OSHA NEws August 2025

OSHA News for August 2025 Hello, August was a month of tragic deaths in confined space. Aug 28, 2025 Three dead in TX confined space. Aug 21, 2025 Six dead in CO confined space. Aug 21 2026 73 year man dies in IL confined space This Month's Powerpoint: Ethanol Plant Safety. I made one in 2009 and updated to this year. Numerous ethanol plant explosions in the last 25 years. It was good to see the OSHA people at the Lockout training in Naperville and catch up with current events. I am running into odd issues for lockout. I got involved in a Safety Bypass Work Permit to replace a safety device. We are using a forming of machine guarding to eliminate exposure while we wait for the parts to come in. One company went with Mips ANSI Class 2 Helmets. MIPS, which stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System, is a safety technology designed to reduce rotational forces that can be transmitted to the brain during angled impacts. It consists of a low-friction layer, often a thin plastic liner, placed inside a helmet between the padding and the helmet shell. When an impact occurs at an angle, this layer allows the helmet to slide a small amount (10-15 mm) relative to the head, redirecting and absorbing some of the rotational energy. This movement is intended to reduce the risk of concussions and more severe brain injuries. What are the common NFPA 70E issues that you see for industrial locations? 1. No arc flash barrier. 2. No annual arc flash observation 3. No retraining in NFPA 70E 4. No electrical safety work permit. 5. No job hazard analysis for electrical work. 6. Not wearing arc flash PPE for testing 7. No first aid CPR AED training Predictivesafety.com has fatigue alertness screens and monitors to tell if a work is too tired. Anyone have experience with this type of solution? One of the largest insurance companies for worker comp said 2025 has been many injuries with mobile equipment and industry workers. Forklifts, pallet jack, moving carts etc. They are pushing forklifts to have safety devices such as red lights for side 2 Foot rule, Blue light front and back. Annual forklift operator training with how to secure loads. Annual certification review for powered pallet jacks. Conduct manual pallet jack training. 35 pound pull push on carts that have to be moved. $40 million at stake and the GC young safety person responds in deposition. Q Any OSHA certifications, OSHA 10 or anything? A No, sir. You are the boss of a company. You can't put your signature on the safety program that you paid a consultant to do and you do not know anything about the program. Then there is boss's admission. Q. Was there a reason for creating this Safety Program? A. I don't recall why. September! ASSP Chicagoland Safety, Health & Environmental Conference in Naperville: Dates: September 15-17, 2025. Location: Naperville, IL. Keynote Speaker: Mayor Scott A. Wehrli, focusing on "The Cognitive E-Stop – When Safety and Culture Collide". Expo: The Business Expo is scheduled for Wednesday, September 17, 2025, from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm, with set-up and break-down times around this period. https://chisafetyconf.org/ We have 48 get certified in August. Enjoy the nice Fall weather. John OSHA News Update 1. OSHA added 33 new NAICS Codes to its recently renewed Hazardous Machinery (Amputations) National Emphasis Program. Some include. 1) 311224 - Soybean and other oilseed processing 2) 311312 - Beet sugar manufacturing] 3) 311314 - Cane sugar manufacturing 4) 311412 - Frozen specialty food manufacturing 5) 311421 - Fruit and vegetable canning 6) 311942 - Spice and extract manufacturing 7) 312111 - Soft drink manufacturing 2. California Ranch Foods, a subsidiary of Golden West Food Group, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts after being criminally charged in connection with the 2020 deaths of two workers fatally exposed to nitrogen gas. https://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2025/2025-80.html#:~:text=Los%20Angeles%E2%80%94California%20Ranch%20Foods,fatally%20exposed%20to%20nitrogen%20gas. 3. Two dead at US Steel. Here are several historical examples of violent explosions at steel mills, categorized by cause. Molten Metal & Water 💧🔥 When water contacts molten metal, it flashes to steam instantly. Scunthorpe, England (1975): Torpedo car breached water main; steam blast killed 11. Weirton, WV, USA (1967): Water in slag pot; 2 killed. J&L Steel, PA, USA (1951): Water leak in open-hearth furnace; 6 killed. Combustible Dust 💥💨 Fine dust ignites and triggers chain blasts. Hoogovens, NL (1996 & 2020): Coal/coke dust explosions and emissions. Imperial Sugar, GA, USA (2008): 14 killed; classic dust blast, same risk for steel mills. Flammable Gas ⛽️💥 Gas leaks ignite. Port Talbot, Wales (2019): Molten metal train gas ignition. Bethlehem Steel, IN, USA (1994): Furnace “bleed-out” killed 2; gas expansion & ignition. https://www.wtae.com/article/us-steel-clairton-plant-explosion/65654312 4. Up to 20 years in prison for ex OSHA IH. https://www.masslive.com/news/2025/08/former-mass-osha-worker-charged-with-fraudulently-obtaining-unemployment-benefits.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgZF1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHgqDQp6PRBlKl8ywDe8UM62nka7ytmr2-DQspmgoYfkpGBn1WvT9sCGZX9nR_aem_edFMXW5_xyV1mrxY4QIVlw 5. On September 30, 2024, a Travis County grand jury indicted D Guerra Construction LLC and Carlos Alejandro Guerrero, 37, a Project Superintendent employed by D Guerra Construction LLC, for the offense of Criminal Negligent Homicide, a state jail felony. https://districtattorney.traviscountytx.gov/travis-county-district-attorney-secures-guilty-plea-corporate-defendant-workers-death/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgZHZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHrLx3fsFJ7h7X2tRCanIZZfIlVpcS51kodCB-eQHRdhtkzEAMnEf0juMDIwo_aem_ZjFdTjhP1efBl4aE7UG06Q Other News 1. Six dead in CO confined space. https://abc7chicago.com/post/colorado-dairy-accident-6-bodies-recovered-weld-county-no-details-released-deaths/17607907/ 2. Watseka worker killed by overhear door. https://www.wandtv.com/news/illinois/worker-killed-by-overhead-door-at-watseka-warehouse-over-weekend/article_150305d6-a41b-40d2-951e-a92c0a6e391c.html 3. Three dead in TX confined space. https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/sheriffs-office-3-workers-from-houston-area-killed-in-gas-leak-in-trinity-county/501-642ea81b-fff0-4e55-99d7-fdd40a2e74c3?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgY8dleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHnr4aip-DTKWrq513eGVkqRHH6sCDbAyJ236qdYXoclut0-fz3Wae_pqtBsV_aem_kRhzSBw_ZPppvppbD5FTNA# 4. Death toll from Legionnaires' disease outbreak in New York City rises to 7 and infections hit 114. NEW YORK (AP) — New York City health officials have discovered a seventh death linked to a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Central Harlem, where more than 100 people have been diagnosed with the ailment. https://www.wral.com/news/ap/e509d-death-toll-from-legionnaires-disease-outbreak-in-new-york-city-rises-to-7-and-infections-hit-114/#:~:text=Associated%20Press-,Death%20toll%20from%20Legionnaires'%20disease%20outbreak%20in%20New%20York%20City,been%20diagnosed%20with%20the%20ailment. 5. First screwworm case in US. https://www.fox10tv.com/2025/08/25/first-human-case-flesh-eating-screwworm-detected-united-states/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgZJBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFPcTFIR0pGRWxKQm1PaVdNAR7prCfEo3e9q_r0Z9c5pzmSnQdaBMCMlbvJRxzn-efORisp0BAIE-q0drFMDg_aem_lERlBntx5GGPvBqmsArzcA 6. 73 year IL man dies in confined space. https://foxillinois.com/news/local/73-year-old-man-dies-in-grain-bin-accident?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgZLlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHoIvIayJXrhZCSvjxsKP5YC9KTzXIk5huOmfCUExaVaGSbmrramYE9ZKTtD__aem_FUU2Vy3nan2E_g7ExOBoQQ 7. IL teen died in tractor rollover. https://www.firstalert4.com/2025/08/13/teen-dies-farm-implement-accident-macoupin-county/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgZTtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHiVT_0kLdowTDFwLOxhfPNRhydaLBssgk536crT6A_Q6Edeck3YZivrFCsh-_aem_foM3dCcY0V_vR4LiOG9YWw 8. Two dead in AL trench https://www.wsfa.com/2025/08/11/2-dead-industrial-accident-near-princeton-woods/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMgZWxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHk7zUdNn0rD9Sr1QfvhdrEV0og90LCTiM_YnUU_pQEZK5Z2YQEGCe8wDAIj0_aem_JIQFPMY-wWzxuCwfR2wAWw 9. Harsh condition in MS poultry plant. https://mississippitoday.org/2025/08/11/mississippi-poultry-industrys-alleged-abuse-of-immigrant-workers/ OSHA CITATIONS 6/20/2025 No updates Safety Training at Non-Profits (Check Sites for Starting Dates) OSHA 7845 Recordkeeping Naperville Sep 12 OSHA 500 CSC Sep 15-18 OSHA 3015 3 day Excavation CSC Sep 8-10 NIU is Northern Illinois University OSHA Education Center http://www.nsec.niu.edu CSC is the Construction Safety Council in Hillside. Www.Buildsafe.org TRMA is Three Rivers Manufacturers Association www.trma.org I usually teach only 10-hour and the 500 series. I have taught 2309 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, and early mornings too. I teach in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana. The PowerPoint is posted free at usmwf.org. https://www.usmwf.org/powerpoints-and-safety-information.html I use your feedback to make changes to make corrections. -- John Newquist 815-354-6853