Hurricane Response: Protecting Workers
Hurricanes present an extraordinary range of hazards for workers during and after they strike populated areas and critical infrastructures.
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.
Wildfire Preparation Tips for Your Organization
Wildfires can happen at any time, though changes in land use combined with the steady and continuing rise of global temperatures over the past decades have helped create the perfect environmental conditions for them to thrive. To compound the problem, more and more people are living and working in communities where the risks posed by […]
Red Ball Drills: A More Productive, Less Traumatic Form of Active Shooter Training
For years now, the prevailing model for active shooter training has been “Run, Hide, Fight.” While this model was critical to help people understand they have a choice, the simple reality is that “Run, Hide, Fight” is a response…and not a plan. A unique emergency preparedness method—Red Ball Drills®—seeks to fill a major gap in […]
A Few FAQs About EPCRA
Since January 2011, the Preparedness Unit in the EPA’s Region 8 Office has published a quarterly newsletter that provides the public with “information on any and all aspects of preparedness.” One general goal of the newsletter is to educate the public and industry about federal programs specifically intended to prevent releases of hazardous substances that […]
CSB Cites Chain of Failures in DuPont Plant Deaths
A “chain of failures” in emergency response and process safety management led to the November 2014 deaths of four workers following a methyl mercaptan release at the DuPont Plant in La Porte, Texas, according to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB).
Cal/OSHA Wants Emergency Regulation for Wildfire Smoke
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) is seeking an emergency regulation requiring employers in the state to protect both indoor and outdoor workers from wildfire smoke.
In EPA’s Disaster Debris Guide, Prior Planning Is the Key
After natural disasters, debris cleanup is costly and time consuming. The EPA has reissued its debris guide that places stronger emphasis on pre-incident planning for disaster-related waste management.
NIOSH Video Addresses Fentanyl Hazards for First Responders
At the beginning of a video released by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a police officer is exposed to fentanyl and experiences symptoms of an overdose. The video serves to highlight the risks to first responders who may be exposed to fentanyl on the job, along with recommendations to stay safe […]
What’s Your Workplace Violence Prevention Strategy?
Workplace violence can happen to any worker in any industry. The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) recently reaffirmed that violence in the workplace is a recognizable hazard, and employers are responsible for protecting employees from assaults and homicides.
New Active Shooter Guidance from ASSP
Amid an uptick in workplace shootings, the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) has created a new technical report containing guidelines for employers to prevent and respond to incidents of workplace violence.