Trench collapse kills two in Phoenix

Two construction workers, both reportedly 35 years of age, were fatally buried  in a trench at a housing site while connecting a sewer line to a new home build on Thursday. A fire official said he did not know how deep the trench was at the time of the collapse. azcentral

 

Loading dock accident kills Phoenix airport cargo worker

A 50-year-old employee died after being pinned against a loading dock by a tractor trailer in a cargo area at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport last week. Albuquerque Journal

 

Fed-OSHA cites Ohio nursing facility operator for virus-related violations

Fed-OSHA has cited a healthcare company that operates Ohio nursing facilities for violating respiratory protection standards during the COVID-19 pandemic and fined it more than $40,000. The agency issued a serious violation of two respiratory protection standards: failing to develop a comprehensive written respiratory protection program and failing to provide medical evaluations to determine employees’ ability to use a respirator in the workplace. Akron Beacon Journal

 

Las Vegas to send out mask ‘compliance ambassadors’

The city of Las Vegas will begin sending out “compliance ambassadors” to help educate businesses about the state’s mask mandate. Nevada OSHA has been enforcing the mandate, along with local and county governments’ business licensing offices. The ambassadors will not handle enforcement, according to the city, but can report violations to city officials. KSNV (Las Vegas)

 

Fed-OSHA updates guidance on cloth face coverings

Fed-OSHA has updated its Frequently Asked Questions regarding workplace safety and addressing topics related to COVID-19, including whether employees should wear a cloth face covering while at work. Regarding personal protective equipment, the agency clarifies cloth face coverings are not considered PPE and are not intended to be used when employees need PPE for protection against exposure to occupational hazards. JDSupra

 

Fed-OSHA publishes new FAQs on reporting COVID hospitalizations and deaths

Earlier this month Fed-OSHA published a new interpretation of the hospitalization reporting requirement that states employers must report the hospitalization within 24 hours of knowing both that the employee has been hospitalized and that the reason for hospitalization was COVID-19. Employers have been unsure of whether and how the 24-hour interval would apply to an in-patient hospitalization for COVID-19, write Davis Jenkins and Arthur G. Sapper of the Ogletree Deakins law firm. National Law Review

 

Wife of severely injured Indiana tunnel worker files lawsuit

The wife of a man who was severely injured while working on a major tunneling project in Fort Wayne, Indiana project is suing the contractor and boring machine supplier for damages. According the lawsuit, he was working in the tunnel more than 200 feet underground when a pipe on the tunnel’s boring machine exploded, causing him a severe traumatic brain injury. WPTA