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Oct. 27, 2010
Contact: Office of Communications
Phone: 202-693-1999

OSHA aims to improve worker training program

WASHINGTON — OSHA recently revised its policy for all Outreach Training Programs to address the number of hours each day a student may spend in OSHA 10- and 30-hour classes. OSHA revised the length of daily classroom instruction to prevent workers from being saturated with so much information that they may miss content that could prevent injuries, illnesses and death.

Revised program policy now requires OSHA trainers to limit worker training classes to a maximum of 7½ hours per day. Before OSHA made this change, there were no limitations on how long these classes could last each day. With 10 hours of training, along with necessary breaks and lunch, students could sit in classes for up to 13 hours a day. OSHA became concerned that long, mentally-fatiguing class days might cause students to miss essential safety and health training.

Another concern was that, in some cases, one- and three-day training classes were not meeting 10- and 30-hour program time requirements. This concern became evident after OSHA conducted random records audits and unannounced monitoring visits.

To address these issues, the agency now requires OSHA outreach trainers to conduct 10-hour courses over a minimum of two days and 30-hour courses over at least four days. The agency also set up an outreach fraud hotline at 847-725-7810 to which the public can call to file complaints about program fraud and abuse.

“Limiting daily class hours will help ensure that workers receive and retain quality safety training,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels.

This policy change is effective immediately and will be reflected in the next revision of the Outreach Training Program Guidelines. OSHA will not recognize training classes that exceed 7½ hours per day or do not meet all program content requirements. In such cases trainers will not receive completion cards to distribute to students. Trainers may, however, submit written requests for exceptions to limiting training days to 7½ hours based on extenuating circumstances.

The Outreach Training Program, a voluntary participation information resource, is part of OSHA’s Directorate of Training and Education, comprises a national network of more than 17,000 independent trainers who teach workers and employers about OSHA, workers’ rights and how to identify, avoid and prevent workplace hazards. There are 10- and 30-hour outreach classes for construction, general industry and maritime and 16-hour classes for disaster site workers. Students who successfully complete classes receive completion cards.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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U.S. Labor Department news releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this release will be made available in alternative format upon request (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the Central Office for Assistive Services and Technology. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755.

Crown Oil and Gas Announces Appointment of Director

Bellingham, WA, October 28, 2010 - Crown Oil and Gas Inc. (“Crown” or the “Company”) (PINK SHEETS:CWOI.PK) is pleased to announce that Peter Kurceba has joined the Board of Directors.  

Mr. Kurceba spent over 35 years in various capacities in management and exploration in the oil exploration sector. He recently retired as a Partner of J.F. Mackie & Company, an independent equity investment firm based in Calgary, Alberta, where he provided technical perspectives on domestic and foreign resource deals from 2004 to 2010.

Mr. Kurceba was a founder and VP Exploration of Profico Energy Management Ltd. from 2000-2004. From 1992-1997, he was CEO and founding shareholder of Canrise Resources Ltd, a Calgary based startup that acquired, developed and managed reserves and was subsequently sold to Poco Petroleum Ltd. Mr. Kurceba was Managing Partner and Director of General Atlantic Oils Ltd from 1989 – 1992, where he participated in the recapitalization and management of a private Canadian oil and gas subsidiary and was responsible for exploration, development and acquisition efforts. Mr. Kurceba’s other positions included Chief Geologist and VP of Poco Petroleum Ltd. from 1983-1989; Exploration Manager of Conwest Exploration Ltd from 1981 – 1983; Exploration Manager of Concept Resources Ltd from 1980 – 1981; Senior Geologist of Merland Explorations Ltd from 1979 – 1980; District Geologist at Norcen Energy Resources Ltd from 1977-1979; and, Geologist and Junior Geologist at Mobil Oil Canada Ltd from 1973 – 1977. Mr. Kurceba obtained his B.Sc. in Geology from the University of Alberta in 1972.  

Mr. Kurceba is currently a Director of Yoho Resources Ltd.  

Stan Bogomolov, CEO of Crown, commented: “We are very excited to have Mr. Kurceba join our Board. Peter brings a wealth of experience to Crown Oil and Gas. I am confident that his extensive oil industry expertise will prove valuable as Crown continues to expand its exploration and development program.”  

About Crown:

Crown Oil and Gas Inc. is an independent oil and gas company focused on enhancing shareholder value by acquiring and developing oil and gas assets in Russia. Crown holds, through its subsidiaries, exploration and development licenses located in the Saratov region of Russia, one of the major oil and gas regions in the country with advanced infrastructure and more than 60 years history of oil and gas production. Saratov lies in the European part of Russia on the border with Kazakhstan, the largest oil producing country in Central Asia. Crown has identified 4 drilling targets and 26 leads that merit further exploration on its three licensed properties, which together encompass approximately 500,000 acres.

For More Information Contact
Stanislav Bogomolov
Crown Oil and Gas Inc.
President and CEO
360-392-3963
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Region 5 News Release: 10-1469-CHI
Oct. 27, 2010
Contact: Rhonda Burke       Scott Allen
Phone: 312-353-6976       312-353-4727
Email: burke.rhonda @dol.gov       allen.scott@dol.gov

US Labor Department’s OSHA fines Lake Villa employer $140,700
for failing to lock out machine energy sources and endangering workers

LAKE VILLA, Ill. — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited C & F Packing Co. Inc. of Lake Villa with two alleged willful and 12 serious violations for failing to ensure lockout procedures and guarding devices were applied to machinery. Proposed fines total $140,700.

“C & F Packing has demonstrated a disregard for worker safety by placing workers at risk for serious injury from machine rotating parts,” said OSHA Area Director Diane M. Turek in Des Plaines, Ill. “That is not acceptable, and we are committed to seeing that the workers at this facility are provided a safe and healthy workplace.”

OSHA initiated its inspection in April. As a result, the company was cited for two willful citations with proposed fines of $112,000 for failing to ensure lockout devices were applied to machinery when workers were performing tasks where lockout was required and for failing to ensure rotating parts on machinery were properly guarded. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements, or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

The serious violations with proposed penalties of $28,700 were cited for failing to provide standard railings on open-sided platforms, require protective eye and face wear for employees working with corrosive chemicals, conduct required periodic inspections of energy control procedures, provide training on lockout/tagout procedures and ensure guards were affixed to machinery to cover dangerous areas. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

The company, which manufactures sausages, meats and frozen meat toppings, has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Employers and employees with questions regarding workplace safety and health standards can call OSHA’s Chicago Regional Office at 312-353-2220. To report workplace injuries, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America’s employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit http://www.dol.gov/compliance.

EnerVest Enters Barnett Shale With $967 Million Acquisition

Houston, TX, October 27, 2010 - EnerVest, Ltd. and affiliated partnerships including EV Energy Partners, L.P. have signed an agreement to purchase oil and natural gas properties in the Barnett Shale from Talon Oil & Gas LLC for $967 million, subject to customary closing conditions and purchase price adjustments. The purchase price includes 3-D seismic across all of the acreage and hedges from the seller.

The majority of the 20,207 gross acres are in the core of the Barnett Shale in north Texas, and the properties produce 87 MMCFE/D from 212 active wells, with 1.1 TCFE in reserves.  

“We are excited to add the Barnett Shale as our fourth core operating area, joining the Austin Chalk, the San Juan Basin and Ohio,” said John B. Walker, EnerVest president and CEO. “The production from these wells is 29 percent natural gas liquids/71 percent natural gas, and we plan to maintain an active drilling program.”

EnerVest will produce 384 MMCFE/D from 18,530 wells with 2.7 TCFE of reserves upon closing of this acquisition, which is scheduled on or before Dec. 30, 2010.

EnerVest was advised by Griffis & Small, LLC, on this transaction.

Houston-based EnerVest, founded in 1992, acquires, develops and operates oil and gas fields in 12 states on behalf of its institutional investors. EnerVest also owns the general partner of EV Energy Partners, L.P., which is a Houston-based publicly traded master limited partnership engaged in acquiring, producing and developing oil and gas properties. More information about EnerVest is available at www.enervest.net.

For More Information Contact
Ron Whitmire
EnerVest, Ltd., Houston
713-659-3500
www.enervest.net
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Oct. 25, 2010—In the past few years, there has been a lot of research and commercial development of sensor-equipped RFID tags, in particular, to monitor the shipping and handling of perishable foods and pharmaceuticals. The tags that have emerged typically range in price from $10 to $100 each. At the Auto-ID Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), our goal is to develop a sensor tag that costs no more than a basic passive tag—inexpensive enough to be placed, for example, on individual milk cartons to monitor temperature violations or in great numbers on concrete slabs to detect cracks.

Our approach is to create a kind of “alarm” sensor, using a passive EPC Gen 2 ultrahigh-frequency tag and employing its antenna as a sensing mechanism. It is a well-known fact that RFID performance tends to degrade in close proximity to metals and water. We turn this shortcoming into an advantage by having a critical change in a physical parameter, such as temperature or strain, trigger a change in the position of a piece of metal or in the state of a dielectric in close proximity to the tag’s antenna.

This critical change in the parameter of interest manifests itself in an altered RFID tag signal response, which, in turn, is picked up by the RFID reader. The changes to the antenna’s immediate surroundings can be made permanent—even when the tag is not in range of an RFID reader. This means that a critical change in a physical parameter, such as a temperature violation, can be recorded for detection the next time the tag comes within range of a reader.

This alarm-style sensor could be deployed, for example, at the item, case or pallet level in cold-chain operations to answer the critical question of whether the product was ever subjected to unacceptable temperatures, drastically improving visibility and facilitating better quality control. We are currently exploring partnerships with cold-chain suppliers for pilot testing with fresh produce.

While our technology could make it much more affordable to track products with sensor-equipped RFID tags, it is important to understand that this technology is not a solution for all deployments that could benefit from sensor monitoring. What we gain in cost and ubiquity, we lose in real-time updates and lack of time history of data.

Our paradigm of “tag antenna-based sensing” is ideal for applications that would benefit from the pervasive deployment of low-cost sensors where the question of if a state was violated is more important than when. We are researching the use of tag antenna-based sensing to monitor other applications, in addition to temperature sensing, including strain in infrastructure asset management, wide-area pest control and fluid levels.

Christian Floerkemeier is associate director of the Auto-ID Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Rahul Bhattacharyya is a doctorate candidate in civil and environmental systems engineering at MIT.