Safety in the News: February 2020

OSHA continues to prevent fall fatalities while increasing drone usage
…OSHA issued a memo to its staff formalizing its use of drones for inspection activities. Staff members from the agency’s 10 regions were asked to designate an unmanned aircraft program manager and a drone inspection team…

U.S. Department of Labor Publishes Amendments and Technical Corrections to OSHA Standards
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently published technical corrections and amendments to 27 OSHA standards and regulations. This administrative rulemaking corrects minor misprints, omissions, outdated references, and tabular and graphic inaccuracies. The revisions apply to several industry sectors, including general industry, construction, shipyard employment and longshoring. Some revisions may reduce employer costs, and none expand employer obligations or impose new costs. [ VIEW PDF ]

OSHA celebrates 50th anniversary of OSH Act
On Dec. 29, 1970, President Richard Nixon signed the legislation and paved the way for OSHA’s creation. In that time, workplace fatalities have decreased to about 14 a day in 2018 from around 38 a day in 1970, and the annual injury and illness rate among private-industry employees declined to 2.8 per 100 workers in 2018 from 10.9 in 1972.

OSHA Raises Awareness for Fall Hazards in May
This year, the week of May 4 through May 8 will be a national day to recognize a tragic reality for many construction workers: fall hazards. OSHA has been recognizing National Safety Stand-Down week for seven consecutive years in order to raise awareness about the threats of working at heights and preventing falls.

OSHA updates ‘low-hazard’ industries list
OSHA has amended its list of low-hazard industries used to determine whether small-business employers are exempt from programmed safety inspections, acting administrator Loren Sweatt announced in a Jan. 21 memo.