Search Results for 'news'
Turkish mine disaster reveals national safety failures
Mining accidents are not new in Turkey, which is the world’s seventh largest producer of coal. More than 3,000 people have been killed since 1941 and a reported 13,000 miners suffered workplace accidents last year. The country’s mining industry is riddled with safety loopholes; Turkey’s mines supposedly have the most dangerous work conditions in the […]
Dangerous fun: The circus as workplace
In a recent accident at a Ringling Brothers performance in Providence, Rhode Island, the media has turned its lens to show what it really takes to entertain in a circus. A closer look reveals that while acrobats constantly balance between life and death, exotic and non-domestic animals who seem to enact happily, receive endless reprimands to deliver […]
A year after disaster: Progress and peril for Bangladeshi factory workers
Just over a year ago, management at a garment factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh ordered employees to report for work, despite warnings of critical structural problems in the building. During the morning rush hour, the eight-story Rana Plaza building collapsed, killing 1,100 workers and injuring thousands more. The Bangladeshi government vowed reformative action. American manufacturers […]
Workplace safety success on social media
Here on the MySafetySign blog, we’ve discussed at length how to promote workplace health and safety systems, checks, and regulations, including our survey of EHS professionals. However, there’s another important realm of interaction that’s worth discussing. In this digital age, social networks are woven into the fabric of our daily lives, and it’s no different for […]
Drive safe on the job: NSC launches distracted driving campaign
At any given moment, more than 600,000 drivers on the road are using a handheld cell phone. In 2012, 3,328 people were killed and 421,000 were injured in crashes due to distracted driving. To raise awareness about distracted driving behaviors and curb the high rate of fatalities caused by it, the National Safety Council (NSC) […]
Workplace bullying a growing concern
From an NFL player extincting threats to a teammate to a member of Congress turning off a fellow Representative’s microphone, there is no shortage of high-profile incidents regarding bullying in the workplace. For the rest of us, working in cubicles, hospitals, factories or construction sites, workplace bullying may not elicit media coverage, but it’s no […]
Growing opposition to OSHA’s proposed silica rule
As the public comment period for the proposed crystalline silica rule closes, several big organizations have unanimously disapproved the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) recommended regulations. OSHA estimates that the rule, once implemented, would significantly decrease the number of deaths caused each year due to silica dust hazard. However, industry experts think the proposed […]
New food safety glove requirement is a recipe for unhappy chefs
A new law in the California Retail Food Code has chefs and bartenders fuming. Effective immediately, culinary workers will have to wear disposable gloves or use utensils (such as tongs, scoops etc) when handling foods in ready-to-eat form. Assembly Bill 1252 added section 113961 to the California Retail Food Code (CalCode) that went into effect […]
Are lab accidents at schools preventable?
A chemical accident at Beacon High School, New York in which two students were injured during a lab demonstration, has stirred up a debate on whether lab accidents at schools are preventable. Tenth grader Alonzo Yanes, one of the injured students, suffered second-degree burns on his face, neck, and arm while the other student suffered first […]
OSHA stresses the importance of crowd safety for Black Friday sales
As holiday shopping kickstarts with Thanksgiving this year, OSHA is reminding retailers to put the safety of their employees before anything else. The lure of insane shopping bargains can give rise to a dangerous mob mentality among shoppers, resulting in crowd injuries, fire, and other accidents. In 2008, a Walmart employee was trampled to death […]
Higher injury and fatality rate for Hispanic workers
As the Senate’s immigration reform bill awaits approval in the House of Representatives, a new report from Congress’ Joint Economic Committee underscores the need for improved workplace protection for the growing number of Hispanic workers – many of whom speak English as a second language. According to the report released by committee vice chair Senator […]
