EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: JIM MCCANNEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: FIONA HERNANDEZ OFFICE MANAGER: SHARON CONNELL Safety Alert for Supervisors (ISSN 1541-7379), May 4, 2026, Vol. 23, No. 550, 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 How fit tests can help ensure crew members don’t lose their hearing If an employee who works in a noisy area tells you that he or she is having trouble hearing, you should probably let your safety manager know what’s going on – the staff member might benefit from a hearing protection fit test. So suggests a safety and health information bulletin recently released by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Although hearing protection fit tests aren’t mandatory under federal law, you’re still responsible for making sure staffers aren’t exposed to excessive noise levels. One of the best ways to do that is to conduct fit tests to help identify the most effective hearing protection device for each employee. The new OSHA bulletin says hearing protection fit tests should be done when a crew member reports hearing problems such as tinnitus, or ringing in the ears. They should also be performed, according to the bulletin, when a worker is first enrolled in a hearing conservation program and after new hearing protection devices have been made available to members of the workforce. Forklift operator talking on his cellphone when vehicle strikes executive At your next tailgate talk on forklift safety, remind your truck operators that distractions can be deadly. For proof, consider the recent death of Sunbok You, the CEO of SBY America. The 45-year-old executive was walking across a road at the HL-GA Battery Co. construction site in Ellabell, GA, when he was struck and killed by a forklift truck. OSHA investigated the fatality and learned that the driver of the forklift, who worked for Beyond Iron Construction, was talking on his cellphone at the time of the incident. After the vehicle struck You, the forklift operator fled the scene. OSHA hammered Beyond Iron with a proposed fine of $16,550 for multiple violations of forklift safety regulations. Man’s finger sliced off after employer ignored previous injury incident Alert: Supervisors who turn a blind eye to injury incidents are risking significant safety fines. Consider, for instance, a recent injury at All FAB Precision Sheetmetal Inc., San Jose, CA. A worker had part of his finger amputated while he was operating a machine that wasn’t properly guarded. It turns out that a different crew member suffered a finger amputation while using unguarded equipment a year earlier. After the second incident, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health hammered All FAB Precision with a proposed fine of $212,850. safety news for supervisors 2 Safety Alert for Supervisors May 4, 2026 The burning of poisonous plants can lead to severe lung irritation Before laboring outdoors in areas that could have poisonous plants, such as poison ivy or poison oak, workers should know not to burn these plants. Reason: When poisonous plants are burned, the hazardous chemical in them – urushiol – becomes airborne, so workers might inhale the substance and experience severe lung irritation. Here’s what workers should look for during hard hat inspections Now might be a good time to remind your crew members to always inspect a hard hat before wearing it. They should first look at the shell. If the color is faded or has a chalky look, it could be damaged. And if the shell feels brittle, has a hole, or is cracked, the hard hat shouldn’t be used. Then staffers should examine the suspension system. If it’s cracked, frayed, or shows other signs of wear, the hard hat needs to be taken out of service and replaced right away. Do your staffers know when respirators should be replaced? Take note: Workers should replace or repair a respirator when they notice any of the following: • Unusual odors, tastes, or irritation indicating that contaminants might be passing through the gear. • Increased difficulty breathing through the respirator, which might mean the filter is clogged. • Noticeable air leaks that could indicate the seal is compromised. • Accumulation of contaminants on the respirator’s surface or filters. • Tears, holes, broken straps, or any other visible damage. • Any changes to the shape of the respirator, including a distorted face seal or mouthpiece. • Head straps that have lost their elasticity. 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