Colorado workers may have read that a train conductor who was seriously injured in the Philadelphia Amtrak train derailment has filed a lawsuit against his employer. Reportedly, the 33-year-old conductor was taking a restroom break at the time of the fatal train accident.
OSHA and confined spaces
Colorado workers may benefit from learning more about confined spaces on construction sites and how the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is addressing the issue. On May 4, OSHA issued a comprehensive and final ruling on how confined spaces in construction are to be governed moving forward. The new regulations will become enforceable starting on Aug. 3. Employers will now be held to more stringent standards when employees are working in confined spaces.
Colorado employers have 24 hours to report workplace injuries
When a workplace accident injures an employee, the employer's first priority is to help the person. In an emergency, this means calling 911. Less extreme injuries allow for the person to be transported to a clinic or hospital by the employer, supervisor or co-workers. Additionally, a dangerous accident scene, such as a chemical spill or collapsing structure, should be secured to protect other people. Closing off the site also supports the efforts of investigators to determine the cause of the accident.
Preventing workplace heat injuries in Colorado
A frequently occurring type of workplace injury in Colorado is a heat injury. Some heat injuries are very serious and can lead to death. As many employees work in hot environments, it is vitally important that their employers take steps to minimize the risk of their suffering from a heat-injury due to their working conditions.
CDC learning more about occupational hearing loss
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health have undertaken a project to gather information on hearing loss in the workplace. They started the study in 2009 and by 2014 had compiled information from 18 different providers. These providers submitted data on more than 10.3 million private audiograms along with the de-identified demographic data. Colorado readers may be interested occupational hearing loss in what this extensive surveillance has uncovered.
