Postscript

Trash Talk

By Ronnie Rittenberry · August 2008

It’s easy to make light of the solid waste industry, or, for those above such things, to take it entirely for granted. The reality, however, is that without it, civilization as we know it would not last long. And things would get putrid pretty quickly.

Bull’s Eyeeeaaaahhh!

By Marc Barrera · July 2008

A bull rider charges into the arena, his heals dug in, one arm outstretched, the other holding on for dear life as he does his best to stay atop his ride. He counts down the seconds until a horn signals time is up, then must take a leap of faith off his bull, entrusting his safety and health to the bullfighters watching his back.

Blade Runners

By Ronnie Rittenberry · April 2008

Injury-free days on the slopes are few and far between. To some extent, mishaps just go with the terrain when millions of skiers per season, people of all ages and skill levels, are turned loose on snow and ice at high altitudes with boards strapped to their feet. It doesn’t help that snow has a tendency to shift or that trail conditions can change hourly.

Rethinking Rig Embarkation

By Jerry Laws · March 2008

Work on an offshore oil or gas rig presents many hazards. Getting out there can be dangerous, too, because of sea and weather conditions. Helicopter transport has a good safety record, but even the United Kingdom Offshore Oil and Gas Industry Association Ltd, which claims to be the world leader in offshore helicopter safety, has experienced two fatal crashes, with 18 deaths, in the past decade.

Keeping Cool in the Hot Zone

By Marc Barrera · February 2008

Dr. Mike Holbrook, director of the Robert E. Shope, M.D., Laboratory, a Biosafety Level-4 lab at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, deals with some of the deadliest viruses known to man, including Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, Junin, and Nipah viruses. It goes without saying that special precautions are put into place to ensure total security and safety.

In the Eye of the Storm

By Marc Barrera · January 2008

St. Elmo’s Fire, with its eerie emanations of iridescent hues, possesses a mystical quality for many. For centuries, sailors either sought shelter or stood in awe of it. But for Greg Bast, the phenomenon is just another part of his job. “It’s aesthetically pleasing, in that it’s kind of neat to watch it, but it can also get a little weird when it discharges and starts running down the side of the airplane and bouncing off the prop tips and everything else.”


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Labor Secretary Chao says BLS' preliminary count of 5,488 workplace deaths in the United States last year, a rate of 3.7 per 100,000 workers, proves the Bush administration's OSH programs are working. How do you grade the numbers?






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