Federal law requires companies to display certain posters covering anti-discrimination laws or wage laws, for example.  There is no federal law requiring this NLRB poster to be displayed.  That is the heart of the injunction--did the NLRB overstep its authority when it approved this poster for display.

Display of this poster has been postponed from  April 30 until a decision is reached by the court.

"OSHA's 1983 Hazard Communication Standard gave workers the right to know. As one participant expressed during our rulemaking process, this update will give them the right to understand, as well," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels.

On March 20, 2012 OSHA formally announced its' newest revised regulation.  The older Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) was updated to reflect compliance with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).  The new requirements include:

• Chemical Hazard Classification:  Hazard classification under the new, updated standard provides specific criteria to address health and physical hazards as well as classification of chemical mixtures.
• Labels: Chemical manufacturers and importers must provide a label that includes a signal word, pictogram, hazard statement, and precautionary statement for each hazard class and category.
• Safety Data Sheets: The new format requires 16 specific sections, ensuring consistency in presentation of important protection information.  The name has also changed because the term "material" has been removed.  Now the term is "SDS" not "MSDS."
• Information and training: The new standard requires that all affected workers be trained by December 1, 2013 on the new label elements and safety data sheet format, in addition to the current training requirements.

These new requirements affect ALL employers or employees who use, transport or store ANY chemical in quantities greater than a normal person would use in their house.

Trees
1. When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant."
2. Check for freshness, when purchasing a live tree.  A fresh tree is green and needles are hard to pull from branches.  Needles do not break, when bent between your fingers. The trunk of a fresh tree is sticky with resin.  Tree should not lose many needles while being transported.  Tap tree on the ground, prior to purchase.  If the tree doesn't lose many needles, it is fresher.
3. When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators or portable heaters.  Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways. Cut a few inches off the trunk of your tree to expose the fresh wood.  This allows for better water absorption and will help keep your tree from drying out and becoming a fire hazard.
4. Be sure to keep the live tree stand filled with water,  heated rooms can dry live trees out rapidly. 

Lights
1. Inspect all tree lights, before hanging them on your tree. Look for frayed wires, broken sockets or loose connections.  Make sure all bulbs work.  Some cords are safe to use with burned out bulbs.  Discard lights with frayed wires, broken sockets or missing connectors.  If not sure if safe to use with burned out bulbs, discard and replace. 
2. Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted. Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.  To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples, not nails or tacks.  Never pull or tug lights to remove them.Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.
3. Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

Decorations
1. Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree.

Food Safety
1. Bacteria are often present in raw foods.  Fully cook meats and poultry, and thoroughly wash raw vegetables and fruits.  Always keep raw foods and cooked foods separately, and use separate utensils when preparing them.  Always thaw meat in the refrigerator, never on the countertop.
2. Foods that require refrigeration should never be left at room temperature for more than two hours.                          

Fireplaces
1. Before lighting any fire, remove all decorations from fireplace area.  Open flue.
2. Do not burn gift wrap paper in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

Shopping
1. Wear conservative, comfortable clothing, casual shoes and very little jewelry. Before your shopping trip, consider leaving a copy of your shopping travel plan with a relative or trusted friend. 
2. Shop with a friend, if possible, there is safety in numbers. 
3. Stay alert. 
4. Instead of a purse, carry a small wallet in a front pants pocket or inside jacket pocket.  Wear a fanny pack. If you must carry a purse, hold it under your arm, close to your body, not dangling by the straps. 
5. Never leave your purse in a shopping cart or on a counter while you pay for your purchases. When using public restrooms, use extreme caution — try to avoid putting your purse on hooks or door handles. These places give criminals easy access to your bags. 
6. Plan your shopping/errands so you load your trunk only when you are ready leave.  Load your trunk when you leave a location — never open a trunk, fill it full of valuables, close it, and then just walk away to do more shopping or other errands.

Traveling
1. If traveling by vehicle, know where you are going and how to get there and back. Obtain a map or download the latest available GPS data.
2. Check road conditions before leaving, especially when traveling out-of-state.
3. Inform a family member where you will be and when to expect you back; give them your route if they don't know it.
4. Travel and conduct your business during daylight hours if possible.
5. To the extent practical, select well-traveled and lighted thoroughfares. Avoid less-traveled roads as much as possible, especially when driving at night or in unfamiliar locations.
6. When driving, keep doors locked and windows rolled up at all times. Maintain at least half a tank of fuel, and keep vehicle in good repair.
7. If planning a "road trip" over the holidays, have your vehicle serviced and checked far enough in advance to allow for repairs if needed.
8. Keep spare fuses and an "emergency kit" in your vehicle at all times.
9. You should also have a basic first aid kit in your vehicle at all times.
10. Devote your full time and attention to driving!
11. If you feel yourself getting tired, pull over and take a break (at a safe location where there are other people and light).
12. When parking, roll up windows, lock vehicle, take keys, and make sure valuables are concealed. When it's dark, park and walk in lighted areas to the extent possible.
13. Keep your wallet, purse, and any other valuables on your person or otherwise out of sight, NOT on the seat next to you.
14. If you must leave valuable items in your car while out and about, place items out of sight before reaching your destination or move them inconspicuously. Someone may be watching when you hide items under/behind a seat or cover them with something.

1. Use the full sequential trigger.
2. Provide training.
3. Establish nail gun work procedures.
4. Povide personal protective equipment.
5. Encourage reporting and discussion of injuries and close calls.
6. Provide first aid and medical treatment.

This publication is a good tool, if you or your team use a nail gun. 

You can obtain it through this link Nail Gun Safety

If you are a worker, work safe.  Don’t take shortcuts.  If you think about taking a short cut, don’t.  Use tools and equipment that are in good condition.  Don’t disable guards.  Trust your instincts.  If you think something is unsafe, stop and investigate before proceeding.  Discuss the situation with your supervisor.

If you are an employer, provide the right tools and equipment to enable your workers to do the job safely.  For example, if a 12-foot ladder is needed, don’t ask worker to do job with a 10-foot ladder.  Establish safety policies and procedures.  Enforce safety rules.

1.  Scaffolding  (from Construction standards)
2.  Fall Protection (from Construction standards)
3.  Hazard Communication
4.  Respiratory Protection
5.  Lockout/Tagout
6.  Electrical, Wiring Methods
7.  Powered Industrial Trucks
8.  Ladders (from Construction standards)
9.  Electrical, General Requirements
10. Machine Guarding

Review this list.  If workers are exposed to hazards under these standards, make sure you are aware of these hazards and how to protect against them.  Far too many preventable injuries and illnesses occur in the workplace.

W Construction has 15 business days from receipt of citations to comply, meet with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings.  We encourage employers to make sure they know their rights and defend themselves against OSHA citations.

In this busines climate, many companies are lowing profi+t margins to stay open.  While a $37,400 fine is tough to pay at any time, in today’s market, it could put some companies out of business.

The best thing to do avoid citations and fines.  Develop a strong safety culture based on a written safety program that includes a method of identifying and correcting hazards, conduct regular inspections and train employees.-

$195,000 of the fines are due to repeat violations.  In March 0f 2008, the company was fined for a similar hazard.  If a company violates the same regulation within 5 years of the first citation, the citations are categorized as repeat and the fines go up substantially.

Safety professional encourage companies’ to protect themselves by defending against OSHA citations.  If you can legally prove that the citations should not have been issued, not only do you avoid the immediate problem, but protect yourself from a repeat violation for the next 5 years.

The company that manufactures Brazilian Blowout has issued a statement saying they are taking legal action against Oregon OSHA saying that the product is formaldehyde-free and the lab findings are wrong.