Workplace safety

Former LANL Employee, EEOICA Caseworker Loretta Valerio Brings Experience to Assist Nuclear Workers

August 29, 2007 -- (Santa Fe, NM) Today, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson announced the appointment of Loretta Valerio as the Director of the newly established Office of Nuclear Worker’s Advocacy. The Office of Nuclear Worker’s Advocacy was passed in the 2007 legislative session and signed into law by Governor Richardson.    » read more »

Scott Matheson Appointed as Chairman

Salt Lake City - Utah Governor Jon Huntsman announced the members of the newly organized Utah Mine Safety Commission which will investigate the Crandall Canyon Mine disaster and the State of Utah's role leading up to the incident; in the rescue, recovery and community support processes, and in mine safety and accident prevention in the future. Governor Huntsman has asked Scott Matheson, former dean of the University of Utah Law School and former United State Attorney, to chair the Commission.    » read more »

Cincinnati – August 17, 2007 – Cintas experienced workplace incidents at its laundry facilities earlier this year, including one that took the life of a fellow employee. Cintas CEO Scott Farmer offers the following statement in response to proposed fines and citations from OSHA:    » read more »

Salt Lake City - Utah Governor Jon Huntsman asked the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration today to conduct immediate inspections of two additional mines owned by Murray Energy Corporation in Carbon County.

The request comes as the Governor prepares to appoint an independent investigation committee to make recommendations for State actions to ensure safety in Utah mines.    » read more »

8/10/2007 - SALT LAKE CITY (AFPN) -- Air National Guard members airlifted a critical piece of equipment Aug. 9 in Salt Lake City to assist with rescue operations for six Utah miners, who have been trapped deep inside the earth since the Crandall Canyon Coal Mine collapsed Aug. 6.

Within hours of receiving the request for help from Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, an airlift operation was coordinated between Air National Guard units in Mississippi, Kansas and Utah for the vital piece of underground video equipment to use in the rescue efforts.    » read more »

August 10, 2007 -- WASHINGTON. DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement on the mine accidents in Utah and Indiana.

“The thoughts and prayers of all Americans are with our country’s mining communities today. These are terrible tragedies, not only for the workers and their families, but for all of the brave men and women who go to work each day in America’s mines.    » read more »

10 August 2007 -- Rescue efforts continue for six men trapped in a coal mine in the U.S. western state of Utah. Although the fate of the miners is still unknown, the unfolding tragedy is putting a spotlight on America's reliance on coal. VOA's Mil Arcega reports.

Few industries are as essential to the American way of life as coal mining.    » read more »

11 August 2007 -- Mining officials in the U.S. state of Utah say a second, wider drill has broken through to the chamber more than 550 meters underground where six men are believed to be trapped.

Officials say they hope the larger shaft will allow cameras to look into the cavity for signs of life. The larger hole is also wide enough to accommodate food and water.    » read more »

New Web page provides information to help workplaces and indoor facilities prepare for Freedom to Breathe law

New York Businesses Expected to Save More than $1 Billion

July 11, 2007 -- New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, Lieutenant Governor David Paterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco and Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith today announced that rates for workers’ compensation insurance will decline by more than 20.5% and save New York businesses about $1 billion in the 2007-2008 fiscal year. The rate drop stems from the historic reform of the Workers’ Compensation Law earlier this year.    » read more »

July 10, 2007 -- Augusta - As peak summer tourism season starts in Maine, many young workers are entering into the workforce to earn some extra money during summer vacation. Maine Labor Commissioner, Laura Fortman is reminding employers to take precautions to keep teens safe on the job.    » read more »

June 29, 2007 -- "This report presents a possible explanation for the fatal Feb. 21 explosion in Waterbury, but makes no definitive conclusion as to whether the incident resulted from human error or plant malfunction.

"This tragic event was unrelated to accidents and explosions in Waterbury, Stamford and Meriden, which resulted from unreliable equipment - known as "Type B." There remains an overwhelming obvious need for CL&P to upgrade their dated, deteriorated Type B equipment, as DPUC ordered CL&P to do after an investigation prompted by my office.    » read more »

June 22, 2007 -- (Washington D.C.) - Congressman John P. Murtha, Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, announced today that he is an original cosponsor of the 2007 Mine Safety and Health Bills introduced this week in the House of Representatives.

In response to last year’s mining tragedies in West Virginia, Congress passed the 2006 MINER Act. The legislation introduced this week supplements last years MINER Act by including, among other things, these additional provisions:

* Requires the installation of underground gas and smoke monitoring systems.    » read more »

Partnership effort a first through Department of Labor’s Division of Compliance

May 10, 2007 -- FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher today joined officials from the UAW International Union and Ford Motor Co. to sign a historic safety partnership agreement that uses cooperation as a shield against injury and illness.

Governor Fletcher said the agreement is the first of its kind between a company and the Department of Labor’s Division of Compliance, an agency that enforces Kentucky's occupational safety and health standards.    » read more »

Legislation Expands and Strengthens Current Workplace Safety Laws

April 26, 2007 -- Washington, DC - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today joined with Senator Edward Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and other committee members to introduce legislation to help protect America's workers. The Protecting America's Workers Act ensures that every American worker has a safe working environment by expanding and strengthening the current workplace safety laws.    » read more »