safety and loss control News

Texas Oil/Gas Drilling Permits Down But Well Inspections on Track

The Texas state agency for regulating the oil and gas industry says it issued the number of original drilling permits issued in December 2020 was down nearly by half compared with December 2019. However, the Railroad Commission of Texas also …

High Mississippi River at New Orleans: Levee Inspections Up, Ban on Nearby Work

The Mississippi River is high enough at New Orleans to prompt daily levee inspections and a ban on subsurface work within 1,500 feet (457 meters) of a levee. The river was 15 feet (4.6 meters) deep at the Carrollton Gage, …

After Lawmakers Abolish State Plumbing Licensing Board; Texas Governor Revives It

Heading off the prospect of everyone in Texas being able to call themselves plumbers, Gov. Greg Abbott extended the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners and its licensing law until 2021 via an executive order. The Texas State Board of …

Plumber Says ‘Safety Is at Risk’ After Texas Lawmakers Flush Plumbing Code

Plumbers in Texas will no longer be subject to state regulations after lawmakers this week flushed the state plumbing code and the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, a state agency that employed dozens and generated $5.2 million in revenue …

Death of Louisiana Nurse Attacked by Patient Prompts Call for Increased Safety

The death of a Louisiana nurse who was attacked by a mental health patient has prompted the medical community to demand better hospital safety practices. News outlets report Baton Rouge General Medical Center nurse Lynne Truxillo suffered serious injuries in …

Drought-Hit Oklahoma Under Rare National Fire Advisory

Oklahoma has been placed under a national fire advisory as much of the state struggles with unrelenting drought and tinder-dry vegetation capable of igniting and quickly spreading out of control, state forestry officials said. The rare advisory — and the …

Bike Lobby Seeks Lower Speed Limits in Minnesota Cities

Minnesota’s bike lobby is hoping to get state legislators to lower speed limits on city streets around the state, arguing it would make cyclists and pedestrians safer. A speed limit of 25 mph is being sought by the state’s bike …

Wisconsin Bill Would Allow Children to Drive More Powerful ATVs

Wisconsin Republicans are pushing a bill that would allow children under 12 to drive more powerful all-terrain vehicles on state trails. Right now, children under 12 can drive an ATV or a utility terrain vehicle on private property under adult …

Report: Errors Increase in Minnesota Hospitals but Deaths Decrease

An annual report on patient safety shows more errors but fewer deaths in Minnesota hospitals in the past year. The Department of Health found 277 so-called “adverse events” in categories long been tracked, such as wrong-site surgery or foreign objects …

Iowa Testing System to Determine Safer Speeds on Icy Roads

The Iowa Transportation Department is testing a new system that could help motorists drive more safely on icy roadways. Des Moines television station KCCI says the testing is underway on an 11-mile stretch of Interstate 35 north of Des Moines. …