Tips & Updates about OSHA & Hazwoper Training Courses | Safety Tips

Dentists are trained and educated to solely care for patients. However, Most dentists, hygienists or administrative personnel will tell you that multitasking is the key to any job. Not only are they responsible for patient care but are also responsible for the safety management. Safety management is absolutely essential for any business, and this includes the dentistry field as well. It doesn’t matter whether your safety management program is handled by an experienced safety coordinator or whether it is an OSHA compliance coordinator, what matters is that your safety management program should never be compromised due to your busy schedule or basic lack of knowledge. Does your dentist practice come with its fair share of unnerving irregularity, like a bunch of dirty needles lying around? A pile of dusty Material Safety Data Sheets just lying around? The weekly spore testing documentation that is just not available? Yes, all of us experience these inconsistencies, which is why having a s...

OSHA has recently issued a Small Entity Compliance Guide for Cranes and Derricks in Construction to help such small business comply with the various recent Cranes and Derrick’s rules. OSHA published the document in August of last year to help address the rising number of worker injuries and deaths that are caused due to cranes and derricks in the construction industry. This rule also includes the technological advancements made in equipments since the old rule. In the past 40 years, it has been observed that the number of injuries and deaths caused due to electrocution, struck-by and crushed-by hazards from working on cranes and derricks was steadily increasing. This new guide helps employers in the construction industry understand that they must protect their workers from these dangerously fatal incidents. This guide has been divided into separate chapters and accompanies various other OSHA compliance materials that are related to cranes and derricks.

Amtec Corporation, a contractor at the U.S. Army's Space and Missile Defense Command has been cited for safety violations that resulted in an explosion killing two of their employees. Earlier this year, in May, two workers suffered third degree burns in an explosion that was caused due to n-Butanol and ammonium perchlorate. The workers were trying to purify ammonium perchlorate by separating it from a mixture containing n-Butanol. During this process, an explosion occurred killing both the workers. OSHA's area director, Roberto Sanchez, said, “Management knew the hazards associated with ammonium perchlorate recovery and failed to ensure the proper equipment was being used, while also allowing the workers to process the material in excess of 10 times the amount of explosives according to the Army's standard operating procedures”. OSHA has cited the corporation with two willful violations for exposing their employees to explosive hazards and fire and also not testing the suit...

We can most definitely agree with the fact that a compliance officer cannot be equipped with the engineering factors of each and every piece of equipment that is out there. However, when the burden of proof is not on them, there is absolutely nothing that can stand in their way. Just a month after President Obama became the captain of the White House, he signed a budget blueprint, that primarily seeks to increase OSHA's funding. These funds were aimed to, “vigorously enforce workplace safety laws and whistleblower protections, and ensure the safety and health of American workers." On June 2009, Hilda Solis, the Secretary of Labor, had this to say, "There is a new sheriff in town.” she went on to say that, “Make no mistake about it; the Department of Labor is back in the enforcement business. We are serious, very serious." After reading this statement one often wonders, how much compliance is too much compliance? Absolutely nobody wants to come home in a body bag, bu...

The number of workplace fall injuries have drastically reduced. But this drastic change could only be made possible with the help of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA is primarily, a regulatory agency, that ensures workplace safety by issuing and enforcing certain health and safety standards and regulations. The compliance assistance specialist with the St. Louis Area Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Mr.Mark Minicky, recently spoke about these workplace injury trends at the annual Business Health Summit, which was held at the Saint Francis Medical Center. In 2003, 5 out of every 100 workers sustained an OSHA-reportable injury. In 2008, 3.9 of every 100 workers sustained an OSHA-reportable injury. More over, the number of workplace fatalities have also dropped, from 5,214 people in 2008 to nearly 4,340 in 2009. Mr.Mark Minicky, said that,"This is somewhat reflective of the downturn in the economy. There is less activity going on, particularly les...

About hundreds of workers in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill clean up operation have complained of symptoms of nausea, nose bleeds, vomiting, and headaches. This may obviously fill people’s mind that it is due to the hazards associated with the oil slick and chemicals used, but the most ironic part is that these symptoms are all related to heat exposure. The workers who have been suffering from the symptoms are being examined and none have been found to be suffering from the oil hazards but rather from the heat. OSHA had issued guidelines in late June for worker’s health and safety in the spill operation, that include the limited use of respirators around the exposed oil which is near the oil gusher. There are about 40 employees dedicated to the oil disaster and who have performed more than 2000 work-site visits. Data from the Louisiana Office of Public Health shows that hundreds of workers have reported those symptoms which are similar to oil exposure but more than 60% of the workers wer...

The safety and the health of the clean up workers at the Gulf of Mexico oil spill areas has become an issue of great concern. Now, 19,000 temporary workers have volunteered to assist in the clean up operation at the BP oil spill sites. But it is not known till now who is responsible for ensuring the safety and health of those workers involved in this dangerous work. The government finally has woken up and announced that they will make greater contributions towards worker safety in the Gulf. They announced this after more than 50 days of the rig explosion. According to Labor and environmental advocates, worker safety in the Gulf is insecure. The safety disaster at the rig explosion includes: A massive toxic spill. The rapid deployment of a vast work force over four states. Limited government resources. BP’s dismal safety record. To wear heavy protective gear is extremely uncomfortable in hot temperatures. Non-English speaking workers involved in the effort have problems with communicat...

OSHA has cited Infineum USA L.P. as the company's Linden facility has violated safety rules including the involvement of employees exposed to chemical hazards. The company has proposed penalties of a total of $88,500. OSHA got a complaint regarding chlorine release at the facility and so on the basis of this tip started inspection on Nov. 24, 2009. The result of the inspection showed the violations that had been done by the company related to a deficient process safety management system. The company failed to establish and implement written procedures required to manage any changes to technology, facilities, equipment and procedures that can potentially impact a chemical process. Patricia Jones, the director of OSHA's Avenel Area Office said, "Chlorine is a highly hazardous chemical that can have a severe impact on the employees' safety and health. All aspects of the OSHA safety management standard must be followed by employers in order to ensure that workers go home s...

The potential accidents and other safety concerns for workers working in hazardous environments are immense. Today, with the recent BP oil spill disaster, the workers who are involved in the oil spill clean up operations, inhale chemicals that cause many severe health problems. In an effort to reduce the number of serious injuries, OSHA has been monitoring, assessing and characterizing all the issues related to chemical exposures regarding oil spill areas. In the clean up operations going on in the oil spill affected areas, workers on ships are exposed to fresh oil as well as weathered oil (where the toxic volatile substances have evaporated), which can cause serious permanent health injuries. A team of industrial hygienists have been brought by OSHA to conduct its own independent air monitoring, both on shore and on the cleanup vessels after reviewing the data of BP monitoring. OSHA has taken the decision to provide the workers with necessary protection from air contaminants. OSHA has...

More than 13,000 cleanup workers have been employed in the clean up operation for the oil spill affected areas at Gulf of Mexico, and each and every one of these workers are at high safety and health risk. Apart from this figure, there are nearly 1,800 federal employees from four separate states that are also directly involved with the clean up operation. These workers are subject to such serious hazards like drowning, heat, fatigue, injury through sharp objects, and also there is danger of receiving bites from insects, snakes, and other wild species that are native to the Gulf Coast area. Crude oil, dispersant, oil constituents and byproducts, cleaning products and other chemicals all pose as threats to the workers health and safety. OSHA has provided proactive, vigorous leadership to ensure the safety of the workers at oil spill clean up operations. OSHA has also been involved in other important activities and has contributed a lot towards the clean up. OSHA's efforts have thus b...

As the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has effected to a great extent, the clean up operation has also been going for a long time and the most important point is that the catastrophe that is made by this big oil spill has snatching the attention of all the world political leaders, environmentalist and socialist. At this point of time all we hope is to diminish the effect soon. US president Barack Obama has also paid much attention regarding this oil spill. He has said already that BP will have to face criminal charges and also a year-long ban on new offshore deep-water drilling. But it's surprise that the boss of BP has been commenting on all the matters differently. According to Obama, BP's catastrophe "may prove to be a result of human error – or corporations taking dangerous shortcuts that compromised safety". So, he mentioned that this is the time for the oil industry to pay for green energy. This is count as the world's biggest economy off fossil fuels and he hopes...

U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found out that CSX Transportation Inc. had retaliated against an employee who had repeatedly reported about safety matters to his managers. Robert Kulick, regional administrator in New York, OSHA, said, “ Retaliating against an employee who raises safety concerns is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. If workers are intimidated into remaining silent, that silence carries an ominous price as hazards may go unreported and thereby place the safety of railway workers and the public at risk." CSX had disciplined the veteran employee in December 2008 and so the employee filed a complaint with OSHA in 2008. OSHA had investigated on it and found reasons to complain against the railroad and cited with $5,000 to pay to the worker for punitive damages. The company had violated the Federal Railroad Safety Act by disclosing the workers personnel record. The order required CSX to delete the worke...

OSHA (U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has cited a shipbuilder company named VT Halter Marine Inc., and proposed penalty $1,322,000. The company experienced an explosion in November 2009 that killed two workers and seriously injured two other workers. Hilda L. Solis, the Secretary of Labor said,"This was a horrific and preventable situation. The employer was aware of the hazards and knowingly and willfully sent workers into a confined space with an explosive and toxic atmosphere. Loss of life can never be something considered acceptable or as a course of doing business." The company has been cited for 17 willful and 11 serious violations. The willful citations are due to the companies negligence in inspecting and testing the confined space before entry. It is a very hazardous point not to prevent entry into confined spaces where concentration of flammable vapors exceed the prescribed limits. More over the company exposed the work...

Safety Regulator in US believes that BP has a systemic safety problem at the refineries and they are discussing for further legal action against the energy company in UK with the Department of Justice. BP is considered not to have sufficiently improved safety despite being warned repeatedly. This was told by Jordan Barab, who is a senior official at OSHA. As we can recall, OSHA had fined BP with an astounding amount of $87.4m back in 2009 for its failure to correct the potential hazards that are faced by their employees. A fine of $21m was issued to them in 2005. It seems BP is no stranger when it comes to paying heavy fines. According to the agency, BP executives was enthusiastic about improving safety but they have never translated it. They do still have a serious systemic safety problem. BP has always maintain that they do continue to co-operate with OSHA but OSHA believes they have not done enough.

Owing to the big catastrophe of Gulf of Mexico oil leak today, the need of Post-Emergency Spilled Oil Response Training is highly required. For those interested in participating in shoreline clean up, Health, Safety and Environmental Training has been provided for them. The safety training is basically fit for purpose basis for volunteers, contractors or vessel owners. The training has been prepared and provided by Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) after it was reviewed and approved by BP, OSHA and the the US Coastal Guard personnel. Post-Emergency Spilled Oil Response Training is ideal for those assigned in the Vessel of Opportunity program or registered a a contractor participating in clean up. For non-contaminated beach clean up volunteers, they will have to receive a basic OSHA safety training, BP health and safety and environment orientation enforced by the Coast Guard. Those who are interested in volunteering can contact the BP volunteer hot line. If you stay in coastal ...

The proximate causes of the BP oil disaster seem not on any technical or mechanical failures but on their recklessness and arrogance. Recent reports show a pretty good idea of the exact causes of the oil disaster. The arrogance of the industry’s effort to achieve voluntary self regulation which blocks authorizations for better technology and oversight, which might have well prevented the disaster. Now, it is clear that their self regulation has not worked at all. The lack of oversight is also a prime reason in terms of death and injuries in major oil producing countries. Another cause is the recklessness from BP’s part. According to NYT, BP has a history of oils spills and blasts and when it comes to safety they continue to lag behind other oil companies. According to OSHA, BP has got some “systemic safety” problems which they have tried to wave off. Lastly, BP’s overbearing hubris seems the root cause of the whole thing. BP calls the recent blowout disaster as unprecedented, ...

An Illinois milk-related company has been fined with a cost of $535,000 for safety violations. This has happened at a a Wisconsin plant and the company has agreed to pay for it. OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced settlement between Milk Specialties Co. and them. Based in Carpenters ville, Ill, the company produce protein supplements for dairy cows. The fine came after the 2008 inspection at the Whitehall plant. The plant was cited for the violations that included combustible dust hazards and untrained employees working at the dangerous work sites. However, the company said that the settlement was not something for any wrong doing but it was stemmed from a new acquired plant. Whatever the allegation is, it is the responsibility of the employers to provide a safe working environment to their workers. It is also their responsibility to provide OSHA safety training so that the workers can be equipped with all the knowledge to handle potential hazards.

The U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA has cited an industrial painting and sandblasting company, ERA Valdivia Contractors Inc. A total $130,300 has been proposed for exposing the workers to a dangerous lead material. After inspecting the company in 2009, OSHA has come to a conclusion that the company was wrongful for their act and they have been cited with two willful violations and OSHA has proposed a penalty as they have failed to provide an adequate protection equipment to the employees. The employer of the company has also been cited with 8 serious citations and $18,300 penalty has been proposed. The citations given addressed the company’s alleged failure to protect the workers and failing to ensure their safety on the work site. The violation will become serious if physical harm or death of a worker results from a hazard that the employer knew or should have known exists. OSHA Area Director Diane Turk in Des Plains said that it is the responsibility of the employers to ensure th...

Employees have the right to file complaints about workplace safety and health hazards. This right was given to them by the OSHA act of 1970 and they take any complaint by the workers very seriously. One more opportunity here is that if the workers want not to reveal their name, OSHA will not reveal it to the employers. There are many options that you can adopt to file a complaint if you are experienced with some issues of safety and health. Now, there is the the great opportunity to file a complaint online if you recognize that the working site is lacking in safety and health matters and there is fear of danger. Then OSHA will take action and try to resolve the problem informally with the specific employer over phone. The result of online complain comes earlier than the written one. You will have to submit written or signed complaints to OSHA Area or State Plan offices that results on site OSHA inspections. But if you want more confidentiality, you better should make a complaint from...

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is the main federal agency of US in the Department of Labor that aims at ensuring the safety and health of the workers along with the working environment. OSHA has been providing two types of courses: 10 hour course OSHA courses and 30 hour OSHA courses. The 30 hour courses has the following types of courses: 1.OSHA 30 Hour Construction Course and 2.OSHA 30 Hour General Industry Course OSHA 30 Hour Construction Course is a safety training for the Construction Industry workers. This course helps the workers providing training on occupational safety and health orientation required by OSHA. OSHA 30 Hour Construction Course is specially designed to help the workers so that they could recognize the hazards on the work site and also could eliminate it safely. It introduces the workers with preventive measures for accidents, personal protective equipments, and requirements for fire protection. OSHA 30 Hour General Industry Course is a compr...