Convergence 7/13/17 Convergence 7/13/17

Canada Labour Program Amends Occupational Exposure Limits to Grain Dust and Flour Dust

In a publication of the Canada Gazette on 10 June, Canada’s Department of Employment and Social Development Labour Program (a.k.a. the Labour Program) proposed amendments to the country’s occupational exposure limits (OELs) for grain dust and flour dust, to take effect within the month. For grain dust, a decrease from 10 mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3; for flour dust, an increase from 0.5 mg/m3 to 3 mg/m3.

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 7/4/17 Convergence 7/4/17

Personal Protective Equipment Manufacturers Weigh In On Industry Trends

On 25 June, Safety and Health Magazine published the responses from a survey of over a dozen personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturers regarding recent industry trends, challenges and technological innovations. Their responses touched upon a number of new and interesting issues affecting the industry.

Convergence 6/29/17 Convergence 6/29/17

Pointing and Calling: A Unique Japanese Method in Transit Safety

Japan is home to one of the most efficient, precise and safe railway transit systems in the world. To keep the trains running at peak performance and safety, train drivers, conductors, and station staff constantly “point and call” (shisa kanko in Japanese) out the status of things they need to regularly check. While the practice may appear to be redundant, evidence shows that pointing and calling improves safety on trains and in stations.

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.

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.