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.

OSHA Cites Florida Employer in Heat-Related Death

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited a North Point, Florida-based employer following an employee’s heat-related death in the Apalachicola National Forest. Agency inspectors found that Earthbalance Corp. had exposed workers to hazards related to high ambient heat and failed to adequately train someone to perform first aid and ensure he or she was […]

OSHA Hits Connecticut Manufacturer With $236K in Fines

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited PM Engineered Solutions Inc. of Watertown, Connecticut, with 40 serious and 8 other-than-serious violations and is seeking $236,201 in proposed penalties. The agency inspected the metal fabrication company after an employee was electrocuted on July 14, 2021, while repairing a portable water heater. PM Engineered Solutions lacked […]

Are You Ready for Winter’s Hazards?

Are you aware of and prepared for the hazards of winter? State and federal agencies were focused on heat stress after the Pacific Northwest’s heat dome last summer. We also saw renewed action on a federal heat stress standard. However, winter has its own hazards, like frostbite, hypothermia, and trench foot. It also can include […]

Infographic: Cold Stress

As it gets colder outside, it is important to revisit the safety measures that employers can take to make sure that all of their personnel remain safe this winter. Here’s what you need to know to protect your workforce from the dangers of cold stress.

NIOSH Examines Forklift, Struck-By Fatalities

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently released a pair of Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) reports. One report examines the death of a forklift operator crushed by a pallet full of soft drink cans, and the other details a fatal fall from a boom lift while tree trimming. Warehouse incident […]

Back to Basics: Cold Stress

Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine the dangers of cold stress and how to keep employees safe during winter weather. As it continues to get colder, it is important to revisit the safety measures that employers can […]

Cal/OSHA Changes COVID-19 Isolation Period

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has revised requirements for employee isolation and quarantine covered in an update to the frequently asked questions (FAQs) on its COVID-19 prevention emergency temporary standards (ETSs). Isolation requirements apply to employees who have tested positive for COVID-19, and quarantine requirements apply to employees who have been […]

Leadership: How to Build an Ideal Safety Culture

Safety at work is about more than just avoiding lawsuits. The idea of fostering a “safety culture” at work has shifted to the forefront of the safety industry, and it is now a priority for many environmental, health, and safety (EHS) professionals. Steve Roberts, PhD, a senior partner at Safety Performance Solutions, recently discussed in […]

New York Issues Safety Committee Proposal

The New York State Department of Labor (NYS DOL) issued a proposed regulation, authorized by the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (NY HERO Act), requiring private sector employers with 10 or more employees to establish joint employee-employer safety committees. The HERO Act, signed into law May 5, 2021, authorized the NYS DOL to […]