Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Chemical substances can have an assortment of labels and placards as they move through commerce and eventually end up as waste products. The Departments of Labor (DOL) and Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have regulatory authority during various points of transport, storage, use, and disposal of hazardous substances. The National Fire Protection […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued an enforcement memorandum instructing its inspectors to use discretion in enforcing injury and illness recordkeeping requirements for cases of COVID-19. The use of enforcement discretion does not apply to corrections, emergency services, healthcare, and law enforcement employers.
On our latest episode of the EHS on Tap podcast, we discussed a persistent problem for occupational health and safety managers—post-accident drug testing. Read on for a transcript of our conversation with Bill Current, President of the Current Consulting Group and a 30-year veteran of the drug testing industry.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is the last line of defense against hazards, and it has the potential to prevent injuries and save lives. But safety glasses can’t work when they’re perched on an employee’s forehead; a hard hat is useless if left sitting on the breakroom table; and what is the point of safety gloves […]
Cher probably says it best: “If I could turn back time…” In the case of workplace incidents, we’d all like to turn back time. We’d like to turn it back to the time before the incident occurred; before someone was injured, before property was damaged, before a spill occurred. What are known as lagging indicators […]
Safety committee members are there for their organizations, employees, and each other. So, do you need a safety committee? Depending on your company size and location, the hazards present in your facility, or past workers’ compensation claims, you may be required to have one. Safety committees also may be required if you have a collective […]
The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic is currently the top concern for environment, health, and safety (EHS) professionals. As of this writing (8:45 a.m. on March 19, 2020), Johns Hopkins University & Medicine’s Coronavirus Resource Center is reporting 9,415 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 150 deaths in the United States alone, with over 220,000 confirmed cases […]
In May 2018, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a memorandum permitting the use of drones to inspect workplaces under certain circumstances. Since that time, OSHA has used unmanned aircraft systems (UASs or drones ) in a number of investigations, and their use is expected to become more common in the future.
I don’t have to tell you that worker safety is a big deal—like a $161.5 billion big deal (the total cost of worker injuries, according to recent available data). Or, another way to look at it is $1,100 per worker or $39,000 per medically consulted injury. As I said, I don’t have to tell you […]
Employer recordkeeping and reporting requirements appear throughout the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) workplace safety and health regulations. Depending on the nature of your business, not all apply to your company and your employees.