Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Modern safety management goes beyond covering traditional workplace accidents to now being equally concerned with illnesses caused on and even off the job. This section will explain what you need to know to avoid both injuries and illnesses, and to track your progress in reaching this goal.
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As extreme heat continues to punish much of the U.S., states are enacting additional rules to require employers to increase protections for outdoor workers. One such state is Washington, which on July 13 released emergency heat exposure rules for employees exposed to extreme heat, including those working in agriculture, construction, and other outdoor industries. The […]
The entire Pacific Northwest region has suffered through a recent period of unprecedentedly high temperatures, even for summer. In response, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon-OSHA) has adopted emergency heat safety rules that apply whenever employees must work when the heat index is 80 degrees or more. What Is Heat Index? The heat […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on July 12 called on employers in Western New York to protect workers from heat stress and illness hazards related to high temperatures. The agency acknowledged the anniversary of a worker’s heat-related fatality in Geneseo, New York. On July 7, 2020, Timothy Barber collapsed at the end of […]
In an effort to advocate for workplace heat safety standards, a group of product developers and experts has formed the National Heat Safety Coalition (NHSC). The NHSC was founded by cooling gear developer Mission, personal protective equipment manufacturer Magid, and the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut, which provides research, education, and advocacy […]
As the U.S. continues to experience extreme heat conditions, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) this week released a pamphlet designed to help businesses learn about how to prevent heat illness. The publication, Prevent Heat Illness at Work, is available in English and Spanish versions. It features information on ways to protect yourself and […]
With businesses reopening this summer after extended periods because of COVID-19, special attention must be paid to properly retraining workers in safety procedures and how to deal with the extreme heat much of the country has experienced. Mark Lies, partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, says the onus is on employers to ensure their workers are […]
Researchers with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently published their findings that workers in Alaska have a higher risk of dying on the job compared to workers in other states. Work-related deaths in Alaska are three times higher than in the rest of the United States, according to NIOSH-supported research published […]
We’re finally beginning to see light at the end of the dark COVID-19 pandemic tunnel. Case numbers are decreasing while the vaccination rate is climbing. Given the positive developments, even the most coronavirus-cautious employers are looking forward to bringing employees back on-site in 2021. With the push, however, employers face a number of obstacles in […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) emergency temporary standard (ETS), which applies only to employers of healthcare and healthcare support services employees who potentially are exposed to COVID-19, became effective June 21 (86 FR 32376). Covered employers must comply with most provisions of the ETS by July 6 and with the physical barriers, ventilation, […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Region V office in Chicago recently established a regional emphasis program (REP) of targeted outreach and enforcement of the agency’s occupational noise exposure standard (29 CFR 1910.95) in Midwest manufacturing facilities. OSHA Region V includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. “Earning a living […]