The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Anheuser-Busch Sales of New Jersey L.LC., a wholly owned subsidiary, in December 2014 for numerous safety violations at its Jersey City, New Jersey distribution warehouse, including untrained forklift operators, obstructed exit routes, damaged storage racks and inadequate chemical hazard communication training, according to a news release issued on Tuesday.

The company contested the citations last year, but has now agreed to implement specified safety measures at its distribution centers in Jersey City and Bronx, New York, according to the release.

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Anheuser-Busch unit settles warehouse safety charges

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) wants more control over trucking, and the latest focus is on fall protection. Tank fleets, in particular, are being targeted in the current OSHA initiative.

The agency is seeking comments from industry on whether or not it should develop specific regulations to “cover falls from rolling stock and commercial motor vehicles.” The May 24 notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) defines motor vehicle to include “tractor-trailer trucks, tank trucks and hopper trucks.” A regulation would cover any employee working more than four feet off the ground.

To read more click the link below.
“Fall Protection: Working On Tops Of Trucks & Rolling Stock……Which Rule Do I Follow?…. OSHA? DOT? “

DuPont tests a new safety approach that goes beyond traditional behavioral-safety programs.

By: Bob Krzywicki, Global Practice Leader for Employee Safety, DuPont Sustainable Solutions

Instead of taking a sprawling corner office when he joined the company, former Alcoa Inc. CEO, Paul O’Neill, settled into his new role by taking his place in a cubicle. This wasn’t the only untraditional move O’Neill made as CEO of the aluminum giant.

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“The DuPont Integrated Approach (DnA) For Safety”

Over 10K severe worker injuries reported in first year of OSHA requirement
Most employers cooperated with OSHA to fix hazards, but some tried to hide them

WASHINGTON – In the first year of a new reporting requirement, employers notified the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration of more than 10,000 severe work-related injuries, creating the opportunity for the agency to work with employers to eliminate hazards and protect other workers.

Since Jan. 1, 2015, employers have been required to report any severe work-related injury – defined as a hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye – within 24 hours. The requirement that an employer report a workplace fatality within eight hours remains in force.

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“Over 10K Severe Worker Injuries Reported In First Year Of OSHA Requirement “

With recent and forthcoming changes to the ANSI Z359 fall protection code, the landscape of the fall protection industry is changing. Although OSHA still sets and enforces the law regarding fall protection, the outdated nature of the existing regulations forces organizations to look to ANSI for guidance on current best practices and equipment.

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“Update Your Fall Protection Program Now: Apply New ANSI Z359 Equipment Standards “

As most employers are aware, OSHA inspections typically involve a request for the employer to produce certain documents. In many cases, employers are unsure of what documents the compliance officer is entitled to see and copy. Employers can also be unsure of how long to retain certain documents required under OSHA. Some OSHA regulations require a specific retention period for documents. Other OSHA regulations, however, do not (although it is often advisable to retain certain documents even if retention is not technically required). The following article is intended to give general guidance in these areas…

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“OSHA Document Retention – “How Long Do I Need To Keep This?”

An incident report needs to include all the essential information about the accident or near-miss. The report-writing process begins with fact finding and ends with recommendations for preventing future accidents.

You may use a special incident reporting form, and it might be quite extensive. But writing any incident report involves four basic steps, and those are the focus of today’s post.

For more information click the link below:
“How to Write a Good Accident or Incident Report”

Members of all SEMA groups are on-side, getting the message out there that by specifying SEMA, a buyer can be confident that safe efficient storage comes as standard. Visit www.sema.org.uk in early 2016 as a fresh new website with improved architecture and navigation will offer greater accessibility to essential information. A best practice video focussing on SEMA Approved Installation Companies (SAICs) will also go live in early 2016.

SEMA’s two annual events, the SEMA Standards Seminar and the SEMA Safety Conference were well attended and included presentations from statutory authorities, SEMA’s own technical committee and visiting speakers. IN 2016, the SEMA Standards Seminar takes place on 8th June and the SEMA Safety Conference on 3rd November.

The updated SEMA Cantilever Code of Practice has been published and a new cantilever module to the SARI qualification (SEMA’s approved rack inspectors) has been launched. SEMA’s also working on new proposed installation guidelines for APR and pallet safety gates on mezzanines.

April’s new CDM regulations are causing some end-user consternation as clients are now regarded as the head of the procurement chain and the major influence on project standards and culture. A project is deemed to be more than a construction site.

To keep its own members up to speed, SEMA organised a CDM presentation from Tony Mitchell, a Principal Inspector at the HSE at its first SEMA Group Combined Meeting in September. ASDA’s Safety, Health and Environmental Manager, Neil Sheehan outlined at the November conference how ASDA has implemented the new legislation.

SEMA is also supporting end users with a rack maintenance course which covers the difference between maintenance and repair, the skills required to replace racking components and how to replace them. It also covers hazard and risk assessments and relevant legislation. A rack safety awareness course looks in-depth at the need for rack inspections, conducting assessments and follow-on procedures.

2015 is the first year that SEMA Distributor Companies have all been able to prove their capabilities by displaying their Audit Certificate. Unsurprisingly, there’s been a growth in membership from similar quality firms recognising value in membership.

SEMA and SEIRS courses enjoy both CSCS and RoSPA approval and there’s recognition that SEIRS is the only industry based training programme which makes refresher courses mandatory. There’s a new SEIRS course on shelving to service the growth in e-commerce. SEMA’s latest ToolBox talk is on Hard Hats and these site briefings now number 40+.

By Josh Bond, Senior Editor
November 01, 2015
As a discipline, lift truck maintenance has developed at an impressive rate in recent years. Telematics and data collection technologies, enhanced equipment reliability and an economic recession aided this swift transition and brought the industry’s chronic waste into sharp focus. Skimping on repairs and rotation is a great way to increase costs, not curb them.

Of course, plenty of fleets are still treated as mere costs of doing business. In those cases, the emphasis on execution rather than excellence results in organizations pouring virtually unlimited funds into equipment.

At the other end of the spectrum, leading fleet managers boast right-sized fleets, controlled costs and technology that moves them from reactive to proactive maintenance methodologies. However, as with all process improvement initiatives, there is no finish line and even those at the top of their game continue to hunt for every scrap of efficiency…

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Fleet maintenance: Forklift foresight

After two years of fighting OSHA safety citations, Unicold Corp. has agreed to fix the problems identified at its Honolulu site by OSHA and pay the fines associated with the safety violations.

OSHA in February 2013 found nearly every door at the facility blocked, locked or inaccessible, and noted the use of ammonia as a refrigerant, among other hazards.

“The department will not allow Unicold or other employers to allow dangerous conditions that put workers in a potential death trap,” said Janet Herold, the department’s regional solicitor in San Francisco…”

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Food Warehouse that OSHA Called a ‘Death Trap’ Agrees to Improve Safety