Category: Equipment and Machinery Safety

Infographic: Ladder Safety Standards

Ladders are an integral piece of equipment in many industries and workplaces, but they also are a major hazard if not used properly. According to OSHA, falls from portable ladders are one of the leading causes of occupational deaths and injuries. Here’s what you need to know about OSHA’s ladder safety standards. Check out our Back to […]

Back to Basics: Ladder Safety

Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine ladder safety and OSHA’s standards for using ladders in the workplace. Ladders are an integral piece of equipment in many industries and workplaces, but they also are a major hazard if […]

OSHA Proposes Powered Industrial Truck Rule Updates

On February 15, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a notice of proposed rulemaking to update the agency’s powered industrial trucks regulations to reflect current industry practice and state-of-the-art technology (87 Federal Register (FR) 8755). The proposal would update design and manufacturing requirements for powered industrial trucks, including fork trucks, tractors, platform lift […]

A Closer Look at the Robotics Safety Process

Industrial robots can extend or enhance productivity at your facility, as well as perform dangerous or repetitive workplace tasks, thereby protecting the health and safety of your workers. Robotic systems are becoming more collaborative and mobile in nature. The future of robotics involves more collaborative robots, or “co-robots,” rather than fixed industrial robots isolated from […]

OSHA Hits Connecticut Manufacturer With $236K in Fines

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited PM Engineered Solutions Inc. of Watertown, Connecticut, with 40 serious and 8 other-than-serious violations and is seeking $236,201 in proposed penalties. The agency inspected the metal fabrication company after an employee was electrocuted on July 14, 2021, while repairing a portable water heater. PM Engineered Solutions lacked […]

NIOSH Examines Forklift, Struck-By Fatalities

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently released a pair of Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) reports. One report examines the death of a forklift operator crushed by a pallet full of soft drink cans, and the other details a fatal fall from a boom lift while tree trimming. Warehouse incident […]

Ask the Expert: Protection From Fumes When Cutting Stainless Steel

In our latest installment of Ask the Expert, brought to you by the team of industry experts at EHS Hero®, we look at a recent question from a subscriber asking whether an N95 or N99 mask protects the user from fumes when cutting stainless steel. See what the experts had to say. Q: Does an […]

Ask the Expert: Alternative Control Under Lockout/Tagout

In our latest installment of Ask the Expert, brought to you by the team of industry experts at EHS Hero®, we look at a recent question from a subscriber asking what is considered alternative control under the lockout/tagout standard. See what the experts had to say. Q: What is considered alternative control under the lockout/tagout […]

Safeway Cited for Lockout/Tagout, Machine Guarding Violations

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on August 10 cited Safeway Inc. with violations of the agency’s lockout/tagout, machine guarding, and other standards at the company’s dairy facility. OSHA proposed penalties totaling $339,379. The agency inspected a Denver milk packaging plant operated by Safeway after a worker lost four fingers while operating a molding […]

Machinery robots

Ask the Expert: Running Equipment Without Employees On Site

In our latest installment of Ask the Expert, brought to you by the team of industry experts at EHS Hero®, we look at a recent question from a subscriber asking about running equipment without employees on site. See what the experts had to say. Q: What are the requirements for running equipment without employees in […]