Louisiana plant explosion burns two employees

Fed -OSHA is investigating an explosion at a Red River Parish, Louisiana plant Thursday afternoon that burned two employees. Firemen reportedly were on the scene for four hours but none were injured. KTBS (Shreveport, La.)

 

Railcar explosion kills two in Wyoming

According to law enforcement, an explosion Wednesday afternoon killed two people working in a railcar tanker near Shoshoni, Wyoming. Two deceased males were recovered from inside the tanker. Oil City News

 

Can accounting firms mandate vaccines?

With the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, public accounting firms and other employers are watching and waiting, determining how far they can go in encouraging staff to be vaccinated. The issue of how to handle the vaccine in workplaces nationwide depends on some unknowns: Will the number of coronavirus patients subside or continue to rise? Will the vaccines be effective in reducing pandemic patient numbers? Will employees who do not get vaccinated pose a threat to others in the workplace? Journal of Accountancy

 

NIOSH releases well-being survey

As many construction contractors prepare to bring employees back to work who were remote during the pandemic, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has released a free well-being questionnaire intended to help employers, employees, researchers, practitioners and policymakers better understand and target interventions to improve employee welfare. Construction Dive

 

Fire damages Baltimore sugar refinery, storage facility

A huge sugar shed on the Baltimore waterfront collapsed Tuesday as a result of a fire on a conveyor belt. All employees were able to evacuate the facility without assistance, and no injuries were reported. The 99-year-old refinery processes about 6.5 million pounds of raw cane sugar a day. Baltimore Sun

 

Oregon OSHA considering ‘permanent’ COVID-19 rule

The administrator of Oregon OSHA has proposed making permanent the agency’s temporary rule regarding COVID-19 measures, potentially keeping most mandatory public face mask, physical distancing and other infection control precautions in place independent of the state of emergency. The governor’s COVID-19 executive orders through the Oregon Health Authority are only enforceable as long as the state of emergency, currently set to expire in early May, remains in place. Newport News Times

 

May is National Correct Your Posture Month

Sitting in an office chair is a static posture that increases stress in the back, neck, shoulders, arms and legs, and it can add a great sum of pressure to the back muscles and spinal discs. Over time, incorrect sitting posture can damage spinal structures and contribute to or worsen back and neck pain. Here are some tips to maintain neutral body positioning. Guidon