Note to our valued subscribers: OSHA Today will be taking its annual holiday break starting Monday, December 23, 2019. We will resume daily publication Monday, January 6, 2020.
Fed-OSHA hands down $26K fine in Dallas building collapse
Fed-OSHA has issued a $26,000 fine to the owner of a crane that collapsed onto a Dallas apartment building during a storm in June, killing a 29-year-old resident and displacing hundreds of others. The report did not indicate any definitive cause for the collapse, and the crane company says it will appeal. Video of the collapse reportedly shows another crane that remained stable amid the storm. Dallas Morning News
The death of a prominent New York City architect from debris that fell off a building this week was preventable, experts say. Buildings inspectors previously had cited the building owners for damaged terra cotta that posed a falling hazard for pedestrians, but the safety issues reportedly were not rectified. New York Post
Workplace injuries killed 75 in Minnesota in 2018, down slightly
Workplace injuries were the cause of 75 deaths in Minnesota in 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, down from 101 in 2017 and 92 in 2016. Nationally, the ratio of deaths to workers remained steady in 2018. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting were the deadliest industries in the state in 2018, and accounted for 22 deaths. Duluth News Tribune
Fed-OSHA, New Hampshire team up to target workplace substance abuse
The state of New Hampshire has created an alliance with the Fed-OSHA intended to combat the rise in deaths from substance abuse in the workplace. According to the program, untreated addiction costs the state $2.3 billion per year. The partnership is the next phase of “Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative.” U.S. News & World Report
Chicago-area plant explosion that killed four workers was preventable: CSB
The explosion in early May at a Waukegan, Illinois silicone plant, which killed four workers and severely injured another, should not have happened, according to the U.S. Chemical Safety Board. The CSB’s lead investigator says there were no flammable gas or hydrogen detectors in the plant, nor are there regulations or requirements to have them. Chicago Tribune
New toilet technology designed to shorten employees’ bathroom breaks
A United Kingdom-based company claims people spend a quarter more time in office bathrooms than necessary, costing employers lost work time and productivity. The company’s new downward-tilting toilet is intended to make it difficult to sit for more than five minutes, and also may provide health benefits. CBS News