. NIOSH issued the challenge, seeking practical solutions that provide real-time results on filtering facepiece respirator fit. In Phase 1 of the challenge, entrants submitted concept papers outlining their […]

OSHA Reaches Settlement Agreement in 2019 Explosion, Fire

Chemical manufacturer AB Specialty Silicones LLC has agreed to pay $1.3 million in penalties in connection with a May 2019 explosion and fire at its Waukegan, Illinois, plant that claimed the lives of four workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced October 2. Following OSHA’s investigation, it proposed penalties totaling $1,591,176 for four […]

Nebraska Grain Cooperative Facing $535K OSHA Fine

Legacy Cooperative, a Nebraska grain cooperative, faces a $536,965 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fine for two willful and 22 serious violations, the agency announced October 3. OSHA initiated an inspection as part of its local emphasis program (LEP) for grain-handling facilities in the state. Agency inspectors identified life-threatening hazards at the employer’s Hemingford, […]

Shipyard Employer Facing $164K OSHA Fine Following Fire

South Marine Systems of Westlake, Ohio, faces $164,540 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines after a large fire erupted in the cargo hold of the Cuyahoga, a commercial iron ore vessel moored at the Port of Ashtabula, the agency announced September 16. According to OSHA, workers narrowly avoided disaster after a large fire […]

NIOSH Seeks Input on Draft Wildfire Smoke Review

On September 13, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released a draft hazard review for wildfire smoke (89 Fed. Reg. 74960). Comments on the draft hazard review are due November 12. According to NIOSH, wildfire smoke has become an increasingly widespread and potentially serious threat to public health in recent years. Natural […]