November 29, 2011

OSHA'S TOP 10 SAFETY VIOLATIONS

The Employers Council
OSHA just announced the top 10 most frequently cited safety standards for fiscal year 2011 based on OSHA worksite inspections during that time period. The list for FY 2011 is almost identical to FY 2010's list. In fact, the same OSHA standards typically occupy the top 10 spots year after year. The most frequently cited standards in FY 2011 were:

1. Scaffolding (Construction)
2. Fall Protection (Construction)
3. Hazard Communication
4. Respiratory Protection
5. Lockout/Tagout
6. Electrical, Wiring Methods
7. Powered Industrial Trucks
8. Ladders (Construction)
9. Electrical, General Requirements
10. Machine Guarding

Employers should take steps to address these and other hazards before a worker suffers a preventable injury or illness – and before an OSHA investigator shows up at the door. Use this extremely helpful link to find the OSHA standards that apply to your business:

http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/compl iance_assistance/quickstarts/index.html

GOVERNOR ENCOURAGED BY LATEST REVENUE FIGURES
UB Daily
The Governor's Office of Planning and Budget (GOPB) released new consensus revenue figures indicating the State anticipates $128 million in new one-time revenue and $280 million in new ongoing revenue. "When you consider what is happening nationally or in other states, the steady drum beat of positive economic news in Utah is certainly encouraging," said Gov. Gary R.
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MANUFACTURERS URGE IMPROVEMENT IN MATH, SCIENCE EDUCATION
AP
"Arguing for more urgency, businesses with tens of millions of workers are hoping to prod the nation into improving its math and science education." The AP concedes that although the US "remains a dominant force in innovation, a series of indicators, from academic scores to flagging interest in science careers, spell trouble. The problem is on the radar of the White House, Congress and state leaders, but business leaders say the nation's efforts are piecemeal and lacking a compelling sense of attention." They report that the Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers from major US corporations, will lead a campaign to be launched publicly this week. Other prominent members of the effort include the National Association of Manufacturers and TechNet, a network of technology CEOs from leading firms.

REDUCING RE-INJURY AND RETURNING INJURED EMPLOYEES TO WORK
Quick Manufacturing News
Every employer has experienced a workers' compensation claim that at first glance, seemed to be for a minor injury. As months and even years go past, the claim snowballs into full-fledged disability and the employer is left wondering what happened and if anything could have been done to prevent the high workers' comp costs and the loss of quality of life for that employee. Click to continue

NLRB UPDATE
FLAG Weekly Communications (NAM)
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is set to vote on the so-called snap elections rule tomorrow. The rule would shorten the period between the time a union files for an election and the election itself.

The vote comes amid a feuding Board, which is down to three members (one of whom was recess appointed). As the Wall Street Journal noted in an editorial yesterday,

In a letter to House Education and Workforce Chairman John Kline, Mr. Hayes [the lone Republican board member] notes that while nearly 66,000 comments had been received on the original version of the proposed rule, he has been cut out of the loop on any responses to the comments by his fellow commissioners or any modifications made to the final rule that differ from the original draft.

More on the internal divisions at the NLRB here.

U.S.-KOREA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT IMPACTS UTAH
World Trade Center Utah
On October 12, 2011, after more than three years, the United States Congress approved the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA). According to Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), “The U.S.-Korea free trade agreement, the largest negotiated agreement in over two decades, offers substantial new economic opportunities as well.
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AMERICAN CONFIDENCE IN ECONOMY RISES
Today in Manufacturing
The Conference Board says its Consumer Confidence Index rose 15 points to 56.0, a drastic change from the recession-low of 40.9 last month ... continue