Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Del Monte Fined $190K for Hazardous Waste Storage, Handling Violations

September 30, 2008
EPA has fined Del Monte Fresh Produce Co. of Kunia, Oahu, $190,000 for hazardous waste storage, handling, and used oil management violations. The agency said that in August 2007 its inspectors found open and unlabeled containers of hazardous waste at the facility and evidence of a release of used oil. Additionally, the inspectors found the facility had stored containers of hazardous waste without a permit and stored hazardous waste for longer than the 90 days allowed by the EPA's hazardous waste storage rules, the agency said. At the time of the inspection, the company had ceased its pineapple growing operations.

According to EPA, the facility also failed to:

Have a response plan for hazardous waste and used oil spills and have an emergency response coordinator;
Properly manage other wastes, such as lead acid batteries;
Keep adequate hazardous waste training records for its staff;
Properly store used oil and label the containers; and
Respond to releases of used oil, and comply with oil pollution control requirements.
"Companies must properly store and handle hazardous waste to protect the community, workers, and the environment," said Jeff Scott, director of Waste Programs for the EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "I am pleased that Del Monte has corrected the violations and that the facility no longer presents a potential risk to human health and the environment."

EPA's hazardous waste rules require facilities to properly store, label, and seal hazardous waste containers. Facilities must also have trained staff, as improperly stored hazardous waste can potentially spill and pose a risk to workers and the environment. Proper disposal of hazardous waste is required at a permitted disposal site, with the required permits and notifications made to EPA. For information on hazardous waste, visit www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/hazwaste.htm.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Article on undercount of workplace injuries and illnesses


The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has issued an article (Monthly Labor Review, August 2008) that summarizes and critiques some studies on undercounting of workplace injuries and illnesses, and describes BLS efforts to better understand and address the undercount issue (see our June 27 post).

AED Recall: LifePak CR Plus Automated External Defibrillators

[Posted by the FDA on 09/11/2008] Physio Control, Inc., issued a recall of LifePak CR Plus Automated External Defibrillators (AED), used by emergency or medical personnel to treat adults in cardiopulmonary arrest. The product was recalled because the AED instructs the responder by voice prompts to press the shock button which is not visible because it is covered, thereby making the responder unable to provide shock therapy. The AED device should be removed from service, or the manufacturer-provided diagram should be consulted to remove and discard the shock button cover.

[September 11, 2008 - Full Recall Notice – FDA]

Thursday, September 11, 2008

CDC Updates Guidance for Bloodborne Pathogens After Mass-Casualty Events

From Occupational Health & Safety Online

August 8, 2008
Noting that health authorities in Israel and London have reported hepatitis B-infected tissue and bone fragments were found after suicide bombings and could have infected survivors and rescuers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidance for using immunizations and post-exposure prophylaxis for tetanus and bloodborne pathogens (including HBV, hepatitis C, and HIV) in people wounded in bombings or other mass-casualty events, whether explosions or natural disasters. (More...)

EPA Releases 2007 TRI Data Using the Electronic Facility Data Release (e-FDR)




Contact: Suzanne Ackerman, (202) 564-4355 / ackerman.suzanne@epa.gov

To better inform communities about releases of toxic chemicals from industrial facilities in their area, EPA today announced the availability of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) facility-level data for 2007. This is the 5th annual Electronic Facility Data Release (e-FDR) and displays the TRI data exactly as received by EPA from the facilities - one form for each chemical at a facility. Many stakeholders have requested that EPA share TRI data sooner and in the format received, without waiting for further analysis. The "raw" data released today are not grouped in any way or are as easily searchable as the traditional Public Data Release (PDR), which also includes more quality checks, national trends and analysis. EPA will still publish the complete 2007 PDR in early 2009.

TRI provides American communities with vital information on chemical releases including disposal of chemicals. In addition, TRI tracks releases of chemicals and industrial sectors specified by the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act of 1986. The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 also mandates that facilities report data on other waste management activities such as treatment, recycling, and energy recovery. The e-FDR is now available at: http://www.epa.gov/tri-efdr

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Hazards of canned air

This one isn't exactly new, but some of these products may continue to contain hazards...

It's not just an urban legend: "canned air," or compressed-air-in-a-can used to clean keyboards and paper shredders may have hazardous properties and improper use could result in injuries.

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has put together an alert highlighting the issues of this common consumer product.

Proposal to strengthen penalties for PPE violations


The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is accepting public comments on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and training standards. The proposal clarifies that when an OSHA standard requires an employer to provide PPE, such as respirators, or training to employees, the employer must do so for each employee subject to the requirement. Each employee not protected may be considered a separate violation for penalty purposes.

The proposed rule affects OSHA’s general industry, construction, and maritime standards. In many cases, OSHA combines separate violations of a single requirement in a standard into a single penalty. However, under the instance-by-instance penalty policy, OSHA may propose a separate penalty for each specific violation where the employer demonstrates a flagrant disregard for safety and health.

The proposed rule makes clear that failure to provide appropriate PPE or training may result in per-instance penalties in appropriate cases.

Public comments are being accepted until September 18.

The news release on proposed rule is here.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Codes and films

A couple of resources of interest came up in a recent SAFETY listserve posting:

Wisconsin Codes
: Building, electrical, energy, fire, fuel and gas, mechanical, and existing building. Includes standards.

OSHA films: The story is that these three films were produced late in the Carter administration. The new Reagan administration OSHA head thought them too pro-labor, recalled them and had them destroyed. Not all copies were returned, and they are now on the internet.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Recall: Sony Notebook Computers

Sony Recalls Notebook Computers Due to Burn Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Certain VAIO TZ-series Notebook Computers

Units: About 73,000

Manufacturer: Sony Electronics Inc., of San Diego, Calif.

Hazard: Irregularly positioned wires near the computer’s hinge and/or a dislodged screw inside the hinge can cause a short circuit and overheating. This poses a burn hazard to consumers.


Check the US Consumer Product Commission's full notice of this recall.


Wednesday, September 3, 2008

DEA Controlled Substances Programs - Are You Compliant?

by Jennifer S. Bosselman, M.S.

dea logoMany researchers are aware of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, which stipulates that every person who manufactures, or conducts research or chemical analysis with controlled substances, must obtain an annual Certificate of Registration from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Department of Justice. (More....)

Contact information


Office of Safety and Loss Prevention
University of Wisconsin System Administration
(608) 262-4792
 
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