Category: Personnel Safety

Making Sense of Washington’s New Health Emergency Labor Standards Act

Washington State has adopted the Health Emergency Labor Standards Act (HELSA), a sweeping worker protection bill passed by the state legislature. The Act amends the state’s workers’ compensation and industrial health and safety statutes to provide automatic protections for certain workers and to impose new notification and reporting requirements on employers in the event of a public […]

EHS On Tap: E74 Crossing Over With Radio Free Tenacity

On episode 74 of EHS On Tap, we’ve got a special crossover episode with Al Buczkowski and Allie Thunstrom, who host Ergodyne’s Radio Free Tenacity podcast. We talk a bit about their podcast and then present Episode 5 of Radio Free Tenacity, which focuses on fall prevention. Al Buczkowski is Senior Marketing Communications Manager at […]

Are Off-Site Injuries Covered by Workers’ Comp in Oklahoma? It Depends

Over the years we’ve seen a steady stream of cases involving employees who filed workers’ compensation claims after being injured away from the employer’s premises. Sometimes it was difficult to determine whether the off-site injury was compensable. Changes to Oklahoma’s laws sought to clarify the question, and two recent cases provide more answers.  Driving to […]

Nevada Employers Must Compensate Employees Who Get COVID-19 Shots

The Nevada Legislature recently passed Senate Bill (SB) 209 requiring employers to give employees paid time off (PTO) to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Here’s how the new law works and what you will need to know.  Key Facts About New Nevada Law  Who’s covered. SB 209 applies to all private employers with 50 or more employees in Nevada. It doesn’t apply […]

AIHA Releases Revised COVID-19 Guidelines

The AIHA (formerly the American Industrial Hygiene Association) announced the release of revised Back to Work Safety (BTWS) Guidelines. Updates to the revised guidelines include alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) new recommendations regarding vaccinated individuals; the hierarchy of health and safety controls; and references to current scientific evidence indicating that […]

Heat, Humidity, and Five Other Factors That Contribute to Heat Stress

Heat-related hazards injured 2,061 and killed 884 people in 2019, according to the National Safety Council. As responsible employers recognize and develop policies or plans to reduce risk to employees who must work in hot and humid conditions, more than just heat and humidity need to be considered. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), […]

EHS On Tap: E73 Helping Workers Beat the Heat

On episode 73 of EHS On Tap, Dr. Douglas Casa, CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute, and Margaret Morrissey, director of the National Heat Safety Coalition, discuss the need for increased awareness and safety standards around heat illness in industry. This episode is presented as part of EHS Daily Advisor’s activities for National Safety Week.

Acclimatization is Important to Avoiding Heat Stress

Heat stress is a major concern for many different workplaces across the U.S. One important way to help workers deal with the heat is acclimatization, which is where the person becomes better able to handle hot conditions after gradual increased exposure to a hot environment. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) offers […]

OSHA Kicks Off Safe + Sound Week for U.S. Workplaces

The U.S. Department of Labor encourages the nation’s employers to commit to workplace safety and health and join its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in observing Safe + Sound Week, Aug. 9-15, 2021. A nationwide event that recognizes the successes of workplace safety and health programs, Safe + Sound Week also offers information and ideas on […]

Back to Basics: Common Hazards, Frequent Citations

Back to Basics is a new weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine common workplace hazards that are among the most frequently cited by OSHA. Don’t let all the new, exotic workplace hazards distract you from the basics. The COVID-19 pandemic, historic wildfires […]