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There were 4,764 fatal workplace injuries reported in the United States in 2020—a 10.7% decrease from 5,333 in 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced December 16 with the release of its Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI). The fatal workplace injury rate was 3.4 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers—down from 3.5 […]
As the year winds down, we’re taking a look this week at some highlights from 2021. Today, we’re highlighting excerpts from some of our favorites from our Back to Basics feature, which made its debut in late July. August 9: Common Hazards, Frequent Citations Don’t let all the new, exotic workplace hazards distract you from […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced it has proposed more than $3.3 million in penalties in 54 inspections at Dollar General store locations nationwide since 2016. The agency most recently cited a Mobile, Alabama store for three repeat violations and proposed $321,827 in penalties. The store’s operator, Dolgencorp LLC, failed to keep the main […]
The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board meets December 16 to consider readoption of the state’s COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS). The ETS, originally adopted in November 2020, was readopted June 17 and expires January 14, 2022. Under California administrative law, emergency standards remain in effect for 180 days, but the board may twice […]
With COVID-19 cases surging and the fear of contracting the next highly transmissible contagion widespread, American workers are placing a renewed emphasis on cleaning, according to a new survey by the Cleaning Coalition of America. The survey finds that U.S. workers increasingly value enhanced cleaning of the workplace and feel safer seeing professional cleaners on site—a […]
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced in a Total Worker Health (TWH) update that the institute’s grant partners are conducting research on the impact of opioids in the workplace. Extramural researchers have been studying and developing resources related to the prevention of opioid misuse and overdose in working populations. NIOSH has […]
A St. Croix refinery is facing $259,407 in proposed Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalties after the agency cited the company for 20 violations of the process safety management (PSM) standard. Releases of oil and vapor into the air and fiery flares at a St. Croix refinery in February and May led to an […]
The emergence of a new COVID-19 variant has put employers on notice that they may need to beef up their safety protocols or change reopening plans as the omicron variant makes its entrance in the United States. The new variant was discovered abroad in late November. Then, on December 1, the White House confirmed the […]
Across industrial and commercial sectors, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is changing how enterprises approach employee safety, health, performance, and quality. Cloud-connected personal protection wearables can deliver comprehensive real-time safety for at-risk workers, including those working alone or in remote areas, near hazardous gases or in confined spaces. No matter if it’s an injury, […]
Nearly half of workers exposed to hazardous occupational noise do not use hearing protection, according to a recent National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study. The study appeared in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. Researchers found that some of the industries in which noise is a well-recognized hazard had high prevalences of hearing […]