Union lauds passage of new workers’ bill

• Washington state lawmakers signed a bill into law that offers new protections to warehouse workers, which fights against fulfillment productivity quotas.
• Recent legal complaints leveled against Amazon have included OSHA abd charges that the company’s workers run the risk of lower back injuries due to the frequency and weight of lifting packages.
• Amazon disputes those accusations, saying it has actually reduced injury rates through risk mitigation policies such as safety innovations, process improvements, and other investments.
• Following the bill’s passage in Washington, the Teamsters say similar legislation is pending in 12 other states, and already passed last year in California and New York.
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AI technology can cut potentially reduce injuries

• AI-driven digital technology can potentially reduce workplace hazards that have long plagued companies, their employees, and their profitability.
• According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in the U.S., the fundamental method to protect workers is to control their exposure to occupational hazards.
• AI tools and techniques are applicable in many safety use cases and include drones, robotics, wearables, sensors, smart equipment, augmented reality and virtual reality, computer vision, mobile apps, and analytics software.
• The hardware components collect data or execute actions. Software components rely on machine learning to analyze patterns and generate insights on safety hazards.
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Construction worker hurt in New Jersey

• A construction worker in Jersey City, New Jersey, suffered serious injuries when he was pinned to a wall by a crane at a site near Journal Square.
• Emergency responders arrived at the scene at approximately 9:30 a.m. and found the adult male who had been injured after a large piece of equipment on the construction site shifted and fell on top of him.
• The initial investigation revealed that the worker was standing near a portable crane operating on the second floor of the building when the equipment suddenly shifted towards him, pinning him against the wall.
• OSHA is investigating the accident.
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A former worker at chemical plant alleges unsafe conditions

• OSHA is continuing an investigation into a Massachusetts pharmaceutical plant where an explosion killed a worker and a former employee claims the company has a history of unsafe conditions.
• The former employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, claimed the Seqens/PCI Synthesis plant has negligent management and unsafe working conditions.
• The explosion caused most of the roof to be torn off the building.
• Jack O’Keefe, who had been working shift as an overnight supervisor at the plant, was killed in the blast.
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