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.

Electrical Safety: Let No Question Go Unanswered!

You should never be in any doubt about a safety issue. The result could easily be an accident and injury. Just make sure you get your information from a source you can trust. Many of our Safety.BLR.com subscribers turn to the website when they have safety questions for which they can’t find answers elsewhere. They […]

Safety in a Changing Work Environment

"New" is frequently associated with "better" in the workplace. But when new equipment, substances, or procedures are introduced, your employees might also be exposed to new hazards.  To protect your workers in a changing work environment, you need to: Identify new hazards. Train employees to take new precautions. Select PPE for changing conditions. Pinpoint New […]

Policies, Commitment, and Culture: The Formula for Superior Safety Performance

Read about a company where safety and health policies supported by strong commitment and a well-developed safety culture have resulted in superior safety performance. At Simmons Bedding Company, safety and health policies drive a robust worker-protection process. But it’s the commitment and culture behind those policies that really make things happen, explains Jonathan Dawe. He […]

Are Your Safety Policies Holding You Back? Or Driving Better Performance?

Safety and health policies that reflect commitment, define expectations, and articulate consequences can make a huge difference in protecting workers. We’ll tell you what it takes to make that happen. Simply defined, an occupational safety and health policy is a plan that details how an organization will manage OSH issues. A good policy is one […]

Respiratory Protection Training? We Have You Covered

Yesterday, we talked about selecting respirators, fitting them to employees’ faces, and performing seal checks. Today, we’ll cover fit-testing, inspection, and maintenance, and we’ll tell you about a respirator training program that puts it all together for your workers. OSHA says that all respirators that rely on a mask-to-face seal must be checked with either […]

You Can’t Breathe Easy Until Your Workers Can

Because of the potentially serious health effects of airborne contaminants and other hazards, OSHA’s respiratory protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134) establishes rigorous requirements for the safe use of respirators. Respirators protect workers from a host of workplace hazards, including insufficient oxygen, and harmful dust, fog, smoke, mists, gases, vapors, and sprays. Without this essential PPE, […]

Pros and Cons of Incentive Programs: Part 2

Yesterday, we shared some views and suggestions about safety incentive programs gleaned from the EHS Forum on our sister website, Safety.BLR.com.  Today, we continue with more of the Forum members’ views on incentive programs, both pro and con. Safety Kaizen “We have a ‘safety kaizen’ monthly competition. Employees compete with other departments using the kaizen […]

Pros and Cons of Safety Incentive Programs

If you’re thinking about establishing a safety incentive program, or want to improve an existing one, here are some comments—pro and con—from your colleagues, courtesy of their postings in Safety.BLR.com’s EHS Forum. Safety Bingo  “I work for a construction company and we have played Safety Bingo for the last 5 years. Our program is divided up […]

What Everyone Should Know About Electrical Hazards

Some employees work directly with electricity and face the greatest risk of shocks, burns, and electrocution. Others may be exposed only indirectly, but they, too, can be injured or killed. That’s why all employees should be trained to understand electrical hazards and take proper precautions. OSHA ranks electrical hazards as among the most dangerous and […]

The "Secret" to a Safer, More Efficient Workplace

There are hazards even in the safest workplaces. And one of the best ways to eliminate these dangers is through effective housekeeping. There’s a double payoff for emphasizing housekeeping and general maintenance—they make your workplace safer and more efficient. There are hidden hazards in even the safest-looking workplace. And most of them can be eliminated […]