SafetyBlog
California Changes Football Rules To Prevent Head Injuries
In an effort to protect youth football players against concussions and other head injuries, California Governor Jerry Brown signed a new law into effect that limits full-contact practices.The law, which is being dubbed AB 2127, essentially limits middle school and high school players to 90-minute or less full-contact practice sessions. In addition, the new law also limits the number of full-contact practice sessions during the regular session to just two, and prohibits teams from full-conta
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Jul 23rd 2014
OSHA Fines Auburn Company $816,500 For Falsifying Records
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed a massive $816,500 fine to an Auburn-based company for falsely reporting that it had fixed various safety violations in its Ohio factory. According to public records, this is the largest fine issued to a Maine company in over 5 years.Formed Fiber Technologies produces interior automobile trim for a number of different manufacturers, including Toyota and General Motors. It operates out of two manufacturing facilities: one in S
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Jul 22nd 2014
Doctors Dubious Over Niacin's Heart Health Benefits
Heart disease is the number one cause of death among men and women in the U.S. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 600,000 Americans die from heart-related disease and illness each year. In other words, 1 out of 6 deaths are attributed to heart problems.Doctors stress the importance of a balanced diet and regular exercise for individuals who are at risk for heart disease. Up until now, it was also believed that taking a niacin (vitamin B3) supplement
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Jul 21st 2014
Connecticut Lawmakers Push For Train Safety Reform
Lawmakers in Connecticut are pushing for greater regulations to improve the safety of its train systems.According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), there have been 139 train crashes deemed "preventable" in the U.S. The crashes led to the deaths of 288 people, caused 6,500 non-life threatening injuries, and damaged $300 million worth of property. While train accidents have occurred throughout the country, Connecticut remains a leading state in terms of incident ra
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Jul 16th 2014
CDC Acknowledges Safety Lapses In Handling of Deadly Microbes
Last month, approximately 84 workers at the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were exposed to the potentially deadly bacteria Bacillus anthraci (anthrax) when a researcher unknowingly sent samples to another CDC facility. Thankfully, no illnesses occurred as a result of workers' exposure to anthrax, but this incident begs the question: how safe are these viruses and bacteria maintained by the CDC?Following the incident at CDC's headquarters, an internal investigation was cond
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Jul 16th 2014