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Healthcare workers aren’t the only workers at risk from infectious diseases on the job. Outdoor workers must also be aware of potentially infectious pathogens—as one Kansas farmer discovered too late, in spring 2014, after he picked up a deadly tickborne disease that was later found to be a previously unknown virus. Here are some infectious […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends conducting these inspections at least monthly and, while not as thorough as an operations and maintenance (O&M) inspection, each inspection should be recorded by date and initialed. 9 Steps for Inspecting Your USTs Step 1. Release Detection System—Check the release detection system to ensure it is working properly. […]
Bicycle commuting is on the rise, increasing by more than 62% nationwide from 2000 to 2013, according to the League of American Bicyclists. In bicycle-friendly communities, rates have increased more than 100% over that same period. If your workers are going to give bicycle commuting a try this summer, encourage them to stay safe with […]
The CAA’s Chemical Accident Prevention Program requires that any facility that has listed substances above threshold quantities in any single process prepare a Risk Management Plan (RMP). The listed substances contain 77 toxic chemicals with thresholds ranging from 500 pounds (lb) to 20,000 lb and 63 flammable substances with a threshold quantity of 10,000 lb. […]
Click through articles from this past week’s Environmental Daily Advisor
In last Friday’s Advisor, we provided 7 ergonomic tips for using mobile devices safely. Today, we give several examples of how companies are using mobile devices for training. Tablet sales are on the rise, and the iPad® is leading the pack. Tech-savvy businesses have been at the forefront, incorporating tablets into everyday business functions. Now, […]
So, are citizens’ tips a major component of enforcement programs? Primarily, the average citizen is not able to identify anything beyond the most blatant environmental problems. For example, the EPAinforms aspiring citizen inspectorsthat possible signs of an environmentalviolation include: Strong, offensive, or unusual chemical odors; Large numbers of dead animals, including birds or fish; Pipes […]
Three Mile Island. Chernobyl. Exxon Valdez. What do those incidents have in common? One of the principle causes of each disaster was fatigue due to work-related scheduling. As many as 30% of all fatal accidents are believed to result from worker fatigue—and most of those happen on the nightshift. But there are some research-supported interventions […]
Recent enforcement statistics from the EPA show that during fiscal year (FY) 2014, enforcement actions required companies to invest more than $9.7 billion in actions and equipment to control pollution and clean up contaminated sites. Companies paid $63 million in combined administrative, civil, and criminal fines. And that’s just on the federal level! Follow these […]
Shiftwork has been associated with a number of adverse health effects, from heart disease to cancer. Employers have tried many strategies to help shiftworkers stay safe, well-rested, and healthy, but these strategies have fallen more into the “common sense” category than into the “scientifically validated best practices” category. Now, thanks to a literature review published […]