Category: Special Topics in Safety Management

Safety is a process, and as such, needs to be managed. This section offers resources to create a viable safety program, sell it to senior management, train supervisors and employees in using it, and then track and report your progress. Look also for ways to advance your own skills in these areas, both for your current job, and those that follow.

Dock manager, lone worker

Lone Worker Safety Products: What’s the Return on Investment (ROI)?

If you read the title of this article and thought to yourself, “The answer is right there—the ROI is worker safety!” you are correct—partially. The main incentive for purchasing lone worker safety products is, of course, to protect lone workers. However, there are other business factors at play.

Boosting PPE Compliance in the Workplace

Each year, countless accidents, injuries, and fatalities occur as a result of missing personal protective equipment (PPE) or the failure to properly wear the provided PPE. PPE minimizes exposure to biological, chemical, physical, safety, and ergonomic hazards, and it is the last line of defense between a workplace hazard and the worker. As important as […]

Electrical PPE

Electrical Safety Tips: Using NFPA 70E to Protect Workers

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has increased compliance activities related to electrical safety regulations and standards over the past few years. This began with the heightened interest in arc flash hazards related to the 2000 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E standard and became more active after the 2004 edition was published.

Zero Accidents Technology Concept

NSC’s Work to Zero Initiative Receives Additional Grant

The National Safety Council (NSC) has received an additional $500,000 grant from the Pittsburgh-based McElhattan Foundation for the NSC’s Work to Zero initiative, the Council announced. The program, launched last January, will educate employers about technological advancements in safety, such as artificial intelligence, drones, and wearables, that may reduce or eliminate preventable deaths in the […]

OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration

BREAKING: OSHA Raises Its Civil Penalties for 2020 by Nearly 2%

On January 15, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) raised its civil penalties (85 Fed. Reg. 2,292) by approximately 1.8%. The final rule implements annual inflation adjustments of civil monetary penalties assessed or enforced by OSHA and other agencies within the Department of Labor (DOL) in 2020, as required by the Inflation Adjustment Act […]

Industrial Exoskeleton

NIOSH Notes Lack of Study on Industrial Exoskeletons

Despite the growing introduction of industrial exoskeletons across several industry sectors, their benefits and risks have not been well studied, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently said in a scientific journal.  Few studies have been made of the health and safety implications of using wearable exoskeletons, NIOSH said in commentary in […]

Car Accident

NIOSH Plans for the Next Decade of Motor Vehicle Safety

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released a draft strategic plan for studying motor vehicle safety issues over the next 10 years. The institute is seeking comment on its “Center for Motor Vehicle Safety (CMVS) Strategic Plan, 2020-2029.” Comments are due February 14, 2020.

What’s the real cost of contractors? Calculator pins down costs and ways to save

Companies are doubling down on contractors. A survey by supply chain analyst firm Verdantix and Avetta revealed 88% of companies expect to maintain or grow their use of contractors and suppliers with 18% of those companies expecting 10 percent or greater growth next year. An NPR/Marist poll says half of the entire U.S. workforce could […]

EHS on Tap: E50 An Expert Answers Your Burning Questions on Flame Resistant (FR) Garments

For those performing tasks in high-risk industries, personal protective equipment, or PPE, is their last line of defense. It’s important to be as informed as possible about all of the PPE necessary to performing a job safely, but you may have some questions about the proper uses of flame resistant (or FR) garments within your […]