Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Every safety professional’s ultimate goal is zero accidents. Here are 10 steps that can help you achieve this critical objective. Arriving at zero accidents isn’t easy, but these 10 steps will take you a good part of the way there: 1. Make sure everyone is committed to safety. Everyone in your organization, from top […]
Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace (a division of the U.S. Department of Labor) has identified the top reasons drug-free programs fail. You may wish to benchmark your program against these. Working Partners says that drug-free workplace programs fail for these nine reasons: 1. The program isn’t tied into the organization’s safety plan […]
About 75 percent of people who abuse drugs or alcohol are employed. And, according to OSHA, "When they arrive for work, they don’t leave their problems at the door." The most effective drug-free workplace programs have five components. Although efforts can be effective without all five, OSHA suggests that all five should be explored when […]
Americans love our traditions, and that includes Independence Day celebrations complete with fireworks. But we can’t forget that fireworks are explosive and incendiary devices. In other words, they’re small bombs! Nothing that kids should be fooling around with—and nothing for adults to take lightly, either. Take some time to inform your workers about the off-the-job […]
You may not be able to do anything about the hot temperatures this summer, but you certainly can do a lot to help prevent heat illness by recommending that your employees follow these 6 simple safety tips. Recommend that your employees follow these health-smart tips for beating summer heat hazards, both on and off the […]
Monday was the first day of summer, and with the rising summer temperature comes the risk of heat-related illness. Make sure your workers recognize the symptoms and take proper precautions to avoid being overcome by the heat this summer. Because heat can cause a range of ailments, from discomfort to death, it’s essential that workers—and […]
Since almost any employee giving first aid on the job could be exposed to bloodborne pathogens (BBPs), compliance with OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard affects more workplaces than many people think. If you have employees covered by OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard (see yesterday’s Advisor), OSHA says that you must have a written exposure control plan that […]
Got questions about OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard? You might find answers among these questions OSHA gets asked most often. Q. Who is covered by the standard? A. The standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) applies to all employees who have occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials. Occupational exposure is defined as "reasonably anticipated skin, […]
Brief toolbox talks can be plugged into busy production schedules to relay new safety precautions or reinforce the safety message. When giving such a talk before a shift begins, for example, you can present the information yourself, but make sure trainees are involved. Ask questions to see whether they understand, and encourage their own questions. […]
Yesterday, we presented PPE essentials 1 and 2 for compliance with OSHA’s PPE standards. Today, we conclude with essentials 3 and 4, and a review of a BLR product that covers PPE from head to toe. (As a reminder, PPE essential 1 is hazard analysis and essential 2 is equipment selection.) PPE Essential 3. Employee […]