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Some spaces are not designed for continuous human occupancy. Manholes, crawl spaces, tanks, and other confined spaces can be difficult to get into and even more difficult to get out of. Once inside these spaces, workers may face life-threatening hazards that include toxic substances, electrocutions, explosions, and asphyxiation. For more than twenty years, employers have […]
Ever hear of the “industrial athlete”? The concept is that employees, like athletes, perform better when they are properly trained and fit for duty. Proponents say that the right training leads to fewer injuries, quicker return to work, and reduced costs. Keep reading to decide whether your workplace would benefit from an on-site athletic trainer. […]
Note: The OSHA industry standards for asbestos do not protect certain state and local government employees. The worker protection requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) ensure that the OSHA General Industry and Construction Industry Standards under 29 CFR 1910.1001 and 29 CFR 1926.1101 are applied to such employees, including those performing asbestos-related work […]
Adrian Mitchell, an apprentice diesel fitter in Tasmania, Australia, was retracting a 3-inch hose in May 2013 when the hose control became stuck in the “on” position. The hose, which was equipped with a heavy metal fitting at its loose end, began to whip around. It hit Mitchell in the side of the head—but his […]
It could have been the last day of work ever for 51-year-old Anthony Ryecroft. The maintenance fitter, who worked at a steel mill in Cumbria, England, was repairing a roll-up door in his employer’s warehouse when it fell. Ryecroft was struck on the head, and he and a coworker both suffered badly broken legs in […]
In October 2014, OSHA reinspected Wood Fibers, Inc., a wood pellet manufacturing facility in Niagara, Wisconsin, for the fifth time in 3 years. The employer had been cited for serious hazards in 2012, but late last year, conditions had not improved much. Wood Fibers was cited for four repeat and eight serious violations, including serious […]
In October 2009, the General Accounting Office issued a scathing report criticizing OSHA for undercounting work-related injuries and illnesses. As a result of that report and other factors, OSHA has stepped up enforcement of its injury and illness recordkeeping and reporting requirements. Because of this increased emphasis, employers need to take extra care in determining […]
On December 11, 2010, boxmaker Beverly Brown was walking down a vertical staircase at a Wayne Farms chicken processing plant in Decatur, Alabama, when she lost her balance and fell. Her only obvious injury was a cut on her lip, so Brown was taken to the plant’s medical room, where she was given an antibiotic […]
Employers have a great deal of flexibility in designing wellness programs under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—but there are also some pitfalls to avoid, and most of them involve laws that predate the ACA. Some employees who are subject to more stringent wellness program requirements designed by their employers under the ACA are suing—successfully—for discrimination […]
When the EPA publishes a press release about an enforcement case, the release will likely contain a statement about how the Agency came to uncover the violations. Sometimes a routine inspection, sometimes a surprise inspection, but often you will find that the inspection was prompted by a citizen complaint. In essence, your neighbors are tattling […]