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Looking for a new way of dealing with workplace substance abuse? Here’s an approach that’s been used for more than 20 years and has produced results touted as “phenomenal.” For more than 20 years, an innovative program for substance-related education, awareness, and intervention known as Operation RedBlock has been keeping impaired Amtrak workers off the […]
Make your employees “accident aware” by informing them of what the organization is doing to prevent accidents. And let them know that they are a part of all of these accident prevention processes. Their input will be solicited and valued as the organization makes its decisions to create and maintain a safe workplace. For example, […]
Substance abuse continues to be a critical workplace safety issue that often results in accidents and injuries. DOL may have answers to some of your most pressing questions about how to handle this difficult problem. Here are some frequently asked questions about workplace substance abuse, selected from the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Working Partners […]
Yesterday, we talked about OSHA’s new regulatory and enforcement agenda. Today, we highlight some recent cases of enforcement action that have resulted in pricey penalties. Imperial Sugar Company has agreed to pay more than $6 million in a settlement with OSHA. The case stems from a 2008 combustible dust explosion at Imperial’s Port Wentworth, GA, […]
Where is OSHA headed? OSHA chief David Michaels outlines the agency’s new regulatory and enforcement agenda. “We’ve accelerated our push to make fundamental changes in the way employers and workers cooperate to secure safe workplaces,” says Dr. Michaels, “and we are doing this through an aggressive regulatory agenda.” The motto for OSHA’s new agenda is […]
Older workers are experienced, loyal, and knowledgeable about company culture and safety processes. The days of retiring at age 62 or so are over for many. Instead of playing golf and gardening, many older Americans are at work. There’s no doubt that as people age, certain skills and faculties may diminish. Yet, while it seems […]
Despite the fact that carbon monoxide is a potentially deadly hazard, it doesn’t have to be a killer. Your workers can prevent exposures if they’re properly trained. When poisoning is the hazard, prevention is the only way to go. Swift and competent first aid could save the life of a worker overcome by carbon monoxide […]
Carbon monoxide is called the “silent killer” because it’s an invisible, odorless poison. It’s so hard to detect without a monitor that it kills hundreds of unsuspecting people on the job and in their homes every year. Organic materials such as wood, oil, or gasoline produce carbon monoxide (CO) when they burn. CO is also […]
At Marathon Oil, on-going safety hazard assessment is standard operating procedure. Is it SOP at your facility, too? A multi-tiered auditing system is at the heart of the hazard identification process at Marathon Oil Corporation’s Detroit refinery. Tier I audits are conducted internally by teams representing maintenance; environment, health, and safety; and process operators. One […]
Identifying hazards that can injure your workers or make them ill is your duty under the law. It also should be a driving force behind your safety and health process. One definition of a hazard is any unsafe workplace condition or practice that could cause injuries or illness to employees. Another is any danger that […]