Natural gas, static electricity caused Aspen construction site explosion

An explosion at an Aspen, Colorado construction site earlier this month occurred after natural gas collected in a crawl space, an official said Tuesday. The explosion collapsed one of the floors of the 8,000- to 10,000-square-foot home under construction, took down walls and blew windows out of frames. Two construction workers injured in the incident were in stable condition Tuesday, while all others injured were in good condition. Fed-OSHA is investigating. Aspen Times

Michigan: Hearing set on destruction of records from dismissed citation

The Michigan House oversight committee is expected to hear testimony today about MIOSHA’s alleged destruction of records from the now-dismissed COVID-19 violations cited against the city of Port Huron. MIOSHA initially fined Port Huron $6,300 for allegedly failing to require employees to wear facial coverings, conduct and maintain records of daily self-screening entry protocols, and training employees about the coronavirus. The city contested the issue, based largely on the Michigan Supreme Court’s opinion invalidating the governor’s executive emergency orders, before rejecting a settlement. Times Herald

Labor Department calls for preventing injuries and illnesses in healthcare sector

After increased work during the coronavirus, healthcare industry employees in the United States experienced a 249% increase in injuries and illnesses in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fed-OSHA recommends employers create and use a proactive safety and health program to address hazards, such as illnesses from exposure to bloodborne pathogens and ergonomic injuries related to repetitive tasks. Cleaning & Maintenance Management

Data privacy risks of employee vaccine status collection

Aside from navigating various state regulations, collection of vaccination status and testing results are considered highly sensitive and confidential medical information. This is held to a different privacy standard than other types of employee-related information. Companies need to be prepared to securely handle this employee data. Security Magazine

North Carolina nurses call for more precautions

Registered nurses took to the streets of Asheville, North Carolina Wednesday to call for more safety precautions amid the ongoing pandemic, part of a statewide day of action intended “to address the unsafe working conditions that have led to the deaths and illnesses of workers across the state.” My40