Highway crash that killed six could have been prevented

• An investigation by Maryland Occupational Safety and Health investigation blames the State Highway Administration for violations that contributed to the deadly March crash on I-695 that killed six highway workers.
• On March 23, police said two drivers, Lisa Lea, 54, and Melachi Brown, 20, were driving at a high rate of speed down I-695 when Lea changed lanes, hitting Brown. Lea’s car tumbled out of the intersection and killed six highway workers.
• The MOSH notification cited SHA for failing to post traffic control signs in advance of openings in the temporary concrete barrier where Lea’s vehicle entered the construction zone.
• Lea and Brown are also facing charges.
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Jury convicts milling operation after workers killed

• A federal jury in Madison, Wisconsin, convicted current and former Didion Milling Inc. officials of workplace safety violations and other charges for the 2017 explosion in Cambria that killed five workers.
• The jury in Madison found Derrick Clark guilty of conspiring to falsify documents, making false Clean Air Act compliance certifications as Didion’s “responsible official.”
• OSHA contended Clark “gave false and misleading testimony about his knowledge of problems with the dust collection system at Didion’s corn mill, his knowledge of explosion hazards, and his knowledge of prior fires at the facility.”
• An accumulation of grain dust was the likely cause of the explosion. Federal regulations require grain mill operators to perform regular cleanings because a spark or ignition can cause high concentrations of corn dust to catch fire or explode.
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NIOSH looking for a respirator update

• NIOSH wants to update its estimate of the number of organizations and workers who use respirators and evaluate the reasons behind their use.
• The Survey of Respirator Use and Practices marks NIOSH’s first effort to collect national, industrywide data on respiratory protection since 2001.
• NIOSH cites a need to update its Respirator Approval Program, as awareness and use of respirators has expanded amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.
• NIOSH plans to begin contacting employers regarding the survey on Nov. 2.
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Possible ban on hair products

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration could ban some hair straightening products that contain ingredients thought to increase the risk of hormone-related cancers.
• The FDA released a rule proposal to ban the use of formaldehyde and other chemicals that release formaldehyde in products designed to straighten or smooth hair.
• OSHA requires manufacturers to include safety warnings on products that contain a risky level of formaldehyde or products that release formaldehyde into the air.
• Before the ban becomes official, the FDA is accepting public comment, which can be submitted online.
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