Month: December 2017

WASHINGTON, DC – The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of 2016 Fatal Occupational Injuries reports there were 5,190 workplace fatalities in 2016, a 7-percent increase from 2015. The fatal injury rate also increased from 3.4 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in 2015 to 3.6 in 2016.

More workers lost their lives in transportation incidents than any other event in 2016, accounting for about one out of every four fatal injuries. Workplace violence injuries increased by 23 percent, making it the second most common cause of workplace fatality. Today’s report also shows the number of overdoses on the job increased by 32 percent in 2016, and the number of fatalities has increased by at least 25 percent annually since 2012. Read more»

Greenbelt, Maryland (Dec. 18, 2017) – Starting today, Dec. 18, 2017, in accordance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) congressionally mandated electronic logging device (ELD) compliance deadline, inspectors and roadside enforcement personnel throughout the United States will begin documenting ELD violations on roadside inspection reports and, at the jurisdiction’s discretion, may issue citations to commercial motor vehicle drivers operating vehicles without a compliant ELD.

“Today, jurisdictions around the country are implementing the ELD requirement,” said CVSA Executive Director Collin Mooney. “Enforcement personnel have been trained in anticipation of the ELD rule and now that it is in effect, inspectors will be verifying hours-of-service compliance by reviewing records of duty status requirements electronically.

On April 1, 2018, inspectors will start placing commercial motor vehicle drivers out of service if their vehicle is not equipped with the required ELD.

The ELD mandate does not change any of the underlying hours-of-service requirements.

Please note that a motor carrier may continue to use a grandfathered automatic onboard recording device (AOBRD) until Dec. 16, 2019. The AOBRD must meet the requirements of 49 CFR 395.15.

For more information on the ELD rule, visit FMCSA’s ELD implementation website.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will continue accepting 2016 OSHA Form 300A data through the Injury Tracking Application (ITA) until midnight on December 31, 2017. OSHA will not take enforcement action against those employers who submit their reports after the December 15, 2017, deadline but before December 31, 2017, final entry date. Starting January 1, 2018, the ITA will no longer accept the 2016 data.

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 ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

WASHINGTON, DC – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) recently renewed their alliance to continue promoting safe and healthful working conditions for female construction workers.

The five-year alliance will focus on hazards of particular concern to women in the construction industry, including personal protective equipment selection, sanitation, and workplace intimidation and violence.

“Women represent a small, but growing segment of the construction workforce,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt. “OSHA’s renewed alliance with NAWIC will continue to promote innovative solutions to safety and health hazards unique to female construction workers.”

Alliance participants will share with employers and workers information on recognizing and preventing workplace hazards in construction, as well as information on OSHA campaigns, including the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction; Heat Illness Prevention; and the Safe + Sound Campaign for Safety and Health Programs.

NAWIC, formed in 1955, provides educational and professional development opportunities to more than 4,000 women working in construction.

The OSHA Alliance Program fosters collaborative relationships with groups committed to worker safety and health. Alliance partners help OSHA reach targeted audiences, such as employers and workers in high-hazard industries, giving them better access to workplace safety and health tools and information.

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 ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

 

 

 

 

PHOENIX – It happens in an instant. An overhead message board flashes, “ALERT, WRONG-WAY DRIVER AHEAD.” Or headlights suddenly appear on your side of a divided roadway.

What you do before and during these and other situations involving wrong-way drivers, most of whom are impaired, can increase the chances of avoiding a potentially fatal collision.

                                          “DRIVE AWARE, GET THERE”

HOW TO DRIVE AT NIGHT

• No matter the time of day, drivers should drive defensively. That means being constantly aware of driving conditions, your surroundings and anticipating dangers so you can take evasive action if you encounter a hazard, such as a wrong-way driver.
• Don’t tailgate. Leave enough space so if the vehicle in front of you makes a sudden lane change to avoid a wrong-way driver, you’ll have time to react, too.
• Be aware of your surroundings. While wrong-way drivers are often in the left or HOV lane, they enter highways from the right via off-ramps. Because they are often impaired, their movements are unpredictable.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ENCOUNTER A WRONG-WAY VEHICLE

• If you’re on a divided highway – like I-17, SR 51, US 60 or any freeway in Phoenix and all interstates – and you see a vehicle coming toward you, slow down by easing your foot off the gas.
• Make sure there’s no vehicle next to you and steer away from the wrong-way driver.
• Get to a safe place, call 911 and report the wrong-way driver.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE A SIGN WARNING OF A WRONG-WAY VEHICLE

• When ADOT is alerted to a possible wrong-way driver, overhead messages boards on that stretch of freeway will display the message, “Alert, wrong-way driver ahead.”
• If you see that message, safely move toward the nearest highway exit on the right side of the highway as soon as possible.

WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

• Have a plan in mind, so if you encounter a wrong-way driver you won’t waste a moment that could save your life.
• Never drive distracted or impaired.
• And never let an impaired driver get behind the wheel. Most wrong-way crashes are caused by impaired drivers. It’s up to all of us to keep impaired drivers off our roads.

More information on “Drive Aware, Get There” can be found at azdot.gov/wrongway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Trump Administration is attempting to “Make America Great Again” by stimulating a depressed coal industry and promoting large scale infrastructure projects across the country.

Our 60-minute presentation will discuss the regulatory temperament mine operators might expect from the Trump Administration in Washington as well as the challenges mine operators may experience when politics and reality cross in terms of MSHA regulation and enforcement.

Don’t miss this informative webcast to register click here→

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement on National Miners Day:

“On National Miners Day, we recognize and celebrate miners for all they do to maximize our natural resources and make our modern life possible. Mining is a source of good, family-sustaining jobs. At the Department of Labor, we are committed to ensuring miners have safe and healthy working conditions so they can return home safely to their loved ones at the end of each shift. Today, and every day, I thank our miners for their hard work and dedication, which strengthens our nation.”

ARLINGTON, VA – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) today announced its annual Winter Alert campaign, reminding miners and mine operators of the increased hazards that colder weather creates at both surface and underground coal mines.

The Winter Alert campaign, which runs each year through March, emphasizes increased vigilance and adherence to safety principles during the winter months, when cold temperatures increase hazards for miners.  Throughout the Winter Alert campaign, MSHA personnel regularly visit mines around the country to heighten awareness of the changing conditions that occur during winter months, and will distribute materials that focus on best practices for safely performing miners’ jobs.

“The cold winter months bring an increased risk of underground coal mine explosions, as well as an increase in hazards associated with ice and snow that collect at surface facilities and preparation plants,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health David Zatezalo. “During the Winter Alert campaign, MSHA personnel will work to ensure miners and mine operators have information to maintain safe and healthful working conditions.”

When the barometric pressure drops during colder weather, methane can migrate more easily into the mine atmosphere, increasing the risk of an explosion. Dry winter air also results in drier conditions underground, allowing coal dust to become suspended in the mine atmosphere, increasing the danger of an explosion.

Examinations are the first line of defense underground and should include the following:

–        Check for methane.

–        Know the mine’s ventilation plan and maintain ventilation controls.

–        Continually apply rock dust to prevent the propagation of an explosion.

At surface operations and preparation plants, hazards such as limited visibility, slippery walkways, and freezing and thawing highwalls may lead to accidents.

–        Check highwalls and benches for stability.

–        Examine vehicles for exhaust leaks and consider limiting engine idle time to reduce risk of carbon monoxide asphyxiation.

–        Remove snow and ice on roadways, and apply sand to maintain traction.