Utah Labor Commission Plans Fall Hazard Material Safety Effort

Utah Labor Commission officials say the state’s occupational health and safety division will launch an inspection initiative to increase safety for workers who handle materials.

Commission spokeswoman Robyn Barkdull says the program — nicknamed Big M Phase — gets under way Sept. 1. She says it’s designed to identify and eliminate hazards associated with the major causes of fatalities and serious injuries among workers at both retail and wholesale businesses.

Under the program, businesses with injury rates higher than the state average for their respective industries will be evaluated. The initiative will focus on several industries, including warehouse storage, truck transport, general merchandise stores and tire dealers.