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OSHA’s flammable liquids standard (29 CFR 1910.106) explains what these substances are and how to store and use them safely Since the primary hazards associated with flammable liquids are explosion and fire, the standard emphasizes construction and location of storage areas for flammable liquids to prevent buildup of hazardous vapors as well as procedures to […]
OSHA has many requirements for confined spaces training, but compliance doesn’t have to be difficult. Permit-required confined space training must include three key issues: Nature of the hazards Actions to take when exposed to hazards How to arrange for a rescue So says Michael Lawrence, principal of Summit Safety Technologies (Long Beach, CA), accomplished safety […]
Yesterday, we reviewed some recent OSHA enforcement cases that resulted in multiple citations and six-figure penalties. Today, we wind up with some additional reports on the cost of failing to comply with OSHA standards. Workers Exposed to Anhydrous Ammonia OSHA inspected a Region 7 food storage facility under its national emphasis program for process safety […]
Yesterday, we looked at the potential ergonomic pitfalls of lean manufacturing. Today, we look at the flip side: “non-value-added tasks.” What if you could reduce your manufacturing costs, improve productivity, and prevent ergonomic injuries all at once? Sound too good to be true? It may not be, according to Chris Shulenberger, Certified Professional Ergonomist with […]
“Don’t let your lean manufacturing become anorexic,” says Certified Professional Ergonomist Chris Shulenberger, M.S. Engr., and Technical Director for Ergonomics with Bureau Veritas North America. If you do, you’ll pay the price. Over the last decade, many manufacturers have embraced “lean manufacturing,” a strategy to eliminate wasted time, motion, and storage by streamlining production, altering […]
In today’s Advisor we focus on some frequently asked questions about electrical safety, with answers provided by OSHA. What causes electrical shocks? Electricity travels in closed circuits, normally through a conductor. But sometimes a person’s body—an efficient conductor of electricity—mistakenly becomes part of the electric circuit. This can cause an electrical shock. Shocks occur when […]
As of now, no federal combustible dust rule has been released, and the CSB is taking steps to increase pressure on OSHA to issue one. In 2006, in the wake of a series of deadly major explosions and fires caused by combustible dusts, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) issued a set of recommendations for […]
Yesterday, we featured strategies for investigating workplace accidents. Today, we focus on methods for correcting safety problems before they cause accidents. There are two common procedures for identifying and correcting safety problems: change analysis and job safety analysis (also known as job hazard analysis or safety analysis). Change Analysis To solve a problem using the […]
Three fatality reports from NIOSH illustrate the importance of emphasizing lockout/tagout rules. Reason 1 A 25-year-old worker at a concrete pipe manufacturing facility died from injuries received while cleaning a ribbon-type concrete mixer. The victim’s daily tasks included cleaning out the concrete mixer at the end of the shift. The clean-out procedure was to shut […]