Tag: OSHA

The Pitfalls of Noncompliance

Following safety regulations isn’t just the right thing to do—it keeps employers on the right side of OSHA enforcement and saves money by avoiding fines, legal fees, and more. Keep reading to learn about six companies that ran afoul of OSHA regulations and paid the price.

Q&A: Pedestrian Travel Paths

Recently, one of our subscribers asked the following question: For pedestrian safety, how wide does a designated protected employee travel path need to be? What type of stationary protective guards are acceptable to prevent forklifts from hitting pedestrians?

Crane Accidents Are Preventable. Are You Checking All the Boxes?

In 2014, OSHA extended the deadline for crane operator certification for three years, to November 10, 2017. Until then, OSHA says it will “consider addressing operator qualifications through additional rulemaking.” Meanwhile, employees continue to suffer when employers fail to provide adequate protection. Learn more here.

When the Whistle Blows, Will OSHA Say You Retaliated? ‘Reasonable Cause’ and Individual Statutes

When an employee “blows the whistle” on an employer’s alleged illegal activity, employers must tread very carefully. If any action has been taken that the employee could claim is unfavorable, the he or she may feel that the action is retaliatory. When that happens, the employee may file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and […]

When the Whistle Blows, Will OSHA Say You Retaliated? The Rules Have Changed

When a worker believes that his employer is breaking federal law, he or she may “blow the whistle” by reporting the employer to regulators, who then open an investigation. Unscrupulous employers may retaliate against whistleblowers by denying them raises, bonuses, or promotions; demoting them; making their lives at work so miserable that they quit; or […]

Daunting, Tedious, and Critical: First Steps Classifying Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace, Cont.

Every environment, health, and safety (EHS) manager is faced with the daunting and tedious task of ensuring that the hazardous chemicals in their workplace are correctly classified. And, every EHS manager is aware that the correct classification of chemicals and their hazards is the first critical step in ensuring the safety of the workers who […]

An In-Depth Look at Eye Safety: Compliance Tips, Best Practices, and More

Thousands of employees are blinded and countless lives transformed each year as a result of work-related eye injuries that could have been prevented. Eye injuries are not just tragic; they’re expensive to the tune of more than $300 million each year in lost production time, medical expenses, and workers’ compensation costs.

Daunting, Tedious, and Critical: First Steps Classifying Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace

Every environment, health, and safety (EHS) manager is faced with the daunting and tedious task of ensuring that the hazardous chemicals in their workplace are correctly classified. And, every EHS manager is aware that the correct classification of chemicals and their hazards is the first critical step in ensuring the safety of the workers who […]