Safety 2022, the Texas drought, and workplace fires
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Registrations are open for Safety 2022
Registrations are now open for ASSP’s signature safety event; The Safety 2022 Professional Development Conference and Exposition. It will be held in person June 27-29 in Chicago, but it’s also going to feature an online program to give occupational safety and health professionals the access they need to continue their education.
This year’s conference will highlight the best practices, industry trends, and the latest innovations that can be implemented to protect workers and enhance business operations. The expo will feature hundreds of companies showcasing innovative safety solutions that can help organizations reduce injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.
The Texas drought
In other news, spring is here! As excited as we are to welcome it, it’s important to be aware of the hazards it might also bring.
For instance, much of Texas is at an elevated risk of wildfires in the upcoming weeks due to higher-than-usual temperatures and a worsening drought, according to Texas A&M Forest Service analysts and the state climatologist.
There’s also the factor that vegetation that grew during last summer’s rains is now dormant and brittle — which is, unfortunately, the perfect fire starter. About 40% of the state — mostly north and west Texas — is in an extreme drought, meaning soil moisture is very low, and fire danger is high. In case of emergencies, make sure to have an evacuation plan and a designated safety zone in place to protect yourself and your surroundings.
Multiple workplace fires in the last weeks
As we mention fires, in the past few days 3 major workplace fires broke out across the country. The first one was at a Walmart distribution center in Indiana. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident, but it was a 5-alarm fire and took around 76 hours to put out.
The second major fire occurred at a PepsiCo bottling factory in New Jersey. Two firefighters were injured battling the massive inferno but everyone working in and around the facility was safely evacuated. Investigations continue on what caused the fires in both facilities.
The last fire reported was in a potato-processing facility in Maine. Officials have confirmed that the fire started in one of the fryolator machines and no injuries or chemical releases have been reported. We would like to emphasize the importance of complying with OSHA’s fire safety standards.
