Category: Injuries and Illness

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.

Free Special REport: Does Your PPE Program Meet OSHA’s Requirements?

EHSDA Song of the Week: Feel the Pain

The holiday season is here and while people are gearing up for family gatherings, they’re also readying themselves for the onslaught of winter illnesses. EHS Daily Advisor this week wrote about preparing for a potential “tripledemic” of respiratory illnesses, including influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which could lead to a lot of pain. […]

CSB Releases Report on Fatal Dust Explosion, Fire

On December 6, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released its final report on the deadly explosions and fires at the Didion Milling, Inc., dry corn milling facility in Cambria, Wisconsin. The May 2017 explosion fatally injured five employees and seriously injured another 14. The incident destroyed the facility, resulting in over […]

The Science of Falling: How Gravity Shapes Fall Protection

Gravity, a force we often take for granted, binds our world together. It ensures that our feet stay planted firmly on the ground, gently pulls rain from the clouds, and keeps our planet in orbit. But for workers operating at great heights, gravity has another side. Imagine standing atop a towering telecom structure; a simple […]

Infographic: Preparing for the Seasonal Flu

Could you find yourself looking at a “tripledemic” of COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the workplace this winter? Are you ready? Here’s what you need to know about preparing for the seasonal flu. Check out our Back to Basics: Prepare Now for a ‘Tripledemic’ of Respiratory Illnesses article for more information.

NIOSH Director: Workplace Chemicals Can Cause Hearing Loss

Chemicals called ototoxicants or ototoxic chemicals can cause hearing loss, John Howard, MD, director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), wrote in his From the Director’s Desk column in the institute’s December eNews. Substances in the workplace that can cause hearing loss include cancer-treating (antineoplastic) drugs, degreasers, fuels, lead, mercury, pesticides, […]

Worker Fatalities Yield Maximum OSHA Penalties

A Georgia chemical manufacturer and Massachusetts concrete contractor find themselves facing Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines following worker fatalities, the agency announced December 1. After a 52-year-old leach tank operator suffered fatal chemical and thermal burns over most of his body, OSHA cited Chemical Products Corp. of Cartersville, Georgia, with five serious violations, […]

Faces of EHS: Cassie Ford on Hearing Loss Prevention

Cassie Ford received her B.S in Speech Language Pathology at Texas Christian University and her M.A. in Audiology at the University of Iowa. She started her career in public health and then spent several years doing clinical audiology and fitting hearing aids. In 2000, she accepted a position with the company that is now known […]

OSHA Cites Florida, Massachusetts Employers Following Explosions

A pair of employers are facing six-figure Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalties following workplace explosions. Air Liquide Advanced Materials, Inc., of High Springs, Florida, a global manufacturer of industrial gas, faces $201,573 in penalties following a May 2023 explosion that severely injured several employees, OSHA announced November 16. The employer could have prevented […]

Back to Basics: Prevention Through Design

Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine Prevention through Design. The goal of the safety professional is to minimize risk and reduce harm in the workplace as efficiently and effectively as possible. Leadership can eliminate hazards at each […]

BLS: Injuries, Illnesses Rose in 2022

Private sector employers reported 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2022—up 7.5% from 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported November 8. The increase was driven by the rise in both injuries, up 4.5% to 2.3 million cases, and illnesses, up 26.1% to 460,700 cases. The increase in the number of illnesses […]