Convergence 8/25/17 Convergence 8/25/17

US Consumer Product Safety Commission Faces Challenges in Requiring Safe Table Saw Technology

Every year, over 4,000 Americans suffer finger and/or hand amputations due to table saw accidents, making the table saw far and away the most dangerous woodworking tool. Technology making table saws much safer has been around for around 15 years, but has been largely ignored by governmental safety bodies despite the technology's demonstrated success.

Convergence 7/11/17 Convergence 7/11/17

New ASSE President Promises to Expand Safety Research Efforts

James D. Smith, M.S., CSP became the 103rd president of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) on July 1st, the beginning of a one-year term. On June 22nd, Smith greeted attendees at ASSE’s Safety 2017 conference, where he discussed some of the priorities he aims to address during his presidency.

Convergence 6/25/17 Convergence 6/25/17

US Employers Fear Inconsistent Enforcement of OSHA Fall Protection Rule

On 17 January, an update to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) fall protection rule went into effect. The update allows “temporary and infrequent” work, which would have previously required the use of fall protection equipment, to be done without fall protection. However, OSHA has not clarified the meaning of “temporary and infrequent,” nor has it published guidance on how the rule will be enforced. This has left employers across the United States in fear of inconsistent enforcement of the rule.

Convergence 6/20/17 Convergence 6/20/17

Tesla Workplace Injury Rate Exceeded US Auto Industry Average by 31% in 2015

According to a May 2017 report published by California nonprofit Worksafe, workers at Tesla’s Fremont, CA plant suffered 31% more injuries than workers at the average US automobile plant in 2015. The rate for more-serious injuries (those which result in required leave or changes in job duties) at the Fremont plant was even higher, at nearly double the average rate of the US auto industry.

Convergence 5/17/17 Convergence 5/17/17

Dr. Alexander Li Lays Out Vision for Future of US Healthcare in Keynote Talk

11 May 2017 - Dr. Alexander Li was the keynote speaker at EHSSENTIALS 2017 UCLA, a healthcare industry Environmental Health & Safety symposium. The talk began with Li explaining a key issue with the US healthcare industry today - the lack of access to healthcare among US residents (particularly among the poor, people of color, and illegal residents) despite the US healthcare industry’s ability to provide high-quality healthcare, and despite the vast, if not excessive, amount of money circulating through it.

About convergence

convergence is an environmental, health, safety and social management consultancy that specializes in multi-country (international) projects and programs. We are able to meet our clients’ needs on a global scale while recognizing the important regional differences that our clients face in conducting business. We are one of the leading international EHS audit consultancies; and our country health and safety legal compliance tools for offices, retail and service sectors, known as CORE, are the foremost resource of its kind.