Newly released statistics from the Government Accountability Office show that Arizona’s workplace safety inspectors are among the least experienced in the nation, largely because of high turnover rates that plague departments in the state. More than half of the state’s safety inspectors have been working in their current position for five years or less, indicating that they have not necessarily achieved mastery of the state’s safety codes.
Video game preps miners for hazards
University of Arizona researchers are working together with industry experts to improve workplace safety among the nation's miners by creating video games. It may seem like an unusual tactic, but experts postulate that the video games will help miners avoid workplace accidents by training them in simulated disaster scenarios.
Worker dies at Shell plant
Maintenance and construction workers in Arizona and other states are particularly susceptible to workplace accidents. Many of these men and women work with heavy equipment and raw materials that could crush, pinch or otherwise cause physical injury. A Louisiana man was killed on March 14 when he was crushed beneath a 16-foot steel cylinder while working at a Shell plant, according to local officials. Workplace safety investigations are pending in the matter.
Volunteer Killed by Lion at Cat Haven
A California woman was killed during a lion attack in Arizona's neighboring California after the beast escaped from its feeding cage and attacked the woman in its larger enclosure. The woman had been cleaning the larger containment area while the lion was contained during the maintenance. The woman, a volunteer, died instantly when the 550-pound lion swiped at her head with its paw. Officials at the animal park are under scrutiny for their workplace safety procedures.
Safety lab sets national standard
Many workplace safety problems happen because people are inadequately trained or unsure about using safety equipment. Workers and supervisors everywhere could use improved education about their work environment, which is why a unique safety laboratory in Maine is making inroads with local industry. The model could be useful in other states, too, including Arizona.
Die casting company cited for 24 safety violations
Arizona workers face serious hazards every day. Employees at manufacturing plants are particularly susceptible to injury because of their frequent contact with heavy equipment and large machines. A company in nearby Texas is facing significant fines because of its workplace safety violations, which could have led to amputation and other injuries.
Worker dies in Arizona trench, investigation still pending
An Arizona company has been cited in connection with a series of workplace safety violations that killed an employee in August 2012. The incident happened when the employee of Ellison-Morris Contracting was struck by a piece of equipment while working in a trench.
Hotel workers' injuries largely ignored by government inspectors
Representatives from the more than 270,000 leisure and hospitality workers in Arizona are calling for improved workplace safety plans from their employers. The effort, driven by a few dedicated hotel housekeepers, is designed to bring government attention to the chronic musculoskeletal disorders that plague workers in that industry.
Watch out for health scares at Halloween
Halloween may bring more than just children dressed in scary costumes for those in Arizona and elsewhere. This time of year can also usher in an increase in slip and fall accidents. Owners of small businesses and larger firms should recognize the increased workplace safety hazards that could accompany the Halloween holiday, according to health and safety professionals.
Take time to review safety standards
Newly released statistics from the United States Department of Labor shows that nearly 4 million people in this country suffer debilitating workplace injuries every year. Even more shocking, every day 13 workers go to their jobs and do not return, thanks to on-the-job fatalities ranging from equipment failure to homicide and other violent acts.
