Chemical Hazard News Highlights – June 26, 2015

Welcome to MSDSonline’s news roundup, featuring the latest EHS headlines that you might have missed.

This week’s topics, in addition to multiple stories of large fines for chemical hazard and safety violations in various industries, include an investigation of the heightened risks that oil field employees in North Dakota face, chemical exposure that affected numerous people at a public pool in California, and—as the hottest days of summer approach—OSHA’s efforts to help employers and workers prevent heat-related illness.

Links:

• A RevealNews.org article republished on PBS.org investigates the risks associated with working in North Dakota oil fields.

• Following the June 8 fire at a Pennsylvania fertilizer plant and an update from OSHA on the work it is doing to improve safety in chemical plants, The Hill published a post noting a disconnect between OSHA/DOT and NFPA codes, and urging for clear, consistent regulations.

• OSHA issued a Lamont, Oklahoma drilling company 10 violations and proposed fines totaling $221,000 after an oil rig fire in December that killed three workers and injured two.

• The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration proposed a $70,000 penalty against a large retailer for hazardous materials violations, alleging that a shipment of flammable aerosol spray paint did not include necessary labeling and emergency response information.

• In northern California, dozens of people became ill from chemical exposure at a water park.

• An explosion at a Neosho, Missouri metal recycling facility caused the death of one employee and injured another. OSHA is investigating the incident.

• A Providence, Rhode Island health company received a proposed OSHA fine of $62,000 for not adequately protecting its employees against exposure to contaminated needlesticks and bloodborne pathogen hazards.

• OHSA emphasized the importance of workers staying safe in the heat this summer, announcing enhancements to its “Heat Safety Tool” smartphone app. The app gives workers and supervisors the ability to calculate the heat index at their worksites.