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Lockout/Tagout for Hazardous Energy

“Lockout/Tagout” refers to specific practices and procedures to safeguard employees from the unexpected energization or start-up of machinery and equipment, or the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities. Every year, people are killed on the job by activated machinery. Many of those deaths could have been prevented by following lockout/tagout procedures to […]

Correcting Safety Problems Before They Cause Accidents

Yesterday, we featured strategies for investigating workplace accidents. Today, we focus on methods for correcting safety problems before they cause accidents. There are two common procedures for identifying and correcting safety problems: change analysis and job safety analysis (also known as job hazard analysis or safety analysis). Change Analysis To solve a problem using the […]

Should You Require a Warrant Before Letting an OSHA Inspector In?

Most experts say that you should consent to OSHA inspections, but a countervailing argument says that you should require a warrant. When faced with the prospect of an OSHA inspection, you may either consent or request that OSHA obtain a search warrant prior to the inspection. According to some experts, consenting to an inspection is […]

Green infrastructure and water rights

In some areas, water is a limited resource, and complex water laws have been established to define rights to water. Every state has different laws and policies in place, and some of these laws are evolving to reflect the importance of green infrastructure. But if you are located in one of these states, how do […]

OSHA Inspections: How to Handle Yourself

How you handle yourself during an OSHA inspection—and how you answer the inspector’s questions—can have a big impact on the outcome. OSHA inspectors may suggest that they are just trying to “get the facts,” but every question they ask is designed to get the evidence they need. You should always be on your toes and […]