Third-Annual National Safety Stand-Down to be held May 2-6

OSHA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the Center for Construction Research and Training will hold the third annual National Safety Stand-Down May 2-6, 2016, to raise awareness of the serious risk of falls in the workplace. Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, and lack of proper fall protection remains the most frequently cited violation by OSHA.

More than 4 million workers have participated in the last two years, dedicating themselves to on-the-job safety. This year the stand-down will highlight the safe use of ladders and encourage employers to pause during their workday for topic talks, demonstrations and training on how to prevent falls. For more information on the success of last year’s stand-down, see the final data report. Visit the 2016 National Safety Stand-Down webpage for more updates.

OSHA "It's the Law!" poster now available in 10 languages

OSHA's free Job Safety and Health: It's the Law! poster is now available online in French*, Arabic*and Vietnamese*. This is in addition to the versions that were already available  in English*,Chinese*, Korean*, Nepali*,Spanish*, Polish* and Portuguese*. The poster informs workers of their rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. All covered employers are required to predominantly display the poster in their workplaces where workers can see it. For more information about the poster and how to get copies in the various languages, visit OSHA's workplace poster webpage.

New webpage offers resources for protecting healthcare workers from workplace violence

OSHA has developed a new webpage that addresses workplace violence prevention in healthcare settings. The webpage, part of OSHA’s Worker Safety in Hospitals webpage website, contains tools to help healthcare facilities design a violence prevention program using core elements including: management commitment and worker participation; worksite analysis and hazard identification; hazard prevention and control; safety and health training; and recordkeeping and program evaluation. The page also provides real-life examples from healthcare facilities that have integrated successful workplace violence prevention programs, as well as models of how a workplace violence prevention program can enhance an organization’s strategies for compliance, accreditation and a culture of safety. For more information, read the news release and visit the Preventing Workplace Violence in Healthcare page.

Strong public approval for government efforts to improve workplace safety

A recent poll conducted by the Pew Research Center found that more than three-quarters of the public thinks the federal government is doing a good job of setting fair and safe workplace standards. In contrast, the poll also found that overall trust in the government and political leaders are near historic lows. Despite the public’s professed cynicism for government programs in general, many voiced strong support in specific areas, with setting safe standards for workplaces the 2nd highest rated. And the support was bipartisan: According to the Pew report, “Large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans say [the government] does a good job of responding to natural disasters (82% and 78%, respectively) and setting fair and safe standards for workplaces (79% and 77%, respectively).” The poll results were based on more than 6,000 interviews conducted between August 27 and October 4, 2015.

OSHA launches education and enforcement action to protect workers from dangers in the poultry industry

Poultry workers are twice as likely to suffer serious injuries and six times more likely to get sick on the job than other private sector workers. In response to this, OSHA has launched a new Regional Emphasis Program in eight states to reduce musculoskeletal disorders and ergonomic stressors affecting industry workers.

The targeted Southern states – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas – include some of the nation's largest poultry producers.

A report issued last week by the anti-poverty organization Oxfam America alleged that poultry workers often face employer retaliation for reporting injuries and illnesses or voicing concerns about safety.

OSHA's emphasis program began Oct. 26 with a three-month period of education and outreach activities to share safety and health information with employers, associations and workers. The agency will then begin its targeted enforcement phase, including on-site inspections and a review of poultry processing production operations, working conditions, recordkeeping, chemical handling and safety and health programs to ensure compliance. The emphasis program ends Oct. 25, 2016, unless extended.

For more information, see news releases from OSHA's regional offices in Atlanta and Dallas.

New fact sheets show how to protect agriculture and maritime workers from hazards

In OSHA's continued efforts to protect workers from industry-specific hazards, the agency has developed two new fact sheets for agriculture and maritime workers. Most farmworker injuries and deaths involve tractors, including overturns, run-overs, sudden start-ups and unintended contact with tractor attachments or implements. A new OSHA fact sheet on tractor hazards* shows employers how to protect their agricultural workers.

A new OSHA fact sheet on Hazards During the Repair and Maintenance of Refrigeration Systems on Vessels* advises maritime industry employers how to protect workers who service these systems, which use hazardous chemicals including ammonia and Freon®.

OSHA seeks comment on updated Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines

As the holiday season approaches, OSHA is encouraging retail employers to implement safety measures to prevent workplace injuries during major sales events, including Black Friday. The agency is reminding employers about the potential hazards involved with managing large crowds at retail stores during the holiday season, when sales events attract a higher number of shoppers. Retailers are encouraged to use the safety guidelines outlined in the fact sheet Crowd Management Safety Guidelines for Retailers.

OSHA seeks comment on updated Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines

OSHA is seeking public comment on an updated version of its voluntary Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines, first published in 1989. The guidelines are intended to help employers establish safety and health plans at their workplaces. Key principles include finding and fixing hazards before they cause injury or illness, and making sure that workers have a voice in safety and health. The updated guidelines*, which include illustrations, tools and resources, should be particularly helpful to small- and medium-sized businesses. The guidelines also address ways in which multiple employers at the same worksite can coordinate efforts to make sure all workers are protected equally. Public comments will be accepted until Feb. 15. For more information, see the news release.

Updated guide available: Trenching and Excavation Safety

Trench and excavation work are among the most hazardous operations in construction. Because one cubic yard of soil can weigh as much as a car, an unprotected trench can be an early grave. OSHA's updated guide to Trenching and Excavation Safety highlights key elements of the applicable workplace standards and describes safe practices that employers can follow to protect workers from cave-ins and other hazards. A new section in the updated guide addresses safety factors that an employer should consider when bidding on a job. Expanded sections describe maintaining materials and equipment used for worker protection systems as well as additional hazards associated with excavations.

EPA updates standard to better protect America's farmworkers from pesticide exposure

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has updated its Agricultural Worker Protection Standard to better protect the nation's two million agricultural workers and their families from thousands of preventable pesticide exposure incidents reported each year. Changes to the standard will reduce the risk of illness resulting from contact with pesticides on farms and in forests, nurseries and greenhouses. The updated standard requires annual safety training for farmworkers, expands mandatory posting of no-entry signs for the most hazardous pesticides, and for the first time, sets a minimum age of 18 for those who work with pesticides. In addition, the EPA's updated standard for personal protective equipment is now consistent with OSHA's respiratory protection standards. This includes mandatory fit-testing, medical evaluation and training to ensure respirators are being used effectively. Additionally, the updated standard establishes anti-retaliation provisions that are comparable with those enforced by OSHA.

OSHA announces new system that gives greater weight to complex, time-consuming inspections

Today, OSHA moves to a new enforcement weighting system that assigns greater value to complex inspections that require more time and resources. The new system will allow for more strategic planning and measurement of inspections, and ensure that all workers are equally protected, regardless of the industry they work in. The system assigns "Enforcement Units" to each inspection. Routine inspections count as one unit, while those requiring greater resources — such as those involving musculoskeletal disorders,chemical exposures, workplace violence, and process safety management violations — count as up to nine units. The values are based on historical data and will be monitored and adjusted as necessary.

OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels announced the change at the National Safety Council conference in Atlanta earlier this week. "All inspections aren't equal — some are complex and require more time and resources — and many of those inspections have the greatest impact," he said. "This new system will help us better focus our resources on more meaningful inspections."

Inspections are one of the fundamental tools OSHA uses to encourage employers to abate hazards. Strong evidence from several recent studies shows these that injury rates decrease at an establishment in the years following an OSHA inspection.

The Effects of 10-hr Construction Outreach Training: Knowledge Retention and Practical Application

Rutgers OSHA Training Institute Education Center (Rutgers-OTIEC), with the assistance of our Construction Outreach Trainers conducted a study of the 10-hr Outreach Program to identify knowledge gained by the students and their overall perception of the outreach program.  The results are published in the Journal of Safety Studies. 

Rutgers School of Public Health awarded OSHA Susan Harwood Grant

Rutgers School of Public Health was awarded an OSHA Susan Harwood Grant to provide Temporary Worker Safety Training.  Offered are the 1-day workplace hazards training for employers to assist them achieve/maintain compliance and a ½- day program for workers tailored to the hazards at their worksite (topics include: hazard communication, EAP, workzone safety, confined space (general industry and construction), fall protection, and electrical safety).  The ½ day program is offered in English and Spanish.

1-day workshop will be held on October 23, 2015 in Montclair, New Jersey, co-sponsored by the New Jersey Industrial Safety Committee.

OSHA revises publication to protect the safety of firefighters, other responders

To better protect emergency responders, OSHA has revised its manual, Fire Service Features of Buildings and Fire Protection Systems*. The manual explains how fire service operations can be affected by different building features, and it offers guidance for design professionals, code officials, fire service representatives, building owners and other stakeholders. Updates to the manual include more photos; new chapters on water supply and building phases; and new sections on energy conservation, emergency power, and numbering rooms and floors. The manual's information can help responders during fires and other emergencies such as hazardous material releases, emergency medical care, non-fire rescues and terrorist incidents.

Online resources available for National Farm Safety & Health Week Sept. 20 - 26

A series of free webinars will be offered in observance of this year's National Farm Safety & Health Week, which takes place Sept. 20-26. The five webinars, scheduled for noon each weekday, will cover rural roadway safety, confined spaces, children's safety, health hazards and tractor safety. The events are being hosted by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety located at the Peosta campus of Northeast Iowa Community College. Visit the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety website to register for the webinars and for more information and public service announcements related to farm safety. The center is also hosting an 'AgChat' on Twitter at @NECASAG on Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 7-9 p.m. For additional resources, visit OSHA's Agricultural Operations page.

Labor Rights Week 2015: Events across country to inform vulnerable workers of their rights under U.S. labor laws

Every year during Labor Rights Week, federal agencies, consulates and embassies as well as educational, labor, and community organizations join together to remind the nation's most vulnerable workers that everyone who works in the United States has the same workplace rights. This year, the week runs from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6 with events taking place all over the country.

Along with OSHA, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, National Labor Relations Board, and the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division are sending the message that no worker in this country should experience discrimination, wage theft or safety hazards in the workplace.

Planned events this week include the signing of a new alliance between OSHA and the Consulate of Mexico in Philadelphia, and renewals of alliances with several other consulates, including the Mexican Consulate in Austin, Texas. There are also multi-agency outreach events at mobile/remote consulates, free consultations from experts in labor law, and industry-specific events such as a poultry fair in Gainesville, Ga. Be sure to visit OSHA's Labor Rights Week webpage for a list of events in your area.

If you are participating in Labor Rights Week, OSHA has many resources to help you get out the safety message. Some of our most popular videos include Young Workers' Rights in English andSpanish, a special message for the Hispanic workforce, and a general Workers' Rights video in English and Spanish. The OSHApublications page provides printed resources in several languages and covers a variety of workplace hazards.

OSHA updates National Emphasis Program on amputations

OSHA has issued an updated National Emphasis Program on Amputations. The NEP has been in existence since 2006 and is targeted to industries with high numbers and rates of amputations. As in the prior NEP, OSHA is using current enforcement data and Bureau of Labor Statistics injury data to assist with site selection targeting.

According to the most recent BLS data, 2,000 workers suffered amputations in 2013. The rate of amputations in the manufacturing sector was more than twice that of all private industry. These serious injuries are preventable by following basic safety precautions.

This updated directive applies to general industry workplaces in which any machinery or equipment likely to cause amputations are present. Inspections will include an evaluation of employee exposures during operations such as: clearing jams; cleaning, oiling or greasing machines or machine pans; and locking out machinery to prevent accidental start-up.

On Jan. 1, 2015, OSHA issued new requirements for reporting work-related fatalities and severe injuries. Employers must now report fatalities within eight hours of learning of the incident and any in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours of learning of the incident. Employers can report an event by telephone to the nearest OSHA area office or to OSHA's 24-hour hotline at 800-321-6742. For more information, see the news release.

OSHA issues long-awaited proposal to protect workers from beryllium exposure; labor-industry collaboration is key

On August 7, OSHA issued aproposed rule to dramatically lower workplace exposure to beryllium, a widely used material that can cause devastating lung diseases. The long-sought proposal would reduce allowable exposure levels by 90 percent and add other protections. The proposal gained renewed momentum after the nation's primary beryllium product manufacturer, Materion, and the United Steelworkers, the union representing many of those who work with beryllium, approached OSHA in 2012 to suggest a stronger standard.

For Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, the development had special significance: In 1999, as assistant secretary of energy for environmental safety and health, he issued the final regulation lowering allowable worker exposure to beryllium in nuclear weapons facilities. "OSHA's new proposed rule is the beginning of the final chapter of our making peace with the past," he wrote in a DOL blog. "Once we finish, workers exposed to beryllium will be protected and we will save the lives and lungs of hundreds."

OSHA estimates that every year the rule would prevent almost 100 deaths and 50 serious illnesses among the approximately 35,000 workers exposed to beryllium in occupations such as foundry and smelting operations, machining, and dental lab work.

Comments on the proposed rule may be submitted until Nov. 5, 2015, to www.regulations.gov. For more information see news release, statement and webpage on the proposed rule.

NIOSH Ladder Safety app will expand to cover stepladders

Since its release in 2013, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Ladder Safety app has helped thousands of users set up and use extension ladders more safely to prevent falls. NIOSH recently announced that the app will now include stepladders.

The new stepladder module will be available at the end of this year to help workers use the most common four-legged portable ladders more safely. The new module will be based on the existing ladder safety standards and regulations and will provide easy-to-use, graphic-oriented safety tools, checklists, and guidelines.

With more than 40,000 downloads in the past two years, the NIOSH Ladder Safety app continues to help improve the safety of workers using extension ladders. In addition to its ladder-positioning tool for setting the ladder at the optimal angle, the app contains general ladder safety, inspection and selection guidelines, and related information. The Ladder Safety app is available free, in English or Spanish, for Apple and Android smartphones. Read more on NIOSH's webpage on Fall Injuries Prevention in the Workplace.

OSHA provides guidance to compliance officers for enforcing the revised Hazard Communication standard

OSHA has issued instructions to compliance safety and health officers on how to ensure consistent enforcement of the revised Hazard Communication standard*. Thisinstruction outlines the revisions to the standard, such as the revised hazard classification of chemicals, standardizing label elements for containers of hazardous chemicals, and specifying the format and required content for safety data sheets. It explains how the revised standard is to be enforced during its transition period and after the standard is fully implemented on June 1, 2016.

OSHA revised the standard in March 2012 to align with the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. The revised standard improves the quality, consistency and clarity of chemical hazard information that workers receive.

Under the standard, employers were required to train workers on the new label elements and safety data sheets by Dec. 1, 2013. Chemical manufacturers, importers and distributors had to comply with revised safety data sheet requirements by June 1, 2015. Manufacturers and importers had to comply with new labeling provisions by June 1, 2015. Distributors have until Dec. 1, 2015, to comply with labeling provisions as long as they are not relabeling materials or creating safety data sheets, in which case they must comply with the June 1 deadline.

Additional information on the revised Hazard Communication Standard may be found on OSHA's Hazard Communication Safety and Health Topics page.

Updated comprehensive guide to OSHA training requirements now available

OSHA has posted a fully updated version of its guide to all agency training requirements to help employers, safety and health professionals, training directors and others comply with the law and keep workers safe. Training Requirements in OSHA Standards* organizes the training requirements into five categories: General Industry, Maritime, Construction, Agriculture and Federal Employee Programs.

The safety and health training requirements in OSHA standards have prevented countless workplace tragedies by ensuring that workers have the required skills and knowledge to safely do their work. These requirements reflect OSHA's belief that training is an essential part of every employer's safety and health program for protecting workers from injuries and illnesses. For a list of educational materials available from OSHA, please visit the Publications webpage.

OSHA issues temporary enforcement policy for confined spaces in construction

OSHA is instituting a 60-day temporary enforcement policy of its Confined Spaces in Construction standard. Full enforcement of the new standard, which goes into effect Aug. 3, is being postponed to Oct. 2 in response to requests for additional time to train and acquire the equipment necessary to comply with the new standard.

During this 60-day temporary enforcement period, OSHA will not issue citations to employers who make good faith efforts to comply with the new standard. Employers must be in compliance with either the training requirements of the new standard* or the previous standard. Employers who fail to train their employees consistent with either of these two standards will be cited.

Factors that indicate employers are making good faith efforts to comply include: scheduling training for employees as required by the new standard; ordering the equipment necessary to comply with the new standard; and taking alternative measures to educate and protect employees from confined space hazards.

OSHA issued the Confined Spaces in Construction final rule on May 4, 2015. OSHA estimates that the rule could protect nearly 800 construction workers a year from serious injuries and reduce life-threatening hazards. For more information, read the news release.

New NIOSH blog provides update on the risk of silicosis

A blog by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health discusses new data showing silicosis is continuing to cause or contribute to about 100 worker deaths a year. It also explains the emergence of new occupations and tasks, such as hydraulic fracturing of gas and oil wells, are placing workers at risk of exposure to silica.

Silicosis is a disabling, incurable and sometimes fatal lung disease caused by the inhalation of respirable crystalline silica particles.

Effective strategies for employers on preventing occupational exposure to hazardous silica are available on OSHA's Silica Safety and Health Topics webpage andNIOSH's website. OSHA issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica in September 2013. For more information, visit the rulemaking page.

Fatal Facts on confined spaces in manholes, OSHA It's the Law poster

A new addition to OSHA's Fatal Facts series emphasizes employers' responsibilities to protect workers from confined space hazards while working in sewer line manholes*. Fatal Facts describe cases where employers failed to identify and correct hazardous working conditions before they resulted in fatalities at their worksites. This Fatal Facts is based on a case where a construction worker suffocated after entering a manhole. It includes references to the new Confined Space in Construction Standard that takes effect on August 3, 2015.

Also available is OSHA's free Job Safety and Health: It's the Law! poster* that informs workers of their rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. All covered employers are required to predominantly display the poster in their workplaces where workers can see it. The poster can be downloaded from OSHA's workplace poster Web page in English, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean and Nepali.

OSHA heat app surpasses 200K downloads

More than 200,000 users have downloaded the OSHA Heat Safety Tool since its launch in 2011. This spring, OSHA released a new version of the app for Apple devices, with full-screen color alerts, improved navigation and accessibility options.

This improved version lets you know instantly if you are in a high-risk zone due to heat and humidity and precautions that need to be taken to prevent heat-related illness. The recently updated app gives users important safety information when and where they need it -- right on their mobile phones. Download this life-saving app today.

More information on preventing heat-related illness is available on OSHA's website, where you can find fact sheets, training manuals, community posters, and more in both English and Spanish.

Free on-site consultation services available to help employers improve workplace safety and health

OSHA's On-site Consultation Program offers free and confidential occupational safety and health advice to small and medium-sized businesses across the country, with priority given to high-hazard worksites.

The services are separate from enforcement and do not result in penalties or citations. Consultants from state agencies or universities work with employers to identify workplace hazards, provide advice on compliance with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing injury and illness prevention programs.

In response to requests from employers seeking to reduce safety and health hazards at their workplaces, consultants visited about 27,000 worksites with more than 1.25 million workers in FY2014. For more information, see OSHA's Safety and Health Consultation Services brochure, available in English and Spanish.

As the weather heats up, OSHA and NOAA promote Summer Safety Campaign

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are joining forces to promote a Summer Safety Campaign.

OSHA provides resources for workplace preparedness and response to severe weather emergencies that can arise during summer, including: hurricanes, wildfires and floods as well as severe heat. OSHA and NOAA encourage employers to be aware of weather forecasts, train workers on severe weather plans and keep emergency supplies, including a battery-operated weather radio.

Some parts of the country have already experienced deadly and damaging flooding this season. And hurricane season begins today in the Atlantic and began in mid-May in the Pacific. Both high-hazard seasons run through November. Employers and workers need to be prepared with a detailed plan before these events occur to ensure that everyone stays safe.

And with temperatures rising, now is the best time for employers to prepare to protect workers outdoors. Workers in outdoor industries like agriculture, construction and transportation face serious hazards from working in the heat, including illness and death. One handy tool available for free to prevent these hazards is the OSHA Heat App that calculates the heat index (both temperature and humidity) at your worksite and provides recommendations for how best to protect workers based on the risk level. OSHA's heat app, recently updated for iPhone users, has been downloaded more than 193,000 times.

New fact sheet provides guidance on preventing amputation hazards from food slicers and meat grinders

OSHA has released a new fact sheet* on hazards from food slicers and meat grinders used in grocery stores, restaurants and delis. These machines can cause serious cuts and amputations when workers are using, maintaining or cleaning them. In 2013, at least 4,000 incidents involving meat slicers occurred that resulted in lost workdays. The fact sheet provides employers with the requirements on how to prevent cuts and amputations from working with food slicers and meat grinders.

OSHA developed this fact sheet based on information gathered through the agency's new reporting requirements that employers must notify OSHA of any work-related in-patient hospitalizations, amputations or loss of an eye within 24 hours.

OSHA's revised Hazard Communication requirements in effect as of June 1

Chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors and employers are required to provide a common approach to classifying chemicals and communicating hazard information on labels and safety data sheets. Chemical manufacturers and importers must provide a label that includes a signal word, pictogram, hazard statement, and precautionary statement for each hazard class and category. Beginning in December, distributors may only ship containers labeled by the chemical manufacturer or importer if the labels meet these requirements.

The June 1 deadline was established when OSHA aligned its Hazard Communication Standard in 2012 with the global standard for chemical product labeling. The provisions for labeling offer workers better protection from chemical hazards, while also reducing trade barriers and improving productivity for American businesses that regularly handle, store, and use hazardous chemicals. The updated standard also provides cost savings for American businesses that periodically update safety data sheets and labels for chemicals covered under the standard, saving businesses millions of dollars each year.

The new format for Safety Data Sheets requires 16 specific sections to ensure consistency in presentation of important protection information. For more information, see OSHA'sHazard Communication webpage.