U.S. based printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer Merix Corporation today announced that Liberty Northwest, a Liberty Mutual Agency Markets regional company, has awarded the company with a Loss Prevention Achievement Award for 2008-2009. As a Liberty Northwest workers' compensation policyholder, Merix has decreased its claim frequency by a company record 87 percent in that timeframe.

All California employees are reminded of their requirement to post at their place of business a list of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred at the workplace during 2009 by the Department of Industrial Relations Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DIR/DOSH). The list must be displayed from February 1 through April 30 for employee review.

Raytheon Company's Mission Capability Verification Center (MCVC), White Sands, N.M., received a star distinction from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for its commitment to workplace safety. This prestigious certification exemplifies Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems' (IDS) unwavering commitment to the safety of our workplace environment, said David Hawkins, mission center executive at MCVC. Through leadership engagement and employee participation we have established ourselves as a leader in safety performance.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Wage and Hour Division get into partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico in New York as part of an effort to promote the labor and human rights of Mexican and other Hispanic workers. The New York State Department of Labor (NYS DOL) and the Catholic Migration Office (CMO) of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn are also part of the alliance. Both the participants will work collaboratively to support a call center that will provide Mexican and other Hispanic workers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut education, guidance and assistance about their rights in the workplace.

Sherwin-Williams Co. in Coffeyville, Kan. has been designated by the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as a Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) merit site for meeting or exceeding workplace safety and health standards.

The U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Wage and Hour Division together have fined Tempel Grain Elevators LLP of Wiley, Colo., more than $1.6 million following the May 29 death of a teenage worker at the companys Haswell, Colo., grain storage operation. The youth suffocated after being engulfed by grain in one of the facility bins. The company also exposed three other teenage workers to the cited hazards.

The U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) Omaha Area Office has launched a local emphasis program in Nebraska aimed at reducing employee exposure to health hazards in general industry establishments that commonly have noise and respiratory hazards.

Kiewit Building Group-Bellevue Medical Center in Bellevue, Neb., has been designated as a Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) star site by the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the departments highest recognition for meeting or exceeding workplace safety and health standards.

71st Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) STAR Flag of the Department of Industrial Relations Division of Occupational Safety & Health (DIR/DOSH) is awarded to IBM Research - Almaden in the Silicon Valley. IBM Research - Almaden performs science and technology research focusing on fundamental science, nanotechnology, spin physics and photoresists.

Two Texas-based companies, United Renovations and ABC Roofing has been fined with penalties of $59,000 and $38,750, respectively, for violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act related to fall hazards disclosed at an Aurora, Colo., worksite by U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) Englewood Area Office.

Monarch Oil Inc. of Omaha has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for alleged safety and health violations following an accident investigation. Proposed penalties total $52,000. OSHA cited the company following an investigation into an accident in Omaha where one of three workers, who was transferring asphalt from rail cars into storage tanks, was severely burned. The worker was covered by almost 240-degree asphalt released from an open valve on the transfer system due to a pressure increase that separated the transfer hose from the system.

The manufacturers of the drug promethazine are being told by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to include a boxed warning regarding the injectable form of the drug. The warning, under FDAs authority to require safety labeling changes, will highlight the risk of serious tissue injury when this drug is administered incorrectly. The agency is also alerting health care professionals to the new boxed warning for this product, which is used as a sedative and to treat nausea and vomiting.

Numerous international unions representing hundreds of thousands of chemical industry workers criticized the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) for abrogating its mandate to recommend strong EPA and OSHA standards to prevent runaway reactions in chemical factories, and urged the board to repeat its prior recommendations in the final report when they adopt it.

MediFit Corporate Services in St. Louis has been designated as a Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) star site, the departments highest recognition for meeting or exceeding workplace safety and health standards by the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Knobels Refrigeration Inc. of North Platte, Neb., has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for alleged violations of the OSHA. An investigation was carried out following an accident in North Platte, where an employee fell about 12 feet to the ground while trying to access the roof of a building to service refrigeration equipment. The employee died from injuries sustained in the fall 10 days later.

It is now law on the books of the seven states that require construction workers to complete the OSHA 10-hour construction safety training course before they can work on certain construction projects. The states with an OSHA law already in effect are Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, and most recently, Missouri. The state of Nevada OSHA training law becomes effective January 1st, 2010.

Two Denver-based companies, Brannan Construction Co. and Fiore & Sons Inc., has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) Englewood Area Office has cited with penalties of $75,000 and $67,000 respectively, for violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act related to unsafe working conditions in trenches.

EG&G Defense Materials and Battelle Memorial Institute have been designated by the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) star sites, the departments highest recognition for meeting or exceeding workplace safety and health standards. The companies, which work together at the Tooele Chemical Agent Destruction Facility, earned VPP recognition following a comprehensive onsite evaluation by a team of OSHA safety and health experts. A VPP star site must meet the safety and health program elements for the VPP program, which far exceed minimum OSHA standards.

The focus of a national emphasis program (NEP) developed by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is on the facilities that could potentially release highly hazardous chemicals resulting in toxic fire or explosion hazards. The program establishes policies and procedures for inspecting workplaces that are covered by OSHA's process safety management (PSM) standard.

A Prevailing Wage Conference in Chicago from Aug. 18 to 20 to provide information to the federal, state, and local contracting communities on labor laws applicable to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) projects will be hosted by the U.S. Department of Labors Wage and Hour Division. An insights on the Davis-Bacon Act (DBA), the McNamara-OHara Service Contract Act (SCA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and how those laws apply to projects funded by the Recovery Act will be attained by the Conference attendees.

Emphasis on heat illness prevention through increased enforcement and education this year continued by the Department of Industrial Relations Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). Since the current heat wave began on July 11, Cal/OSHA has conducted 167 inspections of outdoor workplaces identifying over 200 violations while checking for compliance to the heat illness prevention regulations. Gaining compliance from employers is the goal to successfully reducing the number of illnesses and fatalities for all outdoor workers across the state.

GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies facility on Westpark Dr. in Houston, Tx. celebrates achieving the U.S. Occupational, Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) STAR certification. Approval into VPP STAR is OSHAs official recognition of the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved exemplary occupational safety and health. VPP sets performance-based criteria for a managed safety and health system, invites facilities to apply and then assesses applicants against these criteria. OSHAs verification includes an application review and a rigorous onsite evaluation by a team of OSHA safety and health experts.

A new joint partnership between the Nebraska Public Power Generation Agency (PPGA), Black & Veatch Corp. of Overland Park, Kan., and the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) area office in Omaha is announced. The main purpose of this collaboration is to ensure the highest level of employee safety and health during the construction of a 220-megawatt, coal-fired power plant near Hastings, Neb.

RNs from the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee have filed an urgent appeal with the state of California to step in and force Sutter Solano Hospital to provide nurses with proper safety equipment when they care for patients infected with the H1N1 swine flu virus. The nurses fear that the unsafe procedures at the hospital create a danger of infection for every patient at the facility, as well as for the surrounding community.The plea comes as nurses are actively caring for hospital patients infected with the virus, and with up to 10 RNs from the facility experiencing severe respiratory illness in recent weeks that their physicians have called probably the swine flu, leaving them physically unable to work. The nurses requested assistance from the California Division of Occupational Health and Safety just days after the World Health Organization re-classified H1N1 as an unstoppable Level 6 pandemic, with the number of confirmed cases worldwide approaching 1

An acceptance into the St. Louis Construction OSHA Partnership, a program that recognizes contractors with safety and health programs that exceed OSHA standards has been earned by Paric Corporation. To participate in the OSHA Partnership, Paric met a range of requirements including an established written safety and health program, detailed evidence of safety program implementation and full compliance with OSHA regulations and requirements.

The publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking in today's Federal Register to approve a new Illinois state public employee protection plan is announced by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Illinois has applied for approval to develop a public employee-only occupational safety and health program to be administered by the Illinois Department of Labor. The Federal Register notice provides a 30-day comment period and offers an opportunity to request an informal public hearing.

The U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) Omaha Area Office has launched a special local emphasis program in Nebraska aimed at reducing workplace hazards on bridge construction projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act).Through increased awareness and enforcement activities, OSHAs goal is to reduce employee exposures to hazards on bridge construction sites receiving Recovery Act funding.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it is continuing its countrywide program to stress workplace safety and health for federal workers and for those contractors whose work is supervised on a daily basis by federal agency personnel.

A unique regional emphasis program aimed at reducing occupational exposure to lead, one of the leading causes of workplace illnesses, for workplaces under OSHAs jurisdiction in the Midwestern states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska is announced by the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) office in Kansas City.

A national safety-consulting and training company, McHaney & Associates, Inc., has issued an Industry Alert to assist healthcare employers in meeting respiratory compliance in the wake of the designation of H1N1 Influenza, commonly referred to as Swine Flu, as a Pandemic. According to President and Principal Consultant, Ronald McHaney, 30 million healthcare workers are now subject to OSHA Respiratory Compliance requirement.

Nationwide Oil refineries have received letters from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) emphasizing the need to comply with all applicable OSHA standards, particularly the Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals (HHCs). Letters recently were sent to the management of more than 100 oil refineries providing them with data on compliance issues found under OSHA's Refinery National Emphasis Program (NEP) and urging the refiners to comply with their obligations under the process safety management (PSM) standard. The standard requires employers to develop and incorporate comprehensive, site-specific safety management systems to reduce the risks of fatal or catastrophic incidentsor contact their local OSHA offices.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited East Central Machine & Tool Co., St. Clair, Mo., for alleged safety and health violations and proposed $117,900 in penalties. OSHA cited the company following an investigation into an accident where an employee lost two fingers in a mechanical power press. The inspection found one alleged willful and 11 alleged serious violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) in union with its Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA, has requested that the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) adopt emergency amendments to the current heat illness prevention standard, section 3395 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations.

An incorporated supplier of progressive, transfer and deep draw metal stampings to 1000 ton, P&G Steel Products Company, announces that the company was recently awarded a national Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) honor by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). The SHARP program recognizes small businesses that operate an exemplary safety and health management system. The OSHA recognition singles out participants such as P&G among their business peers as a model for work site safety and health.

Forming a collaboration with 360 Training, Select Safety Sales offer OSHA Training Online for Construction and General Industry. We are fortunate to align ourselves with one of the few online training programs that have been accepted by OSHA, said Matt Kane, Managing Member of Select Safety Sales. They offer one of the most comprehensive selections of online courses for Occupational Safety and Health Training, he states.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in an attempt to crack down on fraudulent trainers, is strengthening the integrity of its 36-year-old Outreach Training Program by improving how trainers become authorized to teach and ensuring these trainers are in compliance with OSHA program guidelines. This voluntary program has grown to a national network of more than 16,000 independent trainers eligible to teach workers and employers about workplace hazards and to provide OSHA 10-hour course completion cards. However, some trainers have fraudulently not provided the appropriate training in accordance with the program.

The nations leading recycler of electronic waste, Electronic Recyclers, Inc., announced that it has received an official letter of Golden Gate Recognition from Cal/OSHA for a successful worksite safety evaluation of both its Fresno facilities. John S. Shegerian, ERIs Chairman and CEO said, It is an honor and a privilege to be recognized by the State of California for our employee safety practices. Our people are extremely important to us here so this is particularly meaningful. We are in the business of properly disposing of electronic waste and the hazards it presents to our environment on a day-to-day basis, but it is also important to always protect our team here so that they are safe in the handling of these materials. We will exhibit our letter of commendation from the State with great pride.

Cal/OSHA urges employers to observe the precautions particular in the heat illness prevention regulation when almost triple digit temperatures expected over the weekend and into early next week. To ensure compliance Cal/OSHA will have teams of investigators inspecting outdoor employers over the weekend for heat illness prevention requirements. For employees working outdoors, the hot sun with high temperatures can be life-threatening.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA') honored ECC's Guam program with Star-level designation. ECC received the federal recognition, which is part of OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), for exceptional safety and health performance on its Guam Operations Designated Geographic Area.

Hendrickson Trailer Suspension Systems in Mitchell is designated by the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as a Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) star site for achievements in occupational safety and health during a ceremony. The manufacturers of heavy duty suspension systems for private and military trucks as well as trailers, earned VPP recognition after implementing a comprehensive employee safety and health management system in accordance with VPP standards, which exceed minimum OSHA standards.

The popular OSCAR On Site Consultation Achievement Recognition Award is recently given to Iowas OSHA Consultation and Education team for outstanding work performed during Iowas 2008 floods. Our OSHA Consultation and Education team led an outstanding effort on the ground to educate contractors on Iowas laws during the clean-up from the natural disasters of 2008, indicated Iowa Labor Commissioner David Neil. Without their dedicated effort, the state would have witnessed additional work related accidents.

Corie Mansor, Training Coordinator at PLS Logistics Services said, We chose the Learn.com LearnCenter platform because it will provide us with the ability to do a large portion of our training through online courses. We plan on offering a variety of training courses, including general transportation, sales and soft skills development. We will also utilize the LearnCenter platform to provide OSHA, HAZMAT and required quarterly refresher training. Through the LearnCenter platform we will be able to not only train our employees but also centralize and track learning activities.

HK Metalcraft Manufacturing Corp. of Lodi, NJ will be awarded the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) SHARP award by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development on Thursday, May 7, 2009. The SHARP (Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program) award recognizes small business employers who demonstrate exemplary achievements in workplace safety and health. The State SHARP Coordinator, Maria Montesino, congratulated HK for its efforts and those of their employees which are indicative of the cooperation between management and labor that promotes and enhances a safe and healthy workplace. HK Metalcraft manufactures high-quality precision metal stampings, spring washers, formed products and related assemblies for all industries worldwide.

An alliance to assist safety and health outreach for home safety, which will also help improve workplace safety for workers in Iowa and Illinois has been formed between the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) Des Moines Area Office and the Iowa-Illinois Safety Council.The main emphasis of alliance will be on outreach and training for hazards experienced in a home setting that could also be experienced at the workplace, such as electrical, fall, noise, heat and cold hazards.

Change to Win Health and Safety Coordinator Eric Frumin called for stronger criminal sanctions for ignoring safety hazards that lead to a worker's death or serious injury while testifying before the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections regarding stronger Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforcement. Frumin singled out Waste Management, Inc., the industrial laundry giant Cintas Corporation, steel pipe manufacturer McWane, Inc., and BP North America as examples of employers whose failure to fix known hazards led to fatalities.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is initiating a comprehensive rulemaking on combustible dust. An Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and convene related stakeholder meetings to evaluate possible regulatory methods, and request data and comments on issues related to combustible dust such as hazard recognition, assessment, communication, defining combustible dust and other concerns will be issued by OSHA.

A referral made by Californias Division of Occupational Safety and Health better known as Cal/OSHA, to the Sonoma County District Attorney of a Santa Rosa roofing company for violations of state safety regulations leading to the death of one roofer and the permanent disability of another has resulted in a conviction of two misdemeanor counts for violating State worker safety laws. I am pleased that the District Attorney has taken this Cal/OSHA referral and prosecuted to the full extent of the law, said Cal/OSHA Chief Len Welsh. Cal/OSHA will continue to coordinate with District Attorneys across the state to hold accountable employers who egregiously violate state laws and put employees lives at risk.

Miranda Roofing in Omaha has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for alleged violations of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Act and has proposed $148,400 in penalties against the company. OSHA cited the roofing company following an inspection that found employees exposed to fall hazards without fall protection. The inspection found two alleged willful, one alleged serious and one alleged repeat violation of the OSH Act.

The Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) has approved the courses and instructors are also certified. The 20-hour initial certification training is referenced in both OSHA and MSHA noise standards. It is designed to train personnel conducting hearing testing; implementing or supervising hearing conservation programs.The course of 8 hours duration is required every 5 years by the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) for Occupational Hearing Conservationist to maintain hearing testing certification. The 8-hour refresher certification training is approved and instructors are certified by CAOHC. It is designed to provide updated information and answer questions that may have arisen over the past 5 years.

One of the leading providers of rotating apparatus and electrical power system testing, commissioning, repair, maintenance and training, Shermco Industries, announced its schedule of training classes available in May 2009. Preparation for code exams, in-depth hands-on electrical safety training for meeting OSHA electrical safety training requirements and the new 2009 NFPA 70E, as well as hands-on training programs for the maintenance and testing of electrical power system devices and systems and much more is the part of this exclusive training.