SafetyIssues Personal and Public Safety News Articles: Workplace Workplace Safety Inspections to be Beneficial to Workers and Businesses ================================================================================ Courtesy of MassCOSH on 05/19/12 03:52:00 May 18, 2012 BOSTON – Yesterday, a research team from Harvard Business School Study confirmed what the Massachusetts Collation for Occupational Safety and Health has known all along: workplace safety inspections save lives – and money. For decades, business groups have claimed the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) should spend fewer resources on inspections and focus instead on voluntary safety programs. Some even claim the agency harbors an anti-business mentality and considers OSHA’s small fines that average just $1,000 to be “jobs killers.” These critics will now find their baseless claims impossible to stand by. Illinois Department of Labor investigates 'worker safety issues' at Cook County morgue ================================================================================ Courtesy of therepublic.com on 01/28/12 09:52:00 The Illinois Department of Labor is investigating complaints about "worker safety issues" at the Cook County medical examiner's office. Labor spokeswoman Anjali Julka says the department got a call this month about issues at the morgue, but she wouldn't provide more details. Penalty of $185,000 for child labor violations and worker retaliation ================================================================================ Courtesy of MassCOSH on 10/11/11 01:21:00 Courtey of MassCOSH - Raynham, Mass. – Xue Ying You and Casidy Lu – owners of New York Buffet in Somerset and the now defunct Grand China Buffet in Raynham have been ordered to pay over $50,000 in back wages and more than $130,000 in penalties for serious and intentional violations of the Massachusetts Minimum Wage, Child Labor and Anti-Retaliation Laws by Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office. “This is very welcome news,” said Mirna Montano, a worker rights organizer at the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH), who assisted the workers. “For these workers, who courageously stood up against labor abuses, justice seems to finally be in reach.” Helping You Solve Your Problems At Work ================================================================================ Courtesy of EmployeeSafety on 08/08/11 04:17:00 Safety issues are an important topic in today's workplace, especially with the rise in accidents in places of work and business. Accidents may often be small, but they can also lead to life-altering results such as mutilation and even death. The most common type of safety issue in workplaces relates to tripping and falling, however, there are many other causes to be considered. An organization with a superior policy for dealing with safety issues should be considering topics such as ergonomics and the arrangement of the space so that the tasks best fit the people who complete them. The following are the primary safety issues and how an organization can best prevent them: Troubled diva Amy Winehouse dead at 27 ================================================================================ Courtesy of Boston.com on 07/23/11 06:19:00 Few artists summed up their own career in a single song -- a single line -- as well as Amy Winehouse. "They tried to make me go to rehab," she sang on her world-conquering 2006 single, "Rehab." "I said 'No, no no.'" Occasionally, she said yes, but to no avail: repeated stints in hospitals and clinics couldn't stop alcohol and drugs scuttling the career of a singer whose distinctive voice, rich mix of influences and heart-on-her sleeve sensibility seemed to promise great things. Workers exposed to radiation in federal building in Boston ================================================================================ Courtesy of PatriotLedger on 05/17/11 07:03:00 BOSTON — Two federal workers were exposed to some type of radiation in the basement of the Tip O'Neill Building at 10 Causeway St. Tuesday afternoon, according to Boston fire officials. The exposure triggered a Level 3 Hazmat response. It is not immediately clear what exactly caused the workers' contamination alert badges to go off. The workers cannot be decontaminated until it is determined what they were exposed to, according to fire officials. US Airways Pilots Question Safety Culture ================================================================================ Courtesy of TheSteet on 05/12/11 01:02:00 (TheStreet) -- US Airways pilots are calling for the dismissal of the carrier's chief safety officer, saying the safety culture has deteriorated markedly since a 2005 merger. The airline, however, said that Paul Morell, vice president of safety and regulatory compliance, is staying and the charges are baseless, motivated by ongoing contract talks with the U.S. Airline Pilots Association. "It's unfortunate that our pilots' union is using safety as a negotiating tactic," said airline spokeswoman Michelle Mohr. "It's a real disservice to the 32,000 employees of US Airways." Just How Dangerous Is Sitting All Day? ================================================================================ Courtesy of Mashable.com on 05/08/11 09:10:00 Sitting down, which most of us do for at least eight hours each day, might be the worst thing we do for our health all day. We’ve been preaching the benefits of stand-up desks for a while around here — and no one needs this good news more than social media-obsessed web geeks. A recent medical journal study showed that people who sit for most of their day are 54% more likely to die of a heart attack. Lack of Safety Precautions, Oversight Costing Workers Lives ================================================================================ Courtesy of MassCosh on 04/27/11 01:21:00 Courtesy of MassCosh - NEW REPORT: BOSTON, MA 4/27/11 – September 14, 2010 would be Gregory Vilidnitsky’s last day on the job. That evening, a red pickup truck struck the civil engineer as he inspected a roadway repaving project on Rt. 9 in Framingham, killing him almost instantly. The truck was traveling at such a high rate of speed that the impact knocked Vilidnitsky out of his work boots – a grisly discovery when he was found a short time later by his co-workers. He would have turned 58 the next day. Why Do Workers Ignore Safety Rules? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 11/18/08 12:25:00 U.S. workers are ignoring important safety procedures, which put them at risk for workplace injuries, according to the results of a survey on safety professionals conducted by Kimberly-Clark Professional. Long Sick Leaves May Indicate Death Risk ================================================================================ Long Sick Leaves May Indicate Death Risk on 10/05/08 05:07:00 Employees who take more extended sick leaves have a greater likelihood of dying than their less sickly co-workers, a research team at University College London has reported. Are You Safe from Germs at the Office? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 07/29/08 01:09:00 During the summer, bacteria find perfect environments for breeding and multiplying in the air conditioning units and ventilation shafts found in corporate offices all over the country. This is just one more reason why the average office workstation may harbor bacteria in concentrations several hundred more times than a toilet seat. Ontario Nurses to Get Safety Needles ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/25/07 03:10:00 Nurses and other frontline health care workers in Ontario will soon be equipped with safety needles and respirators for better protection against needle-stick injuries and dangerous infections. Are Laser Printers Dangerous To Health? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 06/06/08 06:40:00 Australian researchers, investigating ventilation systems in offices, were surprised when they made the stunning discovery that the air outside near a freeway was five times less polluted than the air inside non-smoking offices. The culprit: laser printers. Will Trapped Utah Miners Last 3 Days? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/08/07 06:35:00 A tunnel collapsed in a Utah coal mine after an intensity 4.0 earthquake last Monday morning (August 6), trapping six miners. Utah Mine Rescuers Killed in New Cave-In ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/18/07 04:50:00 It has been 12 days since a seismic jolt trapped six coal miners underground in a Crandall Canyon coal mine in Utah. Rescuers still have not been able to reach them. Coffee Creamers Carry Hidden Fat, Calories ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 06/05/08 08:37:00 A non-profit organization has warned that some coffee creamers are likely to carry hidden calories and trans fat, which is harmful to the heart. The Center for Science in the Public Interest released the results of its study on several popular brands of coffee creamers earlier this week week in Washington. Countering Security Threats ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/27/03 08:00:00 A firm foundation is required to develop satisfactory security protection, and that foundation is an organizational security policy that covers all the necessary contingencies. Understanding the Disaster Recovery Planning Process of Business ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/24/03 10:50:00 To successfully manage business continuity during a disaster and restore normal operations, organizations require a good disaster recovery plan. The Threat to Privacy and Corporate Vulnerability Part 4 ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/23/07 04:05:00 Privacy Laws Are Not The Same in Every Country: Privacy laws differ considerably from country to country. It is important to note that if an organization is doing business in multiple countries that its privacy plan address requirements to comply with the privacy laws of all of the countries in which it conducts business or have operations. The Threat to Privacy and Corporate Vulnerability Part 3 ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/20/08 05:55:00 There are Threats from Within An Organization: In the management of privacy there are two types of threats within an organization. First is deliberate misuse or theft of information. The Threat to Privacy and Corporate Vulnerability Part 2 ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/19/07 04:45:00 Companies Need to Be Concerned About Privacy: Issues of social responsibility are certainly important but the most important things an organization needs to be concerned with regarding privacy issues is the potential for litigation and possible damage to its reputation for ignoring or blundering on a privacy issue. The Threat to Privacy and Corporate Vulnerability Part 1 ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/15/07 08:35:00 Maintaining the privacy of enterprise information is a meticulous process and requires coordination across all departments and functions within an organization. Prevent Work Accidents with Proper Gear ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/27/08 08:13:00 The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released its report on the work standards which most frequently received citations from OSHA and labor standards inspectors. The top two most frequently cited standards involved scaffolding and fall protection in the construction industry. Bugs Also Affect Computer Keyboards ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 04/30/08 03:16:00 It’s not only your computer that gets bugs but also your computer keyboard. And these bugs are the kind that can make you ill, according to a study published in London by a consumer group Thursday. High-Rise Safety Not Working? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 04/25/08 03:40:00 New York has a long tradition of ironclad safety regulations and equipment to prevent high-rise construction workers from falling to the ground hundreds of feet below. A spate of accidents in high-rise construction sites has led to questions about whether safety rules are working. Blast Rips Georgia Sugar Refinery ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 02/11/08 03:30:00 Firefighters have recovered the bodies of four workers in a sugar refinery blast Thursday evening that injured at least 62 people and caused a lot of fires that were difficult to put under control. Four workers are still classified missing.