July
2026

Operational Alert: RESPIRATORY HAZARDS IN OPERATION

Operational Alert’s, inform Signal Mutual Members of serious incidents or a significant near-miss within the Mutual. If you have similar operations, please share this Operational Alert with operation managers, supervisors, equipment operators, and all affected employees. It is imperative that management, at all levels review their operations for similar hazardous conditions, acts, and their controls.

A federal appeals court recently upheld workers' compensation benefits awarded to a former shipyard painter who developed significant breathing difficulties and permanent lung impairment after years of workplace exposure to paint fumes, thinners, welding fumes, sandblasting materials, and other airborne contaminants.

The employee worked in a shipyard from 2005 through 2017 as a painter, paint inspector, and supervisor. Medical evidence presented during the case concluded that workplace exposures contributed to or aggravated the worker's emphysema and restrictive lung impairment. The court affirmed that an employer may be held responsible when occupational exposures contribute to a worker's respiratory condition, even when other factors or pre-existing conditions may also exist.

Click here for the full Operational Alert: RESPIRATORY HAZARDS IN OPERATION

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New Focus on Safety: Hand Signals & Oxy-Fuel Gas Torch Safety 25 Aug 2026 The Signal Safety Committee and Signal Safety Team created Focus on Safety, a growing library of practical safety topics for safety meetings, toolbox talks, and other employee safety discussions. These easy-to-use resources help reinforce important safety practices, encourage meaningful conversations, and keep safety top of mind in day-to-day operations.
Signal Shipyard Committee Releases Signal Engaging Activities Catalog 25 Aug 2026 The Shipyard Committee creates practical tools and resources designed to support safer, more efficient shipyard operations. Each project is developed with input from industry professionals and focuses on real-world challenges faced in the field. The goal is simple: provide straightforward, easy-to-use resources that strengthen safety, improve consistency, and fit naturally into existing operations.