Hazard Alerts, Letters to Employers

OSHA issues a hazard alert or letter to warn employers about the dangers of specific industry hazards and provide information on how to protect workers exposed to those safety and health hazards.

Hazard Alerts

Worker Exposure to Silica during Hydraulic Fracturing [PDF*] (June 2012)

Loss of start-up oxygen in CSE SR-100 self-contained self-rescuers* (April 2012)
(Some of these devices have a critical defect that may cause the release of insufficient oxygen during start-up, a defect that could immediately result in a life-threatening situation for workers using this respirator.)

Falls and Other Hazards to Workers Removing Snow from Rooftops and Other Elevated Surfaces* (February 2012)

Dangers of Engulfment and Suffocation in Grain Bins [PDF*] (updated October 2011)

Hair Smoothing Products That Could Release Formaldehyde [PDF*] (Spanish: PDF*) (Vietnamese: PDF*) (updated September 2011)

Incorrectly Refurbished Circuit Breakers [PDF*] (August 2011) (Note: This hazard alert is based on an alert issued by the Mine Safety and Health Administration.)

Student Worker Killed While Filming Football Practice from a Scissor Lift [PDF*] (July 2011)

Letters to Employers

Blunt-tip surgical suture needles reduce needlestick injuries and the risk of subsequent bloodborne pathogen transmission to surgical personnel (FDA, NIOSH and OSHA joint safety communication) (May 2012)

Work precautions for handling hazardous drugs* (April 2011) - (Note: This letter was generated by OSHA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and The Joint Commission and sent to hospitals in the United States emphasizing the need for safe practices when handling hazardous drugs.)

Grain Storage Bins (February 2011)

Clearing Piping Systems with Natural Gas (August 2010)

* Accessibility Assistance: Contact OSHA's Office of Communications at 202-693-1999 for assistance accessing PDF documents.