OSHA cites roofing company following fatality at El Paso, Texas, worksite

OSHA cites roofing company following fatality at El Paso, Texas, worksite
OSHA Press Release, January 25, 2011

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites roofing company
following fatality at El Paso, Texas, worksite
Third El Paso roofing incident cited by OSHA within a year

EL PASO, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Spray Polyurethane Foam with five alleged serious and one other-than-serious violation for failing to provide fall protection resulting from an investigation into a fatality at the company's worksite in El Paso.

OSHA's El Paso Area Office initiated the investigation on Aug. 25, 2010, following a report that an employee fell almost 30 feet through the roof and died at the company's worksite at 9600 Plaza Circle. The investigation found that the roof of the facility did not have the required strength and structural integrity for repair work to be performed.

The serious violations include failing to determine if the roof had sufficient structural integrity for making roof repairs, provide employees with fall protection systems and/or personal fall arrest systems, and provide training for employees exposed to possible fall hazards. A serious violation is one in which there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

An other-than-serious violation was issued for failing to contact OSHA within eight hours to report the fatality. An other-than-serious violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.

Proposed penalties for the serious and other-than-serious violations total $8,700.

In October 2010, an employee of another company in El Paso, Empire Roofing, fell through a skylight while making roof repairs. In May 2010, a worker employed by Parsons Roofing in El Paso fell through a roof while repairing roof decking that was rotted and had not been inspected for strength and structural integrity. In both incidents, employees sustained severe injuries while performing roofing repair work.

"Falls are one of the most common and well-known hazards at a worksite, and can injure or kill a worker in a matter of seconds," said Jack Rector, OSHA's area director in El Paso. "OSHA is dedicated to providing a safe and healthful workplace. All three incidents could have been avoided had the employees been provided with fall protection and training."

Detailed information about fall hazards and safeguards is available on OSHA's website at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/fallprotection/construction.html.

Spray Polyurethane Foam has 15 business days from receipt of citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director in El Paso or contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Employers and employees with questions about workplace safety and health standards can call OSHA's El Paso Area Office at 915-534-6151 or the agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) to report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.

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Robins Air Force Base Receives 2nd Set of OSHA Citations

Robins Air Force Base Receives 2nd Set of OSHA Citations

Tuesday, January 25 2011  by Dustin Wilson

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration handed out a second round of citations to Robins Air Force Base last week and employees are voicing their concerns about the work environment

In May of last year OSHA handed down citations to Robins Air Force Base, most of which dealt with high carcinogen levels in building 169 and 670. A new set of citations were issued last week and the reoccurring problem of cancer causing particles in the work area remains and employees are concerned not enough is being done to make sure their work environment is safe.
"You don't know what you're walking into and you don't know what you're walking out of because it's something you really don't see it's kind of like dust you know. You don't know that you're being exposed to anything and then sooner or later, you know there's been people that have got cancer that has worked in that building," said Ray Fisher, an Air Craft Sheet Metal Mechanic at RAFB.

Fisher works in building 169 and is one of around 200 people who work in the building. Many employees are concerned with repeated findings of high exposure levels of chromium, cadmium, and lead, all of which can cause cancer.
These contaminants come from old paint on air craft parts. When the parts are sanded down, dust particles are emitted into the air.
In OSHA's initial round of citations in May of last year, chromium (VI) was found in a number of areas in buildings 169 and 670: A wipe sample of the break room table, where employees eat in building 169 showed 7 micrograms of Chromium (VI) and 13.5 micrograms of chromic acid.
The local union president for base employees, Tom Scott, says the federal government isn’t holding itself accountable.

"They have plenty of resources they could have corrected it. Outside agencies, private sectors the same thing would have been fined about $400-thousand, $600-thousand dollars and the agency is immune from it, you can't fine one another and I don't know if that's why the delay is or not, but I think more or less than need to get these employees a safe environment to work in," said Scott.

Last November OSHA fined the Macon-based company, Aerospace/Defense Coatings of Georgia, more than $300-thousand for over exposure of chromium (VI). Just last week OSHA fined Lead Enterprises Inc. in Miami, Florida, more than $300-thousand for over exposure of lead. OSHA officials say they can't fine other federal agencies.
We spoke with base officials about the carcinogen levels and according to Deryl Israel, the executive director of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, before OSHA cited the violations, base officials thought their work environment was safe.


"What came as I wouldn't say a surprise to us, but we thought we were doing well and OSHA came in and found some things and we've worked since then to understand OSHA's interpretation and adjust our processes to comply with that," said Israel.

Maybe the most staggering of the May citations was in room 117, where according to OSHA a machinist was exposed to more than 17-hundred micrograms of chromium (VI), approximately 342 times the limit established to prevent lung cancer.
Base officials have since shut down the room. But the contamination doesn’t stop there, the most recent OSHA citations said high levels of chromium (VI) and cadmium were found in buildings 59, 89, and 323; further evidence that high contaminant levels could be in other areas on the base.

“As long as I've been on base for 23 years they've been working on air craft parts and the air craft parts have always had that stromium chromate which has chromate (VI) in it," said Tom Scott.

OSHA's most recent citations noted that the base didn’t properly inform employees about exposure levels. Stating employees with skin and eye contact to chromium (VI) did not demonstrate knowledge of the health hazards associated with the contaminant.
"We were never briefed on it, well I wasn't when I come through the door. We knew that we had some hazardous chemicals that we were working with, but they were pretty well known throughout the industry. But as far as the contaminants or the dust and stuff like that, I was not familiar with them until this actually broke lose," said Ray Fisher.

According to the CDC, high exposure levels to chromium can cause a number of health problems including irritation of the nose, runny nose, asthma, and in severe cases lung cancer.



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OSHA fines elevators $1.3 million

Fines and penalties levied in connection with deaths of three employees

posted January 24, 2011

Annawan, Ill. —

Elevator companies in Mt. Carroll and Hillsdale have been fined more than $1.3 million by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in connection with the deaths of three employees in grain bin accidents last year.
Hillsdale Elevator Co. was fined a total of $729,000 as a result of the death of Raymond Nowland, 49, in an accident at the company’s Geneseo facility. That figure includes $15,000 in fines that resulted from an inspection of the company’s elevator in Annawan.
Haasbach LLC of Mt. Carroll was fined $555,000 following an OSHA investigation of the deaths of workers Wyatt Whitebread, 14, and Alex Pacas, 19, at the company’s elevator in Mt. Carroll. OSHA also levied civil money penalties of $68,125 against the company for “employing anyone less than 18. . .to perform hazardous jobs” prohibited by the Fair Labor Standards Act’s child labor standards, according to a news release issued Monday by OSHA.
The news release said Hillsdale Elevator Co. received 17 “willful citations” with penalties of $714,000. The citations allege eight instances of directing workers to enter bins, silos or tanks where a buildup of grain on the sides could fall and bury them; and nine instances of failing to shut down mechanical equipment that could endanger employees.
“A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowing or voluntary disregard  for the law’s requirements or with plain indifference to worker safety and health,” the news release said.
In addition, Hillsdale Elevator Co. was fined a total of $15,000 for five serious citations following an inspection of the company’s facility in Annawan. The news release said a serious citation is issued “when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.”
The news release said both elevator companies have 15 days from receipt of the OSHA citations to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s regional director or contest the findings before OSHA’s review commission.
“The tragic deaths of three people could have been prevented had the grain bin owners and operators followed the occupational safety standards and child labor laws,” said Hilda L. Solis, secretary of labor. “It is unconscionable to allow a minor to work in any high-hazard area. Haasbach’s and Hillsdale’s disregard for the law and commonsense safety practices has led to the devastation of three families.”
OSHA is a part of the U.S. Department of Labor.

Florida Firefighter Hospitalized in Chemical Fire

Florida Firefighter Hospitalized in Chemical Fire
by Melissa Harrold - Story by safetyhelpers.com

January 21, 2011

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. --
Nine people were treated for smoke inhalation after a chemical fire broke out Friday morning at a Deerfield Beach cosmetic manufacturer.  At about 10 a.m., Deerfield Beach Fire Rescue received a report of a fire at Oxygen Development at 1441 W. Newport Center Drive. John Quintoni, of Deerfield Beach Fire Rescue, said firefighters arrived to find a 55-gallon drum on fire in a lab.
According to fire officials, crews quickly extinguished the chemical fire. Eight workers and a firefighter were taken to a hospital for smoke inhalation. About 200 employees were evacuated from the building, and they were checked out for injuries related to the chemicals or smoke inhalation.
Quintoni said testing would have to be done to identify the chemical involved in the fire.
The American Red Cross and the Community Emergency Response Team were at the scene, as were about 22 emergency vehicles, according to Deerfield Beach Fire Rescue.

FL DOT awards $2.19 million contract to repair bridge damaged Friday in fatal tanker crash.

FL DOT awards $2.19 million contract to repair bridge damaged Friday in fatal tanker crash.

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Construction to repair a BeachLine Expressway overpass damaged by a deadly tanker fire will cause headaches for motorists traveling between the Space Coast and downtown Orlando for nearly a month, officials said.

The Florida Department of Transportation awarded a construction contract todayto repair the bridge at North Courtenay Parkway in Merritt Island in 25 days.

FDOT spokesman Steve Olson said that Lane Construction beat two other bidders to win a $2.19 million contract for replacing both spans of an overpass along the BeachLine. The company pledged to have the thoroughfare ready for traffic in less than a month.

Construction began today on the charred roadway, where two drivers were killed Friday afternoon in an explosive crash involving a gas tanker and a pickup. Crews working on the round-the-clock project have to demolish and rebuild two support beams that were damaged, said FDOT engineer Frank O'Dea.

OSHA investigating accident at Good Samaritan

OSHA investigating accident at Good Samaritan
By Brian Slodysko

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating what caused Wednesday's accident at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove in which two workers were injured when a piece of equipment weighing at least 3,000 pounds came crashing down on them.

It is unknown when the investigation will be concluded or what the preliminary findings may be at this time, Kathy Webb, an OSHA area director based out of Aurora, said Friday.

Webb said an investigator was at the hospital on Thursday looking into the cause of the heavy equipment fall.

"We have a six-month statute of limitations on any investigation, but typically they don't take that long" to complete, Webb said.

Advocate Good Samaritan spokeswoman Jennifer Dooley said the hospital does not yet know what caused the accident, which occurred in a narrow maintenance corridor, but that information would "come out in due time."

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The hospital will implement any recommendations made by OSHA, Dooley aid.

The most severely injured of the two workers was still in fair condition at the hospital, she said. The other worker was treated and released after the accident. The hospital has declined to release the names of the two men, citing privacy concerns.

Both of the injured men were authorized to be in the corridor and were performing tasks related to their job at the time of the accident, she said.

According to Webb, Advocate Good Samaritan has two previous OSHA violations on record — one in 2002 and another dating back to 1993.

In 2002, Webb said, inspectors found there was either a blocked door or walkway, but her records weren't specific. She said the hospital was not fined.

In 1993, the hospital racked up five violations, including one in which inspectors found workers had been exposed to patients who potentially had tuberculosis and were not given an adequate number of respirators to protect themselves, Webb said.

10 Most Dangerous Jobs

10 Most Dangerous Jobs - Watch Video

January 21, 2011

Watch the list of the 10 most dangerous jobs in the US last year - according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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US Labor Department's OSHA cites Miami business for deliberately failing to protect employees from lead exposure, Lead Enterprises Inc. issued 32 citations, more than $307,000 in penalties

OSHA News Release

Region 4 News Release: 10-1748-ATL (19)
Jan. 20, 2011

US Labor Department's OSHA cites Miami business for deliberately
failing to protect employees from lead exposure
Lead Enterprises Inc. issued 32 citations, more than $307,000 in penalties

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued citations to Lead Enterprises Inc. in Miami, Fla., alleging that the company knowingly neglected to protect employees from lead exposure. The company is being cited with 32 safety and health violations, and $307,200 in total proposed penalties.

"This company was well aware of what it needed to do to protect its workers from a well-known hazard but failed to provide that protection," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "Lead exposure can cause many serious health issues including brain damage, kidney disease and harm to the reproductive system. Such a blatant disregard for OSHA's lead standard is shameful and will not be tolerated."

Lead Enterprises is a lead recycling and manufacturing company that produces lead products, including fish tackle, lead diving weights and lead-lined walls used in medical radiology facilities.

As a follow-up to a 2009 inspection, OSHA conducted a July 2010 inspection that resulted in four willful citations and proposed penalties of $224,000. The citations allege violations of OSHA's lead standard including exposing workers to lead above the permissible exposure limit; not providing engineering controls to reduce exposure; failure to perform ventilation measurements; failure to provide a clean change area; and failure to provide a suitable shower facility for workers exposed to lead above the permissible level. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Additionally, 21 serious citations with proposed penalties of $70,400 allege that Lead Enterprises failed to perform an initial exposure determination for workers who clean the facility, to conduct quarterly monitoring, to notify workers of air monitoring results, to provide appropriate protective clothing, to maintain surfaces free from lead accumulation, to properly store oxygen and acetylene tanks in the facility, properly install production equipment, and to fix or remove defective forklift trucks. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

"The management of Lead Enterprises acknowledged awareness of the OSHA lead standard and the dangers associated with lead exposure but continued to allow the hazard to exist, exposing employees to a serious health risk," said Darlene Fossum, OSHA's area director in Fort Lauderdale.

Three repeat citations with a proposed penalty of $11,200 have been issued, alleging that the company failed to cover electrical wires on a furnace fan motor and record injuries on the OSHA recordkeeping forms for 2008 and 2010. A repeat citation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.

Two other-than-serious citations were issued with $1,600 in proposed penalties for failing to record instances of medical removal on OSHA 300 logs, and label containers that held lead-contaminated clothing. Two additional other-than-serious citations with no monetary penalties have been issued for failing to certify forklift operators and notify the laundering facility of lead exposure dangers.

In August 2010, OSHA issued citations to E.N. Range Inc. in Miami, a sister company of Lead Enterprises. E.N. Range is the primary lead supplier for Lead Enterprises, and both companies have the same owner. The earlier citations alleged that E.N. Range knowingly neglected to protect employees who clean gun ranges from serious overexposure to lead. E.N. Range also was cited for providing, without medical supervision, non-Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for lead exposure. The company was cited for more than 50 violations of the lead and other standards, with total proposed penalties of $2,099,600. It is currently contesting the citations and penalties.

Lead Enterprises has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The site was inspected by OSHA's area office in Fort Lauderdale; telephone 954-424-0242. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/index.html.

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Amesbury, Mass., manufacturer for emergency response, respirator, chemical, electrical and other hazards

OSHA New Release

Region 1 News Release: 11-49-BOS/BOS 2011-021
Jan. 20, 2011

US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Amesbury, Mass., manufacturer for
emergency response, respirator, chemical, electrical and other hazards
Durasol Corp. faces $43,800 in proposed fines

ANDOVER, Mass. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Durasol Corp. for 13 alleged serious violations of workplace health and safety standards at its Amesbury, Mass., manufacturing plant. The manufacturer of hard gum erasers faces a total of $43,800 in proposed fines.

OSHA's inspection found a variety of emergency response, respirator, electrical and chemical hazards. The citations were issued for a lack of an emergency action plan, inadequate employee training in responding to emergencies, inadequate respirator training, lack of respirator fit-testing and medical evaluation, failure to evaluate respiratory hazards, unmarked exit routes, unlabeled containers of chemicals, severely corroded electrical equipment, an extension cord used in place of permanent wiring, inadequately guarded floor holes, missing stair rails, and an uninspected and improperly located emergency eyewash/shower.

OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

"These citations represent a cross section of deficiencies that, left uncorrected, expose workers to chemical and electrical hazards and to the consequences of not knowing how to respond in the event of an emergency," said Jeffrey Erskine, OSHA's area director for Essex and Middlesex counties in Massachusetts. "Prompt and effective corrective action by the company is warranted to ensure the health and well-being of the workers."

Durasol Corp. has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The inspection was conducted by OSHA's Andover Area Office; telephone 978-837-4460. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/index.html.

Fatal Mine Blast Was Preventable, Report Says

Fatal Mine Blast Was Preventable, Report Says

By JOHN M. BRODER

Published: January 19, 2011

WASHINGTON — The West Virginia coal mine disaster last year that killed 29 miners was a preventable accident caused by a relatively small flare-up of methane gas that touched off a huge coal dust explosion, federal mine safety officials said Wednesday.

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Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

A memorial in July in Whitesville, W.Va., to the miners killed April 5 in the Upper Big Branch blast, which remains under inquiry.

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• Times Topic: Massey Energy Company

In a preliminary report, officials from the Mine Safety and Health Administration said their investigation found that Massey Energy, operator of the Upper Big Branch mine, had repeatedly violated federal rules governing ventilation and control of coal dust to reduce the risk of explosion.
The officials also said that the bits on a cutting tool known as a shearer, in use at the coal seam, were dull and produced sparks that could have ignited the methane gas. Water sprayers that should have doused the flame and controlled the explosive coal dust did not appear to be functioning properly, they said.
The mine safety officials cautioned that their findings, based on months of testing and hundreds of interviews, were tentative and that a more complete report would be ready in 60 to 90 days. They said that questions of negligence or culpability would be decided by a separate Department of Justice criminal investigation, which is continuing.
The Upper Big Branch mine explosion on April 5 was the deadliest coal mining accident in the United States in 40 years.
Shane Harvey, Massey Energy’s vice president and general counsel, said that the company had not been briefed on the interim federal findings provided to the news media on Wednesday and to the families of the dead and injured miners on Tuesday night. But he said that he had seen news accounts of the federal investigation and that the company disagreed with its major conclusions.
“Our findings are different than M.S.H.A.’s working theory, as we understand it,” Mr. Harvey said in an e-mailed statement. “We do not currently believe that there were issues with the bits or the sprays on the shearer that contributed to the explosion. We likewise do not believe that coal dust played a meaningful role in the explosion. We currently believe the mine was well rock dusted and that the mine exploded due to an infusion of high levels of natural gas.”
Mr. Harvey said that company officials would meet with families in the coming days to share their own conclusions about the accident. Federal investigators say they have found no evidence to support Massey’s theory that natural gas seeping into the mine had fueled the inferno.
Kevin G. Stricklin, the mine safety agency’s administrator for coal, said in a briefing for reporters on Wednesday that investigators had not yet pinpointed the source of ignition that led to the devastating explosion that tore through two miles of underground tunnels.
“We looked at 250 potential electrical sources and did not find any electrical ignition sources that could have created this explosion,” Mr. Stricklin said. He said that the most likely cause was sparks from the drilling machine hitting sandstone layers between coal seams, but that investigators had not ruled out sparks from a conveyor belt or a roof collapse.
Mr. Stricklin said that extensive testing had found that the multiple nozzles that were supposed to spray water to cool drill bits and control any sparks were not functioning properly. He said that small ignitions were not uncommon in other mines, but that they were generally controlled by ventilation, water sprayers and fire extinguishers.
He also noted that mine workers had reported significant buildups of coal dust on mining belts and machinery that had not been properly cleaned. He said that Massey had received hundreds of citations at the Upper Big Branch mine for noncompliance with coal dust control rules and other safety and health regulations.
Mr. Stricklin said that compliance with four critical mining practices was sufficient to prevent any underground explosion: adequate air flow, proper coal dust control, availability of water and regular quality-control inspections.
“We have always taken the position that all explosions are preventable,” Mr. Stricklin said, “and we stand by that today.”
After the findings were announced by mine safety officials on Wednesday, Representative George Miller, Democrat of California, released a statement calling on Congress to “close loopholes in federal mine safety law that contributed to the inability of M.S.H.A. to prevent the Upper Big Branch mine tragedy.”

A version of this article appeared in print on January 20, 2011, on page A17 of the New York edition.

Philly Explosion Caught on Video Kills 1, Hurts 6

Gas explosion caught on video kills 1 utility worker in Philadelphia, injures 6 other people

PHILADELPHIA January 19, 2011 (AP)

A gas main explosion caught on video sent a 50-foot fireball into the sky above a Philadelphia neighborhood, killing a utility worker, injuring six other people and forcing dozens of residents from their homes.
The city health department said 19-year-old Mark Keeley, a Philadelphia Gas Works employee, was killed in the blast Tuesday in the Tacony neighborhood, which destroyed nearby buildings and torched several vehicles.
Three PGW employees critically injured in the explosion remained in a hospital burn unit. A hospital spokeswoman said one was in critical but stable condition Wednesday but the families had asked that no further information be released about the others.
Executive Chief Daniel Williams of the Philadelphia Fire Department said two other injured utility employees and a firefighter had been released by Wednesday evening. Debris had been cleared from the scene to allow investigators to begin trying to find the cause of the blast, he said.
Jim Campoli, 61, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that he was at home, listening to the radio, when a police officer banged on his door and told him to evacuate. He said he and several people were standing on the corner watching utility and fire crews working when the fireball burst into the sky.
The force of the explosion knocked down a man standing with Campoli, he said.
"Oh, man! It just blew up the whole street," Campoli said.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter of the American Red Cross opened a comfort center to help residents of the 15 to 20 dwellings affected by the blast. The Red Cross helped about 75 people who visited the center during the evening. All were allowed back home by early Wednesday or found a place to stay, the Red Cross said.
The newspaper said those evacuated included about 24 people from a senior care home.
Jim Smith, a supervisor in the Philadelphia Fire Department's communications center, said a company was dispatched after the center received a report of an odor of gas in the neighborhood.
He said the leak turned out to be "fairly serious" and an additional crew was sent to investigate. He said that's when the blast occurred from some unknown ignition source.

OSHA fines recycler Greenstar for potentially exposing workers to bloodborne pathogens

SAN ANTONIO (MMD Newswire) January 19, 2011 - - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued Greenstar Mid-America LLC 10 serious and 10 other-than-serious citations after an inspection found that workers processing trash were not protected against hypodermic needle sticks and other hazards at the company's facility in San Antonio. Proposed penalties total $53,000.
"This company has put its workers' health at risk by potentially exposing them to bloodborne pathogens, such as hepatitis B," said Jeff Funke, director of OSHA's San Antonio Area Office. "In this case, it is fortunate that no evidence suggests any workers have contracted a disease."
OSHA's San Antonio Area Office initiated a safety and health inspection on July 28, 2010, at the company's facility on Cornerway Boulevard, following a complaint that employees were being stuck by hypodermic needles while sorting trash that was to be recycled.
Serious citations allege failure to provide puncture-resistant gloves for handling trash, provide a tie-off point to prevent employees from falling, use lockout/tagout procedures on machinery, provide a fire alarm system, ensure a fire evacuation plan was followed and ensure workers facing exposure to hepatitis B are vaccinated. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
The other-than-serious citations allege failure to record injuries within a seven-day period, record restricted days, record days when workers were absent and complete logs with detailed information. An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.
Houston, Texas-based Greenstar is a private national recycling facility that recycles paper, glass and plastic waste from municipal curbside bins. The company, which employs about 145 workers in San Antonio and about 1,000 nationwide, has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director in San Antonio or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Employers and employees with questions about workplace safety and health standards can call OSHA's San Antonio Area Office at 210-472-5040 or the agency's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) to report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

OSHA cites Bridgford plant for safety violations

By Sandra M. Jones
Posted Jan. 11 at 2:09 p.m.

A Bridgford Foods processing plant in Chicago faces up to $212,000 in fines for worker safety violations, a federal agency said Tuesday.
The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the producer of meat snacks and deli foods for failing to implement and provide training for workers on lockout procedures, in turn exposing workers to energized equipment.
The federal agency also issued a willful citation for allowing workers to remove a shovel stuck in a conveyor without locking or tagging out the auger, “placing employees in danger of the machine operating while they worked to remove the shovel.”
A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated an “intentional disregard” for the requirements of the law or “plain indifference” to employee safety and health, the agency said.
OSHA said it has inspected Bridgford Foods’ Chicago plant three times since November 2007, resulting in 29 health and safety citations. Bridgfood Foods Corp. is headquartered in Anaheim, Calif., and also operates two factories in Dallas and one in Statesville, N.C.
Officials at Bridgford were unavailable for comment.
Smjones@tribune.com

U.S. Steel, Power Piping fined by OSHA

Pittsburgh Business Times - by Malia Spencer

Date: Friday, January 14, 2011, 10:03am EST

Read more: U.S. Steel, Power Piping fined by OSHA | Pittsburgh Business Times

 

United States Steel Corp. and its contractor Power Piping Co. are being fined $175,000 by federal regulators for citations of major safety violations related to an explosion last summer at the Clairton Works facility.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration found U.S. Steel (NYSE: X) had two “willful” violations and 11 serious violations and fined the integrated steel maker $143,500. Power Piping Co. was found to have six serious violations and was fined $31,500, according to a government statement.
The investigation was the result of a July 14 explosion that injured 20 people. Injuries included first, second and third-degree burns, according to OSHA.
In a statement, U.S. Steel said it had cooperated with the government investigation and had received the citations.
“We are currently reviewing the citations. Safety is a core value for our company, and we will continue our extensive, company-wide efforts to ensure the safety of every individual who performs work in our facilities,” the company said in a statement.
According to OSHA, a “willful” violation exists when an employer either intentionally disregards safety requirements or shows an indifference to employee health and safety. The regulator said U.S. Steel did not provide energy control procedure. Additionally, the company was cited for a “lack of fall protection, inadequate lockout/tagout to prevent the inadvertent release of energy, a deficient process safety management program, and failure to implement an emergency response plan, evaluate respiratory hazards, use flame retardant gloves and use approved electrical equipment.”
Power Piping’s violations included “inadequate energy control procedures, a lack of flame retardant hand protection” and “failure to evaluate the respiratory hazards posed by coke oven gas.”
Power Piping declined to comment.
The companies have 15 days to comply with the citations or request a review.
U.S. Steel is scheduled to report its fourth quarter financial results Jan. 25. In the third quarter, the company narrowed its losses.

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Read more: U.S. Steel, Power Piping fined by OSHA | Pittsburgh Business Times

OSHA cites MillerCoors following investigation into ammonia release

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Tags: workplace safety

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited MillerCoors LLC of Golden, Colo., with 10 alleged serious violations of OSHA standards following the July 2010 release in excess of 2000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia at its Golden brewery. Proposed fines total $63,500.

OSHA's investigation found that two employees working on the ammonia system narrowly escaped serious injury when an uncontrolled release occurred during maintenance operations. Anhydrous ammonia is severely corrosive to skin, eyes and the respiratory system.

"Employers must be diligent in ensuring that employees and the public are not unwittingly exposed to serious hazards caused by inadequate maintenance of systems controlling highly hazardous chemicals," said John Healy, OSHA's area office director in Englewood, Colo. "There is no acceptable reason for any employer to require employees to work around such a dangerous chemical without first ensuring they can do so without compromising their safety and health."

The serious citations address failing to follow accepted preventive maintenance procedures required under OSHA's process safety management standard, failing to develop and implement proper lockout/tagout procedures for energy sources, and deficiencies in the emergency eyewash and respirator programs. An OSHA violation is serious when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

MillerCoors has 15 business days from receipt of all OSHA citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Scaffolding Violations Lead to Florida Stucco Contractor's $41,200 Fine

Scaffolding Violations Lead to Florida Stucco Contractor's $41,200 Fine

"The dangers of scaffolding can be controlled by adhering to OSHA standards, but this company continues to expose its workers to unnecessary hazards," said Darlene Fossum, OSHA area director in Fort Lauderdale.

• Jan 19, 2011

OSHA has issued Westport Stucco of southern Florida nine safety citations and $41,200 in penalties following an inspection of the company's site in Cooper City, Fla.
OSHA is issuing four repeat safety citations with $34,800 in fines for failing to initiate and maintain a corporate safety program that complies with OSHA standards, failing to fully plank each working level of scaffolds, failing to equip scaffolds with guardrails, and using scaffolds that were not inspected by a competent person. A repeat violation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.
Four serious citations are being issued with fines of $6,400 for failing to place planking of a scaffolding over a support, to properly brace scaffolds, erect toe boards to prevent falling objects from striking employees beneath the scaffolds, and have a competent person inspect scaffolds after they have been erected, moved, dismantled, or altered. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
"The dangers of scaffolding can be controlled by adhering to OSHA standards, but this company continues to expose its workers to unnecessary hazards," said Darlene Fossum, OSHA area director in Fort Lauderdale.
Detailed information on scaffold hazards and safe work practices, including an interactive e-Tool, is available online at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/scaffolding/index.html.

Illinois Contractor Ordered to Notify OSHA of Jobsites to Protect against Cave-Ins

Jan 20, 2011 9:56 AM, By Laura Walter

The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking an administrative court order requiring Gerardi Sewer & Water Co., a Norridge, Ill.-based contractor, to provide a monthly report of its work locations to OSHA, permit unannounced jobsite audits by qualified independent consultants and annually train workers on cave-in protection for the next two years.

“The company’s severe violator history has led us to seek this order to ensure that these worksites are safe for employees,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. “Cave-ins are the leading cause of death in trenching operations, and Gerardi Sewer & Water Co. has demonstrated a history of blatant disregard for worker safety.”
The Labor Department filed an administrative complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission after the company contested 13 citations and $360,000 in penalties issued Dec. 17, 2010, by OSHA. In addition to asking the review commission to uphold the cited violations and penalties, the Labor Department is requesting the order for additional compliance requirements to assure the safety of workers on future jobsites.
The company received the citations for failing to protect workers from cave-ins during trenching operations noted in four separate inspections conducted in 2010 under the OSHA Trenching and Excavation Special Emphasis Program. The citations are for work performed for the Illinois villages of Elmhurst, Park Ridge, Oak Lawn and Des Plaines.
“This is only the second time that the department has invoked the statutory authority to order ‘other appropriate relief,” said Solicitor of Labor M. Patricia Smith. “All available legal tools will be used where necessary to protect workers from future harm.” Margaret A. Sewell, a trial attorney in the Chicago Regional Office of the Labor Department’s Office of the Solicitor, filed the administrative complaint with the review commission.
Gerardi’s December citations meet the requirements of OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which is intended to focus OSHA enforcement resources on employers with a history of safety violations that endanger workers by demonstrating indifference to their responsibilities under the law. This enforcement tool includes mandatory OSHA follow-up inspections and inspections of other worksites of the same employer where similar hazards and deficiencies may be present.
EHS Today was unable to reach a representative from Gerardi Sewer & Water Co. for comment.

OSHA Blasts Demolition Contractor for Lead, Fall Hazards

OSHA Blasts Demolition Contractor for Lead, Fall Hazards

The company was issued two willful citations with $42,000 in fines and seven serious citations with $10,500 in fines.

• Jan 20, 2011

OSHA has cited MJ Scoville Inc., a Binghamton, N.Y., demolition contractor, for nine willful and serious violations of workplace safety and health standards at a building renovation site. The contractor faces a total of $52,500 in proposed fines, chiefly for fall and lead hazards.
OSHA's inspection found Scoville employees exposed to falls of up to 40 feet while working without fall protection as they took down the walls of a fourth floor elevator shaft as well as 14-foot falls from an unguarded scaffold. The employer also failed to conduct personal air monitoring to determine lead exposure levels for employees performing demolition work with materials known to be covered with lead paint, and did not implement interim protective measures including respiratory protection, biological monitoring, medical surveillance, clean change areas, and employee training on lead hazards.
"These are two of the most common and well-known hazards workers can face during demolition operations and must be effectively addressed by the employer on each and every jobsite," said Christopher Adams, OSHA's area director in Syracuse. "Falls can injure or kill a worker in seconds while lead exposure can damage the kidneys and the central nervous, cardiovascular, reproductive, and hematological systems."
The company was issued two willful citations with $42,000 in fines and seven serious citations with $10,500 in fines. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

Detailed information on these and other hazards associated with demolition work, as well as solutions and safeguards, is available online at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/constructiondemolition/index.html.

OSHA lists violations against plant where workers died

OSHA lists violations against plant where workers died

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11020/1119246-57.stm#ixzz1BaXrgJX9

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a laundry list of violations against a Monaca-based chemical plant following an investigation into an explosion that resulted in the death of two employees there in July.

The agency proposed a total of $45,000 in fines for the Horsehead Corp. for nine violations -- eight of them classified as "serious" -- following a July 23 explosion that killed workers James Taylor, 53, of Aliquippa, and Corey Keller, 41, of Newell, W.Va. The company runs a zinc refinery.

Among other things, OSHA found that the company created unsafe working conditions by putting employees directly in harm's way in the event of an explosion.

Large columns constructed of brick that functioned as explosion relief vents "were located such that bursting bricks, vented flames and fireballs, and vented gasses resulting from an explosion in the column would be discharged directly into an area in which employees were required to work," the citation said.

Furthermore, OSHA found the explosion relief vents to be small and found that the company heated up the zinc too quickly in their refinery process, increasing the likelihood of an explosion.

Finally, OSHA said the company failed to prepare its emergency responders, who did not know how to shut off carbon monoxide and natural gas remotely following the explosion.

First published on January 20, 2011 at 12:00 am

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11020/1119246-57.stm#ixzz1BaZ7yozy

OSHA issues fines in fatal W.Pa. zinc plant blast

The Associated Press

Updated: 01/20/2011 06:38:25 AM EST

PITTSBURGH—Federal regulators have issued $45,000 in fines to a Pittsburgh-area zinc processing plant where an explosion killed two workers in July. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Wednesday handed down fines against Horsehead Corp. stemming from the July 22 explosion at its plant in Potter Township, Beaver County. The explosion killed 53-year-old James Taylor, of Aliquippa, and 41-year-old Corey Keller, of Newell, W.Va.
OSHA spokeswoman Leni Uddyback-Fortson says Horsehead was fined a maximum of $7,000 for five of ten violations deemed serious.
A statement from the company says Horsehead has cooperated with federal investigators and employees in a safety review.
Horsehead has 15 days to pay the fines, appeal or ask for a meeting with OSHA officials. The company said it is still reviewing the document.

OSHA Piles Up Fall Protection Citations

Several enforcement actions been filed this month, including one against a Houston contractor in connection with a job site in Hamburg, Pa.

• Dec 26, 2010

OSHA recently filed file serious citations and one repeat citation against Destin Drywall and Paint Inc. of Houston, Texas, mainly for fall hazards. The citations concern a job installing wallboard to the exterior of a Wal-Mart store in Hamburg, Pa. Proposed penalties were $20,100.
"Destin Drywall has a recent history of not providing proper fall protection to employees at its job sites," said Kevin Kilp, OSHA's area director in Harrisburg, Pa., whose office conducted the inspection. "This protection is critical given that falls are the leading cause of injuries and fatalities in the construction industry." According to OSHA, the company recently was issued smaller penalties in connection with alleged fall protection violations at Wal-Mart sites in Benbrook, Texas, and North East, Md.
The citations allege Destin did not provide fall protection for employees working on aerial lifts, train employees on fall protection requirements, or require PPE. The repeat citation alleges the company permitted employees to work on a surface more than 6 feet above the ground without an approved method of fall protection.
For information on OSHA’s fall protection standards, visit http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/fallprotection/index.html.

Online Training, Featured Course List for Safety Helpers LLC

Safety Helpers Online Training


Safety Helpers LLC Online Training – Featured Course List & Course Descriptions:  (18 of 270 listed)
Safety Helpers LLC now offers one of the most comprehensive online safety course catalogs available, from general employee safety awareness to advanced training for specialized workers. Our courses were developed by on-staff Certified Safety Professionals (CSP) and Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIH), to ensure that our safety courses meet the latest safety standards and regulations.

Safety Helpers LLC Online Training Course List:  Safety Helpers now offers a library of over 270 Online courses.
Here are our Featured Online Courses. (18 of 270 listed)

        HAZWOPER 8 Hour Refresher
o   Course Cost: $95.00  Duration:  8 hours

o   The 8-hour annual HAZWOPER Refresher course is updated every year to meet changing standards and is for those who have completed the 24 or 40-hour HAZWOPER courses. Safety Helpers’s HAZWOPER Refresher course is updated annually and meets the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.120 and consists of the following sections: Introduction to HAZWOPER, New and Hot Topics, Regulations Review and Update, Site Hazards, Chemical, Physical Agents Hazards, Site Hazards, Biological, Site Hazards, Ergonomics, Site Monitoring, Personal Protective Equipment, Respiratory Protection, Site Control, Special Considerations.

        Site Supervisor  (HAZWOPER Supervisor)
o   Course Cost: $95.00  Duration:  8 hours

o   The learning objectives of the HAZWOPER Management and Supervisor Training course are to familiarize the student with OSHA’s training requirements for on-site managers and supervisors at hazardous waste operations and emergency response activities, review regulatory agencies and legal considerations, provide a discussion of safety management and on-site leadership, cover safety and health programs, provide tips for hazards recognition, evaluation and control and explain field safety and response to emergency actions through case studies. The targeted standards are specified in 29 CFR 1910.120 and 29 CFR 1926.65 - Hazardous waste operations and emergency response and other applicable safety and health standards.

        OSHA 10 Hour Construction
o   Course Cost:  $125.00   Duration:  10 hours

o   Safety Helpers LLC is authorized by the Directorate of Training and Education (in Arlington Heights, IL) to present this course as part of the OSHA Outreach Program for Construction. Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive a course completion certificate and a wallet-sized DOL/OSHA completion card.  This course provides the SAME certification as the classroom-delivered course taught for many years under the OSHA Outreach Program. The course is appropriate for construction workers, foremen, job supervisors, inspectors, etc., involved in the construction industry. Users must spend 10 hours in the course and supplemental material.

        OSHA 10 Hour General Industry
o   Course Cost:  $125.00   Duration:  10 hours

o   Safety Helpers LLC is authorized to present this course by the Directorate of Training and Education (in Arlington Heights, IL) as part of the OSHA Outreach Program.  Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive a course completion certificate and a wallet-sized DOL/OSHA completion card.  This course provides the SAME certification as the classroom-delivered course taught for many years.

     OSHA 10 Hour Road Construction
o   Course Cost:  $125.00   Duration:  10 hours

o   This 10 hour construction safety course is focused on road construction and maintenance activities. Course topics highlight specific road construction hazards and include: Introduction to OSHA, Electrical hazards, Fall Protection, Motor Vehicles/Mechanized Equipment, Cranes and Aerial Lifts, Excavations, Workzone Traffic Control, Roadway Construction Common Hazards, Roadway Construction Health Hazards, and Roadway Special Considerations. Safety Helpers LLC is authorized to deliver this course by the Directorate of Training and Education (in Arlington Heights, IL). Students completing the course will receive a DOL completion card.

       OSHA 30 Hour Construction
o   Course Cost:  $295.00   Duration:  30 hours

o   Safety Helpers LLC is authorized to present this course by the Directorate of Training and Education (in Arlington Heights, IL) as part of the OSHA Outreach Program for Construction. Utilizing the record keeping system, Safety Helpers  will report to OSHA the individuals who have successfully completed the course. The DOL/OSHA Completion Cards will be sent to Safety Helpers for signature and distribution to the Safety Helpers’ customer (employer). It will then be the customers’ responsibility to distribute the card to the employee.

       Forklift Operator Certification
o   Course Cost:  $55.00   Duration:  90 minutes

o   This course covers the safe operation of the most common type of forklift in use today, the sit down, counterbalanced forklift. In this course we will cover construction of the lift, inspection criteria, operational characteristics, load handling, center of gravity and the stability of the lift, fueling, general safety rules and driver evaluations. This course is intended for fork truck operators, supervisors, managers and safety personnel. Employer must provide hands-on training and certificate of completion. Safety Helpers LLC provides Forklift Performance Test Form upon request. About 90 minutes.

       Asbestos Awareness in Construction
o   Course Cost:  $55.00  Duration:  90 minutes

o   This course, together with additional, “site specific” information, was designed to meet the OSHA (1926.1101) and AHERA regulatory requirements in one easy to understand course. Asbestos awareness training is required upon initial assignment and annually for employees whose work activities may contact asbestos containing materials (ACM) or presumed asbestos-containing materials (PACM), but do not disturb ACM or PACM during their work activities (Class IV operations). 29CFR 1926.1101(k)(9)(vii) requires a minimum of 2 hours training. The 2 hour course agenda includes an introduction to: background information on asbestos (its various forms and uses); health effects of asbestos; worker protection programs; common locations of ACM in buildings; recognition of ACM damage and deterioration; operations and maintenance programs; response to fiber release episodes and more. Workers who perform activities that will result in the disturbance of ACM must receive additional training.

       Asbestos Awareness in General Industry
o   Course Cost:  $55.00  Duration:  90 minutes

o   This course has been designed primarily to comply with training requirements as required by OSHA in 29 CFR 1910.1001. The employer shall train each employee who is exposed to airborne concentrations of asbestos at or above the PEL and/or excursion limit. Training shall be provided prior to or at the time of initial assignment and at least annually thereafter. However, we have also included the 2-hour time requirement as called out by the EPA for anyone engaged in custodial or maintenance work. This time requirement is being imposed on this course in order comply with that requirement, and as a best management practice. Maintenance and custodial staff conducting any activities that will result in the disturbance of ACBM must receive an additional fourteen hours of training. Two hours.

       Asbestos Awareness in Schools
o   Course Cost:  $55.00  Duration:  90 minutes

o   All maintenance and custodial staff in schools who may work in a building that contains asbestos-containing building materials (ACBM) must receive at least two hours of asbestos awareness training whether or not they are required to work with ACBM. In addition, OSHA requires that employees who perform housekeeping operations in an area which contains ACM or presumed ACM (PACM) receive asbestos awareness training on an annual basis (at least once a year). This course, together with additional, “site specific” information, was designed to meet these two regulatory requirements in one easy to understand course. The course agenda includes an introduction to: background information on asbestos; health effects of asbestos; worker protection programs; locations of ACM in buildings; recognition of ACM damage and deterioration; operations and maintenance programs; response to fiber release episodes and more. Maintenance and custodial staff conducting any activities that will result in the disturbance of ACBM must recieve an additional fourteen hours of training.

       Lead Awareness General Industry
o   Course Cost:  $55.00   Duration:  90 minutes

o   Coupled with job and site specific training, this course is designed to comply with the OSHA initial and annual lead awareness training requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.25(l). This course provides an overview of the properties and uses of lead, health hazards of lead, lead standards and exposure limits, medical surveillance and removal issues, control of lead in the workplace and additional sources of information. Approximately 2 hours.

       Lead Awareness Construction
o   Course Cost:  $55.00   Duration:  90 minutes

o   Coupled with job and site specific training, this course is designed to comply with the OSHA initial and annual lead awareness training requirements specified in 29 CFR 1926.59 and 29 CFR 1926.62(l). This course provides an overview of the properties and uses of lead, health hazards of lead, lead standards and exposure limits, medical surveillance and removal issues, control of lead in the workplace and additional sources of information. Specific topics covered as required by the standard include, but are not limited to, the requirements concerning warning signs and labels, material safety data sheets (MSDS), and employee information and training. Approximately 2 hours.

      Cal/OSHA 10 Hour Construction
o   Course Cost:  $125.00   Duration:  10 hours

o   Safety Helpers LLC is authorized to present this course by the Directorate of Training and Education (in Arlington Heights, IL) as part of the OSHA Outreach Program for Construction. Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive a course completion certificate and a wallet-sized DOL/OSHA completion card. This course provides the SAME certification as the classroom-delivered course taught for many years under the OSHA Outreach Program. The course is appropriate for construction workers, foremen, job supervisors, inspectors, etc., involved in the construction industry. Users must spend 10 hours in the course and supplemental material. Course focuses on California specific content.

    Rough Terrain Forklift Operator Certification
o   Course Cost:  $55.00   Duration:  90 minutes

o   C4 Rough Terrain Forklift Operator Certification. This course covers the safe operation of the most common type of fork lift in use on construction sites today, the variable reach, rough terrain lift truck. In this course we will cover inspection criteria, operational characteristics, handling and placing loads, the stability of the lift, fueling, general safety rules and driver evaluations. This course is intended for fork truck operators, supervisors, managers and safety personnel. Employer must provide hands-on training and certificate of completion. Forklift Performance Test Form included in course. 90 minutes.

   Safety Trained Supervisor (STS) Construction Exam Preparation
o   Course Cost:  $149.00   Duration:  4 hours

o   This course is designed to detailed information, material, and resources to help prepare the student for the Safety Trained Supervisor certification examination. This program also introduces the best known methods used by construction supervisors to obtain world class safety performance. The course includes four primary training modules, three comprehensive practice examinations and dozens of study guides focused on construction safety. Four to Six hours. 

 NFPA 70E - A Users Guide to Electrical PPE
o   Course Cost:  $49.00   Duration:  3.5 hours

o   This training course was adapted from the booklet A User's Guide to Electrical PPE, Based on NFPA 70E written by Ray A. Jones and Jane G. Jones and presented with permission from Jones and Bartlett Publishers. It consists of 5 modules, including Introduction to Electrical PPE, Protection from Shock and Electrocution, Protection from Arc Flash, Protection from Arc Blast, and General Protection from Electrical Injuries. The focus is on selection and use of PPE. Estimated time to complete is 3.5 hours.

      OSHA 10 Hour Construction Spanish
o   Course Cost:  $125.00   Duration:  10 hours

o   Safety Helpers LLC is authorized by the Directorate of Training and Education (in Arlington Heights, IL) to present this Spanish course as part of the OSHA Outreach Program for Construction. Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive a course completion certificate and a wallet-sized DOL/OSHA completion card. This course provides the SAME certification as the classroom-delivered course taught for many years under the OSHA Outreach Program. The course is appropriate for construction workers, foremen, job supervisors, inspectors, etc., involved in the construction industry. Users must spend 10 hours in the course and supplemental material.

       Security Awareness
o   Course Cost: $55.00  Duration:  30 minutes

o   This course will help you recognize the many information security risks you and your organization face daily. Don’t worry, it’s not a course for techies. The lessons learned and best practices of many companies are woven into the content. It conforms to all known local, state, and federal requirements for security-awareness training. Approximately 30 minutes.


Didn’t see the Online Training Course you were looking for?   Safety Helpers now offers a library of over 270 Online courses.   Contact us at (800)482-4319 or email us at admin@safetyhelpers.com 

 Safety Helpers L.L.C.
(800) 482-4319
PO Box 291038
Denver, CO 80229
http://www.safetyhelpers.com/
 

Top Ten OSHA Citations of 2010

Here are the Top 10 OSHA Violation Citations of 2010. 94,000 citations were issued in Fiscal Year 2010 (Oct. 2009 through Sept. 2010), and these top ten represented 49% of all the violations in the year.  Please stay HAZWOPER trained to help protect your company against not only the citations, but the accidents, injuries, and deaths that result from the lack of proper procedures and training.

1.       Scaffolding: 9,093 violations - Scaffolding violations and accidents are most commonly attributed to improper use that results in the plank giving way, the employee falling off, or an object falling on top of the person.

2.       Fall Protection: 6,771 violations - Fall protection violations occur whenever a person is 4 feet above the ground without proper safety measures. Fall protection must be provided at four feet in general industry, five feet in maritime and six feet in construction.

3.       Hazard Communication: 6,378 violations - Manufacturers and movers of hazardous materials must evaluate, label, and provide MSDS for each product.

4.       Respiratory Protection: 3,803 violations - Respirators help to protect against unhealthy breathing environments. This can be caused by insufficient oxygen, dust, vapors, gasses, fiberglass and more.

5.       Ladders: 3,072 violations - 8 percent of all occupational fatalities are due to falls.

6.       Control of Hazardous Energy - Lockout/Tagout: 3,321 violations - "Lockout-Tag out" refers to locking the on/off power switch while working with high current electrical devices.

7.       Electrical - Wiring Methods: 3,079 violations - Electrical hazards are present for those who work directly and also indirectly with or near dangerous electrical lines.

8.       Powered Industrial Trucks: 2,993 violations - Many employees are injured by driving powered industrial trucks off of loading docks, into ditches or by being struck by trucks while working.

9.       Electrical - General: 2,556 violations - Working with electricity is always hazardous. Many employees are injured during routine electrical maintenance and install.

10.   Machine Guarding: 2,364 violations - Any machine part, function, or process that may cause injury must be labeled and safeguarded.

Please visit SafetyHelpers.com for any Safety or Regulatory Compliance Training needs.  The  HAZWOPER Experts.