Tag: BLR

Climate Change—What’s a Safety Manager to Do?

In a new report recently issued by the Obama Administration, it states that “every American is vulnerable to the health impacts associated with climate change.” Yesterday we reviewed findings in the report that apply specifically to U.S. workers. Today we will consider what safety managers can do to help safeguard their workers from the heat-related effects […]

Protecting Workers from Lead Exposure Would Have Saved This Employer from Additional Citations

At a municipal storage facility in Danville, Pennsylvania, a painting contractor was conducting abrasive blasting to remove paint from water tanks. An Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspection showed that the workers were overexposed to airborne lead—and to other airborne contaminants as well. If the employer had paid attention to its lead compliance, it […]

Fall Safety Stand-Down Strategies: Elevate Your Worker Involvement

This week is the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) fall safety stand-down, and OSHA is encouraging employers to be creative about engaging employees in a discussion of fall hazards and fall protection. So when you’re planning your stand-down activities, look for ways to engage workers that go beyond your usual toolbox talk.

Fall Safety Stand-Down Strategies: Identifying Fall Hazards

This week is the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) fall safety stand-down, when OSHA and its partner organizations encourage employers nationwide to take time out of the workday to address fall hazards in their workplaces. Different fall hazards require different solutions, so OSHA recommends that employers begin by determining what types of fall […]

Employers and GHS: Down to the Wire

The final deadline for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) phased-in compliance approach to implementing the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) is around the corner—just about 1 month away. This is the deadline that affects all employers covered by OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). Is your organization ready? Here’s […]

5 Tips for Reporting Severe Injuries to OSHA

Results are in for the first year of reporting under the Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA) new severe injury reporting rule. According to a report released recently by OSHA, over 10,000 severe injuries were reported in 2015. Yesterday we reviewed the key findings in the report and talked a bit about pitfalls in conducting […]

DOT’s New Hazmat Reverse Logistics Rule—What Retailers Need to Know

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently finalized efforts to make reverse logistics easier for retailers that have to ship hazardous materials. Yesterday we provided an overview of the new reverse logistics rule. Today we review some specific requirements for those retailers who choose to avail themselves of this new rule’s regulatory flexibility.

The Rules Have Changed: OSHA’s Updated Eye and Face Protection Rule Is Meant to Make Compliance Easier

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) are not regulatory agencies; they are consensus standards-setting agencies. But OSHA has just updated its eye and face protection rules to reference the latest ANSI/ISEA standards. In addition, OSHA has revised significant portions of the construction industry eye and face protection standards […]

The Rules Have Changed: How Are OSHA’s Two New Silica Rules Different?

OSHA’s new final rule on Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica is actually two rules: the Agency published its maritime/general industry and construction rules concurrently. The rules are very similar, but there are some differences in their scope, compliance requirements, and compliance dates. Here’s an overview of the differences between the two rules.