Month: October 2022

OSHA, pipeline safety agency seek input for UN meetings on GHS, transport of hazardous goods

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety + Health

Washington — OSHA has scheduled a virtual public meeting for Nov. 16 in advance of the 43rd session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals.

In a notice published in the Oct. 24 Federal Register, OSHA requests information and comments as the federal government prepares for the UNSCEGHS meeting – set for Dec. 7-9 in Geneva, Switzerland.

OSHA, along with the U.S. Interagency Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) Coordinating Group, “plans to consider the comments and information gathered at this public meeting when developing the U.S. government positions for the UNSCEGHS meeting.”

OSHA’s meeting will take place in conjunction with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s discussion of proposals ahead of the 61st session of the UN Sub-Committee on Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, set for Nov. 28-Dec. 6.

Comments must be submitted by Dec. 6.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

FMCSA considering electronic IDs for large trucks and buses

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety + Health

Photo: Missouri Department of Transportation Flickr

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking stakeholder comment on whether to require universal electronic identification for commercial motor vehicles operating in interstate commerce.

“FMCSA currently does not require CMVs to be equipped with a system capable of transmitting a unique electronic ID for operation,” the agency says. “However, FMCSA provides grant funding to states for technology projects that electronically identify a CMV; verify its size, weight and credentials information; and review its carrier’s past safety performance while the vehicle is in motion and then communicate safely to the driver to either pull in or bypass the roadside inspection station.”

According to an advance notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Sept. 23 Federal Register, FMCSA is considering amending its Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations in response to a 2015 petition from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, after the agency denied a similar request in 2013.

FMCSA says it’s considering implementing an electronic ID requirement “to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the roadside inspection program by more fully enabling enforcement agencies to focus their efforts at high-risk carriers and drivers.”

CVSA contends that “mandating an electronic identifier requirement will not only save money in the long run – for both enforcement and industry – but will also enable more effective enforcement, improve safety and save thousands of lives every year.”

FMCSA is requesting feedback on a number of questions, including:

  • Should a device that can transmit an electronic ID be permanently affixed or removable/transferrable to CMVs in operation? Would FMCSA’s rule need to specify?
  • What data should be included as part of the electronic ID? Should it include information specific to the driver? Should it also include information that may vary from trip to trip?
  • How far in advance (time, distance) does a state need to gather the electronic ID information to positively ID a vehicle and message the vehicle whether further inspection is required?
  • Are there privacy, health or coercion concerns FMCSA should consider in a future proposal?

The deadline to comment is Nov. 22.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Steer clear of injury when using skid-steer loaders

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety + Health

Skid-steer loaders, often used on construction sites for excavating and other tasks, have features that expose workers to many injury risks, including caught-between incidents and rollovers. Although these machines are equipped with protective systems such as seat belts and rollover protection, injuries continue to occur.

Help keep workers safe with these tips from the Kentucky Labor Cabinet’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health:

  • Stay seated when operating the loader controls.
  • Wear the seat belt.
  • Keep your hands, arms, legs and head inside the operator’s compartment while operating the loader.
  • Load, unload and turn on level ground, when possible.
  • Travel and turn with the bucket in the lowest position possible.
  • Don’t exceed the manufacturer’s recommended load capacity.
  • Operate on stable surfaces only.
  • Travel straight up or down slopes with the heavy end of the machine pointed uphill.
  • Always look in the direction the loader is traveling.
  • Keep other workers away from the loader’s work area.
  • Don’t modify or bypass safety devices.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

MSHA ‘actively working’ on a proposed rule on silica, Williamson says

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
Original article published by Safety + Health
Christopher-Williamson.jpg
Photo: US Department of Labor

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration is “actively working” toward publishing a proposed rule on respirable crystalline silica, agency administrator Chris Williamson said Oct. 20.

The Department of Labor’s Spring 2022 regulatory agenda – published in June – showed MSHA’s intent to publish in September a notice of proposed rulemaking on silica. During a conference call for agency stakeholders, Williamson didn’t offer an updated timetable during the call but said the rule “is one of the top priorities” at the agency.

“Right now in this country, there’s only one worker population that does not have a certain level of protection when it comes to silica, and that is miners. Right now, under our existing standards, the permissible exposure limit (100 micrograms per cubic meter of air) is double what every other worker in this country has. So I just want to put that out there, that people know that’s the reality. We’re working very hard on an improved health standard that we think will make a difference and will definitely better protect miners.”

During the call, MSHA Chief of Health Gregory Meikle cited NIOSH-supported data that contends silica dust can be up to 20 times more toxic than other dusts. Meikle called on stakeholders to tailor existing best practices toward their individual mines and mine activities.

“Some of the levels we’re seeing on overexposures, we’ve got to get proactive if we’re going to protect miners,” Meikle said.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

MSHA – Mine Fatality #22

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by MSHA

MINE FATALITY – On September 28, 2022, a miner died when he was engulfed in a collapsed stockpile.  The miner was working close to the toe of the stockpile to remove material off the top of a surge tunnel’s feeder to clear a blockage.

Accident scene where a miner died when he was engulfed in a collapsed stockpile.
Photo property of MSHA 
Best Practices:
  • Operators should have procedures to safely clear blockages from feeders, and train miners to stay out of areas where there is a danger of falling or sliding material.
    • Equip feeders with mechanical clearing devices to prevent exposing miners to hazards of falling or sliding material.
  • Make sure miners trim stockpiles to prevent hazards.
Additional Information:

This is the 22nd fatality reported in 2022, and the first classified as “Engulfment.”

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Do you spend a lot of time on your feet?

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety + Health

Photo property of CDC

Jobs that require frequent standing can lead to a number of health-related problems, including sore feet, leg swelling, muscle fatigue, low back pain, and stiffness in the neck and shoulders.

One possible fix for some workstations? Make them adjustable. “Being able to adjust the working height is particularly important to match the workstation to the worker’s individual body size and to the worker’s particular task,” the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety says. “If the workstation cannot be adjusted, platforms to raise the shorter worker or pedestals on top of workstations for the tall worker should be considered.”

Other tips to reduce the negative effects of standing work:

  • Change working positions often.
  • Avoid extreme bending, stretching and twisting.
  • Give workers breaks to relax.
  • Organize work so materials are within easy reach.
  • Use a foot rail or portable footrest to shift body weight from both legs to one or the other.
  • Avoid reaching above or behind the shoulder line. Instead, shift feet to face the object.
  • Don’t reach beyond the point of comfort.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

FMCSA requests input on possible changes to ELD regulations

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety + Health

Photo property of FMCSA

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is asking industry stakeholders for input on “ways to improve the clarity of current regulations on the use of electronic logging devices and address certain concerns about the technical specifications.”

FMCSA’s mandate on the use of ELDs to record commercial motor vehicle hours of service went into effect in December 2017. In April 2018, inspectors were allowed to begin placing drivers out of service for operating without ELDs, which are used in place of manual paper logs to track HOS.

In an advance notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Sept. 16 Federal Register, FMCSA requests comment on five specific areas in which the agency is considering changes:

  • Applicability to pre-2000 engines (the mandate exempts trucks with pre-2000 engines)
  • Addressing ELD malfunctions
  • The process for removing ELD products from FMCSA’s list of certified devices
  • Technical specifications
  • ELD certification

“FMCSA believes that the lessons learned by agency staff, state enforcement personnel, ELD providers, and industry over the last few years can be used to streamline and improve the clarity of the regulatory text and ELD technical specifications and resolve questions that have arisen,” the agency says. “In addition, technical specifications could be updated to address concerns raised by affected parties and improve the functionality of ELDs.”

The deadline to comment is Nov. 15.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Electrocution Hazards

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by OSHA

US Department of Labor cites developer, subcontractors for exposing workers to dangerously energized power lines

Litana Development, two subcontractors face $518K in fines

PATERSON, NJ – The U.S. Department of Labor has issued citations to three New Jersey contractors who willfully exposed employees to potentially lethal dangers by allowing them to work near energized power lines at a Paterson worksite.

On April 15, 2022, the local power utility alerted the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration about workers constructing a five-story apartment building too close to nearby power lines. After arriving at the site, OSHA inspectors found employees at risk of electrocution as they worked from a metal scaffold erected within five feet of high-voltage power lines.

OSHA informed the project’s developer, Litana Development Inc. of Wayne and two subcontractors, Prata Construction LLC of Denville – a carpentry contractor – and Elite Brothers Construction LLC of Paterson – a stucco contractor – of the dangers and told them work must not continue. The agency subsequently posted an Imminent Danger Notice in English and Spanish to warn workers at the site about the extreme danger.

On June 23, 2022, the department’s Regional Office of the Solicitor secured a temporary restraining order in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark to enforce OSHA’s Imminent Danger Notice. Attorneys for the department and Litana negotiated a consent injunction, entered on July 5, 2022, to resume work as long as workers remained 11 feet away from the power lines.

On July 15, 2022, OSHA found that work had once again been performed dangerously close to the power lines. On August 2, 2022, the court entered a more restrictive Modified Consent Injunction which provided for third-party monitoring and physical barriers to ensure that workers would be kept safe.

“Litana Development and its subcontractors willfully exposed workers to potentially deadly electrocution hazards by making them work too close to energized power lines,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Richard Mendelson in New York. “Despite repeatedly being told of the danger involved with this construction project, the companies ignored warnings and even a court order.”

OSHA issued citations and penalties as follows:

Employer Violations Proposed penalties
Litana Development Inc. Three willful $435,081
Prata Construction LLC One willful, two serious $41,478
Elite Brothers Construction LLC One willful, three serious $41,478

“The U.S. Department of Labor will use all available enforcement tools to protect workers’ safety, and to ensure violations are remedied to prevent tragedies,” said Regional Solicitor of Labor Jeffrey S. Rogoff in New York.

View the citations.

The companies have 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

FMCSA awards nearly $81 million in high-priority safety grants

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety + Health

Photo: FMCSA

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has awarded almost $81 million in grants via its High Priority Grant Program.

The program provides funding for initiatives aimed at strengthening commercial motor vehicle safety under the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program. It also invests in innovative technology, research and other projects that enhance CMV safety. Groups eligible for the funding include state and local governments, Native American tribes, political jurisdictions, nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education.

Activities and projects include:

  • Improving the safe and secure movement of hazardous materials.
  • Improving safe transportation of goods and people in foreign commerce.
  • Demonstrating new technologies to improve CMV safety.
  • Advancing technology to enhance CMV operator awareness of roadway hazards and truck parking availability.
  • Supporting participation in performance and registration information systems management.
  • Conducting safety data improvement projects.
  • Increasing public awareness and education on CMV safety.
  • Targeting unsafe driving of CMVs in areas identified as high-risk crash corridors, including roadway work zones.
  • Improving CMV safety and compliance with CMV safety regulations.

Nearly $43 million of the grant funding was awarded to 63 high-priority CMV safety-related activities and projects, while 35 grants totaling nearly $38 million were awarded via FMCSA’s HP Innovative Technology Deployment Program.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Preventable Drowning Fatality

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by OSHA

US Department of Labor cites Florida company for numerous safety failuresafter investigation into how 22-year-old diver working in canal drowned

Erosion Barrier Installations Corp. failed to train divers on emergency procedures

MARGATE, FL – Working at the bottom of a Margate canal on April 4, 2022, a young diver was removing sand with an industrial vacuum to restore an embankment project when sediment above collapsed onto him, leaving the 22-year-old worker trapped until he drowned.

A U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation found the diver’s employer – Erosion Barrier Installations Corp. of Davie – did not follow required safety standards and issued citations related to the following violations:

  • Failing to train divers in dive-related physics and physiology.
  • Not training dive teams on equipment use, techniques and emergency procedures required to perform underwater tasks safely.
  • Not ensuring that all dive team members are CPR-trained.
  • Failing to require that an experienced dive team member supervise dredging operations in a canal with zero-visibility.
  • Failing to have an emergency aid list at the worksite.
  • Performing underwater dredging in a canal without a standby diver.
  • Not providing employees with harnesses capable of distributing the pull forces over divers’ bodies.

OSHA proposed $46,409 in penalties to address the two willful and 10 serious violations.

“Erosion Barrier Installations Corp. ignored safety standards, and a young worker has died. The company could have prevented this tragedy by ensuring dive team members had the experience and training needed before allowing them to do this dangerous work,” explained OSHA Area Office Director Condell Eastmond in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “Commercial divers face a variety of hazards, and employers must not allow a dive to start until all workers’ safety is assured. The risks and the cost of failure are too great.”

OSHA also cited the company in April 2011 due to a fatal diving incident.

Operating throughout Florida and the Southeast, Erosion Barrier Installations Corp. provides shoreline and seawall restorations, erosion and retaining wall repair, dredging, culvert cleaning and pipe inspections. The company offers services to residential, commercial and local government customers.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.