Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The OSHA noise exposure standards says that if any employee’s exposure equals or exceeds an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels (dB), which is the “action level,” you must develop and implement a noise monitoring program. The audiometric sampling strategy for the monitoring program should be designed to identify affected employees and enable proper selection […]
Despite the significant risk of injury or death, construction workers continue to work at heights without fall protection. A recently published study examines the reasons for this and offers solutions that could prevent an accident or save a life. The researchers/authors of Fall Protection in Residential Construction Sites, which appeared in the July issue of […]
Here are some recommendations for safety training success from Cal/OSHA, California’s occupational safety and health agency. Training is a vital part of your safety program, it may be required by specific standards that apply to your workplace, and it can provide a natural environment for communication between management and employees about safety and health issues. […]
Today, we take a look at extension cord safety with some training pointers for your employees, brought to you courtesy of our featured safety training product, 7-Minute Safety Trainer. Extension cords are such a common item in the workplace and in the home, that many people take them for granted and fail to realize that […]
OSHA has specific and strict rules about lockout/tagout. Today, we present some questions BLR has received about this issue and the answers BLR safety experts have given. Q. Can a duplicate key for the purpose of lock removal under LOTO be held in a secure area with a procedure in place for access to the […]
Any powered equipment is potentially dangerous—even if it’s supposed to be shut down. Many needless accidents occur when somebody turns on a machine that’s supposed to be locked out. Lockout/tagout accidents are not only needless, but serious. They result not in small cuts or scratches, but often cause amputations, serious fractures, or death. Any energy […]
What shape is your energy control program in? Are you set up for an accident-free year or are you risking citations and penalties?< The lockout/tagout regulations are perennially ranked among OSHA’s top 10 violations. Last year, for example, there were more than 3,000 violations of the standard, with penalties mounting to nearly $4 million. These […]
A University of Vermont–hosted safety site has published what it calls the “Fatal 5″—the primary causes of LO/TO-preventable injuries. Make sure these hazards aren’t present in your workplace. OSHA requires you to train employees to prevent lockout/tagout (LO/TO) accidents in the workplace. Have you explained how to avoid the "Fatal 5" to your employees? 1 […]
Every year you hear about grisly accidents caused by failure to lockout and/or tagout equipment that is being serviced or repaired—or failure to follow required lockout procedures completely and correctly. Make sure one of this year’s stories isn’t about someone in your workplace. OSHA developed the lockout/tagout (LO/TO) standard (29 CFR 1910.147) precisely to prevent […]