On June 26, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the renewal of a national emphasis program (NEP) of outreach, inspection, and enforcement to address amputations in manufacturing.
The new NEP replaces one set to expire June 27. The updated program will remain in effect for five years, according to the agency.
Changes to the updated emphasis program include the following:
- An updated list of North American Industry Code System (NAICS) establishment codes identified for inclusion in the program;
- Allowing establishments that had an inspection under the NEP in the previous 24 months and haven’t reported an amputation to be deleted from programmed inspection lists; and
- Revisions to the OSHA Information Systems coding instructions.
OSHA’s directive for the updated NEP allows an unprogrammed inspection to be expanded to an amputation NEP inspection only if the facility is part of an industry listed in Appendix B of the directive.
The NEP involves inspection for and enforcement of the lockout/tagout (29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §1910.147) and machine guarding (§1910.212) standards. Both are among the agency’s top 10 most cited standards. The lockout/tagout was the fifth most cited in fiscal year (FY) 2024, with 2,443 violations, and machine guarding was the tenth most cited standard, with 1,541 violations.
Industries targeted under the NEP include food manufacturing and processing facilities, sawmills, wood and plastics manufacturers, furniture makers, steel foundries and manufacturers, and automobile, light truck, utility vehicle, truck trailer, and ship and boat manufacturers.
CSB releases video highlighting its work
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released a new video, “Safety Pays Off: The Value of Vigilance,” highlighting the role the CSB plays in improving safety in the chemical industry and protecting the American people.
The video features animations from several recent incidents investigated by the CSB, along with commentary from CSB Chairperson Steve Owens.
The CSB is a nonregulatory federal government board that investigates industrial chemical incidents. It was authorized by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. The board has fewer than 50 employees and an annual budget of $14.4 million.
Incidents featured in the video include:
- A January 24, 2020, explosion at the Watson Grinding facility in Houston, Texas, that fatally injured three people and resulted in approximately $90 million in settlements and judgments paid to businesses and individuals impacted by the incident;
- The November 27, 2019, explosions and fires at the TPC Group chemical plant in Port Neches, Texas, that injured three people and caused $450 million in on-site property damage and $153 million in damage to nearby homes and businesses;
- The June 21, 2019, fire and explosions at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that caused $750 million in property damage and ultimately led to the refinery’s closure and the loss of more than 1,000 jobs; and
- An April 26, 2018, explosion and fires at the Husky Refinery in Superior, Wisconsin, that injured 36 people and caused more than $550 million in property damage to the facility.
The board issues final reports after completing its investigations. It doesn’t issue citations for regulatory violations or impose any fines. The CSB’s investigation reports contain safety recommendations to companies, industry organizations, labor unions, and regulatory agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and OSHA.