Health and Safety Resource

The Oregon OSHA Health and Safety Resource is a newsletter about occupational safety and health.

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April 2025 Newsletter

• Administrator’s Message: We must remember. We must renew our call to action
• Oregon OSHA offers Practicing Confined Space Rescues, a video training filmed at a wastewater treatment plant in Oregon
• Assessing work-related Oregon fatalities – then and now
• Why ladders can let you down
• Ask Oregon OSHA: Is the 4:1 ratio measured from the scaffold’s highest working level or from the top handrail?
• April 28: A time to remember those we have lost
• Oregon employers, workers invited to take a ‘Safety Break’ May 14
• New and updated publications offer timely safety, health information
• GOSH connects people to improve safety, health
• Incident Alert: Contact with high-voltage power line
• Going the Distance: GOSH award recipients exemplify leadership in safety, health
  

January 2025 Newsletter

• Connect and learn at the GOSH Conference, the Northwest’s largest safety, health event
• How Oregon’s governors shaped the history of GOSH
• What to know before you attend GOSH
• Going the Distance: GOSH keynote speaker raises the priority of mental health in the workplace
• What workers should know about avian flu caused by the H5N1 influenza virus
• Owens Corning site achieves ongoing VPP status
• Ask Oregon OSHA: Are workers allowed to wear watches with breakaway bands on the job?
• Incident Alert: Walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge 4 feet or more above a lower level
  

July 2024 Newsletter

• The cruelest month for heat and wildfire is upon us
• Oregon OSHA wildfire smoke rule as protective as it ever was
• New and updated publications offer key safety, health information
• Oregon OSHA’s requirements for catch platforms: everything you need to know
• What your safety committee needs to know about conducting workplace inspections
• Employers across Oregon celebrate safety stand-down
• Oregon workers who died on the job in 2023 honored
• Incident Alert: Unstable plywood storage cart
  

March 2024 Newsletter

• Oregon OSHA issues two new emphasis programs to protect workers
• Understanding requirements for abrasive wheels and machines
• Workers’ Memorial scholarships are open for applications
• Oregon OSHA’s “Everyday Ergonomics” online course is available in Spanish
• Administrator’s Message: With penalty changes comes a steadfast focus on putting all of our resources to work
• Going the Distance: SHARP Alliance grows a network devoted to improving workplace health and safety

October 2023 Newsletter

• Review the top 10 workplace safety and health rule violations so far in 2023
• Overdoses, opioids, and fentanyl – emerging issues in the workplace
• Oregon Farm Bureau Health and Safety Committee, Oregon OSHA to provide in-person pesticide training Dec. 5
• Oregon OSHA proposes new rules affecting penalties, discrimination protection
• Incident Alert! Working alone without emergency communication

July 2023 Newsletter

• Oregon OSHA’s success story is built on meaningful results for workers, employers, communities
• 50 years of protecting workers
• Workplace safety in Oregon: A timeline of notable events
• Voices of Oregon OSHA
• Can you prevent a heat-related illness at your workplace?
• Review the top 10 safety and health rule violations in 2022
• Heat illness prevention
• Employers join Safety Break for Oregon celebration
• Oregon OSHA, federal OSHA, Region X-VPPPA team up for training to improve worker safety
• Cardinal IG plant manager receives Blue Star Award

April 2023 Newsletter

• No way to escape: Blocked and locked exits are hidden hazards in Oregon workplaces
• Oregon employers, workers invited to take a ‘Safety Break’
• Oregon OSHA Resource Center offers updates, new services
• Oregon OSHA consultants promote safety at museums and cultural heritage sites
• Linde Gas and Equipment Inc. achieves approval for ongoing status as a Star site
• Incident Alert! Unstable road surface
• Going the Distance: Coca-Cola North America – Portland Syrup Plant

December 2022 Newsletter

• Everything you need to know about Oregon OSHA's lighting rules
• Get tips on staying safe amid winter darkness
• Learn to protect against the hazards of carbon monoxide
• Review the top job safety and health violations of 2021
• Contest promoting young worker safety in Oregon is open to high school students
• Oregon OSHA's Micah Ashby: Forever a Hero Scholarship winner
• Incident Alert! Recycled rubber products manufacturer pinch point

October 2022 Newsletter

• Heads up: Oregon OSHA’s general industry welding rules have changed
• Trigger requirements: What are they and what Oregon OSHA’s rules have them?
• National Association of Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Programs (OSHCON) creates memorial “Roy Kroker Award of Excellence”
• Oregon Farm Bureau Health and Safety Committee, Oregon OSHA to provide in-person pesticide training Dec. 6
• Oregon OSHA announces Workers’ Memorial Scholarship awards to boost student achievement
• Incident Alert! Energized overhead power lines
• Going the Distance: Cardinal Glass Industries Inc.

July 2022 Newsletter

• What you need to know about Oregon OSHA rules that have taken effect – or soon will
• Ask Oregon OSHA: Is the “apparent temperature” the same as the temperature indicated on a thermometer?
• Employers, workers across Oregon gather to celebrate Safety Break
• Incident Alert! Unsecured underground piping connection
• Going the Distance: City of Keizer

May 2022 Newsletter

• Combustible dust: An accident waiting to happen
• Oregon employers, workers invited to take a ‘Safety Break’
• Ceremony honors fallen Oregon workers
• Oregon OSHA has launched a free Spanish online course on silica safety
• Incident Alert! The excavator operator did not turn off the excavator’s engine when he got out of the cab
• Going the Distance: Adroit Construction Co. Inc.

February 2022 Newsletter

• Addressing the hazards of a poisonous gas: carbon monoxide
• How does Oregon OSHA determine penalties?
• New updates included in “It’s the Law!” poster
• Don’t forget: It’s time to post your OSHA 300A Summary and submit your 300A data to federal OSHA
• Incident Alert! An employee was under a tow truck when it moved forward and he was caught under its rear wheels
• Going the Distance: Owens Corning Foam Insulation – Gresham

October 2021 Newsletter

• Confined spaces and permit spaces – not just empty places
• Oregon OSHA proposes rule updates to maintain protections for workers against COVID-19
• New rules adopted to protect workers from overexposure to manganese
• Interim leaders selected as Oregon OSHA administrator leaves for Washington
• Incident Alert! A worker was asphyxiated after entering a 30,000-gallon wine tank

July 2021 Newsletter

• What you should know about trench cave-ins
• Using fuel-powered tools in excavations and other enclosed spaces – tips for protecting your employees
• Answers to questions about changes to Oregon OSHA’s COVID-19 rules
• Oregon OSHA adopts temporary heat stress prevention rule
• Smoke, face masks, and rhabdomylosis

February 2021 Newsletter

• Reduce the workplace risks of COVID-19 by understanding Oregon OSHA’s temporary rule
• Administrator’s message: Challenging times bring out the best … in many of us
• Was it really an accident? You will need to investigate
• Online safety guide for cannabis industry is now available
• Winter brings an increased risk of carbon monoxide poisoning at home and work
• Oregon OSHA to receive Hard Hat Safety Award on March 11

October 2020 Newsletter

• How does Oregon OSHA adopt a rule?
• Administrator’s message: New problems bring new partners in search for balance
• Learn how to prevent automotive repair shop hazards and avoid a citation
• VPP insight: Best practices during the COVID-19 pandemic
• What you should know about work-related musculoskeletal disorders
• Protecting construction workers from falling objects – key requirements

April 2020 Newsletter

• Preventing fall hazards: What you should know about construction falls
• Administrator’s message: On the value of workplace safety, health experts in the battle against COVID-19
• Video version of Workers Memorial ceremony planned
• Keeping your Distance: Resources in the time of coronavirus

February 2020 Newsletter

• Workplace violence: Prevention is paramount
• Updated violence prevention guide offers more help
• Administrator’s Message: Oregon OSHA moves forward in addressing question of “reasonable diligence”
• Incident Alert!: A foreman did not take an injured worker to the nearest medical facility as required by the employer’s safety plan
• Going the Distance: Meet Patrick Cowan, sales manager, and Adam Wasniewski, quality and safety manager, for Timber Products Company – Spectrum Division

December 2019 Newsletter

• FSOil grows a model safety culture
  
• Removing snow from roofs - safely
  
• Administrator’s Message: Planning our future: “Action 2025 Agenda”
  
• Safety Notes: A 30-year-old farmhand was burned over 70 percent of his body when his drip torch exploded while he was creating a fire line
• Going the Distance: Elizabeth Kokos, senior wind technician for PGE's Biglow Canyon wind farm, discusses the facility's journey through Oregon OSHA's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP)

October 2019 Newsletter

• Addressing the dangers of carbon monoxide
  
• Protecting your hearing from loud noise
  
• Administrator’s message: Reaching the most vulnerable workers
• Safety Notes: A 23-year-old worker died after he became trapped in an unguarded machine
• Going the Distance: Meet Ross Olson, health, safety, and environmental coordinator for Linde Gas North America LLC

August 2019 Newsletter

• Finding the path to continuous improvement through an effective safety and health program
• Use free resources to help develop a strong safety and health program
• Administrator’s message: Continued success requires creativity and an understanding of the fundamentals
• Safety Notes: Dairy farm wastewater operator suffers chemical burn
• Going the Distance: Meet Woodfold Manufacturing, a custom-crafted accordion and roll-door manufacturer in Forest Grove

June 2019 Newsletter 

• What you need to know about trench cave-ins
• Heat stress prevention tips
• Administrator’s message: Finding new approaches to protect our most vulnerable
• Safety Notes: Farm laborer's hand amputated by machine
• Going the Distance: Meet Taylor Northwest, a safety award-winning construction firm in Bend

April 2019 Newsletter 

• Snap your safety committee to attention
• Construction Corner: Seven ways to prevent falls at your site
• Administrator’s message: We must do better – we owe it to those we’ve lost
• Safety Notes: Mechanic crushed by heavy equipment
• Going the Distance: Meet Scott Knutz, environmental, safety, and health supervisor for Les Schwab Tires Inc.

February 2019 Newsletter 

• We’ve had an accident. Do I need to report it to Oregon OSHA?
• Five recordkeeping requirements that you might have overlooked
• Administrator’s message: Learning from the experience of others a key to boosting workplace safety
• Safety Notes: Too-small glove leads to severe infection
• Going the Distance: Meet Pete Kimbrel, safety, wellness, and environmental manager at Orenco Systems Inc.

December 2018 Newsletter 

• Knowledge and understanding: Why hazard communication matters
• Construction Corner: What you should know about safety monitoring for roofing work
• Administrator’s message: 2019 will bring challenges, opportunities
• Safety Notes: Food service worker suffers severe burns while cleaning exhaust hood
• Going the Distance: Meet Julie Stout, environmental, health, and safety manager at Georgia-Pacific, Philomath

October 2018 Newsletter 

• Train your employees to work safely: It’s important. It’s required.
• Employers, workers encouraged to use online training courses
• Administrator’s message: Training is important, but it is rarely the complete solution
• Safety Notes: Failure to follow lockout/tagout procedures leads to finger amputation
• Going the Distance: Meet Dennis Winn and Jay Schindler of Klamath Energy LLC

August 2018 Newsletter 

• Protecting forklift operators: Seatbelts are a matter of life and death
• Tracking workplace injuries in Oregon K-12 schools
• Administrator's Message: Celebrating the “Best of the Best” with the Voluntary Protection Program
• Safety Notes: One worker killed, another injured in construction zone vehicle accident
• Going the Distance: Meet Jim Johnson, CEO and owner of D2000 Safety

April 2018 Newsletter

• Suterra grows its commitment to safety
• Is it an accident or an incident?
• Administrator's Message: Workers Memorial Day is about stories, not statistics
• Safety Notes: Mechanic injures hand during maintenance
• Going the Distance: Meet Lena Houston-Davisson, MPT, physical therapist at Cascade Health

February 2018 Newsletter

• A new look at Oregon OSHA's top violations for 2017
  
• New Oregon OSHA rules effective this year
• Administrator's Message: In workplace health and safety, sure and steady wins the race
• Safety Notes: Veterinary and behavioral care for pets
• Going the Distance: Meet Cliff Butler of Sherwin-Williams, Purdy