EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: JIM MCCANNEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: FIONA HERNANDEZ OFFICE MANAGER: SHARON CONNELL Safety Alert for Supervisors (ISSN 1541-7379), March 23, 2026, Vol. 23, No. 547, is published 24 times per year by Institute of Business Publications, P.O. Box 1340, Havertown, PA 19083; PHONE : 484-472-8227; FAX : 484-472-8708. Phone: 866-572-1352 Web: iobp.com Subscription Rate (for 24 issues): Users Annual price Users Annual price 1-5 $265 flat 25-29 $44/user 6-9 $53/user 30-34 $43/user 10-14 $49/user 35-40 $42/user 15-19 $47/user 41+ Call 20-24 $45/user 866-572-1352 Guilty plea for company that didn’t take broken machine out of service For new proof of the importance of taking broken equipment out of service right away, consider the plight of John Oliveira & Sons Stamp Concrete Inc., East Freetown, MA. The organization just agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges for a willful violation of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations following the 2023 death of an employee. According to federal prosecutors, John Oliveira supervisors knew that the tail conveyor for a large soil screener was broken – the conveyor had unexpectedly closed multiple times as a result of a ruptured hydraulic power line. However, supervisors failed to take the broken device out of service. Their decision proved fatal when a crew member was trying to remove a bolt from the soil screener and the tail conveyor closed on him, crushing his head. Note: The company’s willful violation of OSHA regulations could lead to five years of probation, a fine of $500,000 and restitution for the family of the dead crew member. Man was wearing safety harness, but gear wasn’t attached to anchor point Alert: It’s always in your best interest to verify that your staffers are using their safety gear properly. Such advice comes too late for the supervisor of Miguel Rodriguez, a 38- year-old man who was working for Classic Painting & Restoration at a jobsite in Morningside Heights, NY. Rodriguez was standing on a scaffold when it collapsed and he fell to the ground. His injuries were fatal. The kicker: Rodriguez was wearing a safety harness, but it wasn’t attached to anything. That’s probably because the supervisor for the job lacked the mandatory training and certification needed to manage the site. In fact, the supervisor was later arrested for presenting a fake identification card to officials investigating the incident. No safety precautions before staffers started repairing broken valve Do your crew members routinely barricade the work area before performing valve pressure tests? If not, you should be aware of the $15,371 fine recently proposed against Dooling Machine Products Inc., Freeport, TX, following an incident in which two employees were injured while testing and repairing a valve owned by SpaceX. Without warning, the valve failed and separated, with pieces of the valve hitting the two men. OSHA said the employer should’ve made sure the test area had been barricaded and isolated before the staffers started the job. safety news for supervisors 2 Safety Alert for Supervisors March 23, 2026 Workers who perform repetitive tasks should exercise their hands Let the members of your crew who often perform repetitive tasks know they should take a break every 30 to 60 minutes and use the time to stretch their hands and fingers. Exercises such as making a fist and then spreading the fingers, or gently massaging the hands, can help reduce tension and prevent injuries. Bonus: Employees should try to vary the tasks they perform throughout their work shifts, so they’re not constantly using the same muscles. Four substances that can cause dermatitis, other skin conditions To reduce the chances workers will suffer dermatitis or other skin conditions, remind them of the four main groups of substances that cause skin problems at the point of contact: • corrosive chemicals that can cause burns • irritant substances that can cause irritant contact dermatitis • sensitizing chemicals that can cause allergic contact dermatitis • substances that can cause other diseases such as urticaria, acne and skin cancer Flammable vapors can travel long distances before igniting When members of your crew are working with flammable liquids, they should be aware that it’s not the liquid itself that could ignite but rather the vapors from the liquid. And vapors that can’t be seen are especially hazardous because they can travel long distances before reaching an ignition source. That means staffers should make sure they’re as far away as possible from flammable liquids before engaging in activities that could produce an ignition source such as a spark, a flame, or static electricity. SafetyAlert FOR SUPERVISORS Click Here to Subscribe Now Copyright © 2026 Institute of Business Publications. Reproduction of this material is prohibited without prior permission. All rights reserved in all countries. quick ideas