Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
OSHA says that its specifications for workplace safety signs and tags apply to the design, application, and use of all signs or symbols intended to indicate and define specific hazards. According to OSHA, all workplace safety signs must: Contain sufficient information to be easily understood. Be concise, accurate, and easy to read. Identify the hazard. […]
All employees need to know the meaning of the different colors you use on safety signs and tags around your facility. Colors indicate at a glance the nature of hazards and levels of danger. Color coding is a brilliant safety idea because workers can tell at a glance—almost without thinking—that they’re facing a hazard and […]
Today our Safety Training Tips editor tackles the question of whether you can get away with not documenting every bit of your safety training. We think you can guess the answer to this one. Yes, you do, even if OSHA doesn’t require it. More than 100 separate OSHA rules feature training requirements. Some of those […]
The best way to prevent arc flash or to protect workers in the event of an accident is through effective training. In addition to being “qualified” under OSHA’s electrical standard, workers who may be exposed to arc flash hazards need to understand why arc flash occurs, how to prevent it, and safe work practices to […]
Each year, more than 2,000 workers are treated in burn centers with severe arc flash injuries. The cost of treatment per injured worker can exceed $1 million, not counting litigation fees, insurance increases, and the costs of accident investigations and possible penalties. An arc flash is a short circuit through the air. In an arc […]
Yesterday, we talked about OSHA-required fire prevention plans. Today, we turn our focus to workplace fire prevention policies. A comprehensive fire prevention policy backs up your emergency plans and formalizes your fire prevention program. A clear, comprehensive, and well-communicated fire prevention policy is the foundation of any workplace fire prevention program and gives purpose and […]
There are some 100,000 workplace fires every year in the United States, resulting in losses in the billions of dollars. And the human toll is high as well. The National Safety Council estimates that fires and burns account for 3 percent of all occupational fatalities. Because of the substantial risks and costs associated with workplace […]
Over the last 2 days, we have looked at the dangers of asbestos and measures you can take to safeguard your workers. Today, our Safety Training Tips editor turns to the broader topic of airborne contaminants. Airborne contaminants come in many varieties, such as fumes, vapors, dusts, and gases. But they all have one thing […]
Given the risks of working with asbestos, safety must always be a priority. Effective employee training and other precautions such as engineering controls and personal protective equipment (PPE) are necessary to keep workers safe. OSHA’s asbestos standard (29 CFR 1910.1001) requires you to inform employees who might be exposed to asbestos about the hazards and […]
The high-profile prosecution of chemical manufacturer W.R. Grace and three of its executives underscored the dangers that asbestos poses to workers, communities, and the environment. After a hotly contested trial, a jury last month returned a not guilty verdict against W.R. Grace and three of its executives. The company and executives had been charged with […]