Pharmaceutical Company Facing $251,500 in Proposed Penalties

Posted by Editor on Jul 19, 2010 in content usa, scorecard | Comments Off

REGION 8

OSHA launched a comprehensive investigation after a company that manufactures pharmaceutical tablets and syrups did not adequately address a complaint relating to alleged employee exposure to air contaminants. It was also alleged that workers were covered in dust while performing work in the manufacturing area and when leaving the work area. Willful violations alleged by OSHA pertain to fall hazards, recordkeeping deficiencies, a lack of PPE, a lack of forklift training, inadequate machine guarding, improper electrical receptacles used in wet or damp locations and a lack of chemical hazard information training. Alleged serious violations include employee exposure to hazardous levels of methscopolamine nitrate (MSN), an inadequate respiratory protection program, a lack of eye/face protection, housekeeping and sanitation deficiencies, unguarded rotating shafts, confined space hazards, lockout/tagout hazards, unguarded live electrical parts, a lack of electrical cord strain relief and no chemical hygiene plan. [Provident Pharmaceuticals LLC, Colorado Springs, CO. Release Number OSHA 07-263-DEN].

Spending Hours Behind Wheel Raises Skin Cancer Risk

Posted by Editor on Jul 19, 2010 in content can, world of safety | Comments Off

The “risks list” for people who drive for a living just got a little longer. Along with fatigue, the possibility of being targeted for robbery and the chances of being involved in a fatal crash, people who drive a lot have an increased skin cancer risk.

A Saint Louis University School of Medicine study of 898 skin cancer patients found that people who spent considerable time behind the wheel were more likely to develop skin cancer on the left-hand side of their bodies, involving the neck, head, arms and hands. The tumors they developed are linked to cumulative sun exposure over many years, rather than short-term exposures that cause sunburns.

And the risk doesn’t simply involve people who drive with their driver’s side windows lowered. The study, led by dermatology professor Dr. Scott Fosko, found that while raised vehicle side windows block UVB rays that cause sunburn, they do not stop UVA rays, which are more penetrating. Windshields are made of laminated glass that is effective at filtering both UVA and UVB rays.

Fosko says people who do a lot of driving need to apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, and wear protective clothing, including a hat. Pass this information on to your drivers.

Info to go: To read more about skin cancer, click on the link at www.SafeSupervisor.com

Pick Six

Posted by Editor on Jul 19, 2010 in content can, pick 6 | Comments Off

LIFETIME ODDS OF DEVELOPING MALIGNANT MELANOMA, THE MOST DANGEROUS FORM OF SKIN CANCER

1 in 75 (Source: California Department of Health)

1: One wide-brimmed hat will help protect the head, face, ears and neck against sun exposure and also reduce the likelihood of developing life-threatening heat illness.

11: This year nearly 11,000 Americans will die from skin cancer.

15: Choose a sunscreen product that provides a sun protection factor of at least 15 or preferably higher.

30: People who work or play outdoors should apply sunscreen 30 minutes before stepping into the sun.

44: Forty-four hundred new cases of malignant melanoma will be diagnosed across Canada this year.

100: Wear sunglasses that provide 100 percent protection against UVA and UVB sun rays.

Seekonk, MA, Freight Terminal Faces $109,500 in Proposed Fines

Posted by Editor on Jul 19, 2010 in content usa, scorecard | Comments Off

REGION 1

An OSHA inspection has alleged several hazards for which the company had previously been cited at other locations, including fall hazards, lack of eye and face protection for employees filling batteries, blocked access to emergency eyewash stations, no training in fire extinguisher use and forklift operations, failure to inspect forklifts for defects and failure to remove defective forklifts from service. Serious violations cited allege the lack of an emergency response plan, improper distribution of fire extinguishers, improperly installed electrical wiring and allowing pigeon waste to accumulate on the terminal floor and other surfaces. [Central Transport Inc., Warren MI. Release Number 07-515-BOS/BOS 2007-084, April 12, 2007].

Alleged Asbestos Exposures Lead to $117,000 in Proposed OSHA Penalties for Queens, NY, Employer

Posted by Editor on Jul 19, 2010 in content usa, scorecard | Comments Off

REGION 2

A residential complex that failed to protect its workers against asbestos hazards has been issued four willful citations. These citations allege failure to provide workers with required safeguards, failure to monitor employees’ exposure levels, failure to inform them of the presence, location and quantities of asbestos, and failure to institute a training program and label asbestos-containing material. Employees were routinely required to enter crawlspaces known or presumed to contain asbestos material. An OSHA inspection was undertaken in November 2006 in response to a complaint. The complex was also issued five serious citations alleging failure to provide appropriate hand, face and eye protection, absence of a hazard communication program, failure to properly label and dispose of asbestos-contaminated materials, a lack of quick-drenching eyewashes and respirator safety deficiencies. [Parkway Village Equities Corp., Queens, NY. Release Number 07-529-NEWA/BOS 2007-107].