Coronavirus: Amazon halts nonessential employee travel; Google adds new restrictions
Amazon reportedly has asked all of its 798,000 employees to immediately stop all nonessential domestic and international travel, due to fear of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Additionally, following an employee who tested positive, Google has expanded its employee travel restrictions, adding South Korea and Japan to the list that already included China, Iran and two regions of Italy. Hospitals in the US and the UK are preparing for a coronavirus outbreak. TechRepublic [with video]
US may ramp up production of coronavirus protective gear
The Defense Production Act, passed in 1950 at the outset of the Korean War, may be invoked to rapidly expand domestic of personal protective equipment that can be worn to prevent infection, in order to combat the coronavirus in the United States. Reuters
Report: Minnesota school bus company operated with safety violations
After an investigation found a school bus company had also been operating buses with safety issues, the company faces possible shutdown for violating labor laws. The company reportedly has one of the worst safety records in Minnesota, including dozens of failed inspections. KSTP (St. Paul) [with video]
Massachusetts: Masonry subcontractor after employee fatality involving excavator
Fed-OSHA has fined a masonry contractor following the death of an employee at a Salem, Massachusetts condominium jobsite last year. The employee was operating a mini-excavator on a ramp to the basement of the building when the excavator rolled over several times down a ramp, throwing him off and landing on top of him. The machine reportedly lacked a seatbelt. The agency also cited the firm for failing to provide information and training concerning potential exposure to crystalline silica dust. Salem News
Grain bin fatality in Nebraska spurs $228K in penalties
Fed-OSHA has fined a commodities company for grain handling violations after an employee who lacked a harness or lifeline was fatally engulfed in a grain bin at the company’s Fremont, Nebraska, facility last September. The company was cited for seven repeat and ten serious violations and fined more than $228,000. NTV
How extreme heat threatens farmworkers
Farm workers are uniquely threatened by rising temperatures. Activists are trying to protect them against worsening heat. CleanTechnica [with video]
A ‘non-panicky’ CEO guide to preparing your company for coronavirus
The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency. Obviously, the best reason to prepare for coronavirus is to protect the health of your workers and your business. While not overreacting, CEOs should get ready for the potential impact on their operations as we wait to see if coronavirus becomes a significant public health risk in North America. Chief Executive