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News From The USA

OSHA Records Another Successful Enforcement Year in FY 2007

OSHA recently released its annual enforcement statistics http://www.osha.gov/dep/enforcement , validating that the agency's enforcement programs are generating positive results for the benefit of America's working men and women. In fiscal year (FY) 2007, OSHA conducted a total of 39,324 inspections, 4.3 percent more than its stated goal. The agency cited 67,176 serious violations, and repeat violation citations rose from 2,551 in FY 2006 to 2,714 in FY 2007. Fatality, injury and illness rates continued to decline to record lows. Injury and illness incidence rates were 4.4 per 100 employees in calendar year 2006, and workplace fatality rates were at an all-time low of 3.9 fatalities per 100,000 employees.

Two New Whistleblower Fact Sheets Available

Employees in the environmental and aviation industries will benefit from two new OSHA Whistleblower Protection fact sheets. Individuals who report violations of environmental laws related to asbestos; air emissions; hazardous and solid waste cleanup and disposal; discharges of pollutants in U.S. waters; and control of toxic chemicals are protected from employer retaliation. Air carrier employees, contractors and subcontractors are also protected from retaliation for reporting violations of federal laws associated with aviation safety. Visit OSHA's Whistleblower Protection Program Web page www.osha.gov/dep/oia/whistleblower/ or OSHA's Publications page http://www.osha.gov/pls/publications to download these and other whistleblower publications.

Tips Offered on Protecting Employees During Cold Weather

Winter is upon us, and some areas of the nation have already experienced its severe consequences. For those employees who work outside - such as in construction, commercial fishing, maritime and agriculture - OSHA offers tips to protect against cold weather-related illnesses and injuries. Printed copies of OSHA's Cold Stress QuickCard(tm) (English /osha3156.pdf /Spanish osha3158.pdf ) are available for free by contacting OSHA's publications office at 202-693-1888. Visit OSHA's Web site at www.osha.gov www.osha.gov for more information.

"QuickTips" from "QuickTakes"

On every employer's list of priorities throughout the year should be a promise to ensure that at the end of every workday all employees return home safe to their loved ones. For employers, family members, friends and neighbours who are looking for perfect Valentine's Day gifts that protect a special someone, OSHA suggests:

For anyone who works in construction or machining: many companies now manufacture impact-resistant safety glasses which come in a variety of contemporary colours and styles.
For service personnel, delivery drivers and others whose jobs require them to spend a lot of time behind the wheel of a vehicle, consider the gift of a lumbar support pillow, a GPS unit, a first-aid kit, or an emergency breakdown road kit (with flares, battery-free hand-cranked-powered flashlight and radio, jumper cables, and a reflective safety vest) - and perhaps include a thoughtful greeting card with the message "Stay safe and come home soon."
Consider a personal protective equipment package with dust masks, cut-resistant safety gloves, steel-toed shoes, and hearing protection such as earplugs.
For people stocking shelves: back supports, knee pads, wrist braces, and comfortable, supportive, slip-resistant shoes.
For loved ones in retail or other work environments that have frequent customer contact: Tie a bow around a pocket-sized bottle of hand sanitizing liquid.

OSHA offers many resources that employers can use to help employees stay safe and healthy at work and prevent workplace injuries and illnesses. Some of them are the agency's new easy-search Publications page http://www.osha.gov/pls/publications/publication.html , our numerous Safety and Health Topics Web pages http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/ featuring information on specific workplace hazards and individual industries, and much, much more. Visit OSHA's Web site at www.osha.gov for all the latest news and updates. Turn to your next issue of QuickTakes for tips on another safety and health topic.

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