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.

Gearing Up For Safety

Some hazards at work simply can’t be eliminated completely by engineering solutions or substitutions. That’s when the company must provide its workers with personal protective equipment. Sounds simple—yet, is it? Every supervisor has heard all of the standard excuses. “The glasses give me headaches.” “The shoes pinch my toes.” “This hard hat is too heavy.” […]

Scheduling Shift Work Successfully

Many employees today work nontraditional shifts, especially if a company has to operate on a 24/7 schedule. A well-designed work schedule can improve health and safety, worker satisfaction, and productivity. Allowing employee input in establishing such a schedule is advantageous both to the organization and the employee. Should there be a permanent night shift or […]

Develop A "No-Nonsense" Safety Violation Policy

How can you make sure your employees follow safety regulations? Develop a consistent safety policy and discipline employees who violate it. Don’t wait for an accident to occur. If you wait to discipline until after an accident, workers may think that the company cares only about its safety record. Make sure you discipline employees every […]

Compressed Air Is For Machines, Not People!

Compressed air can be very helpful for powering pneumatic tools and for transferring nonflammable liquids. You can even use it for cleaning equipment if you follow strict safety procedures. But, compressed air is also dangerous. How could plain old air be hazardous? Consider this: Compressed air can pop your eyeball from its socket. If directed […]

Safety in the Warehouse

Yesterday, we reviewed safety tips for loading dock workers. Today, we go inside and highlight some key safety issues for warehouse workers. Make sure your safety training for warehouse workers includes these important points from 7-Minute Safety Trainer’s “Safety in the Warehouse” training session. Materials Storage Make sure shelves and racks are sturdy, in good […]

Clean Out Accidents With Good Housekeeping

Remember what your mother told you? “A proper place for everything and everything in its place.” Well, Mom was right, especially at work where an effective housekeeping program can make a big difference in preventing accidents, fires, explosions, and occupational diseases. Good housekeeping provides other benefits as well: Encourages efficiency Utilizes space better Keeps inventory […]

Safety on the Loading Dock

Loading docks are busy places with a variety of activities and hazards. Without proper precautions, accidents and injuries are likely Loading docks can be hazardous places for employees to work. Hazards include: Slipping on wet or oily surfaces Tripping on broken floor surfaces Falling off dock edges Injuries from falls or unsecured dock plates Injuries […]

Successfully Winding Up the Abatement Process

Yesterday, we highlighted the first 3 of 5 steps for handling the OSHA citation abatement process successfully. Today, we conclude with steps 4 and 5. 4. Verify. To verify abatement, you must provide OSHA with one or more of the following forms of abatement verification documentation: A photograph or video of the abated condition An […]

What’s Next When OSHA Issues a Citation?

Here are five steps that can help you survive the abatement process should OSHA ever cite you for violations. You work hard to keep your workplace safe and make sure you’re never cited for violations of OSHA standards. But if that day should ever come, you need to be prepared for what happens next. When […]

Top 10 Safety Must Reads

The Safety Daily Advisor community of over 100,000 Safety professionals has spoken. Here are the most popular articles on the Safety Daily Advisor website so far this year — just in case you missed them. OSHA and DOT Speak Out on Texting and Driving Many or all of your workers drive to work every day, […]