QuickTakes Newsletter
July 1, 2021 • Volume 20, Issue 15 • A twice-monthly newsletter with information about workplace safety and health.
Supporting Recovery Workers in Miami
OSHA staff are on-scene at the Surfside building collapse and continue to provide technical assistance. The agency is working with local authorities and response personnel to ensure the safety and health of workers engaged in on-site operations.
Grant Opportunities
More than $21 million is available in Susan Harwood grants for training on workplace hazards, including infectious diseases such as COVID-19.
Heat Illness Prevention
OSHA has new public service announcements and infographics (in English and Spanish) to help get the word out on keeping workers safe in the heat.
Fireworks Safety
Employers must protect workers in the fireworks industry in advance of the July Fourth holiday.
Trenching Safety
OSHA’s Alliance program is offering a free online presentation on trenching and excavation safety on July 23.
Fall Safety Outreach
North Dakota construction contractors are reminded of their responsibility to protect workers from falls.
Hearing Loss Prevention
An OSHA initiative in the Midwest aims to protect manufacturing workers from hazardous noise levels.
Combustible Dust Violations
A grain facility was cited after a worker was severely injured in a dust explosion.
Fall Protection Violations
A contractor was cited after a 21-year-old worker fell and died while erecting scaffolding.
Coronavirus Emphasis Program
An owner and his medical practices face penalties for willfully exposing employees to coronavirus.
Hazardous Energy Control Violations
A tortilla manufacturer was fined for repeatedly exposing workers to amputation dangers (en español).
Read about more OSHA enforcement cases.
Whistleblower Protection
- A chemical manufacturer was ordered to reinstate a worker who was fired after questioning their accounting practices.
- OSHA sued a paper products manufacturer and its owner after they fired a worker for raising safety concerns.
Alliances Aim to Improve Worker Safety
Sting and Bite Prevention
A new fact sheet helps to protect outdoor workers from allergic reactions to insects.
Whistleblower Resource
A new card provides information on workers’ rights to report suspected tax fraud committed by their employers.
HEALTH Q&A
Are employers required to provide workers with water during high temperatures?
Employers are responsible for providing workplaces free of known safety hazards. This includes protecting indoor or outdoor workers from extreme heat. Heat conditions can change rapidly and management’s commitment to adjusting heat stress controls is critical to prevent heat illness. OSHA has updated heat resources to help keep workers safe. Also, some states have adopted standards that cover hazards not addressed by federal OSHA standards. California, Minnesota and Washington have standards for heat exposure.
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