Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
In an emergency your workers have to respond fast and effectively. There’s no time for second-guessing or asking questions. Employees must be properly trained in emergency response long before the day they have to act. All employees should be able to recognize the emergency alarm and know what to do when they hear it. They […]
OSHA strongly recommends that all businesses have an emergency action plan in place that covers procedures for evacuations and sheltering. You and your employees need to know exactly what to do in any emergency situation, from fires to natural disasters to chemical spills. When developing your emergency action plan, it’s important to determine the following: […]
Ladders create several potential hazards that your workers need to know about in order to avoid falls, injuries, and lost workdays. Our Safety Training Tips editor says that OSHA is quite specific about ladder design, inspection, and use, and has separate regulations for portable wooden ladders, portable metal ladders, and fixed ladders (29 CFR 1910.25, […]
Yesterday, we talked about selecting respirators, fitting them to employees’ faces, and performing seal checks. Today, we’ll cover fit-testing, inspection, and maintenance, and we’ll tell you about a respirator training program that puts it all together for your workers. OSHA says that all respirators that rely on a mask-to-face seal must be checked with either […]
Because of the potentially serious health effects of airborne contaminants and other hazards, OSHA’s respiratory protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134) establishes rigorous requirements for the safe use of respirators. Respirators protect workers from a host of workplace hazards, including insufficient oxygen, and harmful dust, fog, smoke, mists, gases, vapors, and sprays. Without this essential PPE, […]
Does the confirmation of the new OSHA administrator mean the dawn of a new era of greater regulation and stricter enforcement? It’s too early to say for sure. But here’s a look at what might be headed your way. What can you expect from OSHA under David Michaels? Listen to what Michaels himself says in […]
Whether David Michaels is the right person to head OSHA was a hotly debated topic in recent months. With his confirmation, we take a look at his credentials and what people are saying—pro and con—about the new OSHA chief. As we start the new year and consider the impact of the confirmation of David Michaels […]
Yesterday, we shared some views and suggestions about safety incentive programs gleaned from the EHS Forum on our sister website, Safety.BLR.com. Today, we continue with more of the Forum members’ views on incentive programs, both pro and con. Safety Kaizen “We have a ‘safety kaizen’ monthly competition. Employees compete with other departments using the kaizen […]
If you’re thinking about establishing a safety incentive program, or want to improve an existing one, here are some comments—pro and con—from your colleagues, courtesy of their postings in Safety.BLR.com’s EHS Forum. Safety Bingo “I work for a construction company and we have played Safety Bingo for the last 5 years. Our program is divided up […]
There may be only a few occasions when team lifting is necessary. But if your workers know the rules for team lifting, they’ll be able to move big, awkward loads more easily—and more safely. When two or more workers move a load together, the risk of accidents and injuries increases. To protect workers involved in […]