Category: Emergency Preparedness and Response

No one wants it to happen, but an emergency, natural or manmade, can strike at anytime, 24/7. What’s more, it need not be a major, nationally-televised incident, such as a hurricane, earthquake, or act of political terror. An event as common as a local building fire can present just as large a challenge to you. These resources will help you create a plan for handling such crises, whatever their scope, and to carry it out in a way that best protects your employees and your company.

Infographic: Hazardous Waste Response

Preparedness is crucial when it comes to conducting an organized and thorough response to an emergency situation. In the case of a hazardous substance release, employers subject to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) standard must prepare and train their workers for such situations and emergency response […]

Back to Basics: Emergency Preparedness on the Farm

Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine emergency preparedness for farm workers. For farm workers, there are many emergencies and hazards that may occur. To prepare for these events, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that […]

Oregon OSHA Posts Avian Influenza Fact Sheet

The Or​egon Occupation​al Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA), the state’s workplace safety and health agency, recently posted a hazard alert for employers and workers on its website about avian (H5N1) influenza. The fact sheet describes the H5N1 virus, who may be exposed (poultry and livestock workers, veterinarians and their staff, and slaughterhouse workers performing […]

CSB Looks Back at 20 Years Since Texas City Refinery Explosion

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released a report on March 24, marking the 20th anniversary of fatal explosions and fires at the BP America Texas City Refinery in Texas City, Texas. The March 23, 2005, explosions and fires at the BP America refinery led to 15 deaths, 180 injuries, and significant […]

6 Safety Tips to Keep Your Facility Secure

Although 96% of employees think physical safety is a top priority, they’re not sure their employers feel the same way. In fact, most workers overwhelmingly believe their employers put their reputation, productivity, and the bottom line above workplace safety. If a safety incident arises, many workers could be unprepared. You can’t control when an emergency […]

Back to Basics: How to Prepare for Disasters

Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine how to prepare for disaster situations. We recently looked at wildfire health and safety hazards following the wildfires in Southern California. California, Oregon, and Washington have state rules addressing the health […]

CSB Issues Second Update on Refinery Hydrogen Sulfide Release

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released a second update on its investigation into a fatal hydrogen sulfide release last year at the PEMEX Deer Park Refinery in Deer Park, Texas. The board’s investigation is focused on safe work factors, maintenance policies and procedures, and emergency preparedness at the facility. When the […]

Infographic: Fentanyl Emergency Response

Opioid addiction is a major problem in the U.S. and it can have a serious impact on the workplace. Here are work practices that emergency responders should follow when illicit drugs such as fentanyl are known or suspected to be present.

EHS On Tap E236: Emergency Preparedness for Future Disasters

On episode 236 of EHS On Tap, Tom Heneghan, manager of Preparedness Education and Youth Preparedness at the American Red Cross, talks about the need for emergency planning in light of recent natural disasters.