Tag: Safety

Whistleblower

COVID-19: Avoid Retaliation for Health and Safety Complaints During Pandemic

As state stay-at-home orders begin to lift and workplaces reopen, are you ready for employee concerns about their safety and health in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic? How will you respond if an employee files a complaint with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or a state workplace safety and health agency? Employers must […]

Safety certification, education

Safety Certifications: Which Are Right for You?

The following article and flowchart were originally published on The Link, the official blog of Columbia Southern University. In addition to formal education, a growing number of companies are looking for occupational safety and health specialists who hold professional safety certifications. Many positions in the industry require a bachelor’s degree, and others require a master’s, […]

safety audit team

Does Your PSM Auditor Have the Right Stuff?

Every 3 years, you need to complete an audit of your process safety management (PSM) processes. Often, the emphasis is on the standard and the facility—but in order to conduct a thorough and effective compliance audit, you also need a skilled auditor. And that means more than someone who knows what the standard says.

disinfectant

After COVID-19: Considerations for Reopening

With the number of COVID-19 cases beginning to level off in some areas, employers that have ceased operations or shifted to remote work may be considering when, and how, they might be able to bring people back to their facilities. While businesses are understandably eager to resume operations, the potential for missteps is high. Returning […]

Safety Workers, Workers' Memorial Day

Workers’ Memorial Day Puts the Spotlight on Incident Prevention

Workers’ Memorial Day, also known as Workers’ Mourning Day or International Commemoration Day (ICD) for Dead and Injured, is observed each year on April 28, the anniversary of the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). It is a somber occasion to remember the lives ended or irreversibly altered by workplace incidents and […]

Safety inspection, OSHA inspector

Spotlight on Recent OSHA Enforcement Cases

We’ve summarized some of the more significant enforcement cases from the past several months for a snapshot of OSHA’s recent inspection priorities. Aggressive enforcement continues for employers that come up short in their safety efforts.

Drug testing

Bill Current on Post-Accident Drug Testing and Cannabis Legalization

On our latest episode of the EHS on Tap podcast, we discussed a persistent problem for occupational health and safety managers—post-accident drug testing. Read on for a transcript of our conversation with Bill Current, President of the Current Consulting Group and a 30-year veteran of the drug testing industry.

Safety inspection, citations

OSHA Cites Employers in Hard Rock Hotel Collapse

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited 11 employers for safety and health violations at the construction site of a planned Hard Rock hotel in downtown New Orleans. Three workers suffered fatal injuries, and 18 others suffered serious injuries in a partial building collapse. The cited employers face $315,536 in penalties.

Construction workers with social distancing

COVID-19: Nevada OSHA Reminds Construction Firms of Social Distancing

Nevada state safety and health officials reminded construction firms in the state to follow social distancing practices to prevent COVID-19 infections. The Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration sent letters to employers because the agency found workers at job sites allowed or instructed to work in close proximity.

Wastewater treatment, water infrastructure

COVID-19: Enviro Managers and Water Departments Urge Public Not to Flush Wipes

Environmental protection has not proven to be a significant issue as the world grapples with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. One unexpected positive development is an improvement in air quality. At some point in the future, agencies, advocacy groups, and industrial organizations will likely make some use of data from satellite imagery showing less air pollution […]