Death in Seconds: The Dangers of Grain Engulfment
April 9–13, 2018, was Stand-Up for Grain Engulfment Prevention Week, a joint effort by the agricultural sector, the states, and OSHA to eliminate one of the most dangerous hazards for farmworkers.
Category: Equipment and Machinery Safety
In Boiler Safety, Water Level Is Critical
An OSHA-funded presentation on boiler safety given by Western Iowa Tech Community College (WITCC) states that there are “four major categories of catastrophic failure that exist in the boiler itself.”
Ladder Safety Month: OSHA Standards to Know
March is National Ladder Safety Month, an observance organized by the American Ladder Institute (ALI) to raise awareness about ladder hazards and provide resources to prevent ladder-related injuries. Yesterday, we covered some key safe work practices for employees who use ladders. Today, we’ll review the basics of OSHA’s compliance requirements for ladders.
Citing Safety, Faster Poultry Line Speeds Rejected by the Feds
An agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has rejected a petition by the National Chicken Council to waive speed limits at U.S. poultry plants.
Mobile Robot Safety Is Moving into the Future
In 2007, a multicamera system called SafetyEYE was developed that monitored the work space around industrial robots, enabling them to adjust their behavior when a human worker entered their work space. The innovation made it possible for humans and robots to work together in a way that they never could before. In 2009, the first […]
Alliance Aims to Bring People and Robots Together Safely
Industrial robots come in two major types: fixed robots that work from a fixed platform and mobile robots that move around the workplace. Both kinds of robots can pose hazards to humans. For fixed robots, the hazard is typically controlled by physical guards that prevent humans from entering the robot’s swing radius or point of […]
Manufacturer Fined Over $600K Following Worker Injury
An Ohio manufacturer of cast steel freight components is facing more than $610,000 in proposed penalties after OSHA investigators found workers at a Groveport facility exposed to machine hazards and silica. One worker was hospitalized after suffering severe injuries when he was caught in a machine. At least four employees were exposed to excessive levels […]
The Potential Risks of 3D Printers
The decreased cost and increased attention to three-dimensional, or 3D, printing has led to questions about the safety and potential health effects of these devices. New research published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene found that common filaments used in the printers can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the printing process. According […]
EHS on Tap: E22 What’s on the Horizon for OSHA’s Lockout/Tagout Rule?
Servicing and maintaining equipment is dangerous business, causing up to 50,000 injuries and 120 fatalities, including electrocution, burns, crush injuries, cuts, lacerations, amputations, and fractures, each year. Obviously, a strong regulatory system is needed, but does OSHA’s standard reflect current technology? What are some of the alternative methods that can be used that offer the […]
Fatal Forklift Accident Results in Fine for Building Supply Company
Cal/OSHA fined a roofing and building supply company $62,320 for multiple serious accident-related safety violations following an investigation of a fatal forklift accident in San Francisco.