Safety & Loss Control News

USDA Suspends Some Ag Reports Due to Budget Cuts

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s statistical arm said it won’t issue some agricultural reports this year because of automatic federal budget cuts, alarming some in the dairy industry who fear the information void could wreak havoc with milk prices. The …

Ohio Metal Stamping Plant Hit with 21 OSHA Citations

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration says it has issued 21 health and safety citations against a northern Ohio metal stamping company that produces automotive parts after a complaint that a worker’s finger was amputated by an unguarded press …

Des Moines, Iowa to Test Cameras in City Vehicles

The city of Des Moines, Iowa, will be installing surveillance cameras in 125 city vehicles to test whether the technology can hold employees accountable for their driving and reduce the number of accidents. The pilot project is scheduled to begin …

Oklahoma Bill Allows for Electronic Monitoring in Nursing Homes

A measure passed by the Oklahoma Senate would allow residents in nursing homes to install electronic monitoring devices in their private rooms. Senate Bill 587 also prohibits nursing facilities from refusing to admit any potential resident because they want their …

Report: Michigan School Safety Laws Routinely Ignored

Michigan laws meant to improve safety at schools are routinely ignored and state officials don’t know the scope of the problem, according to the results of a two-month investigation published March 11. Disaster drills aren’t being done, or are not …

Indiana House Passes Bill Limiting Mo-Ped Speeds

The Indiana House has approved a bill that would set a 30 mph speed limit for mo-ped users on the state’s roadways. The measure approved Monday on a 75-18 vote now heads to the Indiana Senate. The bill also calls …

Missouri Texting While Driving Law Nabs Few Violators

A 2009 Missouri law that bans young drivers from using their cell phones to send text messages has led to few citations and remains difficult to enforce, a Columbia newspaper reports. The Columbia Missourian reports that an average of fewer …

Missouri Bill to Raise Seat Belt Fines Gains Support

A long-running proposal to raise Missouri’s fines for seat belt violations gained support on Feb. 13 from police, doctors, truckers, insurers and – perhaps most importantly – the chairman of a committee where the plan has died each of the …

CHP Posts Rules for Motorcycle Lane-Splitting

The California Highway Patrol and other statewide traffic safety groups have created a set of written guidelines on motorcycle “lane-splitting,” the at-times hair-splitting maneuver that allows riders to legally pass vehicles in adjacent lanes by driving between them. While California …

Texas Crews Working to Prevent More Davis Mountains Fires

Texas Forest Service crews are beginning work to remove hazardous vegetation in the Davis Mountains resort area of West Texas to try to prevent a repeat of one of the state’s largest-ever wildfires two years ago. On Feb. 4, teams …