OSHA proposed almost $300,000 after pain factory explosion
- OSHA proposed $290,358 in penalties for Sherwin-Williams in Garland, Texas, following an August 2023 explosion at a paint factory in Garland.
- One employee was injured in the explosion at the factory in the 700 block of Shiloh Road. A Sherwin-Williams spokesman said the source of the fire was unknown, but likely started near the utility and resin manufacturing area of the building.
- OSHA said it issued one repeat and eight serious citations to Sherwin-Williams.
- The repeat citation, related to inspections, according to OSHA, drew a $161,310 proposed penalty. The proposed penalties for the eight other citations is $16,131 each, according to OSHA.
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Research on how robots and workers can co-exist
- NIOSH is researching how construction sites that use robots can be kept safe for workers.
- Recent research by the International Federation of Robotics shows that in 2022, the global average robot density in manufacturing was 151 robots per 10,000 workers – more than double the figure in 2018.
- Robot density in the United States (285 robots per 10,000 workers) was above the worldwide average.
- NIOSH also is interested in guiding working safely with robots and improving the ability to identify and track injuries and fatalities involving them.
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OSHA forms alliances with organizations
- OSHA has signed or renewed alliance agreements with five organizations and businesses nationwide to provide workers with access to accurate and up-to-date information on their legal and fundamental rights, and guidance and training resources on workplace safety and health.
- These organizations and businesses will work with OSHA on initiatives in Missouri, Kansas, North Carolina, Montana, and Nebraska.
- The agreement between the OSHA Billings Area Office and the Marsh McLennan Agency Northwest Region will provide around 10,000 MMA NWR clients and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources to help them protect the health and safety of workers in healthcare and other industries.
- The alliance will share information on OSHA’s National/Regional/Local initiatives, occupational safety and health laws and standards, and information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards. It will promote safety and health best practices.
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OSHA sets more guidance for hazardous chemicals
- OSHA issued its updated Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals Instruction, providing enforcement guidance related to compliance with the standard for the process safety management (PSM) of highly hazardous chemicals.
- The revised instruction removes the Appendix A Program Quality Verification (PQV) Audit Checklist and incorporates existing OSHA enforcement policies regarding PSM into a question-and-answer format.
- The updated guidance—reorganized and presented in a question-and-answer format with links to applicable resources, including letters of interpretation issued by OSHA since the PSM standard was promulgated in February 1992.
- A State Plan must submit a notice of intent indicating that it will adopt the directive or that it already has in place policies and procedures that are identical to or different from the federal program within 60 days of the directive’s effective date on Jan. 26, 2024.
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