‘Dangerous gaps’ exist in US oversight of ammonium nitrate, say experts
The recent catastrophic explosion in Beirut, which killed more than 200 people and damaged half of the city, has renewed calls in the United States to bolster oversight of ammonium nitrate. The highly explosive compound, which is used in some farm fertilizers, has been used in terrorist attacks including Oklahoma City and in improvised explosive devices and car bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan. Experts say federal oversight of ammonium nitrate storage, transport, processing and use today remains a morass of vague regulations, despite repeated attempts to strengthen the rules. NET
Two killed in explosion at Mississippi processing plant
Two employees who were severely injured in an explosion last week at a processing plant in Byram, Mississippi have died as a result of thermal burns they suffered in the explosion. Fed-OSHA cited the company for three serious violations in 2017: a ladder on a plant silo not maintained in safe condition and mechanical power apparatus and a powered industrial truck hazards. Clarion Ledger
What’s the difference between N95 and KN95 masks?
Both N95 and KN95 face masks consist typically of several layers of a polypropylene plastic polymer, a synthetic material, and are required to capture and filter out 95 percent of 0.3 micron particles in the air, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. However, there are some important differences between the masks. Fox News
Meat Institute inks alliance with Fed-OSHA
The North American Meat Institute last week signed a two-year alliance with Fed-OSHA to provide members, the public and other stakeholders with guidance and access to training resources intended to help protect employees. However, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which reports least 113 meatpacking employee deaths and over 17,000 infected or exposed to COVID-19, condemned the new agreement as a “corporate giveaway.” Supermarket News
Fed-OSHA inspector testifies meat plant was notified prior to visit
A Fed-OSHA inspector tipped off a Pennsylvania meatpacking plant experiencing a coronavirus outbreak before visiting the next day, because she was told to do so by her supervisors for her own safety, according to testimony in a lawsuit brought by employees who claim they were forced to work in close proximity without masks or breaks to wash their hands. San Antonio Express-News
Army Corps of Engineers to participate in fall protection stand-down
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ plans to participate next month in Fed-OSHA’s annual National Safety Stand-Down to prevent falls in construction, a voluntary national campaign for government, industry, unions, academia, societies, councils, and associations. The event was originally scheduled for May 4-8, but rescheduled for September 14 -18. Due to COVID-19, this year’s events are being hosted virtually via webinars that are open to all USACE employees. dvids
Are employers allowed to post COVID-19 test results?
“My employer posts test results and the name of the people who are tested in the hallways of the men and women’s locker rooms for everyone to see. Is this a violation of HIPAA?” Here’s what some organizations have to say about how employers should handle COVID-19 with their employees. WLOS (Asheville, N.C.)