An employee of an auto-parts business in Otay Mesa was apparently struck by a forklift Monday and killed, the county Medical Examiner’s Office said. The 68-year-old Tijuana man died at the scene. He was identified as Salvador Gonzalez-Rincon. The incident was reported at 11:40 a.m. at Central Auto Parts on Datsun Street, near Otay Valley Road. Gonzalez-Rincon was found on the ground near the forklift, with the engine running. There were no witnesses, and it is believed he was run over by the vehicle, a medical examiner’s investigator said. He died at the scene. The incident will be investigated by Cal/OSHA. Clearly this could...

Transitioning to Safer Chemicals American workers use tens of thousands of chemicals every day. While many of these chemicals are suspected of being harmful, only a small number are regulated in the workplace. As a result, workers suffer more than 190,000 illnesses and 50,000 deaths annually related to chemical exposures. Workplace chemical exposures have been linked to cancers, and other lung, kidney, skin, heart, stomach, brain, nerve, and reproductive diseases. Establishing a chemical management system that goes beyond simply complying with OSHA standards and strives to reduce or eliminate chemical hazards at the source through informed substitution best protects workers. Transitioning to safer alternatives...

Effective Workplace Safety and Health Management Systems Every day, workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities cause immeasurable pain and suffering to employees and their families. Recent estimates indicate that workplace injuries and illnesses cost our nation’s businesses $170 billion per year in wasteful and often preventable expenses. Effective Safety and Health Management Systems (SHMS) have proven to be a decisive factor in reducing the extent and severity of work-related injuries and illnesses. SHMS will result in reduced injury-related costs.These savings, when properly administered, will exceed the cost of a workplace SHMS. more information on www.osha.gov...

Many people are exposed to heat on some jobs, outdoors or in hot indoor environments. Operations involving high air temperatures, radiant heat sources, high humidity, direct physical contact with hot objects, or strenuous physical activities have a high potential for causing heat-related illness. Workplaces with these conditions may include iron and steel foundries, nonferrous foundries, brick-firing and ceramic plants, glass products facilities, rubber products factories, electrical utilities (particularly boiler rooms), bakeries, confectioneries, commercial kitchens, laundries, food canneries, chemical plants, mining sites, smelters, and steam tunnels. Outdoor operations conducted in hot weather and direct sun, such as farm work, construction, oil and...