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CORRECTION: The start date for the National Work Zone Memorial display at the Clare Rest Area was listed incorrectly. It has been updated to reflect that the memorial will be on display beginning June 29, 2022.
 Did you know that just one cubic yard of soil can weigh as much as a car? This and other hazards are what make excavation and trenching operations some of the most hazardous jobs in construction.
Chief among those hazards are cave-ins, which have a higher likelihood of resulting in fatalities. Other potential hazards associated with trenching work include falling loads, hazardous atmospheres and hazards from mobile equipment.
Don't let an unprotected trench become an early grave. Employers are responsible for ensuring that workers enter trenches only after protections are in place to address cave-in hazards.
To help employers talk directly with their employees about trench safety and excavation hazards, MIOSHA is joining with employer across the state the week of June 20-24 to hold safety stand-downs.
To learn how to conduct a trench safety stand-down and access other trench safety resources throughout Trench Safety Month, visit the National Utility Contractors Association's website.
For free assistance in providing a safe and healthy workplace, visit michigan.gov/cet or call us at 517-284-7720.
If you've ever traveled on U.S. 127, you've likely made a pit stop at the Clare Rest Area. But did you know it's the most popular rest area in Michigan?
Each year during the Independence Day weekend, the Clare Rest Area sees its highest number of visitors. That's why MDOT and MIOSHA have collaborated to bring the National Work Zone Memorial to Michigan — to honor workers who have lost their lives on roadways and remind everyone about the importance of work zone safety.
From June 29, 2022 to July 6, 2022, the National Work Zone Memorial will be on display at the Clare Rest Area. Additionally, a video memorial will be projected for patrons to view some of the fallen workers from around the country. On three separate days, MIOSHA Consultation Education and Training staff will be available to answer any questions you may have and provide information on work zone safety and other MIOSHA services. Don't be a stranger!
When you visit the Clare rest stop, you may notice a set of metal statues outside on a circular brick pad and one located in the lobby. MDOT established a Michigan Transportation Employees Memorial in 1994, in honor of state transportation employees who were killed while working on a state highway.
This Fourth of July weekend, please drive safe and remember: the roadway is a workplace for some people. Our mutual goal must be that every employee goes home at the end of every shift.
If you're like most Michigan businesses, you want help identifying hazards and improving your safety and health program, but you're worried you'll face costly citations or fines if you ask for help.
There's no need to worry. You can protect your workers' safety with a free Take a Stand Day visit from MIOSHA.
Upon request, MIOSHA compliance and consultation staff will visit Michigan worksites August 8-12, to help employers identify and address workplace hazards. Get free, one-on-one consultations that will help you bolster worker protections without being cited or fined. All you have to do is agree to correct any serious conditions.
Small employers and newcomers are especially encouraged to take advantage of this free service to improve their occupational safety and health.
Can't join us this August? No problem. MIOSHA’s Consultation Education and Training Division offers free safety and health assistance year-round. Learn more at michigan.gov/cet.
It's National Safety Month — an annual National Safety Council (NSC) initiative to help keep each other safe from the workplace to any place.
Take advantage of NSC information and resources on this year's safety topics all month long.
Week 1: June 1-11 — Musculoskeletal Disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs, are a leading cause of workplace injury and cost billions each year in workers' compensation and lost productivity.
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Week 2: June 12-18 — Workplace Impairment
We all know the dangers of substance use on the job. But did you know mental distress, stress and fatigue are also impairing? Recognize the signs and address impairment — in all its forms.
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Week 3: June 19-25 — Injury Prevention
In 2020 alone, more than 4 million workplace injuries required medical attention in the U.S.
If you need help learning about approaches to preventing injuries and deaths, including identifying hazards and assessing risks, MIOSHA can help. Take advantage of our free, consultative assistance at www.michigan.gov/cetrca.
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Week 4: June 26-30 — Slips, Trips and Falls
Falls are the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death. Focusing on slips, trips and falls — including falls from heights — can help save lives.
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As we near the summer season and temperatures continue to creep up, it's important to know the dangers of working in the heat and how to prevent heat illness at work.
Employees exposed to extreme heat and humid working conditions are at risk — both indoors and outdoors. Michigan employers are responsible for providing workplaces free of recognized hazards, including protecting workers from extreme heat.
Whether your employees work in an agricultural or construction setting outdoors, or a manufacturing facility or kitchen with heat-generating appliances or sources, you can help prevent heat illness by:
- Providing workers with water, rest and shade.
- Allowing new or returning workers to gradually increase workloads and take more frequent breaks as they acclimatize, or build a tolerance for working in the heat.
- Planning for emergencies and training workers on prevention.
- Monitoring workers for signs of illness.
Learn more at www.osha.gov/heat.
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 Keeping teen workers safe is everyone's job.
As teenagers take on new jobs this summer and year-round, it's important to remind them of their workplace rights and help keep them safe on the job.
Teens have the same rights as other workers: a safe workplace, job safety training, needed safety equipment and speaking up without fear.
Help keep teen workers safe by promoting workplace safety and health resources with them and their parents, teachers and employers. Visit keepteenworkerssafe.org to help teens understand their rights, identify workplace hazards and speak up if they feel threatened or unsafe at work.
To date, there have been 15 work-related fatalities reported to MIOSHA in 2022. The information below shares preliminary details about the most recent fatalities reported to MIOSHA, which are believed to be covered by the MIOSH Act. The descriptions reflect information provided to MIOSHA at the initial report of the incidents and are not the result of the official MIOSHA investigations.
Preliminary summaries of the most recent 2022 incidents:
A 29-year-old steel laborer was operating an extendable boom forklift to pick up pre-insulated metal panels when he leaned through the cab and was crushed by the lift boom.
A 61-year-old loader operator had a hydraulic line break. As he attempted to replace the hydraulic line, he loosened the wrong line and the load came down on him, crushing him against the axle.
A 35-year-old laborer was struck by a dozer that was backing up.
A 57-year-old truck driver was delivering trusses to a jobsite. While the employee was unloading the trusses, the trusses fell off the truck onto him, and he passed away on the scene.
A 51-year-old corrections officer felt ill and did not report to work. He tested positive for COVID-19 and later passed away.
A 61-year-old construction foreman was performing framing activities and fell from the third story of a residential construction project. He was not wearing fall protection.
A 61-year-old tree trimmer was aloft in a tree, using a chainsaw to trim branches, when he fell approximately 50 feet.
A 68-year-old electrician was performing electrical activities when he fell off a ladder.
A 45-year-old corrections officer fell ill and did not report to work. He tested positive for COVID-19 and later passed away.
A 24-year-old head milker was working in the yard when another employee operating a loader ran over him.
A 56-year-old supervisor tested positive for COVID-19 and did not return to work. She later went to the hospital, was released and passed away.
A 77-year-old direct service professional tested positive for COVID-19 and did not return to work. She was admitted to the hospital for COVID-19, was put on a ventilator and later, passed away.
A 59-year-old owner and 68-year-old laborer were placing underground drainage tiles for a pole building project. The property owner discovered the excavation had collapsed and called 911. Authorities later recovered two bodies.
A 65-year-old flagman was standing adjacent to the racetrack at the pit entrance when a race car lost control and fatally struck him.
Every life is precious. Our mutual goal must be that every employee goes home at the end of every shift unharmed.
If you need help or assistance in ensuring your workplace is safe, MIOSHA is here to assist you. The Consultation Education and Training (CET) Division provides workplace safety and health training and consultations to employers and employees throughout Michigan, free of charge. Contact CET today at 800-866-4674 or request CET services online.
Variances from MIOSHA standards must be made available to the public in accordance with Part 12, Variances (R408.22201 to 408.22251). MIOSHA variances are published online at michigan.gov/mioshavariances.
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