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.

Contractor

A Burning PPE Question: What’s an Employer’s Liability?

When an employer provides personal protective equipment (PPE) to all onsite workers (including contractors and subcontractors), does it have any liability or exposure if the PPE fails? Does the fact of whether the PPE was provided for free come into play? This question was recently posed to experts at Safety.BLR.com®—read on to see their response.

A young man in construction safety vest smokes a marijuana cigarette.

Marijuana Safety Concerns Voiced by Occupational and Environmental Medical Group

An occupational and environmental medical group urged members of Congress to keep workplace safety implications in mind when considering marijuana legalization. Congress should proceed cautiously and make public and worker safety its primary concern before legalizing marijuana, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) said in a statement. Several states already have enacted […]

Money, fines, citations, penalties

$400,000 for Safety Pros Is Up for Grabs from ASSP Foundation

In a press release, the ASSP Foundation announced it is accepting online applications for scholarships and professional development grants through December 1 for the 2019–2020 academic year. More than $400,000 is available to occupational safety and health students and professionals, thanks to the generosity of corporate donors and the ASSP community.

Safety and accident in construction

Common Workplace Accidents and How to Prevent Them

When you’re growing your business, the last thing you want to deal with is a workplace accident or injury. Accidents in the workplace can lead to not only physical harm but also undue stress and hardship for employees and employers.

Safety culture positive team

The Workforce Is Aging—We Need to Keep It Healthy and Safe

The number of older people in the population—and with it, the proportion of older to younger workers—has grown in the past 5 decades and is projected to continue to grow. People are living longer. They either need or want to continue working at an older age for reasons ranging from inadequate retirement savings or a […]

first responders

NIOSH’s Virtual Toolkit for First Responders Addresses Illicit Drugs

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has released a new virtual toolkit to help first responders reduce their exposure to fentanyl and other illicit drugs. The toolkit provides resources to help keep first responders safe when arriving on a scene where illicit drugs, including fentanyl, are present or suspected to be present.

Messy warehouse facility

When It Comes to Safety, Messes Matter: Tips for Clutter Clearing

What did you see when you walked into your facility this morning? Were there cords snaking across the floor, remnants of a spill from a couple of days ago, or overflowing trash cans? Or did you observe a strong sense of order, with clear walkways, properly stored tools, well-lit and clearly marked stairways, and hazardous […]

Respirator Fit Test

Two New Protocols for Respirator Fit Testing from OSHA

On September 26, OSHA added two new protocols for ensuring employees’ respirators fit properly. When employers are required under personal protective equipment regulations to provide respiratory protection, they also are required to ensure the respirators properly fit each employee.

Opioid epidemic

Opioid Toolkit for Employers Released by NSC

The National Safety Council (NSC) released an “Opioids at Work Employer Toolkit” that employers can use to address workplace impacts of the ongoing opioid crisis. The NSC encouraged employers to implement robust drug-free workplace policies and called on employers to equip their workplaces with first-aid kits containing naloxone (an overdose reversal drug), provide supervisor education […]