Employee’s arm amputated in accident at Utah wood shop

An employee of a wood preserving shop in Woods Cross, Utah suffered an amputation accident last week as she operated a wood stacking machine, when her clothing became caught and pulled her into the machine. KJZZ (Salt Lake City)

Michigan program aims to helps restaurants improve air ventilation

Michigan officials have released the COVID-19 Safer Dining Plan, which includes a voluntary program that allows restaurants to work with a licensed HVAC contractor to improve air ventilation. Restaurants can reopen starting February 1, with safety measurements in place. MIOSHA also launched a new site dedicated to COVID-19 workplace safety Friday that includes fact sheets, reopening checklists and coronavirus safety posters for employees. Detroit Free Press

911 calls during chemical leak at Georgia food processing plant relased

Emergency calls made from inside a Hall County, Georgia food processing plant detail what happened as a line ruptured and liquid nitrogen poured into the plant. Thursday’s incident resulted in the deaths of six employees, whose jobs ranged from maintenance to supervisors and management. Investigators say five of died inside the plant and the sixth died after being rushed to the hospital. WSB (Atlanta) [with video]

IOSHA fines auto salvage company $42K following mechanic’s death

Indiana OSHA has fined an Elkhart auto salvage business $42,000 for seven alleged violations in connection with the death last year of a 42-year-old mechanic after an industrial accident involving tires being inflated on a front-end loader. 95.3MNC

Kansas names new labor secretary

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has announced the Kansas Department of Labor will welcome a new Secretary of Labor, Amber Shultz, of Lawrence, who will serve until the Kansas Senate confirms her as the new head of the agency. According to the governor, Shultz has 25 years of experience in technology and innovation and most recently worked as general manager of municipal services & operations for the city of Lawrence. WIBW (Topeka)

Roof collapse injures three at bank construction site in North Carolina

Three construction workers were injured Thursday afternoon when a gust of wind took down several roof trusses at once at the construction site of a bank in Southern Pines, North Carolina. The trusses fell on two of the employees, and the third fell off the roofline as he was standing above the trusses when the collapse occurred. All three are expected to make a full recovery. Sandhills Sentinel