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Scaffolds provide necessary access to certain jobs—and require necessary training to work on them safely. OSHA general industry standard on scaffolds (29 CFR 1910.28-29) emphasize specifications that are very precise about everything from the spacing of the poles to the size of the planking. No matter what its type, a scaffold has to be strong […]
Yesterday, we introduced you to the employee-driven strategies the safety folks at Tropicana are using to energize their safety effort. Today, we’ll focus on some of their other notable safety programs. Among other notable compliance and protection programs in place at Tropicana’s City of Industry plant in California are these: Behavior observation. All employees and […]
Today we introduce you to a couple of your colleagues who have successfully juiced up their company’s compliance and protection programs through intensive employee involvement. Feel free to emulate their accomplishments. World-class safety performance is a point of pride at Tropicana’s City of Industry plant in California, where workers squeeze out 41 million gallons of […]
OSHA has proposed changes to its on-site consultation program. The comment period on the changes ends today. But there’s still time to express your views if you hurry. OSHA says proposed revisions to the on-site consultation service would provide the agency with greater flexibility regarding the inspection of workplaces undergoing an on-site consultation visit and […]
Using OSHA’s on-site consultation service can help identify potential hazards, improve safety and health management systems, and even qualify you for a one-year exemption from routine OSHA inspections. OSHA’s on-site consultation service is delivered by state governments free of charge, using well-trained professional staff. As the name implies, most consultations take place on-site, although limited […]
Welding, cutting, and brazing operations involve hazardous hot work. But as long as you train your employees to know the hazards—and how to guard against them—you can avoid incidents and injuries in your workplace. Start by revealing that the leading cause of welding accidents is carelessness. Workers need to take safety seriously and never take […]
Yesterday, we explained how to calculate PELs. Today, we talk about how to comply with them. To achieve compliance with PELs, OSHA says a facility must determine and then implement administrative or engineering controls whenever feasible. Engineering controls involve the use of: Exhaust and general ventilation Enclosure of the source of emissions Process and equipment […]
To protect workers from harmful exposures to air contaminants, you have to be able to calculate exposure limits accurately. Here is a review of the formulas used to calculate PELs. OSHA has developed 470 PELs (permissible exposure limits) for various forms of approximately 300 chemical substances. The PELs provide numeric standards that determine how long […]
Whether their driving your vehicles or their own, you want your employees to be safe on the road and avoid accidents. Here are four key safe driving issues that should be included in safety meetings and training sessions concerning driving safety. Collisions Collisions are common, especially at intersections, where it’s estimated one-third of all two-car […]
Even if the state in which your organization operates has a law banning the use of electronic devices while driving, you can’t assume your employees will abide by the law when driving company vehicles. Employers “cannot rely on state legislation alone to keep employees safe and protect their bottom line,” says Jack Hanley, executive director […]