MSHA taking action to tackle increase in miner deaths, agency head says

Original article published by Safety+Health
Christopher Williamson
Photo: US Department of Labor

Arlington, VA — As a “troubling trend” of miner death continues, Mine Safety and Health Administration head Chris Williamson says the agency “is not going to sit by and watch the number grow.”

Speaking during an April 26 conference call for agency stakeholders, Williamson emphasized several MSHA initiatives amid a recent rise in miner deaths. As of April 25, MSHA had recorded 17 industry fatalities this year – more than half of the 29 observed by the agency in 2022.

Williamson pointed out the increased frequency with which MSHA has issued safety alerts and left on the table “additional appropriate enforcement, if necessary.” The administrator also discussed his April 14 letter to mining stakeholders, in which he announced the inaugural “Stand Down to Save Lives” day on May 17.

MSHA recorded 14 industry fatalities from Jan. 26 to April 26. Among those, 12 involved workers with two years or less experience at the mine. Eight of the miners had less than two years’ experience at the activity they were performing at the time of the incident.

Although MSHA requires worker training, Marcus Smith, chief of the agency’s Accident Investigations Division, said that deficient training “stands out to us frequently” during fatality investigations.

MSHA also found nine instances in which mine operators either didn’t conduct a required workplace examination or the examination was deemed inadequate.

Williamson also addressed MSHA’s long-awaited proposed rule on respirable crystalline silica. The April target date listed on the Department of Labor’s Fall 2022 regulatory agenda won’t be met, as the proposal remains under the interagency review process. “We’ll have more to say, more to share on that, hopefully, at some point in the near future,” Williamson said, “but that’s where it’s at. Obviously, we’ll have a lot to talk about once the proposed rule comes out. And really, as I’ve said over and over again, I want the entire mining community to read it and provide comment, and we’ll take those seriously as we continue to work through the rulemaking process.”


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.

Preventable Fatality

Original article published by OSHA

Department of Labor investigation of fatal trench collapse in Brazoria Countyfinds contractor failed to follow federal excavation safety measures

R Construction Civil LLC faces $258K in penalties for serious, repeat violations

HOUSTON – A Houston-area contractor’s repeated failure to follow federal workplace safety procedures during excavation operations contributed to a worker’s death near Manvel in October 2022, a federal workplace safety investigation has found.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined that R Construction Civil LLC allowed two employees to work in an excavation without sloping or using a protective system to prevent the 25-foot trench’s collapse. The fatal injury occurred when one of the workers was pinned against a mechanical compactor and the trench wall caved in.

“R Construction Civil LLC failed to meet its legal responsibility and it cost a worker their life,” explained OSHA Area Director Mark Briggs in Houston. “The company could have prevented this tragedy by following well-known safety measures meant to protect workers from this very hazard.”

OSHA issued two repeat citations for not having means to exit the excavation, failing to keep spoil piles at least 2 feet away from the excavation’s edge, and for using an inadequate protective system inside the excavation to protect workers from cave-ins. The agency also issued one serious citation for not inspecting the excavation daily, as required.

The company faces $257,822 in proposed penalties for its violations.

Headquartered in Buffalo, Texas, R Construction Civil LLC is a construction contractor providing heavy civil construction from water, sewage, drainage and site work. The company also has locations in Houston and Floresville.

The company has 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.

Learn about trenching and excavation safety.


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.

Are you ready for the National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction?

Original article published by Safety+Health

Photo: OSHA

Washington — The 10th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is fast approaching, and employers nationwide are being encouraged to host an event.

Set to take place May 1-5, the stand-down was created by NIOSH, OSHA, and CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training. It’s intended to help prevent fall-related deaths and injuries by raising awareness of hazards. Falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death in the industry, accounting for 351 of the 1,008 construction fatalities recorded in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In a press release, OSHA administrator Doug Parker says that although the event’s message has remained similar over the past decade, it “bears repeating again and again.”

He continues: “Workers should never have to risk their lives to make a living. The stand-down is an opportunity for employers to prove their commitment to their workers and provide the leadership, tools and training to prevent falls.”

NIOSH encourages workplace participation in the stand-down through toolbox talks and safety activities such as developing drills, practices and rescue plans; conducting equipment inspections; and discussing job-specific hazards.

CPWR is offering multiple resources for employers as part of its One Stop Stand-Down Shop, including a public service announcement that can be shared, ideas for stand-down events to be hosted and hazard alert cards that can be handed out to workers.

On its website, OSHA features highlights of past events from around the country. Last year, about 3,500 stand-downs conducted worldwide reached more than 455,000 workers. Fifty-four percent of attendees indicated they had participated in at least three events during their careers.

“The stand-downs are an important opportunity to further occupational health equity and emphasize worker safety at all times,” NIOSH Director John Howard said in the release. “Stopping to take time in the workday to recognize existing fall safety hazards and offering demonstrations or trainings can contribute to a positive work culture and a safer working environment for all.”

Employers can share their stand-down stories by emailing oshastanddown@dol.gov or using the hashtag #StandDown4Safety on social media.


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.

US Department of Labor to honor workers whose jobs claimed their lives, recommit to protecting workers as nation marks Workers Memorial Day

Original article published by OSHA

Photo: United States Department of Labor

OSHA, MSHA administrators, AFL-CIO president to join national ceremony online

WASHINGTON – On April 28, 1970, the nation first observed Workers Memorial Day at a time when an estimated 38 people died on the job in the U.S. each day. More than a half century later, this annual tribute endures as do the determined efforts of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Mine Safety and Health Administration to help protect the lives of our nation’s workers.

Today, work-related injuries claim the lives of approximately 14 people each day in the U.S., that’s one life lost every 101 minutes. There were 5,190 such deaths in 2021. Workers Memorial Day pays tribute to these people, and all the fallen workers before them, and the survivors who remain to grieve and carry on.

In 2023, families, friends, coworkers, and others will gather on Friday, April 28 at events across the nation to honor people who died at work.

“On Workers Memorial Day, as we remember the people whose jobs claimed their lives, we must recognize that behind these numbers, there are people who mourn each loss. For them, these statistics are loved ones: they’re parents, children, siblings, relatives, friends, or co-workers,” said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. “On this day of remembrance, we should reflect on what might have prevented their loss and recommit ourselves to doing all we can — and all that can be done — to safeguard workers and to fulfill our moral obligation and duty as a nation to protect America’s workers.”

Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker and Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Christopher Williamson will host a national Workers Memorial Day ceremony online broadcast from the department’s Washington headquarters on April 27 at 1 p.m. EDT. They will be joined by AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and United Support & Memorial for Workplace Fatalities Vice President Wanda Engracia, whose husband, Pablo Morillo was one of three workers killed in a 2005 industrial explosion in New Jersey.

“On Workers Memorial Day, we come together to remember those workers we have lost, including those who suffered toxic exposures at work that led to fatal illnesses which were entirely preventable,” Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson. “Repeated and prolonged exposures to unsafe levels of coal dust, silica and diesel exhaust can slowly strip a miner of their livelihood and dignity, and eventually their life. We must honor their loss by doing all we can to protect the health and safety of our nation’s miners.”

Throughout the U.S., OSHA and MSHA representatives will take part in local Workers Memorial Day events. They will join families, workers, labor unions, advocates, and others to remember the lives lost and raise awareness of workplace safety to help prevent future tragedies. Find a local Workers Memorial Day event.

View the online Workers Memorial Day event from Washington on April 27.


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 wants to expand Crash Preventability Determination Program

Original article published by Safety+Health

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking comment on potentially expanding a program intended to determine to what extent crashes involving commercial trucks and buses are preventable.

Adjusting the Crash Preventability Determination Program would help FMCSA “review even more crashes each year,” the agency says in a notice published in the April 13 Federal Register. “The use of more preventability information in assessing motor carriers will provide an improved indication of a motor carrier’s crash risk.”

FMCSA established the program in May 2020. The agency reviews crashes classified under 16 types while modifying information in its Safety Measurement System to delineate non-preventable crashes.

The proposal would add four new crash types:

  • Commercial motor vehicles struck on the side by a driver operating in the same direction
  • CMVs struck because another driver was entering the roadway from a private driveway or parking lot
  • CMVs struck because another driver lost control of their vehicle
  • Any other type of crash involving a CMV in which video demonstrates the sequence of events

Additionally, FMCSA wants to modify 11 existing crash types “to broaden” them and “allow more crashes to be eligible.” The proposed changes would double the program’s size, FMCSA says.

Between May 1, 2020, and Dec. 30, FMCSA received more than 39,000 requests for data review, the notice states. About 72.5% of the requests fell under an existing category, with approximately 96% of crashes classified as “not preventable.”

Comments on the proposal are due June 12.


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.

It’s not just semitruck drivers who need safety training, researchers say

Original article published by Safety+Health
sh.web.042323.vans.jpg

Lexington, KY — Drivers of utility vans, tow trucks, and other light and medium-weight trucks could use safety training, according to a team from the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center.

The researchers analyzed incident and injury data from state workers’ compensation first report of injury claims, as well as injury narratives from drivers.

They found that drivers of light trucks (those weighing 10,000 pounds or less) and medium-weight trucks (10,000 to 26,000 pounds) had higher FROI rates than drivers of trucks weighing more than 26,000 pounds.

Unlike drivers of heavy trucks, drivers of light and medium-weight trucks aren’t required to complete federally mandated training. They also tend to be younger. Younger drivers of light and medium-weight trucks had higher FROI rates compared with counterparts who operate heavy trucks.

Crashes involving light/medium-weight trucks most commonly involved being rear-ended, running red lights and turning in front of other vehicles.

“Because of this, the researchers recommend that employers of light and medium drivers provide targeted trainings to drivers with previous crashes that address distracted driving and emphasize rear-end crash prevention,” a KIPRC press release states.

Terry Bunn, principal investigator and director of KIPRC, suggests that “national regulations can be developed and implemented” for the growing number of drivers of light and medium-weight trucks.

The study was published online in the National Safety Council’s Journal of Safety Research.


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.

Construction worker safety: Refresher tips from NIOSH

Original article published by Safety+Health

sh0423.web.cdc.jpg

Photo: NIOSH

Washington — A new pamphlet from NIOSH offers tips to mitigate common risks that construction workers face.

While pointing out that falls are the most common cause of death on construction sites, the resource reminds workers of elements that “don’t seem to pose a risk” – such as dust and electricity – but can be hazardous.

Other tips:

  • Secure the base of a ladder or ask someone to hold it for you while you climb.
  • Use the correct kind of ladder for each job. If you need an extension ladder, don’t use a stepladder.
  • Place the ladder at the correct angle; separate the base of the ladder 1 foot from the wall for every 4 feet high.
  • When climbing or descending a ladder, use a chain or rope to lift materials and tools instead of carrying them.
  • Dust from common construction materials may contain toxic substances; wear a respirator so you don’t breathe in dust or harmful fumes.
  • Wash your hands and face before eating.
  • Change your clothes before leaving work.
  • Check all extension cables before use to make sure they aren’t damaged.
  • Use a cable with a grounded plug and keep cables out of water – even shallow puddles.
  • Ensure metal ladders don’t come into contact with power cables.

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.

Work safely with lithium batteries

Original article published by Safety+Health

Many devices, including personal gas monitors, are powered by lithium batteries, some of which (lithium-ion batteries) are rechargeable.

According to OSHA, lithium batteries are “a safe, high energy density power source for devices in the workplace.” Still, they can cause injury “if they have design defects, are made of low-quality materials, are assembled incorrectly, are used or recharged improperly, or are damaged.” A malfunctioning or improperly used lithium battery-powered device can result in a fire or an explosion.

Follow these tips from OSHA to ensure your workers stay safe:

  • Make sure lithium batteries, chargers and associated equipment are tested in accordance with an appropriate test standard and, where applicable, certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory.
  • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for storage, use, charging and maintenance.
  • Confirm that replacement batteries and chargers are designed and approved for use with the device.
  • Remove lithium-powered devices and batteries from the charger once they’re fully charged.
  • Store the batteries and devices in a cool, dry place.
  • Inspect batteries and devices for signs of damage before use. If you find damage, remove the item from service; place it in a fire-resistant container; and dispose of it in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. Or, contact a local battery recycling center for disposal instructions.
  • Ensure workers who use or handle lithium-powered devices are trained on using these products.

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.

Nail Gun Safety

Original article published by Safety+Health

Photo: NIOSH

Before you pick up that nail gun, do you know how to use it safely?

Here are a few common causes of injury that CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training says are related to improper use of nail guns: unintended firing, holding down the contact trigger when the gun isn’t firm against the work surface, ricocheting or airborne nails, nails going through the work surface, and bypassing safety features.

All of these can be avoided.

According to CPWR, here’s how:

  • Keep the nail gun pointed away from your body and other workers, especially when the air supply is connected.
  • Disconnect the compressed air if you leave a nail gun unattended, move to a new location with it, hand it off to a co-worker or are performing maintenance.
  • Don’t reach up and attempt to use the nail gun in a spot you cannot fully see. If you can’t reach the work, use a hammer instead.
  • Wear personal protective equipment: safety glasses marked with Z87+, hearing protection and steel-toed footwear.
  • Make sure you’re trained on the safe use and handling of a nail gun.

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.

‘Turn around don’t drown’ in floodwaters

Original article published by Safety+Health

Flooding can happen anywhere in the country, and it’s a year-round hazard that happens in all 50 states. As little as 6 inches of floodwater can cause vehicles to lose control and stall, the National Weather Service warns.

NWS’ “Turn Around Don’t Drown” campaign tells us that 12 inches of fast-moving floodwater is enough to carry away most cars, while 24 inches can displace a majority of trucks and SUVs.

So, if you’re driving and come across a flooded road, don’t cross it. It’s not safe.

Other tips from NWS:

  • Don’t assume floodwaters aren’t deep. Accurately gauging the depth of the water and condition of the submerged road is difficult. The road may have collapsed – partially or completely.
  • Familiarize yourself with alternate routes in case you come to a flooded road.
  • Prepare an emergency kit with food, water and blankets, and make sure your cellphone is fully charged or you have a spare.
  • In the event that alternate routes are also impassable and severe weather remains in the area, search for higher ground and notify emergency officials immediately.

Check out the “Turn Around Don’t Drown” public service announcement, and learn more about the NWS campaign, at weather.gov/safety/flood-turn-around-dont-drow


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.