Category: Chemicals

Carbon monoxide is called the “silent killer” because it’s an invisible, odorless poison. It’s so hard to detect without a monitor that it kills hundreds of unsuspecting people on the job and in their homes every year. Organic materials such as wood, oil, or gasoline produce carbon monoxide (CO) when they burn. CO is also […]

OSHA requires employers to take specific precautions to protect workers from lead poisoning. From hygiene to housekeeping and medical surveillance to PPE, employers must be prepared to prevent exposures. Because the consequences of occupational lead poisoning can be so serious, OSHA requires strict protective measures in its general industry lead standard (29 CFR 1910.1025). If […]

OSHA says that exposure to lead occurs in at least 120 different occupations. Overexposure to lead can result in serious illness and death. And according to a recent CDC study, occupational exposures are on the rise. Lead exposure continues to be a risk for workers in the United States, reports the Centers for Disease Control […]

If there are hazardous chemicals in your workplace, OSHA says your employees have a right to know about the hazards and how you propose to protect them from those hazards. OSHA estimates that more than 32 million workers are exposed to 650,000 hazardous chemical products in more than 3 million American workplaces. If yours is […]

Fires. Explosions. Massive chemical releases. The worst nightmare of any company that works with highly hazardous substances is the kind of catastrophe in which employees are injured or killed, and the facility is badly damaged or destroyed. Process safety management is a framework for managing the serious risks associated with processes that involve highly hazardous […]

Failure to comply with process safety management requirements can lead to catastrophic incidents in which employees are injured or killed, the public is threatened, facilities are damaged, and OSHA is on your case. Since last summer, facilities where accidental release of highly hazardous chemicals could result in toxic discharges, fires, or explosions have been the […]

Yesterday, we talked about hazmat transportation security. Today, we focus on safety requirements for preparing shipments so that they comply with DOT’s hazmat transport regulations. The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Hazardous Materials Transportation Act and its regulations (49 CFR Parts 171-180), impose broad requirements for every aspect of hazardous materials transportation, including preparing materials for […]

When hazardous materials are transported, everyone involved is responsible for keeping them from falling into the wrong hands. Department of Transportation regulations require shippers, carriers, drivers, and receivers to take proper security precautions. Hazardous materials are vital to our industrial economy. Unfortunately, they can be used by terrorists to cause death and destruction. That’s why […]

The basic goal of an effective hazard communication program is to ensure that both employers and employees know the identities and hazards of chemicals in their workplaces. One of the reasons for the large number of hazard communication standard (HCS) citations is that many employers mistakenly believe the standard only applies to large companies or […]

OSHA estimates that more than 32 million workers are exposed to 650,000 hazardous chemical products in more than 3 million American workplaces. If your workplace is one of those 3 million, hazard communication is a critical issue for you and your workers. OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) was developed to ensure that workers and employers […]